Fishfinder/GPS Recomendations

[msp]

I have decided to purchase and upgrade the fishfinder on my boat this winter.

I have very little to no experience with GPS.

Im looking at an entry level unit that wont break the bank.

Im looking at the following units

Humminbird 597ci HD ( comes with Navionics chip )

http://radioworld.ca/597ci-combo-card-p-11412.html

 

Or

Lowrace Elite- 5 HDI

http://radioworld.ca/elite-p-12058.html

 

Im looking on imput from you guys. Things like warranty, Humminbird vs. Lowrance, user freindly, new vs used, map chips ect....

Any other recomendations would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks,

[Raf]

The Elite-5 is a great graph/gps. Easy to use, never an issue, I'd highly recommend. Been on my boat for 3 years now, I'll be looking to upgrade to the Elite-7 myself.

 

Wont comment on hbird because I am not a hbird guy but they're fine for your boat, just not mine.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Raf

[Gnote]

I am a humminbird guy and have been happy with everyone i have had. This year my buddy bought the 385 ci i believe, with gps built in for 350 bucks

This was a most useful unit for salmon fishing.

My aluminum has a cheaper 500 series and my chapparal has a 700 series and i personly wont buy another make.they are all very accurate and i have never had an issue with any of them

[limeyangler]

From what i can tell it they are pretty similar units spec wise. The difference for me would come down to what map chips were available for the 2 units. Another more recent development that has me looking at HB more than Lowrance( I love my Lowrances) is that HB and Minn Kota are in cahoots and their systems compatible( see new i-Pilot)

[mike rousseau]

I have that bird unit... But with the Di feature...

 

I give it a 4/5

 

Only negative is the GPS... And I haven't done a software upgrade since I bought the unit...that might solve some problems...

 

sometimes has a hard time picking up signal... I've started turning the GPS on before I leave my house... Gives it plenty of time to get connection and it always works after that....

 

Speed bounces around... Even when parked in the driveway... I've learned to read speed like the matrix...lol... It's usually showing the right speed... Just bounces up and down...

 

 

 

Positives...

 

You can get the portable kit for ice fishing...

 

Sonar is awesome...

 

Di is worth the $100 if you can afford it...

 

No cable base for quick and easy installation and removal daily...

 

Very user friendly... Easy menus... Even my dad can operate his new bird unit... Lol

[lew]

Just my opinion, but I'd go for a bigger screen than the 5" if you can swing it. May not seem like a big difference, but if you can see the 5" compared to a bigger screen side by side, you'd know what I meant.

 

Again, just my opinion though.

[Lape0019]

From what i can tell it they are pretty similar units spec wise. The difference for me would come down to what map chips were available for the 2 units. Another more recent development that has me looking at HB more than Lowrance( I love my Lowrances) is that HB and Minn Kota are in cahoots and their systems compatible( see new i-Pilot)

 

Lowrance is doing the same thing with Motorguide from what I have been told.

 

I have used HB 300's, 500's, and 700's as well as the Elite 5DSI (Old version of the HDI). If you were asking last year, I would say that the Elite is easier to navigate through the screens but the HB is better because you could get the Down imagining as well as 2D sonar. With Lowrance coming out with the HDI, they now also offer dual imagine in a 5" screen so I would go that route.

 

After reading through the other posts. I should mention some other things I have heard that may sway you (Towards HB. I am trying to be honest here after all). I have not had to use warranty so I am still happy with Lowrance.

 

- With either brand you get, expect to have to purchase another chip if you fish inland lakes. The chips that come with both of the units only contain information on Navigabl;e waters. Meaning, it covers most of the larger bodies of water that have Bouy's in them. You will need to by Hotmaps for other areas.

- With the Lowrance, (I cannot recall with the HB), you need to tell the finder to use the chip. When you first boot up, you will have to go into the setting of the unit and select the area you are looking for (There are 3 if I remember correctly). If you do not do this, you will not see anything.

-Warranty/Customer Service. The one Tackle store I frequent the most has now twice stopped carrying Lowrance. He brought them in again this year only to discontinue selling them after finding out that the issues he had previousl had, are not sorted out. His main issue with Lowrance is Warranty. It seems to have been outsourced. He and many others in that store have told me how easy it is to get service out of Humminbird. If an update doesn't work, send it in to Hummindbird and they will fix it for you... I haven't heard anything good about Lowrance customer service in a long time.

 

 

My biggest gripe about the Humminbird units is that if you go past the screen you want, you have to push the button several times to get back to where you want (unless you have a 7 series with customizable pre-set buttons). With the Lowrance, it is push the pages button and pick the screen you want...

 

 

In my eyes now, the only place that the Humminbird will shine is that is has a slightly better resolution that Lowrance. That would not be enough to sway me towards it though.

 

So unit wise, I lean towrads the Lowrance. Warranty/Customer Service, it seams Humminbird is the way to go.

 

 

Adam

Edited December 11, 2013 by Lape0019

[Bernie]

I was a Lowrance guy for many years, but have to say I am not happy with my GPS/sonar unit.

Yes, it's a few years old now, but the chip for the maps is only three years old.

The Nipissing the map is pretty much useless, especially for those that are not real familiar with the lake.

Missing shoals, and even complete islands.

My handheld Garmin Rino has the actual Nipissing chart on it and is much more detailed. I'd trust it heads and tails more for navigation over the Lowrance.

Not sure how well the Garmin solid units are however, never used one. But I'd certainly research one when I replace the one I have now.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Bernie

[Dan668]

Elite 5 is a good unit. A friend of mine runs it

Edited December 11, 2013 by danbob

[hockeyplayerz_14]

From what i can tell it they are pretty similar units spec wise. The difference for me would come down to what map chips were available for the 2 units. Another more recent development that has me looking at HB more than Lowrance( I love my Lowrances) is that HB and Minn Kota are in cahoots and their systems compatible( see new i-Pilot)

good point here but……. anything you want to link to a Hbird has to be 7 series or up, they are both good units and both come with a chip which is a bonus

[mike rousseau]

My biggest gripe about the Humminbird units is that if you go past the screen you want, you have to push the button several times to get back to where you want (unless you have a 7 series with customizable pre-set buttons). With the Lowrance, it is push the pages button and pick the screen you want...

 

Adam

Not the case... At least with this unit......

 

View button changes screens in one order and the exit button changes in the opposite direction...

Edited December 12, 2013 by Mike Rousseau

[porkpie]

I have a 587 ci di. Running it with a hotmaps chip also, and it is quite awesome! The DI, while definately not required is still a pretty neat feature. I never like humminbird prior to this, but they certainly stepped up their game! Having said that, I have used lowrance products for years, and while I have no previous experience with the elite series (prior to the bird, my last unit was a monochrome x15). I am sure you couldn't go wrong with either! Just having colour alone blew my mind!!!!

[BillM]

Not the case... At least with this unit......

 

View button changes screens in one order and the exit button changes in the opposite direction...

 

I just figured out the 'exit' button goes backwards after at least a dozen times on the water, lol!!! The custom configured buttons are a really nice touch as well.

[Moosebunk]

Both solid brands. Used the Humminbird 585ci for a few years and never had a problem. When a brand new Lowrance HDS7 Gen2 came my way for $500 though I couldn't say no. Took me awhile to switch the H out for the L but glad I did because now that Bird can go to the bow and I won't be jiggin' up there blind anymore for gnarly lakers and snarly smallies, while the definition, options and even mapping are better viewed now in the Capn's chair.

 

Again though... nothing wrong with either product.

[Garnet]

I've had both birds and Gen 1 Lowrance.

 

To me the birds menus are more straight forward, more tailor for fishing.

 

My Gen 1 seems way more complicated and the book just gives me a headache. It seems to have sailing crap and other stuff that just complicates menus. But I think the graphics are better (especially in SI).

 

They both have forward tracking (arrow in front of your position curse).

 

The thing I always hated with birds is they have pages of transducer were Lowrance only has a couple.

[BillM]

You can remove whatever pages you don't want to see in the advanced menu.

[RangerGuy]

Have you considered a separate unit for your GPS?

 

I'm still using my Garmin 276C , when I picked this

up Blue Charts were the only ones lic to reproduce

the government charts. Not sure if that is still the case.

 

it's a great unit fast and accurate in all weather conditions.

 

plus u can u road maps as well.

 

I have a hb 768 with di&so as a depth finder.

 

personally the di&si is kind of a waste on a small screen if u ask me

Edited December 12, 2013 by RangerGuy

[Garnet]

I'm keeping my eye on Garmin. They bought a small company Impulse that has some features not available on lowrance or Birds.

 

I had separate Finder and GPS on the deck of my boat LMS 330 I think. Just a little to much junk. And the networking thing with bigger screens is nice.

[msp]

Thanks for all you replies and reccommendations guys.

 

Qoute " - With either brand you get, expect to have to purchase another chip if you fish inland lakes. The chips that come with both of the units only contain information on Navigabl;e waters. Meaning, it covers most of the larger bodies of water that have Bouy's in them. You will need to by Hotmaps for other areas "

 

Im mainly fishing North and East of the Kawarthas. I guess I will have to purchase another chip for the inland lakes.

I didnt realize that the chip that comes with the unit did not cover the areas I fish.

Any recommendations for a chip ? Are some more detailed that others ?

Pretty expensive stuff. The cost keeps climbing

[Sinker]

Im happy with my elite 5 dsi with the hotmaps chip for around here mike. A bigger screen would have been nice, but I couldnt pass up the deal. Unit works good, GPS is a great tool. Once you have it, you will wonder how you ever fished without it!!

 

S.

[Woodsman]

My opinion although maybe a little biased is

Humminbird 597ci HD ( comes with Navionics chip )

http://radioworld.ca...rd-p-11412.html

I just upgraded to this unit a couple of weeks ago.

Fits right in my Ice 345c bag.

[lookinforwalleye]

I bought the Lowrance Elite7 HDI last year and it`s a nice unit...love the 7" wide screen and the split screen the down imaging is cool.

The only thing I didn`t like and it`s no fault of the unit is the Gold card that came with the unit is useless for the water that I fish.