Sonar/GPS/ Side Imaging Help

[QUOTE=DaveStewart;372088]Easiest way to answer this is for you to get over a brush pile loaded with shad and predator fish and look at it on both a hummingbird and a lowrance...the difference will be obvious. Like you said, everyone has their preferences...but there is a reason why more professionals are running both units.[/QUOTE]

Dave, I know you have viewed many a brush pile and I hear you saying that the Lowrance is better looking under. Might I ask what unit you run or if you have found it matters what unit you run if you have a solid Lowrance unit. Also, can you describe what it is about the Lowrance you like when looking down???? Thanks

[QUOTE=davidsa;372092]Dave, I know you have viewed many a brush pile and I hear you saying that the Lowrance is better looking under. Might I ask what unit you run or if you have found it matters what unit you run if you have a solid Lowrance unit. Also, can you describe what it is about the Lowrance you like when looking down???? Thanks[/QUOTE]

At the present I am running a 520C. Have used Eagle/Lowrance for many years...started back 30 years ago with hummingbird, but changed to Lowrance after a couple of years. I have been in a lot of boats...and I mean a lot of boats...lol...and I have found the presentations of all Lowrance units to be pretty much the same except the more power and pixels the better the display. Like the new HD units..gonna be putting one on soon. Really don't want to get into an aurgument about Hummingbird...everyone has their preferences.

I just went as a marshall at Ky Lake and Dave is correct. The three pros I went with all use Lowrance for sonar. One had HB side scans on his boat but used a in dash Lowrance for sonar.
I have a HB side scan and love it. I find it useful in scanning points for bait fish and for finding channels, etc. I bought the unit for the side scan abilities but had never had GPS before and find that the linking of the side scan with the sonar with the GPS is the coolest feature. Being able to weigh point on your GPS what you can see 100 feet to the side of you is an awesome feature.
I too have heard alot of complaints in the last few years about Lowrance's service department and quality of products, but I have also heard that they are working to fix that.
My only complaint with the HD side scans, and it is a fairly large complaint, is that in direct sunlight the screen can be difficult to see. When in lower light conditions the view is amazing.
Just my two cents for those reading this for purchasing information. I just went through that last year and everyone has an opinion about their favorites and I got a lot of conflicting opinions when asking. Made things confusing. If you are worried about quality of a product, you might find it helpful to call a repair place and get their opinions. I did this when purchasing a trolling motor and found it helpful. Don't know if that can be done with electronics as most are probably returned to the manufacturer.

I ordered a Lowrance 510C this morning for the front of my boat. Should have the same picture on it as the 520C which has GPS. I'm leary about Lowrance quality but maybe I will get lucky.


Still in need of the unit for the console but will study that one for a while and wait for the Lowrance side imaging announcement and cost.


I'd appreciate any GPS map card info anyone can provide. I'd like to get a card that gets me pretty accurate data for Barkley and KYL. My lowrance LEI fishing hot spot elite map in my handheld does not get me very close. With all the pre-loaded map options on the market, I will make a better console unit decision if I know what map to get. I hear Navionics mentioed as the brand to get but I don't know what year and model is required to get accurate and detailed maps. Some older GPS units only run the Navionics gold package but I'm not sure this is detailed enought. If my expectations are too high please let me know. thanks to all

[QUOTE=davidsa;372187]I ordered a Lowrance 510C this morning for the front of my boat. Should have the same picture on it as the 520C which has GPS. I'm leary about Lowrance quality but maybe I will get lucky.


Still in need of the unit for the console but will study that one for a while and wait for the Lowrance side imaging announcement and cost.


I'd appreciate any GPS map card info anyone can provide. I'd like to get a card that gets me pretty accurate data for Barkley and KYL. My lowrance LEI fishing hot spot elite map in my handheld does not get me very close. With all the pre-loaded map options on the market, I will make a better console unit decision if I know what map to get. I hear Navionics mentioed as the brand to get but I don't know what year and model is required to get accurate and detailed maps. Some older GPS units only run the Navionics gold package but I'm not sure this is detailed enought. If my expectations are too high please let me know. thanks to all[/QUOTE]

I don't use the map chips (my Lowrance pre-loaded map does just fine for Laurel as I still use the sonar to "pinpoint spots" anyway) but from what little I've found out on the subject the older chips are the same as the newer (read more expensive ones) UNLESS they've charted them on the new release (example if the 2009 has a recent charting of the lakes you want it's best otherwise get the 2008 same thing less cost???)

Navionics is supposed to be the leader in the market on accurate and small contours, again from what little I know about this stuff :)

I've been "considering a nav map chip" for my Lowrance 520C " (even though I only fish Laurel with this pontoon) and IF I decide to breakdown and do it, I'll pass along whatever I find out....

[QUOTE=davidsa;371821]My bow unit has died. Third dead unit in 10 years. My now 10 year old console unit runs like a charm but should have been retired 4 years ago.

In looking at replacesments for the bow and console, I'm torn on what to buy. If I thought something would last for 10 years then I would not mind so much the big bucks. Given the life of my recent stuff seems to be about 3 years, this inspires me to buy value and assume it will need to be replaced in 3 years:(

For the Bow, I was thinking of an Eagle 480 or the Lowrance 510x for Color. GPS on the bow would be nice but I can see my console GPS from my bow so I don't have to have it.

The console is realy tough for me. I don't want to spend a ton but like the 7 inch screens and side imaging technology.

Has anyone used the side imaging technology Hummingbird has on the ledges of KY Lake??? Can you see fish on the drops along with the structure???



I can get a pretty decent price on a Lowrance LCX 28 HD but I'm not sure I should spend that much and come up without Side Imaging.

any thoughts on how well this new technology and color helps over just good mono-chrome technology???

thanks[/QUOTE]

Just back from Barkley.
I went to a roadbed I've never fished before, and scanned 300 yards or so of it with my console mounted Humminbird 797. I threw out 2 bouys at different locations on that roadbed that had some extra features, one had an intersecting point that formed a corner with the roadbed, and the other location looked to have more broken rock with possible stumps.

I fished the whole 300 yard stretch and ended up catching well over 100 fish off that one roadbed. All but maybe 10 fish came from casting to one of the 2 bouys.

I have a lowrance 522 at the bow with a TM mouted transducer, I'm looking at it while fishing.

Now the bad news.
I sent off the HB unit today for the 3rd time for repairs. It won't mark a waypoint, and will shut down and restart everytime I push the waypoint button. This is a great unit when it feels like working.

My lowrance unit died as well on the same trip. It rained hard and the unit literally filled up with water and shut down. I had the unit ram mounted and leaned way over to view while fishing. I think the water entered through the keypads. Bad seals appears to be a common problem with lowrance.

Very nice post. Thanks! I guess repairs and newer model electronics just go together like peanut butter and jelly:( I really do consider the newer stuff throw away after 5 years.

i have the navionics hot maps 07 and 08 and both are great. they are real good detail maps and have every thing, if you have ever looked at the fold out fishing hot spots maps that are water proof. it is the same but with more detail and you can zoom in on a spot. it will also tell you what type of fish that are generaly found in aireas of the lake. great map you cant go wrong with it but get the 08 chip it is cheeper and has all the same stuff as the 09. hope this helps.

thanks
chuck

[QUOTE=smuckey41;372212]i have the navionics hot maps 07 and 08 and both are great. they are real good detail maps and have every thing, if you have ever looked at the fold out fishing hot spots maps that are water proof. it is the same but with more detail and you can zoom in on a spot. it will also tell you what type of fish that are generaly found in aireas of the lake. great map you cant go wrong with it but get the 08 chip it is cheeper and has all the same stuff as the 09. hope this helps.

thanks
chuck[/QUOTE]

any quirks like showing up on shore when you are in the lake? If you are dead in center of a channel between green/red buoy does the GPS with the map say that is where you are?? I assume that you are talking Navionics Premion Hotmap 2008?? The navionics site is confusing. They have marine charts and lake maps. I don't know the difference. The Premium product appears to work in many GPS like a Lowrance 520, Eagle combo units and even the old Lowrance LMS480 combo unit. The platnum maps appear to work only in the newest of GPS units.

[QUOTE=davidsa;372215]any quirks like showing up on shore when you are in the lake? If you are dead in center of a channel between green/red buoy does the GPS with the map say that is where you are?? I assume that you are talking Navionics Premion Hotmap 2008?? The navionics site is confusing. They have marine charts and lake maps. I don't know the difference. The Premium product appears to work in many GPS like a Lowrance 520, Eagle combo units and even the old Lowrance LMS480 combo unit. The platnum maps appear to work only in the newest of GPS units.[/QUOTE]

i have not had any probs with showing up on shore with any lakes i have fished, and yes i am talking about the hot maps premium. i have fished nolin,taylorsville, rough, barren, ky lake, cumberland, harrington, ohio river, but i mostley fish green river. and no issues with the navionics map on any of them. now i dont know about any of the smaller lakes, but i would say it will be fine but dont quote me on that.

chuck

[QUOTE=davidsa;372215]any quirks like showing up on shore when you are in the lake? If you are dead in center of a channel between green/red buoy does the GPS with the map say that is where you are?? I assume that you are talking Navionics Premion Hotmap 2008?? The navionics site is confusing. They have marine charts and lake maps. I don't know the difference. The Premium product appears to work in many GPS like a Lowrance 520, Eagle combo units and even the old Lowrance LMS480 combo unit. The platnum maps appear to work only in the newest of GPS units.[/QUOTE]

A big part of not being where the map says you are is GPS related. Originally, the government did that on purpose so enemies could not use our own satellite system against us. They have eased off of that, as I understand it, and I think the newer GPS's are more accurate. This is how I understand it and I might be off a bit on a point or two, but I think that is the jest of the inaccurate mappings.

lowrance is having problems with water getting into the units