With or without GPS.....

[Gomer Pyle]

I'm lookin at buying a fishfinder next week...do you prefer one with or without GPS built in? If so, why? I've never owned one but am doing lots of research and gathering lots of opinions before the purchase. So far, I am leaning to the Lowrance models.....

[Chris W]

If you do not mind spending the extra money get one with a gps, I fish alot of offshore structure and it helps alot. You living in Florida, if you fish any of the big lakes down there you will use the gps alot if you will take the time to learn how. I know it has helped me many times on Toho and Kissimmee.

[Culln5]

I run a GPS/Sonar combo for a couple of reasons.  Number one was the price of 2 units...... Then space on my console..... I like having both in one.  I typically have the GPS map on and have the sonar features overlayed on it.  The best part is having the ability to purchase or download a lake map.

[HPBB]

GPS is a big yes, and also if you are deciding between color or black and white go color

[fishfordollars]

color with GPS.

[K_Mac]

color with GPS.

Add Lake Insight or a program like it to give a detailed look at the lakes you fish and it will improve your fishing experience IMO. Good luck.

[SkeeterZX225]

Ditto on what these guys have already said. If you mainly fish small lakes that you know well, I wouldn't worry about GPS. However, if you fish larger lakes and travel to new lakes go with the GPS. Most definetely go with a color unit, once you learn to read a graph the colors will make it that much easier to disect what you're seeing on the screen (ie. fish, brush, rocks, soft bottom, hard bottom, etc)

[flechero]

color with GPS.

Same here... awesome. Love it, especially for navigating at night, fishing/finding offshore structure and cover, and you can look over the 'map' without the wind tearing it up! :  You can also drop waypoints or icons in with a simple touch of a button to mark spots... way nicer than throwing a marker buoy out and then finding a pen and the map.  ...lol  Speaking of which, you can have/use a marker on the screen and no one else sees a buoy.  

[SoFl-native]

Depends on your price point.

If you are looking for like a bare bones fishfinder than no.

But if you want a color fishfinder with a decent amount of power than it seems totally worth it to get one that has gps included for a couple hundred more.

[jdw174]

IMO, get one with GPS that allows you to use a chip like the Navionics.  I have one that I use on Kentucky Lake and love it.

[J Francho]

Color with GPS, without a doubt.  Split screen with your waypoints zoomed in on one side and graph on the other is a VERY useful tool for structure fishing.

[Wayne P.]

This is what you can do with a GPS/Sonar unit. On one of the small lakes I fish, I have a waypoint saved for this log/stump pile (it is under the "0" in the depth reading). There is no paper or electronic map for this body of water. I can find it and fish it and have never seen anyone else fishing there since it is about 50 yards offshore where the bankbeaters fear to tread. It is a fish magnet in the summer when the thermocline forms. I don't need to throw out a marker bouy to stay on it.

[ALbasser]

I got my depth finders without GPS... and I regret it. I now carry a hand held GPS with me while fishing. Believe me, you will definately use the GPS, especially if you fish any at night. If price is not a factor I would go with color and GPS.

[bassnleo]

With the technology in sonar/gps units these days your kinda throwing your money away if you don't get a combo unit.

So, to echo what has already been said, definately get a sonar/gps.

I use a Lowrance 522 and it has been really good for me.