$350 depth finder

[Gumboot]

Looking to spend around tree fity on a unit.  Looking at hbird helix 5 di gps.  Pros, cons, other options? Is the lake map feature worth the upgrade.  Primarily fish Pomme.  Thanks

[jdmidwest]

I bought a Hummingbird 898 SI unit from Overtons for that price.  I don't know if they still have any.  Good pic, Side and Down scan with chirp sonar.  GPS and base map.  I like it better than my Lowrance HDI 5.

Its chip capable for advance mapping if you want to upgrade.  Reasonable sized puck too, not some goofy foot long one that sticks out like a tail off your boat.

[Gumboot]

Thanks for reply, Overton's is out of those.  Right now Helix 5 gps,di, navionics seems to best deal at $349.  May wait to see what else goes on sales this fall.

[jdmidwest]

I am sorry, the model is 698 and Gander Mtn. has it on sale for $374 with a rebate also.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Humminbird-698ci-HD-SI-Chartplotter-Fishfinder-Combo&i=770809&r=view

[Ketchup]

The 698 is the same unit I lost at the bottom of Stockton Lake recently. Great unit for that price, tho I paid full price early spring. 

[jdmidwest]

Still on sale.  I seriously thought about putting one on my trolling motor or dash as a primary nav unit to replace my HDS 5.

[momule]

I fish Mark Twain regularly like you do on your lake...have for some years now. I read the lake and the shore and fish where experience tells me fish will be holding considering weather conditions etc. I do pretty good. I do not own a fish finder. $350 will buy me about 5 of the Abu Garcia or Pflueger reels that I use or two of the rod and reel combos that I like. As you could probably sense, I will advocate spending time fishing and less time looking at a video screen in your boat and you will certainly be rewarded by a sense of accomplishment and more fish. Of course I also operate a 14ft jon boat and spend my time fishing rather than speeding 5 miles to some imaginary "better" place on the lake. Not feeling better than you.....just sayin...

[Seth]

15 hours ago, momule said:

I fish Mark Twain regularly like you do on your lake...have for some years now. I read the lake and the shore and fish where experience tells me fish will be holding considering weather conditions etc. I do pretty good. I do not own a fish finder. $350 will buy me about 5 of the Abu Garcia or Pflueger reels that I use or two of the rod and reel combos that I like. As you could probably sense, I will advocate spending time fishing and less time looking at a video screen in your boat and you will certainly be rewarded by a sense of accomplishment and more fish. Of course I also operate a 14ft jon boat and spend my time fishing rather than speeding 5 miles to some imaginary "better" place on the lake. Not feeling better than you.....just sayin...

I was going to argue against momules advice, but then I read where you mainly fish the same body of water (Pomme). If you were somebody who likes to fish new water pretty regularly, a side scan unit and a map chip are awesome for reducing the amount of time it takes to find productive water, especially when the fish are keying on brush that isn't visible to the naked eye. This has been extremely valuable when I fish new sections of LoZ for crappie. If I fished visible cover on the same body of water every time I went out, a graph wouldn't be of much use. The GPS is always handy in case you like to fish after dark and get caught up in the fog. A smart phone has GPS and can do the same thing for you though if you have service on the water.

[fshndoug]

I love bank fishermen,that leaves the middle of the lake to me and my lowrance!!

[Gumboot]

Thanks everyone for suggestions. Momule, no fish finder not an option as I like to eat crappie, and I have a hard time finding a brush pile in 18' of water without one, but can appreciate the way you enjoy fishing  

I'll buy something on sale this winter.  Priorities have changed.  Air feels different, three dog boxes in the truck, new flat of 16ga 7 1/2's, bird season is imminent.

momule, I run electronics on my bird dogs too  ?