SI or mapping?

[Chris186]

If you could only have a sonar with GPS or DI, which would you choose and why? 

[gulfcaptain]

You mean what brand?  Sonar scans out away from the boat so if that was the case and only had sonar I'd probably have DI/ up and down color (chirp).  One of those two.  If you're asking if I could only have r2 options on a unit, I'd find one that has all three, GPS, DI, Chirp.  Otherwise I'll stick with the standard 200K with gps.  DI is great and shows you detailed picture, but when you understand your unit, you can get a lot of that same information from the color 200K picture once you understand how to  read it.

[Bluebasser86]

I don't fish big lakes so I'd go with the DI. 

[eddallen]

Sorrt of a loaded question.....

I guess it all depends on how you fish and what you fish for, also where you fish?

If you EVER find yourself on the water in dense fog, or on the California Delta, you will be wishing you had the GPS with the trail feature turned ON.

[buzzed bait]

i have a lowrance 4x HDI on my kayak and wish i had bought one with GPS.  i rarely if ever find myself using the downscan, but i can't count how many times i would have liked to drop a waypoint and wish i had the option to do so!

[Scott F]

I fish a lot of off shore shallow structure so the gps is important to me to help me find those submerged humps. These are also natural lakes so the underwater structure and cover is rocks and weeds. My 2D sonar shows these well enough and shows fish better than DI and at faster speeds. For ME, I don't know what your needs are, gps beats DI.

[Sprocket]

I'd probably have to go with GPS if it was an either/or situation.  Might want to check into the Garmin Striker 7DV for $399.99.  CHIRP, traditional and DownVu sonar, and GPS for marking way points and trails.  There are no maps, but GPS is built in.

 

SE Kansas grass grower

[Chris186]

Well right now im actually looking at the Helix 7 DI/GPS, Hook 7 and now the Garmin 7sv.  I wasnt going o get both DI and GPS, mostly because I didnt want to go to the top of my budget. The biggest lake I fish is 1500 acres, the majority of the lakes I fish are between 400-600 acres.The only problem with the Garmin is that there is no mapping, but the helix and hook only have DI where the Garmin has both.  I suppose the title of the thread should have been SI or mapping. Who knew it would be this difficult to pick out a fish finder?

[Wayne P.]

The Helix 7 DI GPS has Down Imaging, 2D Sonar, and GPS/Mapping.

The Helix 7 DI model without GPS has 2D sonar also.

Every Humminbird Side Imaging unit  has GPS/Mapping, Down Imaging, and 2D Sonar.

[WIGuide]

If I had to choose, I'd probably go GPS every time. It's great to have especially once you find something and you can go right back to it. For example, on this one lake I fish there's a long featureless bank that drops off pretty quick. In the first 20 feet or so there's scattered wood. There's one tree that is about 10 feet further out than that, and it's deep enough and the bank is featureless enough that it's pretty much only visible once you're right on top of it. I've since pulled a few fish off that tree because I know exactly where it is without being able to see it. I can just look at my map and know that it's there.  There are many other useful advantages to mapping as well. Personally I'm glad I have both, but if I had to pick one, I'd go mapping. 

[long island basser]

23 hours ago, CD1542 said:

 I suppose the title of the thread should have been SI or mapping. Who knew it would be this difficult to pick out a fish finder?

I'd take SI.

I fish small lakes, smaller than yours (100 acres).

looking at the garmin striker 7SV.

 

[Ohio Archer]

I'd take SI over GPS especially since there are some many GPS apps for phones nowadays.  SI shows the bottom so much better than DI or 2D sonar.  Sure, if you're fishing off-shore structure then GPS is handy but SI gives a great view of all the things you have been missing.