Humminbird 987c ?

[tpunjack]

Has anybody had any experience using one of these? I was thinking about buying one and thought I'd ask around first. Thanks

[tpunjack]

C'mon hasn't anyone used one?

[roadrunner]

try this site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sideimaging/

[Moose1am]

These units are the best thing going right now. Humminbird has a lock on this technology for the retail fishermen. I have read posts and seen pictures of the screen shots that guys posted showing their units in action. If you want to find structure and pinpoint a brush pile location with gps coordinates then the Humminbird 987 is one way to do this quickly and efficiently. Right now they still are selling for nearly two grand each. You may find some used units for less pretty soon. Humminbird is coming out with the 7XX series soon. This unit has a smaller screen size but it still does the side scanning and regular sonar duties. But the best thing is that it's half the price of the 987 units. Only 999 dollars for the new units. They may be on the market already. I first heard about this new unit by seeing pictures of it in a fishing magazine. Either crappie world or In-Fisherman's magazine had a page devoted to new products for 2007.

I think that www.humminbird.com has these new units on their web site now. But a month ago they didn't have this new unit on the web site. Only the older side scanning 987 was listed on the web site last month.

You may want to check these new units out. I want one but will have to wait for everyone else to buy some so that the price will drop down eventually. So hurry up and go out and buy them up so I can eventually get me one too.

I sure wish I had an extra 1000 laying around.

One thing is that you have to keep the transducer in a spot where it's sound waves are not blocked by the boat or the motor and prop.
I hear that the transducer is about 6" long and that you may have to tilt the motor up and away from the transom so that the unit will work on both sides. And you have to be going at least 4 or 5 mph before the unit will work right. Also you must travel in a straight line to get it to work right in side scanning mode.

The best thing about these devices if this: If you spot a brush pile on the screen you can pause the screen while the boat is still moving. Then using a screen pointer you can move the pointer onto the image of the brush pile and take a GPS reading for that point. Even though you have passed the point in the boat the unit remembers the true gps coordinates of the brush pile. Then you can save these brush pile as a way point and go back to it later. Now as long as the brush pile is still visible on the screen you can pause the screen and mark any object on the screen for later use. Now that's a great system and perfect for my kind of fishing.

Whether you fish the ocean or a small lake this unit will help you locate structure on the bottom that can hold fish. And yes you can see schools of fish and such. Submerged trees and even a sunken boat will show up. You can find and locate the exact positions of old bridges in reservoirs or old house foundation with easy using these humminbird units.

Maybe the reason no one responded is that they want to keep it a secret. Or maybe most people can't afford these new units at 2 grand each. Those that can afford one may not be talking about it.

I found a guy on another web site that is very generous with information on his unit. So I have learned a great deal about these units from his post and his pictures of his screen.

If you have some extra cash and want to become a structure fisherman then this is a good tool. If you are a bank beater it will even show old trees or stumps close to the bank or even what's under a dock along the shoreline.

I am really surprised with the lack of discussion on these units. I am even more surprised that the Bass Fishing Pros are now showing them on their boats. Maybe they keep them hidden in little black bags. I known when Dad and I got the first commercial sonar unit back in the 1960s (Lowrance little green Box) we kept it hidden in a black bag and only took it out when no one else was around. LOL Little did it help us back then as we didn't really use it right. Only years later did I learn to really read topo maps. And back in the 1960's finding a good topo map was nearly impossible. I had to get old USGS Land TOPO maps of the area of Patoka Lake and splice them together and then trace the outline of the lake before I could find the drops and bars that I needed to look at with my sonar. And not until the development of gps was I able to mark spots out on the main lake accurately and return to them.

Fishing and Science or technology have combined to help us catch more fish.

Regards,

Moose1am

[tpunjack]

Thanks for the info! You made my mind up! I'm getting one! I'll tell the wife when it comes in.:-)

[bluegilln]

I have one of the 987cSI units, had it about a year now. They work great. I would highly recommend getting one. The wide screen is a huge benefit when using the side imaging. I can find bluegill beds over 100ft away with ease. Brush piles, stake beds, boulders, PVC stake beds, stumps, logs, trotlines - no problem. I have taken several people out for a "test" ride and they are amazed. I can probably answer any questions you have, just ask.

Chris