Advice on new Fish Finder

[harpoon]

Hi all, I scored a pretty nice fishing boat last season. 16' Starcraft Fishmaster.  I would like to get a new fishfinder for it. I have seen some boats that have a console mounted in the bow which I thought was cool for when you are trolling and fishing from the bow platform. I also like the idea of the depth sensor at the front as apose to the rear so you have an warning before you hit that rock.

I guess what I want is to have a single product that has a sensor in the front and rear and a console that can either be moved between the drivers seat to the bow. I don't know if having two seperate consoles is an option.

I am extremely new to this stuff so I appreciate any information you can offer.

I am not looking to spend a fortune I would say under $300 much less if possible.

Thanks alot

Harpoon

[Bass_Fanatic]

Sounds like to me you need two seperate systems.  For less than $300 I would recommend the Fish Eagle 320.  It retails for $130, but you can find it on sale time to time for $99.  I would install one in the console and one in the front.   I have the Fish Eagle 320 and the Hummingbrid 565 and the Fish eagle is a million times better IMO.

[fishfordollars]

I must be stupid. I still cannot figure out what you are talking about. You have a console here, up front, and in both places. Will you please explain that to this d**b a*s.

I don't have a clue where to begin. Never seen a boat with a movable console.

Thank you,

Jack

[burleytog]

Humminbird 565

[quanjig]

I think what harpoon is looking for is a unit he can move from the console to the bow and back, depending on where he is in the boat.  Not sure if you are going to accomplish your goal for $300.  you are going to need two mounts and two transducers.  At least that is how I would do it.  A transducer for your bow mounted trolling motor and a transducer for the transom.  Then you install your mounts accordingly.  The only problem you may have is that you are going to want to make sure you keep a tight grip on the unit when transfering it from console to bow!!

[simplejoe]

Harpoon, Are you asking if you can get one fishfinder unit and move it from the console to the bow?

I mean you could do that, If you found a finder you like and bought it. Install that one on your console with a transom mount transducer. Then keep you eye out for the same unit on Ebay without the screen and put that one on your bow with trolling motor transducer mount.  You can switch the screen from front to the console.

Is this what your asking?

[simplejoe]

I think what harpoon is looking for is a unit he can move from the console to the bow and back, depending on where he is in the boat. Not sure if you are going to accomplish your goal for $300. you are going to need two mounts and two transducers. At least that is how I would do it. A transducer for your bow mounted trolling motor and a transducer for the transom. Then you install your mounts accordingly. The only problem you may have is that you are going to want to make sure you keep a tight grip on the unit when transfering it from console to bow!!

I type too slow because your post wasn't there when I started my post.

;D

[Wayne P.]

That is where the Humminbird units are somewhat better when using in dual locations. The mounting system of the smaller screen units such as the 565 make it easy. All you need is the unit as purchased with the mount, power cable, transom transducer, and display. Purchase an additional power cable, mount, and trolling motor transducer. With the plug-in system it's easy to relocate. I did just that for my 798ci SI because I fish electric only waters about 1/2 the time.

[harpoon]

Fishdollar, you are not a D**m**s. I was struggeling just to type what I was thinking.

quanjig and simplejoe, thanks for explaining it and yes that is what I am looking to do. Am I looking for too much? do you all just have one console and live with that?

Thanks everyone for the model numbers, I will check them out and shout back when I get confused of some the technical jargen.

Thanks all much appreciated

Harpoon

[burleytog]

You can buy a Humminbird 565 for $200 and a Humminbird secondary station kit for $90.

http://store.humminbird.com/products/313984/DBK2

[Fishing Rhino]

My advice.  Get the best your budget will allow, and study, study, study. 

This may sound strange coming from someone who has a 99 dollar portable Eagle Cuda and a canoe.

But, I've had decades of experience reading bottom echoes as a lobsterman.  My first two machines were paper recorders.  My last was a Furuno color sounder that cost over 2000 dollars in the mid eighties.

During those years I developed a very critical eye for reading bottoms and transitions.  It became so much easier with that Furuno color sounder.  Things that were subtle on the paper recorders, (monochrome) stood out like a sore thumb on the Furuno.  By the way, the paper recorders were also Furuno as were all my other electronics, save for the Icom vhf.

I'll be getting a new boat by July to use on larger bodies of water, though I suspect most of my fishing will still be done from the canoe.

My first order of business is to establish the budget for a turnkey operation.  Then the highest priority will be to select the fishfinders.  What's left of the budget will determine what I get for a boat.

That fishfinder will be your best friend, once you get used to operating and reading it.

I wish you well in making your selection.

I'll make one other suggestion.  Get some marking floats.  When you find a small piece of bottom that is producing fish, put out a float or two.  You can work that area without having to keep an eye on the sounder at the bow.

And, when you find an interesting patch of bottom as you are traversing the body of water, toss a float over the side, and keep moving 'til you reach the perimeter of that bottom or travel fifty or sixty feet.  Drop a second float, then work that area.

It won't take long until you can see what type of bottom and depth holds fish on your pond.

[harpoon]

Fishing Rhino, I really like your comments about the fishing markers.  I would have never thought of that and will definately give it a try next season.

Do you guys have any major preference over a color or black n white screen on a fish finder?

[Wayne P.]

I've been using the LCR displays since they were introduced "way back when" and got used to interpreting the gray scale images. I have several color display units as well as some gray scale units. While the color units are "pretty", I still prefer the gray scale for bottom composition interpretation. I prefer color for GPS mapping units.

[harpoon]

Hey guys, I am up in Portland Maine this weekend and staying near Cabelas. I went in yesterday for the first time. I was like a kid in a candy shop. the place is amazing.

Well I saw some deals on fishfinders but not sure what is the best.

I know some of you recommended the Hummingbird 565 which they do have but with a missing power cord for $140.

they also have on clearance the 535 for $139

and a 580 for $200

can anyone tell me what is the better deal? I don't know enough reading the box to see what features are better or not.

Is it as simple and the higher model number the better the unit?

Please asvise quickly since I will be leaving hear tomorrow.

Thanks alot

Harpoon

[Blade-Runner]

I have the Humminbird 565 and it is a very nice mid-range unit.

[harpoon]

Thanks Blade, from all my reading I agree with you. I am trying to figure out what specs I should be looking at and the two that stick out is the "peak to peak watts" and the "beam" either single or multi...  do you guys like to extra wide beams on the dual beam models or is it not that big of a deal??

Are there any other specs I should be looking at to help me make a decision?

Thanks

Harpoon

[TommyBass]

If you want one to view in both areas the cheapest thing to do would be mount one on your console (or to the side) using a RAM mount or something similar.   You can then just spin the units head around and view it from the front, saving time on hooking up all of the wires each time you want to change spots.  I used to do this before I could afford two seperate units, and really it worked good enough.

The only problem with this suggestion is you wouldn't have a front trolling motor transducer but honestly its not that big of a deal.   You could always still mount one and switch transducer cables or something if you really found it necessary.

[Wayne P.]

The 565 and 535 units are discontinued. The 570 is the replacement for the 565.

The 535 has 1/2 the screen resolution of the 565 and it's replacement is the 560.

There is no 580 model. The 580 series are color screens and start in the $350 range.