GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

[crabnabit]

I'm thinking of getting a Marine Handheld GPS and a FishFinder for my Bennington Pontoon boat. I'd like the FishFinder to be removable so I can take it off my boat.

Does anyone have any advice on decent, reasonably priced GPS and Fishfinder Equipment? There is a lot out there and it's difficult to sort through all the features.

We only boat in 2 bays: Indian River and Rehoboth Bays in Delaware and they are pretty shallow. Ideally, the GPS would have updated depth or chart information since some of the sand bars shift from year to year.

Thanks for any and all advice/opinions!

 

[stellwagen33]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

If your looking for reasonably priced fishfinders I would suggest the Eagle Cuda 300.

I recently purchased the model before this and I am thrilled with it. It is $80 and worth it. I have a 14 foot runabout that I am often on a river with that is very shallow. I was running 32 mph and it was still picking up the bottom clearly. I have also been fishing striped bass and it has picked up stripers and bait fish.

I'm looking to get another unit for my 18 foot center console and I would buy a lowrance or eagle cuda if you are looking to spend under 200 on a unit. Anything over $200 I can't give you advice on.

As far as a handheld I have not had any marine hand held gps' but have had a lowrance go2 which was is the low end hand held and was shocked to find that it has marine nav aids and buoys. pleasantly surprised considering it was $100.
Overall I have been pleased with lowrance and eagle cuda.

 

[HD Fatboy?]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

I have the Hummingbird 161 which is really nice for $150.00 the mount you use makes it easy to unplug and remove from boat.

Not sure if I am reading your post correctly? The GPS feature you figure will update the depth and chart. not so sure about that. Mine only shows where I am at on the Lake nothing about the depth.

 

[dingbat]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

Ideally, the GPS would have updated depth or chart information since some of the sand bars shift from year to year.

I know that area well. Bars shift, channels move on just about every good storm. You can pretty much throw your maps away when navigating those back Bays.

The chart for your area was last update back in 2008. A Notice to Mariner went out that they relocated the buoys 19 and 20 on the Rehoboth Bay channel as of July 22, 2010. They may not release an updated map reflecting this for another 5 years or so.

 

[Jungleboat]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

I can't recommend any good fishfinders but I can suggest you steer clear of the Garmin 160C

Not only is it hopless at any significant speed but worse, it keeps jamming up.

I specifically bought the thing for fishing in a bay I know has shallow areas. While skirting around a pointy shallow section I kept fairly close to it, if only to save fuel.

17ft... 17ft... 17ft... 17ft...

Spludge!

Happily, managed to reverse off. Even in the process of reversing off, the damn thing was sitting there saying "17ft".

Turned it off, turned it back on again, and after an age of figuring out where it was - "3.6ft"

It's done the same thing numerous times since, so while it's useful you sure CANNOT rely on it while moving.


Quickie question while I'm here - are all fishfinders the same, in that they give you absolutely no sense of direction as to just where the fish are meant to be?

There's no indication if the fish it's beeping about is meant to be in front of the boat, behind it, to the left or to the right. I'm guessing it's the same for all of them?

As a fish "finder" the technology could be improved...




JB

 

[crabnabit]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

Thanks Stellwagen33 -- I've had my eye on the Eagle Cuda due to the price and I'm glad to hear it's a decent unit. I'll check out the Lowrance go2 you mentioned.

I'll also check out the Huminbird 161 reco from HD Fatboy. Fatboy, you asked about the GPS -- someone showed me a cool Garmin Colorado 400 which is now discontinued. But I'm pretty sure it showed current depths, buoys, etc. in real time. Unfortunately it was originally about $600 which is too rich for me.

Jungleboat -- thanks, I'll stear clear of the Garmin you mentioned. Being on a shallow bay, I'm trying to avoid accidental groundings and need a unit that provides up to date depths. As for where the fish are with a fishfinder -- it's my understanding the unit transmits a certain degree beam [or 2 beams] which mean the fish are within that view under the transducer. Some offer a wider degree of beam or 2 beams which provide deeper/wider coverage. Maybe they should change the name to fish "window" or something more accurate?

 

[crabnabit]

Re: GPS & Fishfinder Advice?

Hey Dingbat, Thanks for the chart information. I hadn't realized the chart had not been updated since 2008. A lot of new sandbars cropped up this year and right now I'm being extra watchful -- especially at low tide!