Fish finder recommendation?

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I believe Garmin owns Navionics now so their maps come built in. My Garmin maps are better than my older Lowrance or Bird with a Navionics Chip.  As for showing fish and all that stuff they are all good at that these days.  Might be just a little more money than you want to spend but you can find the Garmin 93 uhd for $599 if ya look around.  Fairly cheap for a 9 inch screen. 

But i agree go up to Bass Pro or somewhere they have them all and see which one you like the best

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Another thing to think about is most these units have a feature to build your own maps, where you can idle up and down these rivers without mapping and it will draw you one and save it in the unit

[Carl1969]

Hard to find the real skinny on the Lowrance, re- GPS only/X models & they don't support charting/plotting/mapping.  Garmin Striker 7SV looks like a solid choice. Or?

Dunno as I care about pre-loaded maps all that much, 'cos it's highly unlikely my little 15' tin can will ever get put in anywhere other than on Truman, Stockton, or Pomme & won't matter on the rivers. I definitely like the idea of mapping & marking way points & hot spots.

 

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/garmin-echomap-uhd-73sv-fish-finderchartplotter-combo?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=BPS|Shopping|Smart|Boating|General|NAud|TopPerf|NMT&gclid=CjwKCAjw-8qVBhANEiwAfjXLrridSEQ9j57gEc_G85MWmb_oFdKIWco9d4eNRweFdaSb8iCOVDH4MhoCUQ4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

This unit will do it all. I dont think the Striker series has the UHD transducer and it also isnt touch screen so the screen is actually smaller because of the larger buttons. Youtube Garmin quickdraw and see if its somthing you think would work for you.   I know Lowrance will do it to but im not familiar with all the new models that keep coming out, or which ones do it

[MrGiggles]

I think Garmins are the best all around. Strikers are good units but they do not have any mapping capability, just basic GPS that will save and create waypoints. That 73SV is hard to beat for the money.

Humminbird has better side imaging and their Lakemaster maps kick butt. 

[Carl1969]

4 hours ago, MrGiggles said:

I think Garmins are the best all around. Strikers are good units but they do not have any mapping capability, just basic GPS that will save and create waypoints. That 73SV is hard to beat for the money.

Humminbird has better side imaging and their Lakemaster maps kick butt. 

Garmin says the Striker Vivid 7SV comes with QuickDraw. Am I missing something? 73SV looks interesting, though I really don't want a touch screen- we just don't get along. 7SV & 73SV come in at similar price points, though I'm not real clear on the differences. The 73SV also comes with maps, which the 7SV does not. Where's the function/price tradeoff?

Humminbird Helix 7 looks like it would do what I want, but the SI version is almost $200 over budget.

[MrGiggles]

30 minutes ago, Carl1969 said:

Garmin says the Striker Vivid 7SV comes with QuickDraw. Am I missing something? 73SV looks interesting, though I really don't want a touch screen- we just don't get along. 7SV & 73SV come in at similar price points, though I'm not real clear on the differences. The 73SV also comes with maps, which the 7SV does not. Where's the function/price tradeoff?

Humminbird Helix 7 looks like it would do what I want, but the SI version is almost $200 over budget.

You really can't compare the two. Striker is their entry level series, the Echomap is mid tier. Echomap will have the quick release cradle, livescope compatibility and better connectors. I always had problems with the Striker connectors coming loose and powering off the unit. The Echomap also comes with a better transducer.

I didn't know they had added quickdraw to the Striker series. There isn't much difference there then, aside from the Echomap having Navionics maps included. If you like to zoom way out on a map to scope out a spot before leaving, that isn't an option on the Striker, unless you've been in that area before.

I'm like you in that I don't usually like a touch screen, but I really don't mind it. The touch buttons are really big and easy to hit, and you really don't use them much anyway. I have a non touch 93SV on the console and find myself missing the touch screen quite a bit.

Everhart's likely has them all on display if you wanted to go play with them before buying.

[Busch man]

there are a couple of good fish finders on the Kansas City craigslist that meet your budget 

humminbird helix 10  but it looks like you would need to purchase a transducer to be able to use

humminbird helix 7 G2n Si gps which looks to have everything needed to put on boat now

 

 

[Carl1969]

3 hours ago, MrGiggles said:

You really can't compare the two. Striker is their entry level series, the Echomap is mid tier. Echomap will have the quick release cradle, livescope compatibility and better connectors. I always had problems with the Striker connectors coming loose and powering off the unit. The Echomap also comes with a better transducer.

I didn't know they had added quickdraw to the Striker series. There isn't much difference there then, aside from the Echomap having Navionics maps included. If you like to zoom way out on a map to scope out a spot before leaving, that isn't an option on the Striker, unless you've been in that area before.

I'm like you in that I don't usually like a touch screen, but I really don't mind it. The touch buttons are really big and easy to hit, and you really don't use them much anyway. I have a non touch 93SV on the console and find myself missing the touch screen quite a bit.

Everhart's likely has them all on display if you wanted to go play with them before buying.

Thanks. I've yet to stop in to Everhart's & need to change that. Just put it off, 'cos I spend enough money just walking the fishing aisle at WM 😅 How are Everhart's prices in comparison to everyone else? 

Think you mighta swung me over to the 73SV.

'Preciate the input fellas.

[Carl1969]

8 minutes ago, Busch man said:

there are a couple of good fish finders on the Kansas City craigslist that meet your budget 

humminbird helix 10  but it looks like you would need to purchase a transducer to be able to use

humminbird helix 7 G2n Si gps which looks to have everything needed to put on boat now

 

 

It might be silly, but I've just never had a warm & fuzzy buying used electronics- my level of technological mastery peaks at points, carburetors & tube amps. New fangled computer-y stuff confuses me enough that I'm loathe to roll the dice on a piece of used gear that I can't fix or that doesn't have the safety net of a warranty.