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gonefishing

gonefishing

Well-known member
Joined
May 12, 2009
Messages
455
Location
Ammon Idaho
I decided the new HD down and side imaging sonar is not for me. I would probably run over another boat while fixated on the screen. Counting the branches on trees 75 ft down as well as the cost doesnt seem practicle.

So time for my way way to old eagle to go. I am considering the new Lowrance HDS-7 High definition. This is a HD Sonar with HD mapping.

Any feedback on this unit by anyone!

Are there any other options that I should consider in that price range. Any information on new units and performance would be appreciated.

What are some of you using that works better than average!

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Thanks

I have to convince my wife now. She thinks that maping tecnology is not needed unless I am out on the coast where I never go. How much help is it on big lakes.
 
I bought one last season. It's a whole new world. Mine has the 83/200kz transducer combination. I am still learning about the unit. There's a lot built into it. I like being able to see my downrigger weight and dodger on the screen so I can anticipate changes in bottom contour. Besides being able to see where the fish are relative to my offering (depthwise), I can fish closer to structure with more confidence. Also, the split screen function helps me know where I am relative to previously marked hot-spots on the lake. My wife likes the feature of being able to return to port on a foggy day or on a lake with a lot of arms where we haven't fished before. The track we laid going out is easy to follow on return.
 
The track you laid out will also help you go back over fish, or follow a channel contour, or stay in an area where the fish are. You NEED gps and mapping... go tell her...now !!!
 
jacksonlaker said:
The track you laid out will also help you go back over fish, or follow a channel contour, or stay in an area where the fish are. You NEED gps and mapping... go tell her...now !!!
Click to expand...

Waypointing the contours you like to fish are huge. Every water I fish has these points marked. The fish are generally found on the same contours and you don't have your DR weights bouncing or hanging up when the contours are tight!
 
You are all convincing me

Yesterday, Sat morning, I was talking my self out of the importance of the maping technology. I may forgo the new cover for my boat one more year and bight the bullet and go thr the HDS-7.

Everything I read and hear about this unit is good. Hearing about the benfits from those who use this techology, makes a difference.

Thanksthumbsup
 
We just recently upgraded our FF to a Humminbird 788ci came with the Navionics Hot maps pre-installed & Tortuga just won the 2009 West version with our 'home' lake now on it. Awesome! Humminbird has the best resolution.

Gonefishing, tell your wife that I LOVE it!! Wouldn't want to be on the water without the FF, GPS, map combo!!! I'm the one driving, most of the time, so i'm the one working the FF. Put her in charge of it too & she'll see how great it is.

Froggiethumbsup
 
Being able to lay a trolling grid out around a manually entered waypoint, zoom in on it and concentrate on the hotspots is freakin cool. You dont use mapping just for finding your way around offshore. Once you have it you'll discover all kinds of uses for it.
 
I gave in!

Purchased the unit today. I think the equipment on the boat is worth more than the boat now. laugh hyst

Maybe a bigger one of those in a couple of years.thumbsup
 
More Boat

Another 5 Ft would be just right. But what I have is paid for, so that makes what I have long enough. Not to mention fuel economy is pretty good, which makes what I have pretty valuable also.. Hard to move away from those benefits.
 
I need vaseline to get my boat into my storage area. My bigger boat would have to come with a new house.
 
OH OH! My wife found the bill for the new Fish Finder. Secret to handling these potential issues. Just start talking abouth the new top for the boat you need also. Then you have a whole new conversation under way.

You can discuss the possiblity of a new boat and the fish finder looked real cheap after that discussion also.fencing

She agreed the new fish finder and top both would be alot cheaper than a new boat. go figure.tooexcited
 
Hds-7

That's what I'm saving my Cabelas points for - over 650 to date. I emailed and called Lowrance about this unit and I'm convinced the 7 with the Insight maps and a 50/200 transducer will be the ticket. And the ability to add the LSS-1 (Structure Scan) unit at a later date is a plus. Hummingbird calls this Side Imaging. The 83/200 transducer is better for salt water according to the tech at Lowrance. The Insight map is similar to what the car navigators (Garmin, TomTom, etc) use. Very handy as stated in previous posts.

My boat is a Tracker Varga 16. Come on soft deck.
 
Cabelas Points ya say. I coud have signed up 4 years ago and told myself nah, I won't be buying much any more. I have everything I need. Boy was that a mistake. Oh well, not my first!
 
dubob said:
That's what I'm saving my Cabelas points for - over 650 to date. I emailed and called Lowrance about this unit and I'm convinced the 7 with the Insight maps and a 50/200 transducer will be the ticket. And the ability to add the LSS-1 (Structure Scan) unit at a later date is a plus. Hummingbird calls this Side Imaging. The 83/200 transducer is better for salt water according to the tech at Lowrance. The Insight map is similar to what the car navigators (Garmin, TomTom, etc) use. Very handy as stated in previous posts.

My boat is a Tracker Varga 16. Come on soft deck.
Click to expand...

I think the Lowrance site says that the 83/200 transducer is designed for the shallower waters found in lakes, while the 50/200 is optimized for deeper water.
 
In any dual frequency transducer, one frequency is the deep water frequency and the other the shallow water frequency. In the case mentioned above, the 50 hz and 83 hz are both the deep water frequency, usually spoken in terms over 600 feet. 599 or less is shallow. stomper
 
Folks,
I have 2 Lowrance units (one handheld and one on the boat). The hand held is the top of the line and the boat mounted is about 3 years old with FF and GPS. Away from home so missing the numbers.

Something that is common to both and not good for Kok fishing is they will not register speeds below 1 mph. The cut out and give no reading until I get above the 1mph lower limit. The factory verified this.

In discussing this with a fishing partner, he has a cheap handheld Garmin unit that he uses for hunting and it works down a slow walk (or crawl) if he is bushwacking.

If anyone can help me correct a mistake I am making, please jump in; however, low speed GPS does not seem to be a feature that Lowarance sees as important.

Have been a member for awhile but too much travel to do much on the forum. I do really enjoy reading the post and hope to offer more in the future

Thanks---RAHFISH
 

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