Side Imaging for a Bass Tracker

[bryand82487]

Has anyone installed a side imaging depth finder on a basstracker?  I was looking at the 798c SI.  What's everyone's opinion on this unit or one similar to it.  I really want to wait till I get a nicer boat someday but that could be a while.  What do you all think, get the side imaging now or wait till I can afford a fiberglass boat in a couple of years and go with one of the bigger units?

[Wayne P.]

I have the 798ci Si on a PT 170 TX and saw a PT 175 TX with the same unit last week.

I have my transducer between the motor and transom and above the hull bottom for protection from stumps. I use another setup for moving faster than idle speed and an Alumaducer with that. The other guy has his where the factory rigged transducer was.

I also have an extra mount, power, and transducer to use the unit on the bow for electric only waters.

I got a message today from someone planning on putting one on a jon boat, He found one on the net for less than $820.

[bryand82487]

I have the 798ci Si on a PT 170 TX and saw a PT 175 TX with the same unit last week.

I have my transducer between the motor and transom and above the hull bottom for protection from stumps. I use another setup for moving faster than idle speed and an Alumaducer with that. The other guy has his where the factory rigged transducer was.

I also have an extra mount, power, and transucer to use the unit on the bow for electric only waters.

I got a message today from someone planning on putting one on a jon boat, He found one on the net for less than $820.

I found one here for $795 http://www.getfeetwet.com/products/SKU-407440-1-PART-407440-1-HUMMINBIRD-798C-SI-COMBO__407440-1.aspx

I've never even had a nice color depth finder so I think I would enjoy it and could really benefit from it when fishing rivers in my area.  How do you like yours?

[Wayne P.]

The only thing I don't l like about mine is that I don't have another one.

That is the best price I have heard of. The suggested retail price of them is $999 so the savings from that dealer is inflated some.

It is one of the older ones since it has the Uni-maps instead of the recent issue Contour -X maps. Still a great deal though.

[Fishing Rhino]

Imagine you are in one spot on a pond in a kayak.  Now, imagine you are on the exact same spot in a 50,000 dollar bass boat.

What more or less can you tell about the bottom from either boat using only your eyesight?

That's right, the answer is nothing.  You cannot see the bottom structure, composition or cover any better from either boat.

The side imaging sonar will work as well in either boat. 

The fact is, that unit is equally important, in any class of boat.  If and when you get a bigger, better, boat, you have the option of moving it to that boat.

[Nice_Bass]

Imagine you are in one spot on a pond in a kayak. Now, imagine you are on the exact same spot in a 50,000 dollar bass boat.

What more or less can you tell about the bottom from either boat using only your eyesight?

That's right, the answer is nothing. You cannot see the bottom structure, composition or cover any better from either boat.

The side imaging sonar will work as well in either boat.

The fact is, that unit is equally important, in any class of boat. If and when you get a bigger, better, boat, you have the option of moving it to that boat.

My guess is worried about shoot through hull on FB, while exposed on aluminum. 

Never had an SI, but want one.  Have a 175txw with front and driver units.  Was worried about how SI would work outside the boat with water disturbance.  Any additional input in that capaticty anyone?

[bryand82487]

Imagine you are in one spot on a pond in a kayak. Now, imagine you are on the exact same spot in a 50,000 dollar bass boat.

What more or less can you tell about the bottom from either boat using only your eyesight?

That's right, the answer is nothing. You cannot see the bottom structure, composition or cover any better from either boat.

The side imaging sonar will work as well in either boat.

The fact is, that unit is equally important, in any class of boat. If and when you get a bigger, better, boat, you have the option of moving it to that boat.

That makes perfect sense Rhino I guess what I was really debating on was whether I should set the money back I would spend on it for a boat upgrade in the future or if the side imaging would be that much more beneficial to me now.  I'm not that good at reading depth finders but everyone I've talked to acts like they would never go fishing again without one and they might as well be blind without one.  Can someone give me some good reasons why I should or should not buy one?  I'm really interested in them but am not convinced that I will increase my success rates.  I know a lot of people absolutely love them but I'm afraid that I'm not hearing from the ones that don't or don't think it was a huge benefit since this was an expensive investment for them.

[J Francho]

Imagine you are in one spot on a pond in a kayak. Now, imagine you are on the exact same spot in a 50,000 dollar bass boat.

What more or less can you tell about the bottom from either boat using only your eyesight?

That's right, the answer is nothing. You cannot see the bottom structure, composition or cover any better from either boat.

The side imaging sonar will work as well in either boat.

The fact is, that unit is equally important, in any class of boat. If and when you get a bigger, better, boat, you have the option of moving it to that boat.

My guess is worried about shoot through hull on FB, while exposed on aluminum.

Never had an SI, but want one. Have a 175txw with front and driver units. Was worried about how SI would work outside the boat with water disturbance. Any additional input in that capaticty anyone?

It needs to be mounted outside the boat to work.

I know several guys with kayaks that have SI units.  They love them.  There are some products in development/testing right now that will allow much more flexibility when mounting to plastic boats.

[bryand82487]

It needs to be mounted outside the boat to work.

What exactly do you mean by this? I wouldn't mount it like I would a normal transducer?

[Wayne P.]

The Side Imaging frequences are transmitted from the sides of the transducer. If you attach the transducer in a boat hull, the sides will not work thru the air. The SI frequences cover directly horizontal to a little more than straight down,

The Lowrance Structure Scan transducer has to be externally mounted too so it can transmit and receive horizontally.

[Wayne P.]

Every time I show my wife some of the snapshots I have taken with SI and DI, she says "that is cheating, the fish don't have a chance", LOL

[bryand82487]

So where would I mount it?  Yea the pictures are what has sold me on it.  I found a forum with a section specifically created to post up SI pictures and it is amazing.  They have pictures of cars, boats, bridges, road beds, alligators, etc....  it's really cool.

[Wayne P.]

bryand, that same site will have unit and transducer pictures posted too.

Re-read my first response for a couple of options.

The #1 factor in the transducer mounting position is that it HAS to "see" horizontally to the left and right with no part of the boat, motor, or hull attachements blocking the Side Imaging beams.

If you want a list of the sites I know of that deal with that technology, PM me.