Fish Finder Help

I've posted this on another forum. Some of you may visit both. I'm sorry for the repeat if you do.


I've been lurking here for a bit and have decided that I want to learn to catch kokes. I have a boat (although not the best...fiberglass bass boat) and am going to make do with what I've got as a new boat is out of the question (for the short term..might be more of an option in 3-5 years). Santa recently brought me a down rigger (currently working on some ideas on how to retrofit the bass boat for that) and am working on picking up a second one. Also have picked up a decent trolling rod/reel. (older) Bass boat has an electric trolling motor that I'm going to try and troll with.

Finally, to the question. My current fish finder is dead and (IMO) a new one is needed. I'm considering two models with a third a possibility. Looking at the Hummingbird line:

(a) #581 - 5" , black & white, 640 x 320 pixel, 2,000 watt peak to peak, GPS

(b) #385 - 3.5", color, 320 x 240 pixel, 2400 watt peak to peak, GPS, $50-$100 more than the bigger black & white

or possibly

(c) #587 - 4.5", color, 640 x 480 pixel, 2400 watt peak to peak, GPS, $100 more than the smaller color

Which would you choose and why? The #587 is really about $150 more than I have to spend but I might be able to set it aside by April/May when the fishing starts to pick up.

Is the color screen worth another $100 over the black and white even though you're giving up 1.5" of screen size?

Is 400w peak to peak going to provide that much greater detail (either b or c)?

Will these work as middle of the road machines and find kokes?

Anyone that fishes Idaho's Lucky Peak, Arrowrock Reservoir, or Anderson Ranch have any advice?

Obviously, if I win the lotto I'm buying a new boat and installing a $2500-$3500 Furuno but until then I'll have to figure out how to make what I've got work.

Thoughts?

Thanks for your time and have a Happy New Year!

~ AO

id go with the 587, more power, color wonce you have color you will wonder how you ever lived without it, and the bigger screen is always woth it. I if it was me id wait till fishing started and buy the best model i could afford.

pm sent let me know if your interested.

I've found that color is really nice especially in the GPS mode. More power is really nice too. When you run a split screen of sonar and GPS the bigger screens are a nice feature.

I just received a Cabela's flyer today and they are advertising a Lowrance HDS7 for $599. That's $400 off the regular price, $200 instant savings and a $200 mail-in rebate. I'd jump on that if my HDS5 was more than a year old.
It's only 4moremney!

I got one of the HDS7's from Cabela's during the sale. I also had the flyer for an additional $75 off, haven't installed it yet but am real excited to get using it.

I think that you will be very happy with that HDS7. I picked up a HDS with structure scan. The only problem is I spend to much time looking at the screen instead of the pole to see if I'm getting a bite. I agree with the biggest screen, color and most power you can get.

avid_outdoorsman said:

I've posted this on another forum. Some of you may visit both. I'm sorry for the repeat if you do.



(a) #581 - 5" , black & white, 640 x 320 pixel, 2,000 watt peak to peak, GPS

(b) #385 - 3.5", color, 320 x 240 pixel, 2400 watt peak to peak, GPS, $50-$100 more than the bigger black & white

or possibly

(c) #587 - 4.5", color, 640 x 480 pixel, 2400 watt peak to peak, GPS, $100 more than the smaller color

Which would you choose and why?
Thanks for your time and have a Happy New Year!

~ AO

Click to expand...

I would go with the 587 not only for the larger screen but the better res. Think of it like this if you are in 320 feet of water each foot of water is represented by only one pixel with the 385 but each foot would be two pixels with the 587. I know that you are not going to be fishing in 300 feet of water but it is the easiest way to think about it with more pixels you can get a better idea of what you are looking at it helps to seperate fish. The color is a MUST! the best way to think about that is black and white only has about 16 or so shades to show you how dense something is but the color has over 200 to help show how dense a school of fish is or how large they are. I would not worry to much about the power most of the smaller units are about the same.

Fish Finder

Thanks for the advice.

Keep it coming!!

~AO

that is a steel on the HDS7 from cabella's. My HDS5 is less than 2 years old and I love it. I have both transducers.

Resolution, power and screen size are all important to being happy with your FF.
I ended up getting a Hummingbird 788ci from Cabelas and love it.

I have the 597
4000 w power
HD
Charts
Down-imageing
GPS
4.5 Screen
You can get it Cabella's on sale $600.00 The best money I have
ever spent for a FF.

P.S.
I fish Lucky Peak & Arrowrock

Good Luck

I have an older color Lowrance and it works great, but to get an HDS 7 for 600 bucks, that's got me thinkin'. If I really needed a fishfinder, I would be all over that deal !