Lake Map Question

[Dogface]

I fish small bodies of water and have never used a lake map program. My Hummingbird can accept the map cards.

 

It looks like we may be fishing Lake Oneida in New York this summer. I understand they may have lake map software for Oneida and not being familiar with the software I have a few questions.

 

1. Can I buy just buy a map of Oneida or do I need to buy a complete set of maps?

2. Is any map program better than another? 

3. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Dog

[Tennessee Boy]

Humminbird does have a Lakemaster map of Oneide if your unit accepts Lakemaster maps.  The quality varies some from lake to lake but overall Lakemaster maps are the best I’ve seen.  You can buy them and copy them to a SD card using a computer.  With newer units that have Bluetooth you can buy them on your phone and transfer them directly to the unit from the Hummingbird FishSmart app and you can view them on the app on your phone or tablet. I spend on average about 5 hours a day staring at Lakemaster maps on my iPad ?.  The cost for Oneide is $29.99

[Jleebesaw]

I use navionics so I can't really speak of the quality of lake master,  but onieda is a big, popular lake. All of the programs should have good maps of it. If you only want to use it on one lake, you can buy paper maps of that lake at any bait shop in the area. Even wal marts up here will have maps of onieda and the other bigger lakes. 

[Jig Man]

I have used 3 different brands of mapping cards.  The Lakemaster on a hummingbird is by far the best I have used.

[Dogface]

Thanks guys!!

 

I never used a lake master chart but I'm going to try.

 

Thanks again!!

[Dogface]

21 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Humminbird does have a Lakemaster map of Oneide if your unit accepts Lakemaster maps.  The quality varies some from lake to lake but overall Lakemaster maps are the best I’ve seen.  You can buy them and copy them to a SD card using a computer.  With newer units that have Bluetooth you can buy them on your phone and transfer them directly to the unit from the Hummingbird FishSmart app and you can view them on the app on your phone or tablet. I spend on average about 5 hours a day staring at Lakemaster maps on my iPad ?.  The cost for Oneide is $29.99

Tennessee Boy

 

Can you send me a link. I've been looking for the past 1/2 hour and cannot find the Oneida map. 

 

Thanks

 

Dog

[Tennessee Boy]

56 minutes ago, Dogface said:

Tennessee Boy

 

Can you send me a link. I've been looking for the past 1/2 hour and cannot find the Oneida map. 

 

Thanks

 

Dog

Well they don't make it easy do they?

 

When I made my initial post on this thread I just check for it on my iPad.  I was able to find it on the web.  

 

https://chartselect.humminbird.com/store/products/HB-NY_W759185_N432098_2D?locale=en

 

You will have to create an account on https://chartselect.humminbird.com/  and you will have to download the software that will download the purchased map(s) and write them to an encrypted SD card.  The instructions are here

https://chartselect.humminbird.com/download?locale=en

Make sure you have an SD card that is compatible with your unit and that your computer has an SD card slot and that the SD encryption software will work with your computer before you buy.   It can be complicated.  I mostly used the app on my phone to buy maps.  I used the online process for one lake because I wanted the full bundle of products they had for the lake.  The bundles include the HD Contour maps, satelite imagery,  topo maps,  and Smart Strike and cost  49.99.   You can get just the HD Contour for $29.99.  If your unit supports Smart Strike it's useful and cost $4.99.  It will let you enter the conditions and time of year and will tell you where to fish.  I have never used it for that but I have used it to search for places that match conditions I enter like a certain slop and will highlight those places on the map.  I don't use Smart Strike much but it's fun to play with.

 

Of course you can always buy one of the Regional cards that include all the maps in a region for $150.

 

Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Dogface]

Thank you very much!

 

I'll have to get my son to help me. Some of this technical stuff is way over my head. 

[simek3ru]

On 4/27/2019 at 11:54 AM, Jig Man said:

I have used 3 different brands of mapping cards.  The Lakemaster on a hummingbird is by far the best I have used.

I am debating getting a Helix 7 SI G3 with Navionics+ built in.  Should I not do this and consider buying a lakemaster card?

[Dogface]

I purchased the NE Lakemaster card. I have not had it on the water but have looked at a few lakes. It is detailed and I'm glad I went to the NE card rather than a single lake card. 

 

Thanks for all your advice guys.