New member question

[Nova1]

I registered awhile ago but first time posting, now that I have a new kayak. I just got a 2015 revo 11 (due to storage space) and live in northern va. I have been out the last few weekends in pohick bay and the occoquan and seen a lot of other kayaks. I'm starting to rig my revo and my question is about fish finders. I'm think about buying one but I have a small boat so don't want one that's too big. I'm thinking either the lowrance elite 3x or the 4x. I don't really need gps just a nice basic color fish finder. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks

[KJV]

My advice would be to think twice about skipping the GPS option. Great for marking a launch point or structure that is holding fish. Also good as a means of navigation. Any 5 inch screen or less should be OK on your Revo.

[Nova1]

I never really though about the waypoint type marking for structures and launch points. I was just thinking of the navigation aspect of it, which I could do on my phone. Looks like I'll have to look more into the gps function. What about color vs black and white? I see basspro has a mark 4 with gps for 129. Thanks a lot for the advice.

[YakCapn]

I would recommend the GPS option too, especially if you ever go out on the chesapeake bay or somewhere your not familiar with. I can see why you wouldn't necessarily want one on the Potomac, but I'm really glad I have my GPS. What I was really hung up on was a bigger screen and I think I didn't need that as much as I thought I did. I got a Humminbird 587ci on clearance, but I would get a smaller unit if I had it to do over again. I just don't use all the features it has, and just need the basics plus GPS. I probably overshot a bit on the functions.

[Nova1]

Thanks for the tip yakcapn. I think I really need to consider the gps function now. Like you said I primarily fish the Potomac, but I will occasionally go to the the bay or other places I am unfamiliar with. I just don't want something that is too much. Now what about color vs black and white? And if you had to do it all over again what model would you get?

[Cowpokey]

GPS is a tool, you can get away without it...but why handicap yourself? I know people that fish with no sonar, they catch fish...but not as many, and they usually find more success by fishing with people that have sonar and GPS.

Color vs Black-n-White is a preference, I like my color display(s). This is my second season fishing the Bay, first season was with a Lowrance Elite-4 HDI, now I also have an Elite-5 HDI. Bigger screen is better...not necessary though.

Go for the best unit you think you would ever want and buy once, versus getting what you think will "get you by" now...then upgrading later to what you think you want...then upgrading again to what you really wanted in the first place. I would have stayed with the Elite-4, but since I'm getting a second Outback and the Elite-5 was on clearance for the same price I paid for the Elite-4...it was an easy choice to make.

BTW, I've heard too many people disappointed with Humminbird units. I was originally going to get a HB, but after looking at them side by side in demo mode at the store, the Lowrance units had better screen resolution, and come loaded with a better base map for navigation.

[Nova1]

Your right about being a tool. I though maybe since I have a smaller boat I should get a smaller unit ( elite 3x) and wouldn't need/want gps. But now I think I should get the gps so I won't be disappointed with my purchase and want to upgrade. Now I'm just torn between color (elite 4 hdi) and black and white( bass pros mark 4 for 129). Haha oh man there are so many options. Appreciate your input cowpokey.

[Cowpokey]

Always happy to add my 2 pennies. That Mark-4 for $129 is a good deal, it does everything that the Elite-4 does, just in grayscale. Color is pretty though...haha. There is a little more to it than just being color, the chart has different colors for different things loaded in the map; like channel markers (green and red) which actually do mean something. I don't know how those same markers are identified with a B-W screen?

I know I catch more fish by having GPS and sonar together, and I can get right back to productive areas an hour later, a week later, a year later. Fish are creatures of habit, they like the same places, and GPS makes getting back on that exact spot easy.

[YakCapn]

I'd save money on the color too. I look for contour lines for the depth changes and you don't need color for that. That being said I think you can get a Lowrance Elite 4 with color that has a GPS for under 300. That's a pretty good deal if you ask me. I like my Humminbird unit, but I wouldn't think twice about buying a Lowrance if I had to do it over.

[YakCapn]

Always happy to add my 2 pennies. That Mark-4 for $129 is a good deal, it does everything that the Elite-4 does, just in grayscale. Color is pretty though...haha. There is a little more to it than just being color, the chart has different colors for different things loaded in the map; like channel markers (green and red) which actually do mean something. I don't know how those same markers are identified with a B-W screen?

I know I catch more fish by having GPS and sonar together, and I can get right back to productive areas an hour later, a week later, a year later. Fish are creatures of habit, they like the same places, and GPS makes getting back on that exact spot easy.

yes, unfortunately you have to remember to hit that button labeled "mark" when you catch a fish...most of my marks are made 3 minutes after I throw the fish back in the water and have started trolling again. One of these days I'll remember that it only takes a split second to hit the mark button before I pick up the rod.

[Nova1]

Haha your right cowpokey color is pretty. Although yakcapn has made a good point I'm not sure if it's worth the extra $150 over the mark 4. I will have to look into the channel marker ID on black and white though. I'll try to remember to hit the mark button haha. You guys are very helpful, hope to see ya out there sometime.

[Cowpokey]

yes, unfortunately you have to remember to hit that button labeled "mark" when you catch a fish...most of my marks are made 3 minutes after I throw the fish back in the water and have started trolling again. One of these days I'll remember that it only takes a split second to hit the mark button before I pick up the rod.

Hehe, on the Lowrance units we hit "enter" twice and it puts a waypoint. Can go back and rename it later if it warrants the extra effort...like a species or fish size or all rods hooked up, ya know. Most of my waypoints just have the sequence number the unit puts in by default. One of my mentors told me to mark every fish caught, because that will point out patterns of areas that are successful. I did that when I first started fishing the bay, now I have clumps of waypoints for each location I fished, with a few that got named so I remember what the waypoint meant originally.

[Cowpokey]

Haha your right cowpokey color is pretty. Although yakcapn has made a good point I'm not sure if it's worth the extra $150 over the mark 4. I will have to look into the channel marker ID on black and white though. I'll try to remember to hit the mark button haha. You guys are very helpful, hope to see ya out there sometime.

That's completely up to you. I can justify anything...if I really want it. Then I'm not left with the "what if" I had shelled out more cash for the fancier piece of gear. I'm much more of a cheap skate when it comes to tackle, I can't justify a $15 lure, or $300 rod-reel combo when a $4 lure and $80 rod-reel put fish on the boat without issue.

[EMSer]

I would also look at the Garmin Echomap 44dv. It stacks up very well against the Lawrence units.

[Nova1]

Bruce thanks I'll take a look.