Fish Finder Help

[tomn]

New to this site.  My 5 YO Lowrance FF has died, so I'm on the market for a new one.  I'm looking to spend about $1500.  The research I've done suggests that Garmin and Humminbird are the two top brands (I've heard terrible things about Lowrance).  I kind of prefer Garmin, but I get lost on their website trying to figure out the best combination of components.  For example, they have a .pdf file called transducer selection guide.  They have 74 transducers listed on it!

Does anyone have recommendations about a system in that price range?  Thanks in advance.

[meandcuznalfy]

I believe the panoptix is in that price range, I'd give it a look at.

[seamonkey84]

Get yourself a panoptix! If you ice fish at all, get the ice bundle, I use mine (Ps22 not livescope) year round from my boat, to my friends boats, to the ice. The mount that comes with the ice package clamps right to a trolling motor shaft, or a 3/4” pvc pipe can be put into a trolling motor bracket and used independently.

[Jethro]

I just picked up a Helix 9 Chirp Mega and I'm pretty impressed with it. It networks with my trolling motor, so that's why I didn't get any imaging at all. I think I want Panoptix as well, so the Helix was bought mainly for charting but I am liking it for trolling purposes. I can see my downrigger balls at 100 feet easy, it's pretty good for trolling, it marks fish really quite well. No need for side or down imaging or panoptix trolling. It seems like a powerful sonar and I love the interface.

But I spent a lot less than 1500. If I was in that range, and didn't want the humminbird/ minn kota interface, I'd definitely look into Panoptix, without question!

[tomn]

Thank you everyone.  I like the Panoptix, but that still doesn't narrow it down all that much.  I still have a lot of options.  Screen size seems to be a big factor in how much it costs.  I'll keep studying.

[taxid]

I have a Helix 7 Humminbird. To be honest I think I would have been happy with something else. Too many freaking bells and whistles I don't even use. But then that is probably just me.

[tomn]

The more research I do, the more I like the Livescope system.  But OMG, just the transducer goes for $1500!!  Garmin's really proud of it.

[lowaccord66]

The more research I do, the more I like the Livescope system.  But OMG, just the transducer goes for $1500!!  Garmin's really proud of it.

The newer units have livescope capabilities built in but they are a couple thousand per each.  If I upgrade to 2 10"units im looking at 4k or so.  Worth it.

[hunts2long]

Taxid, I have the Helix 7 Gen2 with Navionics map chip. No SI or DI. I have set up the way I like and TRY not to hit any other buttons or I am lost. I fish alone about 95% of the time so can't "catch" and play a video game at the same time. Besides I'm too old....h2l

[taxid]

Taxid, I have the Helix 7 Gen2 with Navionics map chip. No SI or DI. I have set up the way I like and TRY not to hit any other buttons or I am lost. I fish alone about 95% of the time so can't "catch" and play a video game at the same time. Besides I'm too old....h2l

I'm probably older than you. LOL And never played a video game in my life.

 I'm still trying to figure out how to move the d**n curser to see actual depth on fish that come through! 

[lowaccord66]

Taxid, I have the Helix 7 Gen2 with Navionics map chip. No SI or DI. I have set up the way I like and TRY not to hit any other buttons or I am lost. I fish alone about 95% of the time so can't "catch" and play a video game at the same time. Besides I'm too old....h2l

For what its worth Doug my new boat has a useless old Lowrance, probably circa early 2000's.  Not having decent electronics reminds me of how ice fishing felt without them.  Honest fishing, more gratifying.  I'm enjoying that type of fishing again.  It does get trying when you have really good electronics and you go to champlain and hit 30 humps with no fish on them.  Sometimes I think its more enjoyable to look at the contour maps and let it rip. 

[seamonkey84]

There’s been days I’ve been out that I think I’m playing with the panoptix more than I’m actually fishing. When fishing for trout, especially in spring or fall, I’ll rotate the transducer as I’m trolling or cruising slowly, not casting until I see something.  Then when I do just stop and fish, I end up catching something.

[hunts2long]

In the past I think I tried anything new that came out. Very first was THE GREEN BOX, I think I learned the most using that flasher. With that, an old map of the lake and a slip sinker, I found every stump, stone wall, road bed and foundation out in the lake. Then came a paper graph, it was fun and I could really see the fish but I used the flasher most of the time. around 2000 I got away from the flashers and into the "flat screen". It has been Hummingbird since then, not that they are better but because with each new one, there is less of a learning curve. With the Helix 7 the Navionics map is more important than seeing the fish, most times.

Keep in mind, I have only fished ONE lake in the last 20 plus years. I jig fish "spot on the spot" for walleyes only most of the time and as I don't eat fish, it is all C&R.

All the new "tech" today has really changed fishing. Years ago many people referred to this lake as the "Dead Sea". You don't hear that as much anymore and it has to do with all the "tools" that we have today. I was lucky, I learned to fish with the KISS system and a little help from Buck Perry and Al Linder.....h2l

[taxid]

For what its worth Doug my new boat has a useless old Lowrance, probably circa early 2000's.  Not having decent electronics reminds me of how ice fishing felt without them.  Honest fishing, more gratifying.  I'm enjoying that type of fishing again.  It does get trying when you have really good electronics and you go to champlain and hit 30 humps with no fish on them.  Sometimes I think its more enjoyable to look at the contour maps and let it rip.

I don't even bring my fish finder some days especially if I'm fishing visible structure like bulrush humps or just patterns that have produced for me year after year. The fish finder is can be distracting for me.

[Mac Attack]

.................It has been Hummingbird since then, not that they are better but because with each new one, there is less of a learning curve.

I'm a firm believer in this H2L.

If you are starting new, try them all and settle on what you feel is best for you.
But in the end, what's best for you is the one you learn to use and feel the most confident with.
Not what everyone else uses.

I'm a Lowrance person these days.

I also had a green box.

And a Super 60.....which eventually became my fist ice fishing flasher...…….long before anyone out on the ice had a Marcum or Vex.