Down Imaging

[Rizzo]

Getting a Humminbird 788. Is it worth it to get down imaging or is just a gimic? Thanks

[glen]

I didn't get down imaging on my new finder. Transducers are expensive. I am told it won't mark fish very good at all. For my style of fishing I am seeing everything I need to already.

[Rizzo]

I had heard the same thing about marking fish, but then I heard with the 788 you can choose down imaging mode or regular mode.

[glen]

You should be able to have them both on with a split screen.

[manjo39]

I have the 798 with down imaging. I switch back and forth between down imaging and regular mode. I actually like regular mode better because the colour variation and double bottom allows me to determine what type of bottom I'm dealing with. Maybe I don't know how to use down imaging properly?

[mike rousseau]

Down imaging is more for structure then anything else...

 

I've seen some really cool stuff with Di that the regular sonar doesn't really show well....

 

If money is tight I wouldn't worry about getting Di... But I feel for my style of fishing it has helped me.... And I think it's $100 give or take price difference....

[DropShot'r]

I plan on upgrading my depthfinder next year.

 

For me DI is a must. I like the DI for locating structure and giving you a true picture of that structure and normal depthfinder for locating fish, with a split screen you have the best of two worlds. If the cash is there I'll have side scan too.

 

Drop

[Tayzak15]

Just went from traditional to down imaging, and I like the down imaging much more, gives much more detail of what you'r fishing on and what exactly is underneath your boat. Sure it doesn't show fish well, but you shouldn't need one to find fish if you are able to tell the structure your'e fishing on.

[BillM]

HD + SI + DI is awesome!

[Andrew Grant]

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Edited January 29, 2014 by XxX

[Lape0019]

I have had this discussion quite a few times because I was one if the first poeple within my friends to make the switch. I have a Lowrance elite 5 dsi and there is a definite difference between the two technologies. It took me almost a year to figure out what was a fish on the unit.

 

The positives

 

Gives you a better picture if structure. Weeds looks like weeds with strings of vegetation instead if a big clump or arches.

 

I find it gives you more information about the bottom if the river/lake you are fishing. Different bottom (clay, rocks, sand) seem to have a different color to them.

 

When you learn how to read what a fish looks like (basically a pixel or two instead of the arch) there is no mistaking it for something floating in the water.

 

The downside.

 

The down imagine reduces the depth range that the sonar can reach. ( mine is rated for 200 feet where traditional sonar can go up to 800 to 1000.

 

Takes some time to get used to.

 

Mine loses signal after 30 mph ( again this is lowrance so you would have to check the manual or online)

 

Would I buy another unit with down imaging? In a heart beat. The nice thing about the humminbird units is they seem to all come with DI and standard sonar so you can use both if you want. If I was to buy another unit, I would be looking at the lowrance elite 7 hdi because it has both and the screen is almost double the size for not much more money than the elite 5 dsi.

[Angler management]

I just bought a hummingbird 898 hd si and i cant believe the difference it makes. It seems a little harder to identify the fish for me but i am new to the system and lots of room for improvement on my behalf... However it allows me to see over 400' to the sides of my boat and identify the structure around me. Doing so, i can split the screen into 3 sections, and view the bottom with sonar, di, and si. And that way i can get much more information and detail around and under the boat, and have marked tons of fish in schools and individually as well as schools of baitfish. Got on top of a school of pickie yesterday with si that were 80ft. To the left of my boat, then switched to SI and pulled out 4 fish in 5 mins. Would never have seen this school of fish on the bottom without SI and probably would have cruised right by them... My newest and best tool!

[kickingfrog]

Well Roger if I'm going to be buying this new rig of yours in a few years I think I'd like the DI option please… If you give me a tutorial.

[Dan668]

I use my DI more than 2d. Shows structure alot better.

 

It does display less fish, but if you find the structure, you'll find the fish.

[Sinker]

Hmm....I have a new elite 5dsi to install on my boat this week. I didn't realize I couldn't turn off the DI. Looks like I have some learning to do.

 

S.

[Andrew Grant]

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Edited January 29, 2014 by XxX

[Sinker]

Well, I guess I'll leave my old graph installed and compare the two side by side. Might speed up the learning curve.

 

S.

[DRIFTER_016]

Well, I guess I'll leave my old graph installed and compare the two side by side. Might speed up the learning curve.

 

S.

 

That's what I have done.

Got my old Lowrance LMS 350 alongside of my Mark 5X DSI.

Eventually it will all be replaced with an HDS Gen II when the $$$$$ are available.

[Sinker]

Will they run together, side by side, with no interference, or will I have to switch from one to the other. Now I'm thinking I might not want the DSI.......might have to rethink this, and exchange it for a comparable bird unit that will do both...........

 

S.

[Lape0019]

They may have changed it since I bought mine 2 seasons ago but I only have down imaging and yes, it only works up to 30mph...

 

When I bought mine this was the only "affordable" way to get it and after using it for a few seasons now I am comfortable. If I was in your shoes, I would either grab an elite 7 hdi or grab a humminbird unit as any of the ones they have seems to have traditional 2d as well as di.

[SlowPoke]

I have the Lowrance structure scan and couldn't see myself fishing without it now. Amazing detail, worth the money.

Wow, that is amazing detail if you can see yourself fishing with it!

I've got an LSS 2 waiting patiently for me to install it and I'm looking forward to trying it out.

[DRIFTER_016]

Will they run together, side by side, with no interference, or will I have to switch from one to the other. Now I'm thinking I might not want the DSI.......might have to rethink this, and exchange it for a comparable bird unit that will do both...........

 

S.

They will run fine side by side.

My 2D sonar is 50/200 khz and the DI is 800 khz so no problems there.

[Sinker]

I'm not sure I want to install it now.

 

Its brand new in box with reciept. Might see if I can exchange it for something else. I bought it for the GPS, without thinking about the DSI part of it. I figured it was a feature you could turn on/off. Guess not.

 

S.

[Dan668]

Consider the elite 7, has 2d along with di. Have to add a bit though

Edited May 12, 2013 by danbob

[aplumma]

I am using the lowrance DI and it shows a whole world that the regular transducer misses. The 800 khz is not read as an average of the size of the cone in depth. It is read as a line or 2 D beam and has the instant update of a flasher with the ease of reading information of a graph. Kind of hard to explain with out getting long winded but I use a flasher for high speed reading, my graph for running in lower speeds than 30 mph and my 800 for trolling speeds and less. They all have a good use but it is up to the operator to learn what it is telling you.

 

 

Art