Best Depth/Fish finder under $400?? My old one conked out

[Team M&M]

Not very mechanically inclined so don't know much about all the new gadgets for boats. I bought a boat in 2007 that had a Garmin 160C unit on it. Didn't know much about it but it worked great for letting me know the depth of the lake and showed fish on the screen, although I never put much faith in the fish finding ability. Mainly just liked knowing the depth of the spot I was fishing.

I know in the last 7 years the technology must have gotten better. I'm looking to upgrade my boat and I have $400 left in the budget for a new sonar unit. Not looking for something really complicated. I fish mainly freshwater lakes in Louisiana for crappie, bream, and ocassionaly bass. Deepest place I fish is 30 feet deep but most lakes I fish are around 8-20 feet on average.

There's so many different models at the sporting goods store now, I have no idea which are good and which to avoid. I thought I'd ask here as I'm sure many of you have already put in the research and settled on a favorite.

[Tom 513]

This should open a big can of worms!...... Lol well I think Lowrance has the best value, but I have a relationship with my old Eagle. You need to do some research on what features You are wanting, just a color depth finder/temp would cost much less than $400 but if you are interested in GPS models that allows you to mark spots, along with dept and temp $400 is a accurate price. Down scan and side scan imaging are big now, but remember the ones I looked at would not pick up while moving under 2 - 4mph, so you wouldnt get the benifit of the machine if fishing with a trolling motor, ask before you buy! good luck You may want to do a search in the boat electronics section too

[SeaRay]

If you don't need the GPS feature, I would get the biggest color screen HB or Lowrance I could for $400. Both are good products. There are other choices too, I am just not familar with them., but you won't go wrong with either of the two I mentioned.

[Cray]

Here is a good unit in your budget.
http://www.bbgmarine.com/GPS/FISHFIN...duct_info.html

http://www.bbgmarine.com/GPS/FISHFIN...duct_info.html


Heck of a good deal on good finder
http://www.bbgmarine.com/GPS/FISHFIN...duct_info.html

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Barga...3Bcat105638580

[TowboatTroller]

Does the down imaging not work on most under 2-4mph??

[fishwalton]

http://fishfinders.factoryoutletstor...g-Systems.html



Check the Hummnibird 678. Excellent machine for the money. I have a 798 and love he down imaging.

[CrappiePappy]

Does the down imaging not work on most under 2-4mph??

My Down Image unit works fine below 2mph. It has to, since it's mounted on the trolling motor & that's as fast as I can go under trolling motor power

It doesn't produce quite as good an image below 0.5mph ... but, it's still an image that I can interpret as to what is down there.

I'm using a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI/Chartplotter ... and a lot depends on the color palette being used, as shown in these screenshots:


Tree on top of brushpile


Brushpile (wavy image due to passing boat wake)


Downed tree


Down Image tells me a lot more about what I'm seeing, than 2d broadband sonar ever did.



... cp

[Tom 513]

Pappy, you are the first one Ive heard use a di or si unit on a trolling motor, I may have to check into that elite 5

[CrappiePappy]

Pappy, you are the first one Ive heard use a di or si unit on a trolling motor, I may have to check into that elite 5

Lowrance discontinued the Elite 5 DSI ( http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/Produc...DSI-en-us.aspx ) ... but, you can still find them for sale in the $350-$400 range.

Personally, I believe Lowrance dropped the Elite 5 DSI series in favor of the Elite HDI series (which has 2d sonar), due to the fact that HB units of the same caliber had 2d sonar, & the reluctance of 2d sonar fans to switch over to Down Image only units. HDI means Hybrid "Dual" Imaging ... dual being a reference to DI & 2d sonar.

I have a 80pg thread on my Elite 5 DSI/Chartplotter unit, that has a lot of good discussions about it : http://www.crappie.com/crappie/showt...I-Chartplotter

... cp

[Coy]

Not very mechanically inclined so don't know much about all the new gadgets for boats. I bought a boat in 2007 that had a Garmin 160C unit on it. Didn't know much about it but it worked great for letting me know the depth of the lake and showed fish on the screen, although I never put much faith in the fish finding ability. Mainly just liked knowing the depth of the spot I was fishing.

I know in the last 7 years the technology must have gotten better. I'm looking to upgrade my boat and I have $400 left in the budget for a new sonar unit. Not looking for something really complicated. I fish mainly freshwater lakes in Louisiana for crappie, bream, and ocassionaly bass. Deepest place I fish is 30 feet deep but most lakes I fish are around 8-20 feet on average.

There's so many different models at the sporting goods store now, I have no idea which are good and which to avoid. I thought I'd ask here as I'm sure many of you have already put in the research and settled on a favorite.

you need to check out bps spring classic. They are running a 1 day special on hummingbird 598. $379.00. Great bang for your buck there. I just went through this process, so I am very up to date on the fish finder market.