Wayne P.

For those wanting a small unit that has built-in Auto Chart Live for real time contour map creation, Humminbird has a new model that replaces the Helix 5 series. It is the Helix 5 G2 just announced a couple of days ago. The GPS versions have Auto Chart Live plus have CHIRP 2D sonar and CHIRP Imaging. Refer to the Humminbird website for the specs for each version.

In Virginia its when I make a cast and my presentation bounces off a frozen surface.

https://scmaps.com/18980-Poplar-Tree-Lake/

I get asked occasionally what do I do since I retired. My answer is "I do two things, I either go fishing or I don't"

I am rarely on the water on weekends anymore. Don't have to deal with the crowds. I pretty much fish when and where I want to anytime I want to. Don't have to let bad weather make it uncomfortable, I can chose what weather patterns I want to fish. For tidal waters, I go when the tide is best for the period of time I want to be there. Been doing it that way for 11 years.

Down Imaging and Side Imaging are the same technology, just oriented differently. With Humminbird Side Imaging/Down Imaging you adjust the unit for the speed you are going. Between Zero to about 12 mph works great. Just some movement is required to scan. Wasn't any wake created doing these screen shots:

Humminbird Helix 9 SI GPS----MSRP $1000 Humminbird Helix 9 Sonar GPS---MSRP $700 The above share GPS data, sonar technologies, accessories and sensors via Ethernet. Mapping is extra. Humminbirds read Navionics and Lakemaster digital mapping cards. Routing a transducer cable on a foot contol cable steer motor is very simple. Doing it on an electric steer model is not so simple and tidy.

One more thing, if you are fishing, it makes no difference what the whole displayed image looks like. ONLY the very first horizontal row of display pixels is real time-- everything below that is history. If you want stationary or near stationary images going in any direction, that is what the 360 will do. This brush pile is behind the boat: Same brush pile in front of the boat:

Side Imaging records from the top of the display to the bottom. 2D sonar and Down Imaging record for the right to the left. Sounds like you are over complicating a simple function.

I use the grub guards on Senkos when Tx rigging them. I insert the hook so the hook eye is a little exposed, then slide the guard over the hook eye. Keeps the blunt end of the Senko from collecting debris and hanging up in vegetation.

I use these for that purpose: http://www.overstockbait.com/Gary-Yamamoto-Grub-Guard-10-Pack-p/70-20.htm

If you have a Humminbird Side Imaging unit, no. With Lowrance Structure Scan you can reverse the Side Scan since those transducers can be mounted with the cable end forward or rearward. BUT if the bow is pointed forward, what is on the left of the display is on the left side of the boat. Doesn't make sense to display stuff on the right that is actually on the left. Forward is still forward no matter what direction the boat is moving.

When I see large schools of shad without any bass nearby, I don't cast to them: When I see bass with them, then I will make a few casts to see if I can compete with the food source:

I have the 2009 wire harness color codes in pdf format. Send me an email and I will attach them with the reply. purdum43@aol.com

My take on electronics is I want to catch just as many and just as large as any high level tournament angler. Actually more since I don't have time constraints or limits involved with tournament fishing. My time on the water is not less valuable than any touring pro or fishing guide. There is no higher level than my quest to catch fish. I want the tools to show me where they are, why they are there and if they seem to be catchable. Doesn't make any bite though. That's my part. I also want to know where they are not so I don't try to do any catching where there is no catching possible. There are low end, mid range, and high end sonar models that do most all the sonar technologies available. Get the most within your budget that has the technologies you will take the time to learn how to use. There are four major brands that have the side looking imaging, the down looking imaging, traditional 2D sonar, GPS with and without mapping. There are no bad choices, just some do a little better than the others for some functions. Garmin, Lowrance, Raymarine, Humminbird

Humminbird Side Imaging first and Humminbird 360 Imaging second, 2D sonar third but only for the FishID function. Those are my primary search and fishing tools.

When comparing deep cycle batteries the same load rating should be used. For trolling motor use, a 20 or 25 A rating should be used. At that rating a 54 AH battery will last two hours at about medium speed of a trolling motor.

It depends on how you fish and if your priority is boat driving or fishing. A motor pulling the boat will be easier to control than a motor pushing the boat. Quite simple physics.

First off all there are nine Helix 5 models. The top of the line version is the Helix 5 SI GPS. The Helix SI units do not have true Down Imaging generated from a Down Imaging transducer crystal. It creates the Down Imaging VIEW by software blending the two SI pulses and narrowing the data some. The Imaging it has views for are Side Imaging ( both sides) Left or Right side SI, and Down Imaging. It also has dual beam traditional 2D sonar. The Helix 5 SI GPS comes standard with the transom Compact SI transducer XNT 9 SI 180 T that is 4" long. It will produce sharper images with the HDSI transducer transom model XHS 9 HDSI 180 T since that is 6" long. The longer SI crystals produce a thinner imaging pulse which produces sharper images. If you want that one, it can be exchanged through Humminbird Customer Service for about $85 more which includes shipping. PLUS you have to pay for shipping the Compact SI transducer to Humminbird. If they have the HDSI in stock, they will ship it to you AFTER they receive the Compact SI transducer. Do not open the transducer mount package. The HDSI is tuned to work with both 455 kHz and 800 kHz Imaging that the larger units have, but it will not add 800 kHz to the Helix 5 SI GPS or the Helix 7 SI GPS. They have 455 kHz Imaging only.

I agree.

The electric steer motors do their own thing without any sonar unit connected so you can mix or match. Motor Guide and Minnkota have those type motors that do "spot lock". SOOOOO, you can have Lowrance, Humminbird, Garmin, Raymarine or any other brand. IF you want the sonar/GPS units to connect to the trolling motor, then it would have to be Lowrance/Motorguide or Humminbird/Minnkota. If you get a trolling motor with a built-in 2D sonar transducer you can connect that to any sonar brand with a sonar brand specific adapter. Not familiar with what the Lowrance/Motoguide sharing is, but Humminbird/Minnkota along with Lakemaster map software has "follow the contour" feature which is the motor follows the map contour that you select. I think in both cases, connecting the motor to a sonar/GPS unit provides more memory for tracks the motor will follow and more GPS locations it will navigate to. The motors will do those by themselves within their more limited memory. "Best" for you is a system that does what you want it to do and you have not stated that.

What do you have now?

An expert bass fisherman and university professor's " science " was involved , Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance said it was THE thing. A whole series of lures and colors were produced to match it. http://fishinghistory.blogspot.com/2008/07/update-passing-of-dr-loren-hill.html http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/bass-fishing/2009/04/university-bass-fishing-and-color-c-lecter http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/bass-fishing/2009/04/university-bass-fishing-and-color-c-lecter You could take a course that convinced you that you need it. With all that expertise involved, it has to be a must-have device.

An 8 or 16 is going to be plenty large. If you would eventually max out a 32 gig, it will bog down the Helix 5. A maxed out 16 will also. That model has a somewhat slow processor compared to the larger models.

Find out for yourself. Put the boat on the water and stand on the seats, wear your lifejacket. Ask someone to do it with you to get the full effect.