Northwest Fishing Reports

Looking to upgrade to a Fish Finder/GPS with mapping capabilities. Will fish Lake Roosevelt as well as other lakes in Eastern, WA. Budget is not really set, but looking to be around $500, this number can go up if there is something out there that I "need" in a gps/sonar.

Was looking into getting one of the following: Humminbird® 597 ci HD Combo Sonar/GPS http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home/Get ... getIDgetID" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OR Lowrance® Elite-5 DSI Sonar with GPS : http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/ ... t104588280" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is there any advantage from one to the other or maybe a different brand/model that would be recommended. Thanks.

Regardless of the brand, I would save your pennies get one with a bigger screen. When you start to split a 5" screen, there's nothing left. Get the biggest one you can, I've never said I wish I'd got the smaller one........

I have two 5" screen finders on the console. One for the depth, and one for the GPS. My 20 year old one that only has the depth needs to be replaced and some month soon it'll get replaced by a down scan, might have GPS, might not, haven't decided yet. My finder with GPS is about 10 years old and works fine. Both Lowrance - X60, and LMS480 that I've only used as a map/gps until the past 2 times on the water and then used as a depth finder for the first time.

I have 3 of the Hummigbirds and even if they just have a 5" screen, I would not trade them. If I did the Hummingbird "360" looks interesting!

Yes it does, but I don't have $3,000 just for the pole etc. Plus the 2 depth finders that I need, to work with it.

I think both of those units would suit you well if you intend on chasing fish in shallow water. I believe that you get more bang for your buck with the Humminbird units and a more reliable and upgradable system with the Lowrance.

G-Man wrote:I think both of those units would suit you well if you intend on chasing fish in shallow water. I believe that you get more bang for your buck with the Humminbird units and a more reliable and upgradable system with the Lowrance.

What do you mean about Lowrance being more upgradable, are you referring to the software/firmware or the hardware such as transducer.


Does anyone have any experience with the down imaging and is it worth the extra money for it. Such as the Humminbird 408120-1 Fishfinder 597ci HD DI Combo http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-408120 ... 0042T4T84/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In regards to the screen size being small, I don't think I want to fork out another $500 to use one as gps and the other as a fish finder.

Kfedka wrote:

G-Man wrote:I think both of those units would suit you well if you intend on chasing fish in shallow water. I believe that you get more bang for your buck with the Humminbird units and a more reliable and upgradable system with the Lowrance.

What do you mean about Lowrance being more upgradable, are you referring to the software/firmware or the hardware such as transducer.


Does anyone have any experience with the down imaging and is it worth the extra money for it. Such as the Humminbird 408120-1 Fishfinder 597ci HD DI Combo http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-408120 ... 0042T4T84/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In regards to the screen size being small, I don't think I want to fork out another $500 to use one as gps and the other as a fish finder.

Using the small screen may or may not bother you. I had one on our Sportsman and swore I'd never do that again. I got so frustrated with the small screen I ended up buying a separate sonar and using them independently, one for GPS and one for sonar.

When we upgraded to our new boat, I went with the biggest screens I could afford, and again, went with two separate units. I do not regret my decision and have been very pleased with them.

After some more reading I'm considering the Lowrance® Elite-5 DSI Sonar with GPS as the final choice. Buy.com has an ebay site(no tax :O) For $555. Best price online I've found. http://www.ebay.com/itm/150898158702?ss ... 1423.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Again I'll say I've never wished I'd bought a smaller unit. It's a long term purchase, you owe it to yourself to be real happy with it. When you start to split the screen (you will want to regularly) it's gonna get real small. Stand a good three feet away from it and see if it's still usable. Shine a bright light on it too and get the sunshine factor too. Just say'in, I've been down that 5" road.

My first wide screen finder was a Humminbird 8000. A great unit. Had 2 on my old Tracker. Spoiled me for having to use the little finders.

So buy Lowrance® Elite-5 DSI Sonar with GPS to start out with and then add an additional unit that doesn't have the GSP function built into it such as http://www.cabelas.com/product/Lowrance ... l+Products" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Total would be around $1,100 in the long term. Or would it make more sense to buy something with a large screen now? How large of a screen to the sonars get?

Amx wrote:My first wide screen finder was a Humminbird 8000. A great unit. Had 2 on my old Tracker. Spoiled me for having to use the little finders.

I can't seem to find that unit anywhere online, what is the exact model of it?

Amx wrote:My first wide screen finder was a Humminbird 8000. A great unit. Had 2 on my old Tracker. Spoiled me for having to use the little finders.

I'm sure you've never said, I wish I'd got the smaller one..... The larger screens are are just so much easier to see and look at all day.

Kfedka,
If you're stuck on a 5" screen, I wouldn't get a gps enabled unit, wasted money. Two single purpose units would be passable and you could save up for the GPS and have a usable combo. Again, I've been down that road and a 5" screen is tough to watch. In my opinion a 5" screen is what one would use on a float tube or small pontoon, where it's inches from your face.
I just hate to see anyone spend the $500 on any unit and be unhappy with the performance when a larger screen can be had for a little more. Just think, $500 now, get dissapointed with the FF and buy another with a little bigger screen for a grand, now you're into them for $1500. Think of the unit you could have had for that money! A good fishfinder is a long term purchase, make sure you will be happy with the one you pick.

Kfedka wrote:

Amx wrote:My first wide screen finder was a Humminbird 8000. A great unit. Had 2 on my old Tracker. Spoiled me for having to use the little finders.

I can't seem to find that unit anywhere online, what is the exact model of it?

They haven't made those since the late '80s or early '90s. MAYBE you could find an old one on e-bay.

Yup. A person asked me why the BIG screen, that it was a waste of screen to see something so far behind the boat. I told him for the same reason you mentioned, and showed him. When you split screen it, it's still big enough to see everything. It only had depth finder, it was LONG before GPS was even thought of, but one side I liked to have zoomed.

Yep the key being usability! They look great in the store when they're 18" from your face on the shelf, get them on the boat, in the sun, looking over your shoulder while casting or while running flat out with one eye on the chart. Usabilty is everything!

You can see the 2 8000 Birds in this photo.

Good points you brought up. Can you give me an example of what kind of fish finder/gsp/sonar setup you recommend that would make it easy to read and be comfortable with the screen size and built in functions. Looking for specific like and model to purchase. Thanks.

I haven't looked into it much. I noticed the elite 5, but won't decide until late spring when I have some money and will know what I can spend. I don't have the 2,500 or 3,000 dollars for an HDS down scan, side scan, 10" stuff.

For the bow I don't need the GPS---BUT---it could be handy to set a waypoint and then find that waypoint when you're fishing down a bank, pad/weed line.

I also wonder why people put a 10" unit on the consol, then a smaller 7 or 8" on the bow. When you are standing up, your eyes are farther away from the screen, about 6 foot for a tall guy, and so it'd be common sense to use a bigger screen on the bow and the smaller screen on the console when your eyes are only 2 feet away. So I'd put a 10" in both places. Can't be affording $6,000 for those.