Side Imaging or Autopilot: Which would you buy first?

[splitshot]

Question:

If you were a poor ol' goverment employee with limited funds, a boat with "regular" fishfinders, handheld gps and basic trolling motor, which would YOU buy first if you were going to wait about a year for the second purchase?

Side Imaging Electronics or a new Trolling Motor w/co-pilot and auto-pilot?

[Jeepster04]

Trolling motor definately. Boat control is key in crappie fishing. You can make those fishfinders work another year.

[drifter106]

Well, somebody else in the same situation. On one of my boats I have the same setup, 2 sonars that show 480 x 480 and a hand held gps. On the bow I have a 12/24 OMC (cable) motor. I have been h**l bent for election to get one of these si units and then began thinking about what I truely "NEEDED". First, I looked at the waters that I fished...except for 1 lake all of our waters are less than 5,000 acres. Most under 3,000. Most of our structure you can line up with 2 objects from bank, but yet we do have the gps. Pretty much know the lakes like the back of my hand....river channels, drops, creeks, etc. So I asked myself....would I be better putting off this purchase and getting another trolling motor that would make our fishing more effective? Which one is going to provide a better solution for fishing "NOW"? To me its a no brainer.

So I started focusing on getting another trolling motor. Was set on getting the Terrova until...I went to BPS and looked around and visited with some people who I would say were "in the know" about these motors. Reps from MK and Travis Bunting were there...along with our OWN Crappie Chatt!! Oh yea!!:D Anyway, they convinced me with the kind of fishing that I do, to go with the Maxxum instead of the Terrova. Mainly had to do with responsiveness of the motor and our fishing conditions. So now my attention has shifted more towards the cable drive (maybe even a Fortrex).

In the end, you just gotta ask yourself what is going to help you be more productive and make for a better day of fishing. I am getting old and lazy....wear out a lot faster than I use to and what these new trolling motors offer is something I could really utilize. Doesn't mean I am not going to get the si...just not on the top of my list right now.

[jhef]

well if you already have a descent trolling motor, id definately get the side image first, the trolling motor will not put more fish in the boat it will help you stay on them but the side image is a total different game you will be amazed at all the new structure you will find and be able to fish ,not sure which units you are looking at, but i know a fella who may be able to hook you up with both for about the same price, how about a new terrova trolling motor with a new 797 fish finder for 1500. bucks

[B8fish]

Question:

If you were a poor ol' goverment employee with limited funds, a boat with "regular" fishfinders, handheld gps and basic trolling motor, which would YOU buy first if you were going to wait about a year for the second purchase?

Side Imaging Electronics or a new Trolling Motor w/co-pilot and auto-pilot?

I have had an auto pilot since they came out. I am on my third trolling motor. Not because they wore out, we just upgraded the boat and got new motors everytime. The warranty is great and the hands free ability is some thing I can hardly fish without. I would say it has made me lazy but if i don't have to worry about my speed and direction to much i can pay closer attetion to my fish finder and the end of my poles. So, I would vote for the trolling motor.

[thankfull]

Hook me up with the m/k man I allready got the 997 but still need a t/m

[poppop]

I would get the trolling motor..I only have the co-pilot on mine. I used if for the first time the other day. That is the best thing since sliced bread. I will absolutely never be without one again if I can help it.

[Ranger690]

I have a HB 997 and a MK Auto/Copilot. I would fish without a trolling motor before I would give up my Side Imager. It finds all the structure that the crappie love so much. I would cut the big motor and anchor if needed. But I would not be without the HB. It can find more stuff in 10 minutes than a regular DF can in a day.

Dayton

[robbor]

Its getting deep in here, when someone says they are a "poor govt employee".
I have an auto pilot and it nice buy mine is way to noisy for close quarters fishing. Id kind of clunks left or right. Hopefully they have fixed this problem.
I had my friend buy a motorguide cable driven unit. $2k for a fish finder is pretty steep, do they have a 5 or 10yr warranty??? I spent 1k on a lowrance and it was money wasted, so im gun shy when it comes to high dollar electronics.

[plantdr]

Get the side imaging it will help you catch more fish. If your current trolling motors work and don't spook fish, get the side imaging, just be sure and take somebody with you the first 5 -10 trips to keep you from running into things cause you will be busy looking at the screen going "oh wow" or marking a spot 100' from the boat.