Helix 5 or 7 for Kayak Si? Di? Chirp GPS

[Spooner]

I'm thinking Helix 5 Chirp GPS G2.

Anyone find imaging to be especially useful?

I don't need 'cool' features that I'll never use.

Maybe slap an iceducer on it for winter.

[RavYak]

I don't find down imaging that useful, honestly never use it even though my fish finder has it.

Side imaging on the other hand I do use. It can be helpful but it depends on the lake, it helps you find structure which requires the lake to have structure to begin with. It is also a bit of a learning curve how to set it up properly and how to interpret the image.

If you get side imaging 7 inch screen is the smallest you should go with. You need a large screen to be able to interpret the details.

Since you have never had it before for sure you could live without it, it is up to you whether you feel you want to spend the extra $500+. As a fellow kayaker one other thing I will mention is that with side imaging the transducer has to be in the water so you need a kayak with mounting capability for a side imaging transducer or need to use an arm over the side which is what I do but the extra drag is a bit annoying.

[Spooner]

👍

Cool thanks

[EZM]

I like down imaging. Use it all the time and prefer that over regular sonar as the picture is cleaner and shows significantly more detail.

Sometimes regular sonar leaves you guessing what is it you are looking at? A hump, some fish, maybe a sunken stump and some tree limbs? With down imaging you get a much better image ....

Here's a really good thread on another forum that really illustrates my point.

http://www.wmi.org/boards/electronic...sage_id=321715

[thumper]

Originally Posted by RavYak

I don't find down imaging that useful, honestly never use it even though my fish finder has it.
.

As a long-time yak fisher, who recognizes my own inability to resist anything new and shiny, I thank you very much for your post RavYak! Although I've got perfectly good fish-finders on my fishing yaks, I've been sorely tempted the last few years to go out and spend big bucks on a new down imaging and side-view sonar. Even after reading tons of information on the subject, your simple review was an eyeopener - particularly the observation that it would require an 'over-the-side' transducer mount, which you point out - can be annoying.

[The Fisherman Guy]

DI displays far superior imagery than standard sonar, as EZM has courteously shown.

Keep in mind; If you plan on using it in multiple boats, or as an ice unit - the extra transducer for DI/SI is far more expensive than just the standard Chirp Sonar transducer. Larger too. Current draw is also higher, resulting in a larger battery requirement.

If you don't have a need for these additional features, pick up a Helix 5/7 G2 in Sonar/GPS. Small transducer, Auto Chart Live and easy to install and use.

Good luck

[RavYak]

I should have clarify my first comment by saying I never use down imaging only because I have side imaging... I don't find it very useful but I find side imaging that much more useful. If my fish finder only had down imaging I would use it when I was marking structure on my sonar and wasn't sure what it was(is it rocks, boulders, fish, trees, weeds etc).

Down imaging shows improved structure detail, it can definitely be helpful it just isn't in the same class as side imaging for interpreting and definitely not for locating structure. There is a price difference though.

A basic rundown of the different fish finder models would be the following.

Sonar Only: Gives you depth, will mark fish, helps find depth changing structure and shows structure underneath you. With practice you can learn to interpret most structure but sometimes there will be weird things in a lake that throw you off.

GPS: Mark your location, see where you have been, find old spots and humps etc. I personally would never buy a fish finder without gps again unless I only fished a couple lakes and new all the spots already.

DI: Will help you interpret structure by making it easier to figure out if something is a weed, tree, boulder etc.

SI: Again further helps you interpret structure. Makes it possible to see what direction a tree is laying in, shows you where the weedline is, where transitions from mud to gravel are, where rockpiles are etc. Helps you find said structure by showing it to you if you pass close by(whereas with just DI you would never even know it existed).