Tranducer with CHIRP

[dane]

I'm looking to upgrade my chartplotter/fishfinder and am considering the Garmin 741xs with CHIRP or the Lowrance HDS7 with structure scan.  A dealer of both advised the CHIRP better for deep water and Structure Scan better if fishing the shallows.  Because most of my fishing is in the deeper water, the Garmin seems attractive.

 

But, the Garmin dealer tells me the transducer for the CHIRP is about $1000.00 more than the transducer that includes speed and temp. That makes the system almost double what the HDS7 with Structure Scan costs including the Structure Scan transducer.  Seems there must be less expensive transducer for Garmin to be competitive with the HDS7. 

 

Any thoughts, recommendations would be helpful.  Thanks in advance.

[K Gonefishin]

If your fishing deep water/open water buy a quality transducer and skip the structure scan business not worth the added expense unless your bass or crappie fishing.

[carpedium]

check out the new raytheon dragonfly - pretty cost effective chirp

[bigblue]

The chirp system is useful in deep saltwater fishing but great lakes freshwater with the light water and max depths 400 ft or so waste of time in my humble opinion . The Garmin units are kick A## units we have been running 5 units on 2 boats for the last 4 years. The 721 and 741xs units will run just fine with the 0101019201 transom mount . It's a 50 -200 unit with temp and speed at $170.00 bucks . There are through hull ducers and transom mounts from $85 to $400 that will work well. Do some research Garmin products and support are the best .

[dane]

Thanks for the info BigBlue- very helpful.  I'm curious though why you don't think the CHIRP is worth it for great lakes fishing?  No argument- just curious.  I'm too new to the technology to know.  Would be great to save the $$$ and not get it if not needed.

 

Thanks again

[bigblue]

Hello dane  to the best of my knowledge chirp is for salt water at bleed nose depths 1500 and feet and beyond . saltwater is denser and heavier than fresh water and a lot of fishing is done at great depths hence electric reels etc . Most lake fishing is done at much shallower depths and the standard high def systems work fine . Garmin owns the GPS market and their fish finders and sounders are much improved the last few years . We run a 4212 and 4210 display on one boat with a GMRS 24 sounder module and on the smaller boat a 720 and 721xs with the transom 50 200 and it performs . My two cents.

[dane]

Great info! In your opinion, apart from CHIRP or Structure Scan, do you consider the Garmin fish finders equal to the Lowrance for great lakes fishing?

[bigblue]

Garmin has come a long way with their sounders . In my opinion it equals if not betters the other unit and doesn't come with the program soft wear,  warranty and service issues that brand X if infamous for . There are three major players in the field RayMarine, Furuno and Garmin . This should start a war on this board . My two cents and that's not worth much nowdays.

[headzo]

l have a new Raymarine Dragon fly with chirp will read bottom at 650 and proply more. Research it great product but 1 word of warning the transducer canot be frozen thefore it must be removed before storage. Frezzing will destroy it. I payed ,650 with gold chart package. I have not been happy with Lorance. I was told by a charter boat captan to go with raymarine or garmin. He was using Ray. The price of the dragon fly lets us little guys use what the pros use.

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