Wayne P.

With the GT motors, they start a lot easier if you have the top of the motor level.

If you purchase superlines based on their diameter rather than their strength, you won't have any problems. Even 6# mono equivelent diameters are problematic.

I have a 16' Tracker and use a 36V Motor Guide Tour Edition 105# of thrust. A more powerful motor that is used at a lower speed setting will make your batteries last longer than a weaker motor running at a higher speed setting. When I had a 10' and 12' jon boat, I used 24V trolling motors.

Well, the lure I am throwing gets to where I am throwing to. Pretting much the same as my other rods. That makes it just as good, it can't get any better.

The simplest answer is get the most powerful one you can afford and get a variable speed model. Those are the most efficient motors.

I have a Ducket spinning rod and use superline with a 20# fluourcarbon leader. It casts just as well as my other spiinning rods with the same line/leader.

That looks like Guntersville starting about mid Summer. Fun place to frog fish around the end of September.

Yes, if your 728 can be a plotter with waypoints, routes, and tracks, then a GPS antenna can be hooked to it either directly or thru Interlink.

A software release was done in Jan 2010 that added DI to the SI units. Part of that softwere was some 2D enhancements. Those enhancements messed up the digital dept readings in shallow water. In June 2010, a software release was done to correct that. The non-SI units got part of that 2D enhacement which involved the Swicthfire feature. Your 728 has Switchfire. If you don't have the shallow water digital depth reading issue in less than 10', you probably don't need to update your unit. I sounds like your 728 can be a GPS plotter with a GPS antenna hooked to it. If you wanted to, you can get another HDSI transducer to put on your trolling motor and switch units between the bow and console if you want to use SI on the trolling motor. The mount would be the only limiting factor which could be solved with a RAM mount for each unit with the same base size.

Fishing Rhino, you can use the 83/200 khz of the HDSI transducer with your 728. I used a HDSI transducer with my former Matrix 97 when I didn't use my SI unit on the bow.

A product called Sharkhide is recommended to keep the shine after cleaning.

I have seen Eagle One Mag Wheel Cleaner recommended on one of the boating web sites.

Sam, as far a trolling motor RF interfeence, it makes no difference what brand or sonar unit or what brand of trolling motor you have. That problem is random and varys a lot in the severity and what frequency is involved. I delt with RF interence for several months trying to solve it with my Humminbird SI unit on the 455 khz frequency. Many others have also. A friend of mine went thru the same thing with his Lowrance HDS unit on the 200 khz frequency. Humminbird is very helpful with solving that issue, don't know about Lowrance support for that. The trolling motor companies are not as helpful but the Minnkota motors seen to have less issues and are more proactive with preventing it. If your trolling motor is a variable speed model, it has an electronic speed control circuit that is the transmitter of the RF noise. Whether if will affect your sonar unit depends on what frequency the circuit is "broadcasting". Its a crap shoot that may or may not be resolved.

My opinion is that any Imaging technology is better than none at all. It will help you interpret what the 2D is showing most of the time. I guess you know there are two versions of the 788ci. One is just 2D and the other is the 2D/DI. If you order one, select the correct one it is about $100 more.

Evidently none of you drop shot or use jigging spoons. The Imaging technology is worthless for those presentations.

I do most of the time when I am not using the Side Imaging view.

I use the Gold Stren Superbaid, Daiwa Samurai in yellow, Daiwa Saltiga in multi-color, and the Fireline Tracer Braid. Sometimes I use a fluorocarbon leader and sometimes I don't. The fish don't care either way.

You are confused. The scroll speed has nothing to do with the map movement on the GPS display. The map moves as you move no matter how fast that is. The map moves to keep the boat icon about in the middle of the screen all the time. Basically the GPS screen does not "scroll", it moves in all directions as you move in all directions. The scroll speed sets the speed of the views on DI/SI/2D. For the best images on SI and DI, the scroll speed should be set to the idle speed of the boat. For 2D, the speed is whatever you like to get the bottom coverage for the speed you are going.

birdman, I think that boat has a triple step hull. You will need a two transducer setup no matter if you get the Humminbird Side Imaging or the Lowrance with LSS-1 for the best performance for on-plane depth reading. You do not want a thru-hull transducer with that hull. With the Lowrance HDS, you get a 2D transducer that you can use as a shoot-thru and the LSS-1 transducer can be mounted beside the motor mount. With the Humminbird SI unit, you will need a XP 9 20 transducer for shoot-thru and the supplied SI transducer mounted beside the motor mount connected together with the AS SIDB Y cable.

The preceeding comments are an example of why you should visit a retailer that has them on display so you can check out the menu systems to see which one you are comfortable with.

CWB, the 798 is a Side Imaging unit and it does Down Imaging plus 2D. I have one of those too.

I bought one specifically for bed fishing. I don't cast it, I use it flipping/pitching.

Excellent observations and advice. Just be careful looking at screen too much as you move about so you don't run into stuff, LOL

I don't have either but I do use the technology. Both have the same size color displays (the Humminbird has a higher pixel count display) 640X640 vs. 480X480 Both are GPS with mapping and both can read third party mapping software. The Lowrance has more choices for added mapping. Both have an internal GPS antenna--The Humminbird has 50 channel -- Lowrance has 16 channel Both have two down imaging/down scan frequencies. The Humminbird has two regular cone shaped sonar frequencies ( 2D ) The Lowrance does not have 2D frequencies, it is Down Scan only. Both have the same power. Lowrance has TrackBack, Humminbird does not have a similar feature. Both come with all the parts to function as designed. The Lowrance will be a great companion with a regular 2D sonar unit. The Humminbird doesn't need a companion since it does both. Either one will help with your fishing experience.

The number one thing to do with Humminbird equipment is contact Humminbird customer service. They have just about heard it all and will have suggested remedies. They just need to know the motor brand and model, how the units are powered, and if they are connected together. With a linked sytem, the connecton is an antenna for the console unit to get the RF interference from the trolling motor. There is a remedy for that.