Sonar/GPS advice needed

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JerryS
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2012/02/24 23:03:36 (permalink)

Sonar/GPS advice needed

About to update my fish finder to a combo unit (sonar/GPS) and have a few questions.

I fish Pymy, Wilhelm, Arthur, Shenango, and Erie. What Navionic map card would you recommend? Do they show detailed contour depths on all of these lakes?

Please share any experiences using a side imaging unit on the smaller inland lakes I mentioned. I am trying to justify the larger price tag of these toys.

Thanks for the help.

Jerry
#1

17 Replies Related Threads

    Sunone
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 12:07:16 (permalink)
    Jerry
    I've had a Humminbird 997C SI for 4 years and use Navionics HotMaps Premium "East" Card.
    All your lakes are on this map. Not always super accurate , but will get you on the spot and then you can
    investigate further with the SI. Your first trip out , you may not even fish , you'll be too glued to what
    you are seeing and learning. Great tool!


    Rick
    #2
    Sunone
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 13:06:33 (permalink)
    Pymy Screen Shot. (if the pic makes it !)

    [image][/image]

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    #3
    Sunone
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 13:34:47 (permalink)
    Jerry - One more SI screen shot from Wilhelm -
    out from the "three posts".

    [image][/image]

    Rick

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    #4
    ToothyCritterGitter
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 13:58:14 (permalink)
    wow. just watched demos of this... i must have it...
    #5
    JerryS
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 18:58:37 (permalink)
    Rick,

    Thanks for the map info and SI screen shots. I was skeptical of real world use but your SI images look as good as Humminbird stock images.

    The 798CI SI, their entry level SI unit, can be had for about $900 but I am concerned the 5" screen is too small for SI viewing. The larger screen prices are hard for me to justify.

    My choices are 5" screen with DI (down imaging), the 597CI DI combo, or a larger screen unit with SI. You just made my decision harder! LOL

    Thanks,
    Jerry
    post edited by JerryS - 2012/02/25 19:05:22
    #6
    ICE NUT
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 20:08:22 (permalink)
    Jerry,
    Here is a pic of my 998 on Lake erie.Those vee's are walleyes.The SI is good also but my only advise is get the biggest screen you can afford.otherwise you will have to sit right in front of it to see anything.

    #7
    ICE NUT
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 20:20:11 (permalink)
    sorry jerry here is the pic.



    #8
    anzomcik
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 20:26:46 (permalink)
    #9
    ICE NUT
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/25 21:06:33 (permalink)
    Had some issues posting my pic jerry this should work now.

    [image][/image]
    #10
    ToothyCritterGitter
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 00:06:19 (permalink)
    holy gps coordinate spot burn batman... what a gift!
    #11
    eyesandgillz
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 00:47:31 (permalink)

    ORIGINAL: ToothyCritterGitter

    holy gps coordinate spot burn batman... what a gift!


    Ha ha, not offshore on Erie, new year, new locations, now if it was inshore structure

    #12
    Bogeyjoker
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 00:49:12 (permalink)
    lol...there is no "spot burn" on Erie.  Here today...gone tomorrow.
    #13
    chauncy
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 09:48:51 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: ICE NUT

    Jerry,
    Here is a pic of my 998 on Lake erie.Those vee's are walleyes.The SI is good also but my only advise is get the biggest screen you can afford.otherwise you will have to sit right in front of it to see anything.



    Those are some nice hooks. Was it this day?

    Didn't get our limits but had a good day just the same.
    post edited by chauncy - 2012/02/26 09:56:35
    #14
    ToothyCritterGitter
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 11:16:39 (permalink)
    just found it funny to see a picture of a screen full of fish with the gps coordinates right on it... love it!!
    #15
    JerryS
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 12:24:28 (permalink)
    ORIGINAL: ICE NUT

    Jerry,
    Here is a pic of my 998 on Lake erie.Those vee's are walleyes.The SI is good also but my only advise is get the biggest screen you can afford.otherwise you will have to sit right in front of it to see anything.



    Thanks Ice Nut. I could probably afford any fish finder out there, but do I want to spend that much is the question. I guess I am lucky to have such difficult decisions.

    Will my fish catch rate continue to increase as I spend more? Probably not. I would be better off just following Chauncy's red Lund. lol.

    It seems the screen size becomes more important when in the split screen mode. I am considering keeping my old unit installed and mounting the new unit next to it. I would use the old unit for the 2D sonar and the new for GPS or DI/SI.

    New Question:
    I have a tiller boat. Since the GPS will be mounted on the left side of the boat (facing right), I see having a learning curve interpreting the boat navigation since "UP" on the GPS is not the front of the boat. Am I over-thinking this? I wonder which GPS setting would work better, "Course Up" or "North Up".

    Thanks,
    Jerry

    post edited by JerryS - 2012/02/26 12:26:33
    #16
    chauncy
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 13:12:00 (permalink)
    "Will my fish catch rate continue to increase as I spend more? Probably not. I would be better off just following Chauncy's red Lund." lol.


    I was in Bill's boat that day. His lund is bigger than mine. Good erie boat.
    #17
    ICE NUT
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    RE: Sonar/GPS advice needed 2012/02/26 14:57:20 (permalink)
    Yes Ken that pic was taken the day you and I fished Lake Erie.I enjoyed that day we had fun.Jerry good luck with what ever you buy Im pleased with mine. Chauncy is right your fish catching rate is probably not going to go up but you never know. About the coordinates you can have all the coordinates you want on erie didnt seem to matter we caught fish in a dozen other areas also.More important was what we were using,how far back and what we speed we were fishing!!!
    I learned alot that day fishing with my friend chauncy whom I consider the FISH King!!!!! esp on Shenango!!!.Kenny we gota do it again this summer ok!!

    icenut
    #18
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