Anybody using DSI (DownScan Imaging) Lowrance?? etc.

[The Quadfather]

I was wondering if anybody out there is using any of the DSI sonar units? I don't know if it is proprietary to Lowrance or not? I just ordered a Lowrance 5 elite dsi fishfinder. I am very excited to make use of the DSI.
Check out this link that shows one side of the f.f. looking at an underwater tree. It looks like a camera/video pic. you see all the branches etc. The opposite image is done with standard sonar imaging.... looks kind of like what most of us have been used to seeing. The dsi seems amazing!
Just curious if anybody has thoughts from using it.

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[kzoo]

Chris, your youtube is a structure scan video not the DSI. The structure scan is like the hummingbird side imaging. The DSI is new and looks to have better graphics compared to the more expensive HD. I'm thinking of getting the DSI as well, tell us what you think.

Are you installing it yourself?

[The Quadfather]

Kzoo,

Oh man... talk about not knowing what I'm talking about, LOL. I was pretty sure that it was a video of DSI, using a mode on the unit called, "Structure Scan" then like you could switch out from structure scan to some kind of open water scan??

Oh well, I do think that it is gonna kick butt!:) You asked if I would install it myself. I would expect to. Can't be that hard, I installed the Humminbird. I was hoping to not have to drill again in the transom for the tranducer, hoping it would marry up with what is already there, but I realize that the tranducer is of a different type.

[Amx]

Hummingbird and Lowrance both make the down scan and sideimaging stuff. There will be YouTube vids of both brands. I'll look later. Altho you should be able to find vids on each of their web sites.

[kzoo]

I bought a 522 couple years ago and installed it myself. I took my old one B&W hummingbird and spliced the new one where the old one was, made sure the fuse was installed in line as well. Worked fine then it fried the last year, got a new High definition this year from warranty work (had to pay half). I'll give it a shot again, but installing a new circuit from the finder to the battery, plus install a switch to it as well.

[Bodofish]

Chris, I think you are right on, I just looked at the DSI vid on the Lowrance site and the DSI vid is an aweful lot like the side scan. Looks darn cool! I don't know if it would replace a standard sonar but it darn near gives a picture of the bottom and stuff...... The and stuff being the most important!

If the man from Tennessee likes it it must be good!

[G-Man]

Chris - the DSI is a fairly comparable product to the structure scan. Both operate at the same frequencies, with one frequency shooting down the other shooting both sides of the boat. Now you won't have any excuses for snagging the bridge cables and you should have no problems finding the thermoclines. Good luck and have fun out there!

Almost forgot, for transom mounting, get yourself a chunk of 1" nylon plate or piece of plastic lumber and mount that on the transom with stainless steel screws and silicone. You then you mount the transducer into the plate/plastic. This allows remounting, when you get a new unit or transducer, without having to drill holes in the transom.

[rockjiggr]

I bought the Lowrance Elite 5-DSI when the first came available in February and installed it myself on my 15' glass boat. I went a bit further and bought a 2nd transducer and trolling motor bracket and additional mount for the head unit so I can switch between driving console and the bow.

The unit works really really well. You go over a tree, you see a tree with all of its branches clearly visible. You go over weeds, you see individual stalks of weeds. It is really amazing. However, what you see is what is directly below you. Rarely do folks fish directly below their boat but rather, cast to structure they think may hold fish or troll areas that they believe old fish.

In terms of locating fish, I think it works well in deeper water to locate schools of fish like kokanee or perch but it is really not exactly the best tool to locate bass or other panfish unless they are schooling in open water (crappie may be in this situation). You will see individual fish but its not really the best tool for locating them.

I have found that this unit is best for locating deeper structure like finding the deep breaklines and dropoffs. I also often find deep logs and stumps that I would never have known existed as well as other objects too. In fact, I located a sunken boat at American Lake in about 40' of water in an otherwise blank area of the lake absent of other structure. Just about every time I go to this hidden structure, I catch one or two decent fish that I am sure I would never have even targeted without the DSI. Whenever I take this unit to a lake I have not used it at before, I make a point of cruising the lake and scanning for structure. The GPS makes it easy to mark those spots so you can come back and fish a log, brushpile, or breakline. It has revolutionized my deepwater fishing.

My next goal is to purchase a side scanning unit. To me, that would be more efficient in locating probable fish locations while the DSI will be most useful for showing my my depth while fishing and pinpointing the structure. One of the downsides of the DSI alone is that if you mount the transducer on the transom, you will always be seeing the water that is behind you and if you mount the transducer on the trolling motor you cannot really cruise an area efficiently to look for spots to fish and do not have the depthfinder while running at high speeds with the gas motor. That is why I opted for the 2nd transducer setup. All the more reason to pony up in the next year or so for the Side Scan unit for the transom.

Oh, yes, another thing I should comment about is the GPS and map system on this unit. I have found the GPS to be very helpful for marking waypoints. I use it not only for marking that hidden structure but also for helping me mark the location of my crawfish traps. The lake maps on the system are not that good though. On American Lake for example, I have been sitting in 60 feet of water when the map showed that I was actually on shore. Way off. I spoke to the guys at Cabelas about the Navionics card that you can buy but they said that it would not improve the maps that much. I'd like to try it to see for myself but I am not about to fork out $100 to find out that it improved by only a little. Since I really do not anticipate travelling much beyond Western Washington, I dont think that the added map capacity is worth it for me.

The unit is a huge step up for me over my prior B/W Humminbird. I am thrilled with the performance of it. It is easy to install and easy to operate. I do have to take some care when moving it from console to the bow. The head unit is is heavier than water and if I am not careful, I am afraid that I may drop it in the water and see $680 go down to the fishies.

My overall take on the Elite 5 DSI is that it is a great value for its price class and it does wonderfully well for what it is intended. Its not the do-all/be-all but it works great for me.

I may be able to dig out a few screenshots that I took when I first got the unit showing some trees and logs. I will also try to take some more shots next time I am out showing some weeds. The detail on those is truly amazing.

[kzoo]

Do you guys hook up your new electonics to the cranking battery or dedicate a battery to it? What about a kill switch when your rig is parked?

After reading this I had to install mine up. What a pain! I couldn't share a circuit like last time, so I had to pull wire from bow to transom by using the trolling motor cable as pull string. You'd think when they design these boats they'd put a 99cent worth of pvc pipe as conduits in the boat for wiring, everything is just under the decking and around compartments making pulls not fun. Well got it done and can't wait to use it.

I've got the HDS from Lowrance Warranty return due to my elite got fried, I asked for the DSI, but they only gave me the HDS. The DSI looks better in graphics and is cheaper, not sure why?

Heres something from another site showing the difference. DSI looks far superior in detail compared to DSI.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/illinois ... s-hds.html

[The Quadfather]

Thanks Rockjigger for the informative info. I'll post my thoughts after it arrives and I get on the water. You mentioned that it was maybe not the best bass or panfish tool. For me, I see it more as a tool for trolling and seeing bait balls as I pass over them, predatory fish feeding on the bait ball, cutts. salmon etc.

[Bodofish]

Thanks Rockjigger for the informative info. I'll post my thoughts after it arrives and I get on the water. You mentioned that it was maybe not the best bass or panfish tool. For me, I see it more as a tool for trolling and seeing bait balls as I pass over them, predatory fish feeding on the bait ball, cutts. salmon etc.

Let me know how those baitballs along side the 520 look?

[The Quadfather]

It will take me awhile to get out there, but will do.
Just so busy this summer.