Electronics upgrade - $700 budget - what would you do

[skunked again]

1. New or used?
2. 1 or 2 units? One big one, or two smaller?
3. Brand?
4. Wait. What's coming out next that could have people selling theirs to upgrade?

I'm still primarily bass fishing, crappie second. I know, I know, I'm working on it!

Wants - sidescan, gps /mapping.
I'm leaning towards used, more features and bigger screen. Possibly two units.

The autochart live intrigues me, i fish some lakes not on map cards. What extra expenses are their to utilize autochart live? Is it worth it? Which units have this?

The one TerryD gave me will be given away.

[tigerinfielder3]

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[NIMROD]

The Helix gen 1 are a bit higher for a 10'' but might find someone looking to upgrade

[scrat]

Beg, borrow, or what ever but get the biggest screen unit or units that you can. Don't go no smaller than a 7" screen for sure unless you have better than 20/20 vision and can see a gnat at a 100 yards. Remember that buying used units you have no warranty at all although I have bought several units and have never had a problem. Check on crappie.com http://www.crappie.com/crappie/personal-classified-ads/
Check on BBC.com Electronics


These are used units and do not let people tell you that they will still have a warranty as it is just warranted to the purchaser. Best to use PAYPAL to make payment and never sent money as a gift to anyone. You can always PM someone and make a offer to them also if you think it is to high of a price and you never know they may take it. Always get as much in writing on a pm or email about condition of sonar as this is the only way to keep from getting something less than what you bargained for. I have 2 Humminbird 899ci HD SI units 1 899 unit on the front bow with a Humminbird 858 which I use just for gps and 1 Humminbird 899 on console with a Humminbird 799 for GPS and that way I don't have to split the screens to see sonar and GPS. One day when I can afford it I will get the biggest screens that I can. Hope this helps you or someone else out a little.

For new units check crappie.com http://www.crappie.com/crappie/-memb...lassified-ads/

Tip of the day
Sonar to a fisherman is like a good scope to a hunter. If you can't see to hit what you are shooting at a gun is useless and if a fisherman can't see and find fish well you know what I am talking about.

[Lloakley930]

Autochart live is nice to have on unmapped lakes. This is on helix, solix and onix units. If you get an older unit a map can be made using autochart pc.

Lots of older units out there as well as helix models gen 1 on Facebook in used Humminbird minn kota group. Gen 2 models don’t buy smaller than helix 7 chirp si g2n. The N in g2n means can be networked and is nice to have for future or talking to a minn kota tm.


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[Cane Pole]

I have three 7 inchers on my boat, so I have 21 vision. Pretty good I'd say. Got em from B and G Marine. Go talk to him. That be Brian.

[FurFlyin]

My story:

A month ago, I set a budget of $500 to buy the electronics for my new to me boat. I posted a very similar question to yours and received the same advice. "Go as big as you can afford." After scouring over the Interwebs I went to a boat dealer and saw the units in person. I wound up with $1300 in a Humminbird Helix Mega 9 SI G2N and a Ram mount. I blew the heck out of my budget but I got what I felt like would work best for me, after looking at them in person. I had intended to by a Helix 5 or maybe a 7 but after seeing how small the screen was, the 9 was my obvious choice. It's the smallest one that I felt good about.

You may not have the option of over doubling your budget, but IMO it would be worth the extra time of saving the money to buy one.

[broharrell]

No smaller than a 7 in. screen. Check with Brian @ bbgmarine. He has some Gen 1 Helix on sale now. He is on member sponser page. 1-888-570-0916.

[skunked again]

The budget can be increased (doubled). The tradeoff is, I give up getting a tilt/trim unit. For several years.
What would you do? Reasons for your answer.

For those running one bigger unit, is it on the bow or console? If on the bow, I guess you could set it to map, and see it from the console while running?

[CrappiePappy]

The budget can be increased (doubled). The tradeoff is, I give up getting a tilt/trim unit. For several years.
What would you do? Reasons for your answer.

For those running one bigger unit, is it on the bow or console? If on the bow, I guess you could set it to map, and see it from the console while running?

I would figure out which of the two options would benefit my way of fishing, and go with that. For me, in your position, that would be the depth finders. Reason being, with the T/T, all I would gain would be a little bit of speed; where with the depth finder(s) I would gain the ability to find the structure & cover the fish use, the ability to return to those spots more easily, actually see more of what's around me that's underwater and unknown to me, and even find suspended bait & fish (that may not necessarily be relating to cover).

Now, I will admit ... I've never had a motor smaller than 50hp, and never one without T/T. I've never had a SI unit, and currently run a 5" screen DI unit at the bow. The console unit is a 2d sonar that's primarily used for the anglers in the rear seat to be able to see the water depth under them. I also mostly fish waters that I've fished for decades, and have a good knowledge base of the areas I fish. I'm mostly a jig slinger ... and Push jigs & cranks mostly as a Plan B (in most cases, but not all cases).