NEW Lowrance® Elite-5 DSI Color Fishfinder/Chartplotter

[peter]

I had an elite 5 (no down scan) last fall for about a month. I liked the unit a lot... better than my hds 5. The hds is too powerful for my purposes and methods. Too much information you might say. The elite was very easy to use and the gps extremely easy to use.

I returned the unit because it would randomly give false bottom readings...say 1.9 feet when in 100 feet of water. Lowrances first plan of attack to fix such a problem with me is to send out a new transducer. If that does not work then they want the unit. On another unit about a year ago that took 4-5 weeks. I have not had that bottom lock problem with the hds unit. It will even read bottom at full speed. I plan to try another elite maybe the one you are considering this summer. I will wait until good weather so I can test it a lot in the 30 day return period...not wanting to wait 4 weeks to have the factory look at if I should have the same problem.

If the new one has the same problem I may have to give another brand a try probably a Furuno 620. More money, no gps, less screen resolution, but I have read they they basically never fail. I have also read they are good at distinguishing fish from other things that might be suspended in the water. It also has some actual knobs instead of buttons and menus for fine tuning. They are not marketed much around here. Never have seen one. I have been told the Hummingbirds are not that great for fishing deep 80-90 feet or so. Don't know if this is actually the case but the person that told be this seemed convinced.

If you get that elite downscan unit please make a post and let us know what you think.

[walkeraviator]

I have heard that the 5 series screens are extremely small when trying to read structure scan.

[cooter 33]

I"m leaning towards one just for the gps chart plotter option. To the novice fisherman wich I am it will be nice to see the depth contour compared to where your boat is sitting.
My problem is fishing in the summmer. Obvisously pounding the banks have got me no where.
You look at alot of the bass pro's no matter what series and majority of the money won is offshore (off the bank).

[steveausten555]

i'm also using Lowrance Elite 5 Dsi Gps Fishfinder Chartplotter.. its work awesome. but its screen is too small.

[waterdog101]

[QUOTE=peter

...not wanting to wait 4 weeks to have the factory look at if I should have the same problem. .[/QUOTE]
Peter, I have the hds-7 and after downloading the 4.0 update from Lowrance and installing it. my hds-7 started locking up, I called Lowrance and shipped it back to them. it was gone two weeks from the day I mailed it. they repaired it for free, gave me a new face cover for it. and it has worked perfect after getting it back. I expected it to be gone a month or more. but only two weeks.

[lunkerbustin]

I have one and the DSI is great. It does just fine but I hope you never have to deal with Lowrance on it. They are not very informed about their products. For instance the extension cable they said was for my unit was wrong along with the navionics chip they said would work but didn't. As far as function though it is very nice for the price class it is in.