best depth finder/ fish locator

[Issy1]

I like the lowrance HDS8 & 10, if you are going to get structurescan unit, the HDS8 & 10 can split its sceen four way so you can view structurescan, down imaging, gps and color sonar at the same time. The lowrance unit has three (3) crystals and the humminbird only has two (2) which make the lowrance a digital unit and the humminbird anolog unit, so the lowrance unit will have better picture clarity. When I pick-up my new boat at BassCats factor, the sale rep I dealt with had just put a HDS8 on his boat, he use a Humminbird before he put this unit on his boat and told me he was using a jigging spoon in 110 feet of water and could see it on the sceen where he couldn't on the humminbird. Both are good unit but I like the HDS unit better, I have a HDS8 in the dash and HDS10 on the bow of my boat.

Gary

[psvec]

i just baught 898 unit, i love it, havent had time to use it(winter)but i found a guy on here that lives 10 miles away and knows everything about the 898 and is going to help me this year. i heard that if you get the lowrance unit you have to spend another 600 on a add on unit for sidescan

[olgreenboat]

I thought you had to buy the LSS-1 StructureScan unit to make HDS units work? If so that is another $600 bills on top of the hds units.
The new humminbird 596 and 597 look real good for the money and so does the Lowrance 5x DSI's.. I'm going to get one of the ones above I'm just not sure witch one yet.

[Olgrey]

It is my understanding that the Lowrance units require two transducers. If that is correct then it is one more than I want to deal with. JMO.

[Issy1]

You are right about if you want your HDS unit to have structure scan and down scan, you will have to buy the LSS-1 unit which has its own transducer. Most install a tru-hull transducer and install the structure scan transducer on the jack plate. The Humminbird has a external gps antenna, the HSD units don't, which I like so I don't have to drill a hole in my boat to run the antenna cable and mount it. Both have to have there trannsducers on the outside of the boat for the sidescan to work, so when on plane the humminbirds sonar will not work were as the tru-hull on the lowrance will up to about 65 mph, a good reason to have two. The cost difference between the to if I would have bougth the units, HDS10 & 8 w/LSS-1 $5100.00, humminbird 1198c & 998c w/interlink $4929.00, so thats $171.00 difference I would pay $171.00 not to put a hole in my boat to mount the antenna. I know not everbody will buy the type units I have but think the lowrance is a better unit and I dont think they are hard to use, but that's just my 2 cents.

Gary

[ToolMan184]

Issy is so far off he has no clue about the Humminbird units. Do research for yourself and you will see why MOST people go with the Humminbird units.

[Issy1]

Toolman were I'm I off, please explain, I have the HDS10 & 8 on my boat my brother has Humminbird 997c & 858c on his boat, I have use them both. The prices came from Bass Pro shop.

[Embrey]

You are right about if you want your HDS unit to have structure scan and down scan, you will have to buy the LSS-1 unit which has its own transducer. Most install a tru-hull transducer and install the structure scan transducer on the jack plate. The Humminbird has a external gps antenna, the HSD units don't, which I like so I don't have to drill a hole in my boat to run the antenna cable and mount it. Both have to have there trannsducers on the outside of the boat for the sidescan to work, so when on plane the humminbirds sonar will not work were as the tru-hull on the lowrance will up to about 65 mph, a good reason to have two. The cost difference between the to if I would have bougth the units, HDS10 & 8 w/LSS-1 $5100.00, humminbird 1198c & 998c w/interlink $4929.00, so thats $171.00 difference I would pay $171.00 not to put a hole in my boat to mount the antenna. I know not everbody will buy the type units I have but think the lowrance is a better unit and I dont think they are hard to use, but that's just my 2 cents.

Gary

humminbird also has units with internal gps antenna...i know this because i have one

[basshuntin]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Currently Im using both a Humminbird 200 series and a cheap Eagle unit. No problems with either one. Looks like Im probably gonna stick with Humminbird, most likely the 898 series. Who knows what I may come home with after I look at all the differant ones and see them run in demo mode. Cant wait for warmer weather!!!!!!

[basshuntin]

Any differance in performance with the external or internal antenna for the GPS?

[Embrey]

Any differance in performance with the external or internal antenna for the GPS?

i cant see why...my internal had no issues in a year though