Hummingbird or Lowrance?

[Old Ironmaker]

I'm definetily a shallow water guy , boat is a 16' that's only 5' wide w/40hp so I'm really not doing any great lakes. Cooks bay is the biggest I do with any kind of regularity. However , I have the good fortune of being friends with Joselyn at Angling Outfitters and he's got both, so I'm gonna go see him. He already mentioned the HB may be a better value this season, I will let ya all know what I come back with. I just wanted to use the boards trusted knowledge to get the straight goods! So once again, thanks folks for all your help.

Sheldon

I have spoken to Joselyn a few times. If there is a question about sonar he doesn't know it hasn't been invented yet. He is the go to guy. What is his opinion? That would be interesting to know. If you fish Erie and haven't heard of Joselyn you are new here on Erie, he is a legend when it comes to electronics. Angler Outfitters, Woodstock ON.

[BITEME]

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!!!!!

[Shloim]

I have spoken to Joselyn a few times. If there is a question about sonar he doesn't know it hasn't been invented yet. He is the go to guy. What is his opinion? That would be interesting to know. If you fish Erie and haven't heard of Joselyn you are new here on Erie, he is a legend when it comes to electronics. Angler Outfitters, Woodstock ON.

Yeah Johnny Joselyn and I have some pretty good mutual friends, those couple of times I went to lake st.clair (I asked you about it once) we fished along side of him too. Hes recommending I get an Lowrance elite 4 (with an ice kit option) up front and use the built in transducer in my trolling motor and a 7" at the helm. The biggest bonus from dealing with him is indeed the customer service, especially if Im able to wrangle some preferred treatment.... Also johnny when I bought the boat, it was from Joce's lead that I found the beloved, leaky tub of fish catching fun...

S

[Old Ironmaker]

Yeah Johnny Joselyn and I have some pretty good mutual friends, those couple of times I went to lake st.clair (I asked you about it once) we fished along side of him too. Hes recommending I get an Lowrance elite 4 (with an ice kit option) up front and use the built in transducer in my trolling motor and a 7" at the helm. The biggest bonus from dealing with him is indeed the customer service, especially if Im able to wrangle some preferred treatment.... Also johnny when I bought the boat, it was from Joce's lead that I found the beloved, leaky tub of fish catching fun...

S

Yep he knows his crap. Some folks don't know how to take him. Good call on the Elite. I hear they are hitting Walleye now on the river at LSC and all the way down to Detroit. I haven't been as I said but it sure sounds challenging. Hope to eventually, especially LSC in the fall for multiple numbers of big fat Musky, everyday they say. The plan is this fall come hell or no water. If you want to talk about the leaks PM me. Did a big box rivets on a StarCraft a few weeks back. Putting the floor back in later today I hope.

 

Johnny D

Edited March 18, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[fishdawg]

Jos rocks. Great selection of used head units, parts and accessories as well.

[Freshtrax]

I like my greyscale garmin Marks my balls and the odd fish all I can really ask for ... I have been tempted on an elite 9 with the side scan a few times.... I'm still holding steady.

[GBW]

I like my greyscale garmin Marks my balls and the odd fish all I can really ask for ...

If it's marking "that" maybe you have the 'ducer' pointed wrong...

[doubleheader]

I've always run Lowrance and currently run a Gen 1 8" at the helm and 7" on the bow. These units, unlike earlier Lowrance units, have been flawless. I'm getting ready to retire and I'm planning to upgrade my electronics at that time. As I want to use the graph to control my Terrova I'll be switching to Hummingbird, probably the Helix 10" DI. I've owned Motorguide bow mounts in the past, and rightly or wrongly, never again. One advantage I see with Hummingbird is the ability to create your own maps without having to share. At least that's how i understand it. With Lowrance, I believe the mapping is free if you share, and there is a monthly fee if you prefer not to. If I'm in error on this please someone correct me. Not buying anything for another year.

Edited March 21, 2016 by doubleheader

[John Bacon]

I've always run Lowrance and currently run a Gen 1 8" at the helm and 7" on the bow. These units, unlike earlier Lowrance units, have been flawless. I'm getting ready to retire and I'm planning to upgrade my electronics at that time. As I want to use the graph to control my Terrova I'll be switching to Hummingbird, probably the Helix 10" DI. I've owned Motorguide bow mounts in the past, and rightly or wrongly, never again. One advantage I see with Hummingbird is the ability to create your own maps without having to share. At least that's how i understand it. With Lowrance, I believe the mapping is free if you share, and there is a monthly fee if you prefer not to. If I'm in error on this please someone correct me. Not buying anything for another year.

 

I think it is still free if you don't share; you just don't get the information from other people if you don't share yours. But you should probably contact Lowrance or Radio World if you want to be 100% certain.

 

From what I understand the new MotorGuides have much better control than the MinnKotas. The iPilot has one GPS receiver while the Xi5 has two GPS receivers (one in the base and one in the head) plus a compass.

Edited March 22, 2016 by JohnBacon

[doubleheader]

You're probably correct. Still, it's been 10 years since I owned a Motorguide and I'm still in therapy. Seriously, that motor (remember the Ptsv?) cost me a legitimate chance at the Cabelas NTC in DuBuque Iowa and I swore I'd never ever own another.

[cram]

Even if you don't share with the community, Lowrance uses your data to improve their own maps.. Could be wrong, but that's how I understand it.

 

Spend any time mapping uncharted lakes, or getting more detail on your favorite fishing spots......and there's a good chance you're passing that data on to Lowrance.

Edited March 22, 2016 by cram

[Sinker]

Even if you don't share with the community, Lowrance uses your data to improve their own maps.. Could be wrong, but that's how I understand it.

 

Spend any time mapping uncharted lakes, or getting more detail on your favorite fishing spots......and there's a good chance you're passing that data on to Lowrance.

Thats how I understand it as well. I'm not interested at all.

 

S.

[BillM]

With the 'bird, your info is yours and yours alone. With the Helix/Onyx units, you make your custom maps right on the spot, no need to upload to computer to create. It's all done within the sonar itself. Pretty slick!

[BillM]

garmin echomaps make maps instantly as well

 

Right on, I don't pay much attention to the Garmin units.

[Shloim]

So I still haven't bought anything, mainly because Im waiting for my buddy and I to get our _ _ _ _ together and head down to angling outfitters. Ive decided what Im gonna do though. Im gong to put my old 570 bird on the bow and a new unit 7" at least at the helm. So while waiting to go to AO I noticed that radio world has the Hummmingbird 959ci HD DI on sale for $899 down from $1415. Thoughts?

[Lape0019]

the only thing the helix has over that unit is autochart and a slightly faster processor. For a guy looking to save a bit, it's worth it. They are just last years models that got replaced with the helix.

[landry]

That price isn't so amazing though as in the winter the 999 SI units were $999 at Sail.

I have the 859 unit. It marks fish well and marks jigs in water over 60' better than my lowrance did.