GPS / Sonar upgrade

[dlemmon]

I'm upgrading this Spring to Side Imaging.. I've always used Humminbird, but my wallet stands divided. I'm open to reccomendations. The 2 9" units I've been looking at are:

HELIX 9 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G2N $1299.99
vs.
LOWRANCE HOOK² 9 with TripleShot Transducer and US Inland Maps $799.

BIG difference in cost... What am I losing/gaining in function for the extra $500???

 

[Chris1956]

I bought a Garmin Echomap CHIRP 74SV a few weeks ago. It has a 7" screen and side scan, for 1/2 the price of your Helix. I have not used the unit yet, but have had good luck with Garmin products.

 

[dlemmon]

Cost is one of the reasons why I'm considering the Lowrance unit... I've always used Humminbird 5" units, but the Hook 2 series has all of the features I want and normally use... Since i'll have more info on the screen, i'd like to get to 9" or better... I guess I'm having a rough time going from " Ford to Chevy " ... Its difficult to compare unless you have both units side by side.

 

[dingbat]

Two very different units. What type of fishing are you doing?

What are you “upgrading” from?

 

[dlemmon]

Walleye trolling mainly.. Lake Erie and local rivers and lakes... Now using Humminbird 597 CI HD.

Also have an older humminbird 500 series BW sonar only on the transom.

 

[dingbat]

How deep are you fishing?
Max. depth?

 

[dlemmon]

Max Depth of Erie is approx 210'...... local rivers and lakes average 50'

 

[dingbat]

Hook is conventional sonar with down scan only.

Bird is conventional sonar with down and side scan.

Having made the jump from conventional to CHIRP sonar this Spring, I would highly recommend “upgrading” to CHIRP sonar. The improved resolution and target separation negates the need for down scan.

Side scan is good in shallow water (less than 20’) but much to be desired once you get in deeper water. Scaling and scan angles become an issue in deeper water.

Looking to add panoptics 3d forward scanning to the unit this Spring. Much better tool for trolling.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

We have a place on Erie, I have never seen anything deeper than 140' and that's on the US/Can border dead centre of the lake, you may have mistyped. We have crossed the lake many times. You can't beat Garmin for quality and I have had my sonar/gps combo for 18 years now. A new Garmin isn't in my budget these days. I also have the exact Humminbird you have and it is set on sonar, sensitive enough to see the thermocline and differentiate bait clouds from noise. The new Humminbirds and Lowrance units are all you will ever need for deep water trolling out here. Side imaging has zero advantages trolling for deep suspended Pics and Bows. We don't troll structure, neither do you. Get the largest screen in your budget, it is Ford vs. Chevy for sure. No need for a BMW or Audi for the fishing you do, a good HB unit is a good value and you can use the exact same transducer and connection for most new HB's.

 

[TyeeMan]

I have a HELIX 10 and love it. Not sure if you have a bow mount trolling motor or not, or if you do and intend to move to Minnkota Ulterra, the Huminbird is the only way to go. It's the only way you can utilize 100% of the Ulterra's functions. I've never been able to actually concentrate on actually fishing so much since I got the HB/Ulterra combo.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

The new 100lb thrust trollers like the Ulterra is the only way to go. It will even handle big water like Erie. Kickers are becoming redundant. I am all in with Humminbirds now, good value especially if not structure fishing. It's al the OP needs. Side scanning in deep water is a waste of money when you are targeting suspended fish like here on Erie. Even 50' is too deep for side imaging.

 

[82rude]

Old ,I'm assuming erie is fairly shallow.My reservoir (Montreal River ) hits 210 max and I regularly fish 150 to 180 feet in Superior, normally 55 down for kings and coho.I liked my little el chepo garmin gps/sonar but so did some sticky fingered sob also.Im now back to my old x125 lowrance till I get another garmin .I had the garmin fasco,d to the inside of the ss160 (transducer) and it worked perfectly.

 

[QBhoy]

Have you seen the new Dragonfly units ? Supposed to be incredible.

 

[dingbat]

Reading up on the specification of the two models in question, I see both manufacturers are playing the same games they’ve been playing for years with their price point products.

Quoting things like power output and beam angles to non-industry standards to make them look better than they really are. The asterisks with no foot notes are cute. Hint: min-max input voltages say a lot, particularly on the low end.

CHIRP is the catch phrase of the day. Ninety percent of the units with CHIRP in the advertising don’t actually use spread spectrum technology

One of the suppliers goes as far as to reference the frequencies the unit can use in the same text format used to indentify the frequency spectrums use by CHRIP. It isn’t until you dig into the depths of the specification that the deception is brought to light. Still others are going to tri-frequency transducers and calling that CHIRP....nope.
50kHz, 83 kHz and 200kHz are not CHIRP frequencies

Buyer beware.....

 

[porscheguy]

If you haven’t purchased yet, give it a while longer. I was told by the manager at west marine that garmin will be updating several echomap models, and that the models they’re discontinuing will be on clearance soon.

 

[dingbat]

If you haven’t purchased yet, give it a while longer. I was told by the manager at west marine that garmin will be updating several echomap models, and that the models they’re discontinuing will be on clearance soon.

he’s a bit behind the time. Been on sale for a while now. The more desirable units have gone out of stock