New fish finder for fishing finger lakes

[mottman32]

We are looking to upgrade our fish finder this off season and looking for some advice. We are looking a unit that has gps so that we can mark fish and has our speed. We do not have down temp so need accurate speed on unit is important. Would also like a unit with the ability to load the lake maps into it. Any suggestion out there? Looking to spend between 400 and $600. Thanks

[Hookedup]

The lowrance HDS units have been good to me and they take all the map chips. I know in past the customer service sucked but I had an issue with a unit last year it got very wet and I had a key pad issue. Sent it back and they sent me a new one no hassle. Check out BOE marine Jim is a good guy and they are the top marine electronic installers on east cost. So if you have a question it gets answered quick.

[Keep'n it Reel]

In have the elite 7hdi been on the boat since August and works great tracks cheaters the balls speed is on the money multiple split screen options the only problems I have had are all self induced when I get push button happy

[lakebound88]

When it comes to units, its a ford Chevy debate... I choose the Ford.. but that's me. I run a ray marine unit. Love it. I have had hummimbird, lowrance. My raymarine A70d is great. However. I have had no issues so not sure on support. But I do know Johnson outdoors aka humminbird customer support is horrible. IMO. Never heard much bad about lowrance other than transducer faults.

Nick

Sent from my XT907 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

I've had Heathkit, Vexilar, Impulse, Hummingbird and Lowrance but my choice for the money would be Furuno...they are far and away the best unit and are used by commercial fishermen all over the world.

[flyak]

Received a Cabelas catalogue in the mail yesterday. Great prices on Hummingbird 597ciHD DI and Lowrance Elite 5 DSI. way cheaper than what I paid for my hummingbird.

[Xxx]

Received a Cabelas catalogue in the mail yesterday. Great prices on Hummingbird 597ciHD DI and Lowrance Elite 5 DSI. way cheaper than what I paid for my hummingbird.

I got a cabelas flyer today and they have a hummingbird 788 for $550.00, I'm thinking about it    

[mottman32]

Thanks for the feedback. I was thinking that the Black Friday deals might be good on this stuff so I wanted to be prepared if a good deal pops up.

[fathobbit0074]

Don't waste money with side imaging I hardly ever use mine

[lakebound88]

I had the 788ci. Nothing but issues with that unit. I paid almost 800 when it first came out. It was a hassle to get anything repaired. And they told me over and over I wired it wrong. Nope. Transducer failure. Thumbs down to Johnson outdoors for customer support.

Sent from my XT907 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[ERABBIT]

I had the 788ci. Nothing but issues with that unit. I paid almost 800 when it first came out. It was a hassle to get anything repaired. And they told me over and over I wired it wrong. Nope. Transducer failure. Thumbs down to Johnson outdoors for customer support.

Sent from my XT907 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

You can read my dealing with HB on here as Nick said they are BAD.........just the tec support .....90% of my dealing with customer service  getting a repair or replacement has been GREAT....... you need help on how they work ask here NOT them !!!!!!

[ERABBIT]

I got a cabelas flyer today and they have a hummingbird 788 for $550.00, I'm thinking about it    

Humminbird 408130-1 788ci HD DI Combo Fishfinder/GPS

by Humminbird

8 customer reviews

 

List Price: $799.99 Price: $481.39 You Save: $318.60 (40%)

Note: This item is available sooner or at a lower price from other sellers that are not eligible for Amazon Prime.

Only 13 left in stock.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

 

 

• Chartplotter/fishfinder with high-resolution, 5-inch, LED-backlit color display, DualBeam sonar with 4000 Watts PTP power output
• Dual-beam Switchfire Sonar with precision 20-degree beam and wider 60-degree beam; view beams separately, side-by-side, or blended together
• Real-time Sonar always updates at the fastest rate possible, shows returns from the bottom, structure, and fish that are within the transducer beam
• Included UniMap covers the continental U.S. coastline, inland lakes, and rivers at 30 meters per pixel resolution
• Includes ContourXD by Navionics, an enhanced, professional mapping package with over 3,000 U.S. lake maps in the database
• 5-inch display
• Dual-beam Switchfire Sonar with precision 20-degree beam and wider 60-degree beam; view beams separately, side-by-side, or blended together. Chartplotter/fishfinder with high-resolution, LED-backlit color display, DualBeam sonar with 4000 Watts PTP power output

• Real-time Sonar always updates at the fastest rate possible, shows returns from the bottom, structure, and fish that are within the transducer beam
• Included UniMap covers the continental U.S. coastline, inland lakes, and rivers at 30 meters per pixel resolution
• Includes ContourXD by Navionics, an enhanced, professional mapping package with over 3,000 U.S. lake maps in the database
• 500 Watt, 200/455KHz Dual Beam Fishfinder and 455/800KHz Down Imaging Sonar

Show more

[mottman32]

Thanks for all the great info. Now I just need to pick the unit that fits our needs and wallet. It seems line hummingbird or lowrance are the big players in my price range. I fish canandaigua lake mostly so I would like this lake map loaded in the unit.

[Xxx]

I already have a 700 series, the only complaint I have is no matter where I put the transducer at a troll speed I get clutter on the screen down to about 15 feet. I tried everything possible to cure this problem, moved the ducer so many times I actually bought a big piece of that plastic white in color board and cut it to the shape of the transom so I wouldn't have the back looking like a pin cushion. tried the sensitivity no luck put new zinc buttons on I gave up? Now I transferred the same unit to the boat I'm using now same dame thing- so I live with it, speed up and the clutter goes away.  OH I forgot to mention this, I wired a portable unit using the batteries from the boat and mounted the ducer in the same place, clear as a bell, don't figure?  maybe the transducer? it was like this from new!!   ing A

[Sk8man]

Pap- You may have to play with the sensitivity/gain setting (reducing it) to find a place where you can still mark bottom and see what you need to while decreasing the amount of clutter. Some units have a special setting to reduce clutter and it is often hidden (nested) in the menu options.

[mottman32]

Does anyone out there own a lowrance elite 5 dsi? Great deal on this unit today. Any input would be great.

[TileMan Dan]

I have an elite 5 3years old not DSI. Unit works great for lake o. Just upgraded to elite 7. Never had any problems with lowramce products

[ontherise]

Lowrance hds7...

[Xxx]

Les, I tried everything under the sun. I took the boat to a local lake and the manual sat out on the lake for hours and went through every page and every little nook and cranny in the finder itself and nothing changed, motor running, motor off, sensitivity all the way down-up. I'm in the mist for a new one anyway and I'm leaning towards a Garmin in the 50 series, I need to up date my gps. anyway.

[Sk8man]

Ah.... sounds like you did everything you could to figure it out just one of those pain in the butt glitches I guess. Better luck with the new one.....

[ERABBIT]

Les, I tried everything under the sun. I took the boat to a local lake and the manual sat out on the lake for hours and went through every page and every little nook and cranny in the finder itself and nothing changed, motor running, motor off, sensitivity all the way down-up. I'm in the mist for a new one anyway and I'm leaning towards a Garmin in the 50 series, I need to up date my gps. anyway.

Did you also download all the newest updates ???

I know my 788ci and 798 si have ajustment to releave the surface clutter......

[Iron Duke]

Lowrance Elite 5 or 7 hands down a great deal and unit for the money!!

Mike

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[SylvanTroller]

Pap- Is you transducer cable run near your battery cables? Your battery cables can enduce electromagnetic fields into you transducer cable and cause clutter on the screen. Reading your post reminds me I need to reroute my cable.

[Xxx]

Pap- Is you transducer cable run near your battery cables? Your battery cables can enduce electromagnetic fields into you transducer cable and cause clutter on the screen. Reading your post reminds me I need to reroute my cable.

Sylvan Troller, my batteries are on the opposite side, the manual mentions about that, ERRABBIT I have a 727 model older one, Time to up date and circular file the old girl.