Hey Guys, I Have To Ask?

[Haulin Bass]

I have an old boat, that is perfect for Crappie Fishing. I have recently rigged it for Walleye trolling as well. I can get my 115 Merc to run at about 2 MPH, and do really well with those Walleye in the fall! (* But that's another story!)

My next project is to look into these "Spider Rigs", I have one buddy who swears by them, so much so, he said he went over the exact spot that I fished last spring and pulled in his limit where I didn't catch anything, just minutes after I left. (* But I never actually saw him catch any that day either!)

LOL, but my question is,,,, i need a new fish fider. I want one that I can view from the front, but I want a better view of the landscape than the one I have! I'd like to sneek up on the fish instead of just seeing them as I drive over them. (If you know what I mean!)

I don't have tons of money, but I don't want a piece of junk either, (I already got stuck with one of those a few years back!)

I thought I'd get a really good buy at Bass Pro Outlet Center, and I paid too much for a fish finder that was missing the GPS attatchments, and I got a fish finder that only works when I sit still, and it beeps like crazy whenever a stick floats by.

I have an OK front finder, it's a Humming Bird 521 (I think) that is on the trolling motor, and that one has been surprizingly reliable for $99.99, but I can only see directly below the trolling motor. So, if I'm not familiar with the landscape, I never see the same thing twice! (* You know what I mean?)

And I have a Spinner for a depth finder that I have on my dash board. That thing actually works well for trolling, but you can't see any fish, you just see what depth you are in. I got that fish finder for free when I bought the boat,,, and that was a LOOOOONG time ago!

I'd like to get a down sight for crappie fishing, but they have all these new Chartplotting features (Not sure what that means, but it sounds nice!). And I hear guys say you want one where you can see your lure going by. (*REALLY, really?) (You mean you can see your lure going by?) Sheeze,,,, I may as well get a GLASS BOTTOMED BOAT!

Anyway, I can't afford the $2500.00 price tag for a super-duper fish finder, hell, if I could I'd just get a brand new boat!

But i don't mind spending 4-5-6 Hundred,,,, I guess I am just trying to get some input here.

WHAT DO YOU CRAPPIE FISHERMEN SWEAR BY? And is there anything new that I can get in my price range?

ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[Feathers and Fins]

Little higher but not much I have heard very good revues of the Humminbird® 859ci HD DI combo. The only way to get better than that is Lowrance HDS system but that is serious money.

[MeatintheFreezer]

Here are my two cents:

I bought a new hummingbird Down Imaging/ gps combo last year new for pretty cheap (<$400). It is black & white, which is why is was cheap. Everyone is wanting color now days. I do not remember the model number, I will PM you if I remember to check it out next time I am out at the boat.

Anyway, the DI does not show fish very well at all, but it really good at showing structure. A cedar looks like a cedar, not a rock pile. It is handy for understanding what the regular graph is showing. I can split the view to show combinations, normal graph & gps for example.

Just about any graph that is set up correctly can see your lure as long as you have 320 vertical pixels or more. I can see my 1/16 oz jig tipped with a minnow easy enough.

You can check this by "streaking". First, turn off any fish ID or alarms you have on. You may also have to turn your sensitivity up until you just start to get a little clutter. Now get your boat is still, drop your lure down under the boat 10 feet or so to make sure it is in the transducer cone. Jerk your bait up pretty aggressively several times while watching your graph. You should start to see a faint line on your graph that looks like a heart monitor. That is your lure. Once you learn to see it, you will know what you are looking for.

Dont know if this helped much, but that is what I use and I can usually hold my own crappie fishing.

[zarraspook]

I don't know about the "newer" models but, I have a Lowrance 520 on the dash and a 522 on the trolling motor and....

IMHO- the gps function of the 520 puts me on the "spot" and the 522 up front keeps me there... Case in point -- fishing around a brush pile with a wind, your mind is telling you are on the left of the brush but the more you move to the left the further you are getting away from the the brush because, you have a right2left wind ...

Plus, with the 522 and minor tweaking I can watch a 1/16th jig down to 25+ feet and watch a fish come up to the jig.. Very critical in cold water when there is no strike - they just take the lure in their mouth and sit still...

If you are looking to "scan" a wide area while spider rigging - you will need a side scanner on the trolling motor OR you will be past the fish befor ethey show up on the dash unit....

I.E. it is alot like a prop... you can't have a perfect hole-shot and max top end with the same unit....

Sorry if nothing I have said helps but, more for you to consider ......

[inshore]

here we go. if you want to see fish out to the sides you would need a side image unit. all other units simply look down with sonar or down image. on my trolling motor I have a 597 hb color unit. you can get this type of unit in the six hundred range maybe a little less. two things you need to add is a lake chart probably navionic or lakemaster. also a list of all brush piles mdc has placed in the lake. you can download this from their website or I think marine repair will scan in for you on a disk. I would recommend color because it is easier to determine what you are seeing. if you need help in learning the unit go to bass boat central and look at the forum hb what you are seeing.

[Haulin Bass]

WOW, HUGE HELP GUYS! I saw some fishfinders last year that I was interested in, but the money was never there. NOW,,,, i hope to get one with my tax returns in time for Crappie Season!

I liked the 859 and the 597. (* But i also liked the idea of 2 fishfinders that work together like the 520/ and the 522.)

ALL these are excellent suggestions.

THANKS GUYS!

And for anyone who might want to throw their 2 cents in,,,, go right ahead,,,, i won't get my tax returns for a few more weeks anyways.

(I am also waiting to get my motor overhauled in my truck as well,,,, I may be more than just a couple weeks in getting a new fish finder!)