25 replies to this topic

[soccerer]

I want to buy a new fish/depth finder and I have about $500 to spend. Can anyone offer and suggestions, based on experience, to what I should or shouldn't consider? I fish mainly panfish, walleye and smallies. Thanks fellows!

[Grimsbane]

We need some more info, like where do you fish, saltwater, freshwater, how often do you go to lakes or areas you don't know / etc.

[soccerer]

I fish in freshwater usually Lake Ontario and its bays and rivers also the Finger lakes. Most of the time the fish I'm after are in water under 100 ft. I have a 17 ft. aluminum boat with a 50hp engine. Most of the waters are at least somewhat familiar to me but I do like to go to new places. If you need me to answer any more questions just let me know. Thanks again.

[Grimsbane]

That's why i wanted to know/ my experience with depth finders around here is only up to 30-50 ft deep max/ average depth around here 15 feet or so. Sorry I can't help you, but I know there are a lot of Great Lakes Fishers here so it shouldn't be long.

We are all minor lake fishers around here. so my experience is nil.

[Bassbum]

go with a Lowrance......I just upgraded to a x510c color
unit on my bow and it is awesome.....very clear and easy to read in sunlight and the resolution (480x480) is crisp as can be. Lists for $499.

[King Bait Co.]

I got the hummingbird piranna max 220. Its only a $120 but it works great compared to some I have seen. I think it goes down to 600ft, 60 degree beam with 20 dgree in the middle of the 60. It has temp I belive you can add speed for under $75. Has a pretty good screen thats lited and most of all fisherman friendly. I really only use it for depth, to see any trees and to find out how high the weeds are under the water. Ever time fish show up on it never catch fish. Then no fish on the screen I catch them. I would get a cheaper finder and with the extrs money get the rod or reel you always wanted. They catch the fish and if you think about it that helps you find the fish. Sorry not much of a tecno freak on fish finders.

[DropShot'r]

I have an Eagle at the back of the boat and my beloved Humminbird flasher at the front of the boat. I would suggest going to Cabelas & BPS web sites and start checking out the various models and manufacturers looking for features you want. The big thing with those two sites is that customers rate the products, so most deptfinders should have a good number of reviews.

Hope this helps,
DropShot'r

[soccerer]

Thanks but if anyone wants to throw in their 2 cents please feel free

[WannabeeFishing]

I'm a Lowrance guy all the way. Look at the Eagle models. Same basic design and functions as their Lowrance big brothers, but they leave out some advanced features and have really good price points. The unit on my console is a Lowrance LCX 26c HD with GPS, so it was considerably over your budget ($1400). I run an Eagle 320c on my bow and really like the performance for $200.

[thedude]

save a few more pennies and get a humminbird 797c SI unit. hate to say it, but lowrance will be a thing of the past after these units come down in price a little. (i run both and would replace the lowrance with another SI in a heartbeat)

[soccerer]

I will check out the Hummingbird 797c SI Thank you all very much.

[basssj]

If you go with the lowrance, I would get a 520c head unit only from three rivers marine electronics for $349.00 and add a transducer for your application for another $50-70. The 520c is gps capable where as the 510c is not, plus the 520c ends up being a few $ cheaper bought as I suggest. If you want to add the gps later all you need is a lowrance gps puck for about 165.00. I think the Lowrance has better picture quality than the Eagle models. Everyone that I have talked to swears by the hummingbird 797 side imaging. I would like to see one in action before forking over the 1,000 for one though. Rumour has it that Lowrance may be coming out with side imaging of their own in the next year or so.

[Mac10]

I have a Humminbird 535. It's a black and white model with a cone within a cone making it a 60 degree wide angle as opposed to a normal 18 to 20 degree cone angle. Excellent for picking up structure and cover which other narrower cones may miss.

[WannabeeFishing]

Check out this post for a Lowrance 520c w/GPS for sale from the crappie.com forum. Price looks to be about $100 under retail and apparently includes shipping.

I have no connection with the post. I just noticed it and recalled this thread.


Lowrance 520-C with GPS - Crappie.com

Happy shopping.

Edited by WannabeeFishing, 28 May 2008 - 07:51 AM.

[Mac10]

Humminbird 535 is a wide angle black and white....60 degree cone....nice for picking up structure and cover otherwise missed with a narrow cone.

[Hobbes24]

is it possible to get Canadian maps for the Hummingbird 797c SI. My fish finder seems to have grown legs and wandered off... so i need a replacement before i go to the cottage this sumer.

[thedude]

humminbirds run navionics chips
navionics has both a "Canada East" and "Canada North" chip that cover part of ontario (amongst other states and provinces) for marine navigation. The hotmaps chips cover most of canada on 1 chip, you would have to check to see if topo is available for the lakes you are fishing.

Navionics: The Leader in Electronic Charts

Edited by thedude, 03 June 2008 - 01:25 PM.

[MTfishingrods]

I have been following this post because I needed to purchase a replacement also. However my daughter just purchased a Humingbird 141c for me for me as a gift and I am actually very happy with it. It doesnt have the GPS capabilities, but I have my portable gps I would rather use anyways because I already have the maps and software purchased for it. But for the couple hundred dollar price tag I am happy with it.

[Mac10]

In support of King Bait Co.,


My buddy just got the Humminbird Pirahna 220 wide angle for under 100, nice looking and really like the 60 degree cone angle. Great for locating cover, structure......otherwise possibly missed with the smaller cones.

[fishcrazy]

I have the Humminbird 787c w/gps and for the money $1000 with both chips for northern U.S. and Canada I wouldnt consider a different model unless I came up with some extra cash for the 997 model. My brother has this model and the side imaging for finding channels and under water structure is incredible. Waiting to see if another company comes out with this technology so that ther is more competition and drives the price down

Mike