Fish finders are confusing....

[the_kegs]

I'm having a hard time finding any good reviews that break down the actual features of these things and compare the models. For the most part all the units from Hummingbird seem to get good reviews. I'm questioning if I need the advanced GPS/Charting features available on the 578ci HD or if I even need a GPS at all. A unit like the 586c HD has a GPS but doesn't appear to have any mapping software so what's the point of the GPS? Then there are the down imaging models like the 570 DI. They look really cool, almost like a picture of the bottom but I'm sure there has to be some sort of drawback over a regular non down image unit like the 570. Help! Please......

[tj06sti]

I really want a Combo unit. I have a hand held GPS that I can use to track where I have been, but that is another thing to have to carry on the kayak, and if I mark some fish or start catching fish, its another device to have to pull out and fumble with to make a waypoint to track back to. My hand held was really helpful for finding our way back to Sandy Point around 4am last year !

[ictalurus]

My buddy's boat has a combo GPS/fish finder that shows nautical charts. It's pretty awesome and makes following a depth contour really easy. That could be handy when fishing new areas.

As for marking a school of fish with the handheld GPS, you could always just follow your track back if you don't hit the man overboard button in time. I bought a handheld because I wanted to use it in the car and while hiking.

[DOGFISH]

I think some of the Garmin hand helds will do that. You can get updated chips and download information. I know some of the dual purpose Garmin GPS units will do that, like the 640. If you have any questions about the hand helds, give West Marine a call, the one near Eastport. Ask for a guy named Marc. He is like Mr. Electronics, especially Garmin units. He can let you know which units will do what and the types of chips and downloads that are available, 410-268-0129. Let him know what you are trying to do, and if it is possible with your unit or which units.

I know my Humminbird ff/GPS will do that track thing. I know alot of the Garmin combo units will do that also. I don't use the GPS features that often, because that is one more thing to do in the kayak. Maybe that is why a handheld would be nice. Just keep it in you pocket until needed. Besides, I'm much too busy catching fish.

Good Luck Bill.

[mmanolis2001]

I have a Eagle 350 SMAP. Its cheap and has a GPS and basic maps. Not the best detail but it pulls little current and i can make 10 trips on one charge of my 12V 5a battery. I want to upgrade to a color hummingbird this year but i think i will wait for this unit to crap out first.

The GPS saved my butt a long night of searching for buzz's marina last year. I decided to blind paddle (Turned off the GPS and just had the light and my rusty memory of the area) back from the st jerome's inlet. It was dark back there and after 30 Min's of unfamiliar sights i gave in and fired up the unit. I was 1/4 off course and in the wrong cove

I think the Hummingbird Combo units come with basic pre loaded chart maps. Those show water bodies and land masses but not the bottom contour. The better maps are on the Navionics map chips which most of the units support at an added cost of the chip.

I was looking at the new HD models and they are amazing. Only drawback in a Kayak would be battery life. Those units probably pull allot of juice.

You purchased a trident correct? i don't think they have the OK scupper transducer for the HD units so that might be an issue if you were going that route.

[DOGFISH]

I'm having a hard time finding any good reviews that break down the actual features of these things and compare the models. For the most part all the units from Hummingbird seem to get good reviews. I'm questioning if I need the advanced GPS/Charting features available on the 578ci HD or if I even need a GPS at all. A unit like the 586c HD has a GPS but doesn't appear to have any mapping software so what's the point of the GPS? Then there are the down imaging models like the 570 DI. They look really cool, almost like a picture of the bottom but I'm sure there has to be some sort of drawback over a regular non down image unit like the 570. Help! Please......

Generally speaking, Humminbird seems to always get good reviews. Their customer service, tech people and repair services are also very good and easy to deal with. With your new Trident, you can swap out the transducer that comes with the ff unit for the thru hull, which will fit your kayak. Humminbird, Ocean Kayak and MinnKota are part of the Johnson Outdoors Group. That is why you see that they all go together, like the Torque and the ff scupper holes which fit a Humminbird thru hull.

Humminbird is very reliable. I use the 383Ci, which has been replaced by the 385Ci. The 385 can take up dated chips. My unit has taken a beating over the years, and it keeps on going.

PS: Thats right the 3D side image transducers are different. They mount differently, beware. I think Jffoley is doing one of those. He may have some info on that. I was thinking of getting one and mounting it to my electric motor. I don't know, no need as of yet.

Good luck with that decision.

[the_kegs]

Thanks for the tips thus far guys. Battery life and completely incompatible transducers are not things I was thinking about. Glad I asked.... I have a luncheon near bass pro tomorrow so I may go do some hands on research if I have time.

[Yak Fish]

For what it's worth, I found mounting the transducer inside the hull to be a completely frustrating experience. Maybe it's the particular unit I bought, but I tried to install it with epoxy, vasoline, other goop and oftentimes it wouldn't work at all and when it did, the resolution was not that great. It worked great when actually in the water so I ran the transducer wire through the hull and mounted the transducer itself to the bottom of the rudder. ...just stuff worth thinking about.

[DOGFISH]

I was looking at some of the handheld GPS units at work. They will show contour lines. They also do the tracking of you boat or kayak. The screen is really small. That is the only drawback as I see it. The FF/GPS units do a better job. You can use a split screen, showing ff and the GPS map view. It may be helpful when fishing unkown waters and looking for the drop offs. Some of the units have fising view on their GPS map for that very reason. Some of the high end units are comming out with touch screens, which make thing a whole lot easier than dealing with buttons and menus. Right now my 383 does just fine. It is kayak fishing after all, not a large sportfisherman. Of course radar would look nice on my kayak.

[dhmjd]

I have used Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird units. Garmin and Humminbird have great customer service, Lowrance, unfortunately, does not. Stay away from the Lowrance units, I cannot say this strongly enough. Look at Cabela's bargin cave, many returned Lowrance units as compared to anything else.

[the_kegs]

Looked at the 385ci at basspro and Easton Kayak. I think the screen screen just too small and the resolution too low to be effectively used in the kayak unless it's mounted right in your face. Definitely not big enough to be mounted in the sonar shield area of the Trident 13. When you run it in split screen mode (map/fish finder) each section only ends up being a little over an inch wide. I'm probably going to end up going with the 570, 581i or 586c HD.

[Redfish12]

Best price I have found on that unit- http://www.poorfish.com/p-9830-hummi...gps-combo.aspx

I like my 5 series screen size but wish I had gps sometimes. I'm going to try and make due with a hand held another year.

[DOGFISH]

Looked at the 385ci at basspro and Easton Kayak. I think the screen screen just too small and the resolution too low to be effectively used in the kayak unless it's mounted right in your face. Definitely not big enough to be mounted in the sonar shield area of the Trident 13. When you run it in split screen mode (map/fish finder) each section only ends up being a little over an inch wide. I'm probably going to end up going with the 570, 581i or 586c HD.

If I recall, the 587Ci is just a larger HD version of the 385. It has a larger screen and has GPS. It will also take a navionics chip. It is about $80 dollars more, but solves the screen issue. I have the 383 and can see it just fine on my Big Game. I must admit, I don't use the GPS that much. When I am fishing, I am interested in fishing. The ff is what I am looking at. I have a few saved way points, but by and large, in a kayak the area that you are covering does not seem to be that large. Its nice to have, just in case.

Good luck with that selection.

[Japanesezero]

Humminbird pmax 170 or eagle cuda 300? I have a OK trident 13 coming in and can use the scupper transducer. Im wondering how much more accurate it will be mounting through the scupper as opposed to a wet well or electric puddy. thoughts?

[Memory Maker]

I love the 385i ........ and believe me I have a bunch of FFrs of every size. Remember, the FF should be mounted well within easy arm reach so you can easily mark spots and change settings without moving around alot which makes the screen size just fine. Remember, space in a Yak is more valuable then beachfront property in Malibu ........