Hummingbird vs Lowrance vs Garmin

[jchez444]

recently purchased a reservoir rig in maryland and looking to get some electronics. unfortunately my knowledge is very limited on this and from researching you can easily get overwhelmed with information. which models would you guys recommend ill get the most bang for my buck. i have a 16ft boat so one on the console that i can spin might work or should i go two, one on console and the other on bow. price range is maxed at $1500 right now 

[bwjay]

For bang for the buck with a good screen size, it's hard to beat Garmin's echoMAP Plus units. I got a 93sv for $600 last fall, which has sonar, down imaging, side imaging, and a touchscreen, and it does it at power consumption quite a bit less than the competing Humminbird options. To get a Helix 9 with Mega DI/SI (no touchscreen I might add) is $1500. Don't even think about a Solix 10... $2500 for the same features with a touchscreen. I should note that the Mega imaging will grant you higher resolution imagery than the GT52HW transducer that the Garmin 93sv comes with, so the cost increase for the Helix/Solix is somewhat justified, but you could get an echoMAP UHD unit if you really want the higher res imagery. I've found the 800kHz images from my 93sv to be just fine though I do wonder about the UHD transducers.

 

My recommendation would be to try to find a Plus 93sv for the bow and a Plus 73cv (ClearVu/down imaging only) for the console, though that'd probably be hard to accomplish for $1500 without finding some nice deals. If you managed to get 2 93svs for $600 then it'd be a no brainer especially if you can just get the head unit without the transducer. The touchscreens make them great for looking at maps. You can network them together so that's not an issue either. A fun option would be an echoMAP UHD 93sv for the bow and a Plus 93sv head unit for the console. I think you can network the UHD and Plus units but the UHD transducer has to go into the UHD head unit. That'd call for a call to Garmin (who has been very helpful to me every time I call).

 

I hope this helps!

[12poundbass]

^^^^This^^^^

[jchez444]

funny that was the unit ive been looking at but just recently found out that the maryland reservoirs i fish (electric only) there is no mapping for them in the garmin and lowrance, only in the humminbird. i havent confirmed this with lowrance or garmin yet i emailed both and waiting back for response. 

[12poundbass]

You can create your own maps with the Garmin units. 

[WIGuide]

I would go with two units. If it were me, I'd probably go with 2 Lowance Elite Ti^2's. Get one with the active imaging 3 in 1 and one with the HDI. The one with the HDI you can put on the bow and the one with the 3 in 1 can be mounted on the dash. They network to one another using WIFI so there's no cables to run. As far as mapping, Humminbird, Lowrance, and Garmin all allow you to make your own maps and with Lowrance's C-map Genesis social mapping there may already be a map of the lakes you fish available for download that don't come on the factory base map. 

[Craig P]

I have a 16’ boat and run one unit on a Ram mount that spins and I am very happy with the setup BUT that is because it fits my fishing style. I like to look for structure and then fish.  I rarely look back at the screen except to confirm what I believe I just missed, either in fish, structure or depth.  I do however have Livescope but when I fish with that, I call it old man fishing.   I sit at the console, aim the transducer on it’s own arm and cast at them. LS is probably overkill for me as I do not use it often but I do like tech.   With that said, your fishing style is going to determine your actual needs. If you like to vertical fish, you’re going to want to know in real time what is below you, possibly in front of you, not what the transom transducer saw 16’ behind you.

 

As for the actual device, you could get a hundred responses from a hundred different anglers. Rather than point you to what I use, I would recommend thinking about your long term goals. Do you see yourself wanting a new trolling motor that can integrate with the FF?  Do you see yourself wanting to get into real time fish movement like Livescope?  Think about what you want after the finder and it may help narrow down your choices.

 

[RoLo]

 

After owning a bunch, my preference in chartplotters is Lowrance > Garmin > Humminbird 

I dumped my Humminbird Onix and replaced it with a Lowrance Elite touchscreen which I recommend.

Goes without saying, the Lowrance Elite has access to all Navionics bathymetry,

but the chip I use the most is the Navionics Plus microSD "United States & Canada". 

Lowrance, Gamin & Humminbird all offer real-time mapping via C-Map Genesis Live.

 

Roger

[Dens228]

I recently switched from a Lowrance Hook2 to a Garmin Echomap UHD.   I like the down and side scan picture on the Garmin much more than the Lowrance.  The maps on the Lowrance were MUCH better than the Garmin though. 

[SC53]

I have a lowrance elite ti 12 on my console and a Garmin echomap 9 on the bow. After doing some research I chose the Garmin due to what I think is a better side and down imagining picture than my Lowrance. No they don’t interface but that’s ok with me. There’s a reason a good number of the pros have different makes of units on their bow, each mfg does something better than the other. 

[Captain Phil]

I've always been pleased with Lowrance products.  I bought a Hummingbird depth finder once.  It was a piece of crap.  The screen resolution was terrible, the unit kept powering on and off and the documentation was unintelligible. 

[SeaCrow]

On 7/2/2020 at 7:49 AM, Captain Phil said:

I've always been pleased with Lowrance products.  I bought a Hummingbird depth finder once.  It was a piece of crap.  The screen resolution was terrible, the unit kept powering on and off and the documentation was unintelligible. 

My Hummingbird did the same thing. Also replaced mine with a Lowrance...no problems so far

[WRB]

There you go everyone has a different opinion.

You need a less expensive unit in the bow with trolling motor mounted DI transducer. 

Side imagining on the isn't for everyone, stern mounted is stationary and easy to read.

5" to 7" bow unit and 7" to 9" console unit. 

Check qround yourc area to determine which company has good customer service and go with that brand.

RAM mounts are definately the way go for positioning the unit and easy storage wen trailering your boat.

Tom

 

 

[12poundbass]

40 minutes ago, WRB said:

There you go everyone has a different opinion.

You need a less expensive unit in the bow with trolling motor mounted DI transducer. 

Side imagining on the isn't for everyone, stern mounted is stationary and easy to read.

5" to 7" bow unit and 7" to 9" console unit. 

Check qround yourc area to determine which company has good customer service and go with that brand.

RAM mounts are definately the way go for positioning the unit and easy storage wen trailering your boat.

Tom

 

 

I agree, RAM mounts are the way to go. As far as the units go, it’s a Ford vs Chevy vs Ram deal. The more the consumer educated themselves the better off they are. 

[FordsnFishin]

I've been blessed with 2 lowrance units ruined by water damage in the past year. Im done with them. 

 

I'd take a good look at garmin units. Been hearing nothing but good from them. 

[Bdnoble84]

On 7/4/2020 at 5:40 PM, WRB said:

There you go everyone has a different opinion.

You need a less expensive unit in the bow with trolling motor mounted DI transducer. 

Side imagining on the isn't for everyone, stern mounted is stationary and easy to read.

5" to 7" bow unit and 7" to 9" console unit. 

Check qround yourc area to determine which company has good customer service and go with that brand.

RAM mounts are definately the way go for positioning the unit and easy storage wen trailering your boat.

Tom

 

 

9in bow overkill im in a little 14ft v with a tiller. Will move my 4hdi to back but still able to view bow ff. 

[WRB]

I had 2 bass boats in the 70's. 14' Lund V bottom within 15 hp Evinrude with 9.9 decales  becuase thecSan Deigo lake had a 10 hp max limit. My Lund was equipped with X15 paper graph and Hummingbird Super 30 flasher bow unit and MinnKota TM.

My other bass boat was a 16' Astroglass with 65 hp Merc, MG bow mount TM, Lowrance X16 paper graph and Hummingbbird Super 60 flasher.

1 used my Astroblass for local lakes and the aluminum Lund at San Diego lakes. Both gave me state of the art fishing plate forms during the 7O's. Screen size was never a consideration, the units gave me a window to see the fish and structure.

Tom 

[Bdnoble84]

Early 80s alumacraft with 15hp johnson. Lowrance 4 hdi. Just put a casting deck in it and took it up 5hrs to vilas co WI this past week.no doubt i can catch fish in it, i caught some nice smallies. But as you said its about opening up mor fish catching ability with better tech. Thats what i want to do on my budget.