What to get for first electronics?

[Triple droptine]

I have never used any electronics fishing before other than an underwater camera and a depth finder last summer when renting a boat, but I figure now is the time to get update my game.

I will be looking to get something for ice fishing, but would also like to use it on a boat (hoping to get one of those next summer). From the initial research I have done it seems like the Hummingbird Helix and Garmin Echomap stood out and I see both are on sale this week.

What recommendations would everyone have? No specific budget in mind, would rather pay once than regret it later. TIA

[SamSteele]

Portable Helix with GPS and CHIRP makes a great rig. Add a lithium battery and you have a lightweight powerful unit that will do everything you need on the ice and you can swap the transducer and use it in the boat in the summer.

SS

[Weavster]

I would get a helix 7 all season package great for on the ice and you can also put in on the boat in the summer. All around great unit!

[Poppa]

Definitely get the Helix All Season unit...as big a screen as you can afford. It's the way to go.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Triple droptine

What recommendations would everyone have? No specific budget in mind, would rather pay once than regret it later. TIA

Everyone recommends Humminbird? Seriously? Ugghhh....

Get a Garmin UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle. It's the same price as a Ice Helix 7 GPS. It has a built in flasher like the 'Bird. It has CHIRP like the 'Bird. It is a fully-functional chartplotter like the 'Bird with Canada LakeVu g3 maps pre-loaded. You won't have to turn down the screen brightness to make it through a day on the ice. And...wait for it...it has a Panoptix port on the back of it. So you can upgrade to Panoptix or LiveScope and laugh at the Helix owners.

I can't personally tell you it's better than the Humminbird, because the only thing they make that I run is a ICE 55 true flasher. But the guys with Helix 7's that come over to check out my LiveScope and then forget to go back fishing seem to think so apparently.

Did I mention it's the same price as a Helix?

Garmin EchoMAP UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle


Humminbird ICE Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Season

[updatelee]

I have a helix 10 g2n SI that I use in the summer on the boat and made a makeshift case from princesses auto and a lion battery to use it in the winter.

If I were to do it all again I would go garmin. But the problem is I'm in to deep now. The electronics all integrate into everything else. It's not just the $2k fish finder, it's also the $3k electric trolling motor and gps puck, I've fishing transducer etc etc etc.

The hummingbird is great on the ice, but I would love psnoptix. The hummingbird is garbage on the boat, interference had been a nightmare

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Everyone recommends Humminbird? Seriously? Ugghhh....

Get a Garmin UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle. It's the same price as a Ice Helix 7 GPS. It has a built in flasher like the 'Bird. It has CHIRP like the 'Bird. It is a fully-functional chartplotter like the 'Bird with Canada LakeVu g3 maps pre-loaded. You won't have to turn down the screen brightness to make it through a day on the ice. And...wait for it...it has a Panoptix port on the back of it. So you can upgrade to Panoptix or LiveScope and laugh at the Helix owners.

I can't personally tell you it's better than the Humminbird, because the only thing they make that I run is a ICE 55 true flasher. But the guys with Helix 7's that come over to check out my LiveScope and then forget to go back fishing seem to think so apparently.

Did I mention it's the same price as a Helix?

Garmin EchoMAP UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle


Humminbird ICE Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Season

I will second and third this all in one motion. The garmine hands down is a better unit then humming bird. Also having the option for panoptics down the road is a big plus. Get the uhd 73cv ice fishing bundle at cabelas next week then wait till spring and buy the panoptics for about 1500 more and it will be a big game changer. With the panoptics in the winter you can have a forward view so drill one hole stick the transducer in perform a 360deeger scene and see the drop offs or even fish out 30 to 50ft away then walk over(in summer cast to them) then drill a hole and start cat thing. Also with the panoptics option you can drill 3 holes in a tent set the transducer in the middle hole and set up the two other lines your active bait and dead stick and keep an eye on both. Well worth the investment


Gbuss

[calgarygringo]

Garmin is no longer alone with their live system. Bird and Lowrance both have now. From a video I saw on the Lowrance it is even better picture than Garmin. I hear Bird is awesome too. Love when their is competition the second guys usually improve the technology. Sorry Garmin guys but there are now others out there. In Bird line you can also get with map chip incl if you look around.

Originally Posted by Gbuss

I will second and third this all in one motion. The garmine hands down is a better unit then humming bird. Also having the option for panoptics down the road is a big plus. Get the uhd 73cv ice fishing bundle at cabelas next week then wait till spring and buy the panoptics for about 1500 more and it will be a big game changer. With the panoptics in the winter you can have a forward view so drill one hole stick the transducer in perform a 360deeger scene and see the drop offs or even fish out 30 to 50ft away then walk over(in summer cast to them) then drill a hole and start cat thing. Also with the panoptics option you can drill 3 holes in a tent set the transducer in the middle hole and set up the two other lines your active bait and dead stick and keep an eye on both. Well worth the investment


Gbuss

[HuyFishin]

The mega 360 just looks like a newer improved panoptics.

Honestly I would be happy with any of these units.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlbertanGP]

Mega 360 is not live imaging. It's not even remotely close to Panoptix, even if you try to minimize the scan angle and jack the refresh rate.

I think this is the root of the problem. I don't think many people have actually seen Panoptix or Livescope in person. They watch some videos on YouTube and then think they understand the technology. Humminbird will maybe...maybe...have a live imaging solution for the next open water season. Lowrance has announced their follow up to the absolute failure that was LiveSight. The press releases look promising. Stay tuned to see what the production hardware/software generates.

Also, someone in the 'Bird camp please explain to me how you can hook up a Mega 360 Imaging transducer to a Helix 7.

[calgarygringo]

Bird live is live. Most have not seen it yet as it is still getting the bugs worked on but is close. Lowrance looks really good from what I have seen. The good thing is the more competition the prices should come down to a little more to the almost affordable category.

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Mega 360 is not live imaging. It's not even remotely close to Panoptix, even if you try to minimize the scan angle and jack the refresh rate.

I think this is the root of the problem. I don't think many people have actually seen Panoptix or Livescope in person. They watch some videos on YouTube and then think they understand the technology. Humminbird will maybe...maybe...have a live imaging solution for the next open water season. Lowrance has announced their follow up to the absolute failure that was LiveSight. The press releases look promising. Stay tuned to see what the production hardware/software generates.

Also, someone in the 'Bird camp please explain to me how you can hook up a Mega 360 Imaging transducer to a Helix 7.

[Coiloil37]

I think to properly answer this question you need to give us more information. If you’ve never owned one and don’t have a boat what are you looking for? Simple 2d and a flasher mode or do you plan on getting a boat, wanting to run mapping or create your own, control a minn kota, sidescan, more/less??? Budget is how much? A few hundred or a couple grand?

[Triple droptine]

Great information guys, this has been very helpful. I think I will go with the Garmin. Don't know if I will go ahead with the Livescope but would like the option to do so.
Merry Christmas all.

[Triple droptine]

Question re Garmin products. Is it better to get the ice fishing bundle 73cv or get the 75/95sv? Seems like a guy would want side imaging for the summer. The amount of varieties and models gets confusing when you start to wade into them.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Triple droptine

Question re Garmin products. Is it better to get the ice fishing bundle 73cv or get the 75/95sv? Seems like a guy would want side imaging for the summer. The amount of varieties and models gets confusing when you start to wade into them.

73's have U.S. LakeVu maps built in. 75's have Canada LakeVu maps built in. So number-wise, you want a unit that ends in a 5.

Regarding getting a cv or sv unit, that depends on your plans moving forward. The Ice fishing bundle gets you out fishing on the ice right away and you can add the SideVu transducer later when you get your boat. Alternatively, since you may get a better deal now than in the Spring, you could order the 75sv now to get a deal on the 'ducer and order a separate Ice Fishing Kit from Garmin. Another good option is the Summit Fishing Shuttle, which will also allow you to run larger chartplotters than will fit in Garmin's Ice Bundle bags (they are perfect for a 75 or 95). HTH.

[Poppa]

So I'm kinda following this thread. We have a Lowrance Elite Ti9 on our boat and a Lowrance 4x ice unit that's just a graph, no flasher. We want to get a flasher or maybe an all-around unit with flasher mode. For Christmas, we got 650 bucks to use at Cabela's or Bass Pro.... My first thought was the Helix 5 Ice bundle. The Garmin Echomap Ice Bundle also seems interesting (thi also may be out of stock in Calgary).

At any rate, I appreciate the info provided here. We'll be doing some shopping tomorrow if anyone has anything else to provide here...

[Poppa]

Any thoughts on the Striker Plus 5 Ice bundle? It's cheaper than the Helix 5.... Not compatible with Panoptix tho...

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by Poppa

So I'm kinda following this thread. We have a Lowrance Elite Ti9 on our boat and a Lowrance 4x ice unit that's just a graph, no flasher. We want to get a flasher or maybe an all-around unit with flasher mode. For Christmas, we got 650 bucks to use at Cabela's or Bass Pro.... My first thought was the Helix 5 Ice bundle. The Garmin Echomap Ice Bundle also seems interesting (thi also may be out of stock in Calgary).

At any rate, I appreciate the info provided here. We'll be doing some shopping tomorrow if anyone has anything else to provide here...

I think a lot has to come down to personal preference. I have a Helix 7, Ice 55 and an FLX 28. Ice fishing I probably spend 90% of the time fishing 20' or more off breaks and outside the shack as much as possible. The FLX is my go to as it is incredibly easy to see in bright sunlight on the snow, very clear and has a solid return. It excels in deeper water but not the best in shallow water admittedly because of how the pro view works. It will pick up a metal swivel in 100' of water though. Low battery draw and can run off a simple $30 l.a. 7ah agm battery all day and then some. I might replace the original this year after six years of use. They are supposed to go only 2 years on average but if you charge them immediately after use they last a lot longer.

That's my preference for winter but not everyones, and I might even be well in the minority. All are good flashers and for what the O.P. is asking a Helix or Garmin unit is probably the best bet to check more boxes. Looks like he is going with the Garmin and probably not a bad choice if there is a possiblility of upgrading to livescope in the future. As mentioned Humminbird and Lowrance are coming out with something silmilar but Garmins is the only proven one so far. Looks like Lowrances first attempt was pretty dismal.

[Walleyedude]

If you’re in a hurry it might not be an option, but when it hits the stores, I think the new Lowrance Elite FS will be the best bang for the buck unit on the market. It checks every box, including the Active Target live imaging option. Put it on a mount, connect it to a lithium battery, and bob’s your uncle. It does EVERYTHING and it’s fully networkable with any units you might want to add in the future. The only thing you might need is an ice transducer.

On a side note, LiveSight is in no way a failure if you understand what it is and how to use it. It’s a panoptix equivalent, not livescope, they are very different technology designed for very different uses. LiveSight works very well for what it’s intended to do.

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

If you’re in a hurry it might not be an option, but when it hits the stores, I think the new Lowrance Elite FS will be the best bang for the buck unit on the market. It checks every box, including the Active Target live imaging option. Put it on a mount, connect it to a lithium battery, and bob’s your uncle. It does EVERYTHING and it’s fully networkable with any units you might want to add in the future. The only thing you might need is an ice transducer.

On a side note, LiveSight is in no way a failure if you understand what it is and how to use it. It’s a panoptix equivalent, not livescope, they are very different technology designed for very different uses. LiveSight works very well for what it’s intended to do.

Feel free to elaborate I'm honestly curious. I have no experience with Livesight but from what I've seen nothing that it provides would amount to more fish at the end of the day than simple side or 360 imaging. Open to your thoughts though.

[Curado]

Garmin Echomap UHD 95sv ROCKS! It’s on sale right now @ Cabela’s for $870. A screaming’ deal on an amazing unit!

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/136908...homap-uhd-95sv

[LJalberta]

Originally Posted by Curado

Garmin Echomap UHD 95sv ROCKS! It’s on sale right now @ Cabela’s for $870. A screaming’ deal on an amazing unit!

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/136908...homap-uhd-95sv

Seems like a killer deal. I ordered the 75 and the 95. I'll keep one and return one.

[Coiloil37]

That’s a good deal on the Garmin. I’ve got the 105sv and I’m pretty happy with it. I upgraded to the GT51 transducer but for lakes the GT54 should be the pick of the litter.

[Triple droptine]

Originally Posted by Curado

Garmin Echomap UHD 95sv ROCKS! It’s on sale right now @ Cabela’s for $870. A screaming’ deal on an amazing unit!

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/136908...homap-uhd-95sv

That is the one that I ended up getting. Thought it was too good a deal to pass up. Only thing is now that the ice fishing kits seem to be on back order, unless a guy wants to upgrade to the Panoptics (not sure on that yet). But for that price, I can always return it

Thanks for all the advice.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

Feel free to elaborate I'm honestly curious. I have no experience with Livesight but from what I've seen nothing that it provides would amount to more fish at the end of the day than simple side or 360 imaging. Open to your thoughts though.

Sorry, was gone on holidays and just got back in front of a computer where I can actually type.

I like to think of it this way - LiveSight = live 2D sonar, Active Target = live DI/SI. The cone/beam angles and frequencies that they operate at work much the same way. They're both intended for very different purposes.

DI is not the best tool to use to scan large areas, track active fish under your boat, or to watch your lure/bottom bouncer/downrigger. SI is great tool to scan areas and mark fish, but it doesn't do much to help you catch them once you've located them and you're on them (there are some tricks to using SI when stationary, google Tom Boley, he does a great job explaining them). At the same time, 2D sonar is definitely not the best tool for distinguishing fine detail or painting a picture of the bottom.

LiveSight was never intended to be a high resolution imaging tool like Livescope or Active Target. It was intended to give the user "live" 2D sonar. It was designed with a wide cone angle for greater areal coverage and a lower frequency for more range. It works great on a pole or trolling motor to scan areas for structure, but in my experience, there are two things in particular that LiveSight does very well due to wide cone angle and directional display - track fish when fishing vertical, and show your bottom bouncer/downrigger setup while trolling. Those are both a big deal, and it's the reason I'll definitely be keep mine on my boat.

Once you get LiveSight setup and you spend some time figuring it out, you can actually watch your bottom bouncer on your sonar screen, and see the fish approach it and bite, or NOT bite, in real time. That's a HUGE advantage. Now you can drop your spinner back to a fish you know is there that you never would have known about otherwise, or you can change your speed or your spinner setup to try and trigger those fish that are approaching and not biting. Trust me when I tell you that some guys have this figured out, and they're using it all the time to put more fish in the boat.

The other big advantage for me, is that the LiveSight display is directional. Traditional 2D sonar simply takes everything within the sonar beam cone, regardless of where it is, and compresses it into a vertical column that scrolls sideways. The LiveSight display is directional and things are shown in two dimensions, so I can sit in a spot and know where the fish are in relation to me - what direction and approximately how far away - AND, I can watch them move in and out of the sonar cone, and know the direction they're travelling. I also get to see them react to my bait in real time. I realize that's also what LiveScope/Active Target do, and with greater detail, but the tradeoff is the LiveSight covers a lot more water. The LiveSight cone angle is 40 degrees, the Active Target cone angle is 18 degrees, that's big difference depending on water depth.

LiveSight isn't a miracle technology, I'd be the first to tell you that, but it works very well for what it was intended to do, and it has without a doubt put more fish in my boat. It took dedicating the time to figuring it out and some trial and error, but for me and others I know, it was well worth it.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on Active Target and figuring it out.