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I think you are right and that's the unit I'm going to get, what ducer did you get 83/200 or 50/200 that's the only thing I can't make my mind up with yet, some say one some say the other.

I used to run hummingbirds, But with the dragonfly coming out it seemed to put the other guys on full alert and the new elite 5 seems to have exactly what I want, I did some research on the internal components and the new elite 5 has a lot of the goodies that the hds units have, for around $500-600 range and the ducers are the same as the hds units so I'm really leaning towards the elite 5, I don't think lowrance can afford to screw this unit up like the 7 there are a lot of people out there disappointed with the elite 7 me for one, I had 2 that didn't work out of the box, and the guys that purchased the higher end lowrance units were lost for info on how the thing even works, with poor instructions on how to operate. I always go on the HullTruth for info on new units and there was page after page of frustration on how to operate the higher end units, granted the younger generation could walk through this no problem but us older folks get frustrated fast when we are loosing fishing time because we can't figure out how to operate a simple depth finder, We are so used to pushing one button and away we go, and from what I gather the elite series is supposed to be more simple to use, with the ability to fine tune things once we got a grip on the unit. Thanks for those that posted their thoughts PAP.

Is anybody running the new elite 5 there happy with or the elite 7 the new garmin from what I gather isn't so hot either I was looking into 550 series garmins also. Anybody have some positive news on the newer units less than a grand?

I'm am in need of a new depth finder and really had my heart set on the new Raymarine Dragonfly. The only thing I was a little disappointed with is they were keeping the statistics under their belt, well the other day Errabbit put in a post that he thought I wouldn't be happy with it, so I bugged him with a PM about what do you know that I don't. So he sent me a copy of the owners manual and I know why he mentioned that I wouldn't be happy with it. I had made a post about being able to track my rigger weights, and a lot of you guys said you can see your rigger weight, with the Elite 7 and the HDS units, well the dragonfly is certainly not going to do what I want, or so I think, I would like to hear what your thoughts are on this. the down vision has a 60 degree cone side to side but only a 1.4 degree angle fore and aft the boat, meaning it's wide side to side but very narrow front to back only 1.4 degrees so any little blow back and your out of the ducers. range. And the sonar is only a 20 degree cone directly behind the boat, so I think that, that's minimal also the ducers with the 83/200 and even the 50/200 will show a lot more area to track you weights and scan the bottom. It seems to me this unit is for people more interested in what the bottom looks like than actually fishing the way we do on Lake O, also when fishing for lakers it's nice to track your weights when you want at be as close to the bottom as possible. Am I thinking on the right page or is new teck. stuff out of my league. just used to the old ways. any input towards this will be appreciated!! thanks PAP. PS I have no problem with going with what ever you guys think works the best. I would like to stay in the $600 to $700 area, I don't have a problem staying with the 5" screen or the Elite 7 if they have the bugs worked out, I purchased 2 of them from Cabelas and neither one worked right, one wouldn't turn on and the other never would lock on to satellites. So I put my old 727 humming bird back on but this year I want a new one!!

I used spinning rod and reels off the planer boards, I used the sweep of the rod figuring every sweep was about 3ft I did this 33 times figuring I was around 90 to 100ft and clipped it to the planner board line and the next one I would do 10 sweeps less and so on, it worked ok, but I eventually went to all line counters. They are more accurate and faster to set up, as I usually only run 3 rods of each side and 1 shallow off each rigger and one lead core down in the back wash and many times this was the hot rod, of course I'm talking about spring browns and the same basic set up when fishing for walleyes. Most of the time I only have my uncle with so we are stuck with 6 rod limit where I'll run 2 rods off the boards on each side and 1 rod off each rigger.

First thing I would check is the grounds, both on the accessory side and the starter side and the battery ground terminal itself, make sure it's clean and tight, a bad ground could make for excessive starter amp draw and starve the electronics from adequate power and therefore causing them to shut down. this only happens when the starter is activated, do you have 2 batteries and a selector switch if so try it with 2 batteries and see if it happens if so two things could be going on, 1 a battery could be weak or 2 the starter is going bad and taking to many amps to crank over and again starving the rest of the electronics. Some of the indications will be starter cranks and cranks and when you let off the key the motor starts. hope this helps.

Thanks for the info, I have everything I need then, except the wire, which I'll order here shortly, now I'll have 4 dipsy rods 2 with wire and 2 with braid, can't wait to see which setups out perform the other,and maybe they will produce the same. 4 dipsys out and 2 0ff each rigger with a free slider in the mix should be interesting to say the least.

They don't call you the King for nothing, always willing to help and I appreciate that, so coast lock snap tied to the wire and attached to dipsy, then leader to spoon ect. what is the average leader length, the length of the rod? or less according to what the fish want, but the longest being the rod length. I can't wait to give this a go, I read so many time the dipsys out fished all other methods, thanks again. OOHH I'm going with the 19strand it seems to be the easiest to deal with and knot ability, reads better also. PAP One other thing a 30 series reel is that big enough for a 1000 feet of the 19 strand wire or should it be bigger, I have 2 Okuma cold water line counter reels they are 303D, I read that someone used these reels for steel line and dipsy diver set up, and it held enough line, is this so?

Thanks hawkeye 625 I will pay attention to the wire for pig tails and tightness of the line, I sometimes take the swivel off my mono lines and let out most of the line and just tow it around a while and then crank it back on the reel, it takes all the twist out of the line, like it's brand new again, I cant believe how just the line in the water, it pulls hard, it actually bend the rod!, after I spool the wire on I will do the same, before adding the leaders.

How true you are about the kids, they don't forget a thing!! Just last night my twin daughters Emily and Elizabeth asked, Dad when are we going up to the lake and catch the big ones, Emily is more of the outdoors type, she's all about Camo, that was on the top of her Christmas list, she knew the name of the Camo pattern she wanted, I asked her why do you want that pattern, her reply was because next year I can go mentor hunting with you. You are always on LOU reading about fluro line and red hooks, because red is the first color to disappear in the water column, "didn't you know that dad" so if we wear camo clothes the fish wont see us either, OK then Emily I said, I said to her well I guess we will need to paint the bottom of the boat then? Just joking, she said it's already brown dad all we need to do is spray paint some light green and dark green in a pattern from front to back, I'm small enough to that for you dad. I know with your back you won't be able to do it. I thought that was some impressive talk for a 9 year old. This year come summer, I already know that I will have 2 ready to go at any time partners, the only time she complained was this summer I used my uncles boat it's not a cuddy, and she wants privacy when she has to go to the bathroom, Dad I like your boat better, it's bigger and when I have to go pee, I can go when I want on your boat, I didn't drink any water on uncle Dave's boat cause I didn't want to have to go to the bathroom, and when we go fishing all day I get dry mouth. I said your to much. I can't wait to get them on the spring browns, This ought to be interesting to say the least!! I'm so happy that they have taken an interest in fishing, and at young age, they started out with their Barbie polls and last year I bought them closed faced middle of the road poles, and they are always practicing their casting, I taught them to cast using a hula hoop and when they could get 3 out of 5 casts in the ring I'll take you, well that didn't take long and they were ready!! so they fished the local streams for a couple years then they wanted to go on the boat. Suits me!!

Thanks rustyrat, will do that.

Thanks Les, that pretty well sums it up!! I guess I'll have to get some leader material, personally I didn't believe the guy, but never to old to learn, I just thought it was a convenience thing, nice big spool with a little notch in the side to put the end of the line in for the next time, type of thing, but if the leader material is better you bet I'm going that rout. The leader material might be better for worm harnesses then?

Thanks for the reply King Slammin, what about the leader material, do you use the leader material or the fluro fishing line? I see you have a Raymarine unit on board what unit do you have, I'm really leaning towards the dragon fly.

Since I plan to do more fishing this year than others, I want to put 2 dipsy rods together this year, all the talk about how productive they can be has me wanting to give this a go, I have 2 rods already with braid on but want to try wire for the flea season. So my question is which is easier to work with the 19 strand or the 7 and why? I just read a post that said the 19 strand is more forgiving with shorter rods. Which kinks easier and which is easier to tie. Thanks for any info, getting a little buggy sitting around while I'm healing up. Just tied some worm burner harnesses up and a few with the new Slow death hooks, and some regular 3 hook harnesses with the new circle type hooks. OH, I almost forgot one more question, I was told that fluro leader line is different than fluro fishing line is this true? if so what's the difference other than the price, I noticed that a few yards of leader material is almost as much as a 150 yards of the same name brand fluro fishing line. thanks for your help. PAP