Sounder Suggestions Please

[Berleyguts]

Hi,

I have not been too active on Fishraider over the past few months (or fishing) due to my Dad passing away around Easter and one thing or another but I do pop in and read posts from time to time. Anyway...

I am hitting the dreaded half century mark in about a month and I have been asked if I'd like a new Fishfinder. "Hell, yes!" I said. The Navman that came with my Stacer is pretty useless really. I'm not actually supposed to know but my wife had to ask me what model I would like. A group of people will be chipping in so I have to have a few options depending on how much they get.

Boat is a 4.0m Stacer runabout and I will mainly be fishing the Hawkesbury, Georges, Botany, Port Hacking, Sydney Harbour, estuary systems north and south and maybe sneaking in close outside on a good day, plus freshwater lakes for trout and a bit of bassing etc.

I guess colour and GPS would be great to have, so a combo....?

I've been browsing the forums for ideas and guess I should be able to find something in the Eagle, Humminbird or maybe Lowrance range? I'd appreciate some model ideas in the following price ranges:

around $400; around $600; $750-$1000 and prices in between.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Is it best to have an internal or an external antenna?

Thanks,

Baz

[Geoff]

Baz I'm currently going through the same exercise , a colour sounder , under $1000. Fishfinder only , not a combo.

I fish similar area to yourself so I'm not looking for a sounder with a huge depth range , up to 60-80 meters is more than adequate

When reading through the marine shop catalogues there are a lot listed & it's difficult by the way the adds are laid out to get a clear comparison so I have done an Excel matrix Listing all the brands & models that fit the above criteria.

The initial list comprised of 11 units. This was reduced to 8 as 2 were outside the criteria

The short list is down to Garmin 400c & the Lowrance Elite-5x The Lowrance , whilst $110 more expensive , is in front at present due to the better pixels & screen size.

If I proceed , the next step is to visit the store & look at the 2 units side by side check out the differences , especially there ease of operation (I'm hopless with electronics, just want to turn on & forget) & their clarity in shalow water , ie under 10 meters

If you would like a copy of the spread sheet PM you E Mail address. I assume you software has Excel

Trust this will be of assistance

Geoff

Edited June 23, 2010 by Geoff

[Berleyguts]

Baz I'm currently going through the same exercise , a colour sounder , under $1000. Fishfinder only , not a combo.

I fish similar area to yourself so I'm not looking for a sounder with a huge depth range , up to 60-80 meters is more than adequate

When reading through the marine shop catalogues there are a lot listed & it's difficult by the way the adds are laid out to get a clear comparison so I have done an Excel matrix Listing all the brands & models that fit the above criteria.

The initial list comprised of 11 units. This was reduced to 8 as 2 were outside the criteria

The short list is down to Garmin 400c & the Lowrance Elite-5x The Lowrance , whilst $110 more expensive , is in front at present due to the better pixels & screen size.

If I proceed , the next step is to visit the store & look at the 2 units side by side check out the differences , especially there ease of operation (I'm hopless with electronics, just want to turn on & forget) & their clarity in shalow water , ie under 10 meters

If you would like a copy of the spread sheet PM you E Mail address. I assume you software has Excel

Trust this will be of assistance

Geoff

Thanks Geoff.

PM sent. That spreadsheet would be great.

I expect I will need to find something around the middle price range but if I can subtly leave a list of a few options, taht shoudl give them something to choose.

Cheers,

Baz

[Geoff]

If any one else is interested in the spread sheet pls PM me with your E Mail address.

You will need to have Excel software ( Microsoft office) to read the sheet

Geoff

[Berleyguts]

At this stage, in a combo, I am leaning towards the Lowrance HDS5 or the Lowrance Elite-5, which are both in the $900-$1000 range. However, I think I'll need a fallback in the $600-700 range. Can you get a combo in this range, or am I better off getting a stand-alone fishfinder and worrying about GPS later?

Thanks,

Baz

[a boat]

Hi Baz, your cheapest colour combo will be about $750 but it is a small screen unit that I would rather spend the extra to aroudnd $1K and get the twon Lowrance you mentioned or the Humminbird 788Cxi which in my opinion,in this price range of about $1K, is the best due to its screen clarity and ease of use. We have sold alot of the HDS units and even a few of the newer Elite and they are good units especially if you like the idea of structure scan that you can add to the HDS unit. Also the HDS-5 is probably the best if going into deep water so hard choice and if you would like the Raider prices on the two Lowrance and the Humminbird PM me.

Cheers,

Huey.

[Berleyguts]

Hi Baz, your cheapest colour combo will be about $750 but it is a small screen unit that I would rather spend the extra to aroudnd $1K and get the twon Lowrance you mentioned or the Humminbird 788Cxi which in my opinion,in this price range of about $1K, is the best due to its screen clarity and ease of use. We have sold alot of the HDS units and even a few of the newer Elite and they are good units especially if you like the idea of structure scan that you can add to the HDS unit. Also the HDS-5 is probably the best if going into deep water so hard choice and if you would like the Raider prices on the two Lowrance and the Humminbird PM me.

Cheers,

Huey.

Thanks Huey.

PM Sent.

Regards,

Baz

[wlin88]

baz,

I am in the same boat picking the sounder and I am deciding if I am gonna go to HDS5 or the new elite 5, I am after the combo unit now the decision has been made I am going for Elite 5.

only reason beside the extra connection the HDS has the only difference between the 2 unit is the coloor depth, 16bit VS 256 colour... the elite 5 comes with X9L Nav Gold Card which is $300 alone.. and I can pick one elite 5 up for 850. so its a bargain.. the HDS5 is around 1000+300 =1300 or 1200 if you are lucky so thats my option hopefully this will help.

cheers

wen

[jewgaffer]

Hi Wen I hope the new boat is going well for you and I think you've made the right decision going for the Lowrance Elite 5 model sounder...I was quite surprised to find out that the HDS5's have been outselling the equivalent Furunos by 5-1 ie the Furuno 620 and also the Lowrance HDS equivant of the big selling Furono 585, the deep sea model ...I reckon the Elite 5 is a retail "sitter" aimed to attract the estuary off shore market and gives general fishos that don't require a sounder that better covers the deeper fathoms off shore the best of everything including the $300 card in the one package..

Cheers

jewgaffer

[pinta_bay_pirates]

I bought a Eagle FishElite 640C from the US through the famous auction site. They go for around the $450 mark, although delivery can be a bit pricey.

On top of that you will need a 32XG navionics card which are around $300..

All up, i paid under $800 for a very nice combo which i am very happy with.

[wlin88]

Hi Wen I hope the new boat is going well for you and I think you've made the right decision going for the Lowrance Elite 5 model sounder...I was quite surprised to find out that the HDS5's have been outselling the equivalent Furunos by 5-1 ie the Furuno 620 and also the Lowrance HDS equivant of the big selling Furono 585, the deep sea model ...I reckon the Elite 5 is a retail "sitter" aimed to attract the estuary off shore market and gives general fishos that don't require a sounder that better covers the deeper fathoms off shore the best of everything including the $300 card in the one package..

Cheers

jewgaffer

thank you very much.. my boat is going great.. I did not end up buying a offshore boat.. a nice big bow rider instead.. yeah I want to the shop and pick up the lowrance Elite 5 combo for $849 !!! I think its a real bargain !!!!

[Dalucius]

We are also thinking of upgrading our sounder soon.

I was told yesterday that Hummingbird are bringing out a new one real soon. I may wait to see what they have come up with.

Might have to go to the boat show to see them all in action.

[JET01]

I'm almost in exactly the same boat (stacer nomad 469) the navman 4431 that came with it is ordinary (paddlewheel on transducer also broken) and i need/want to upgrade...

My main concern is that most of the sounders i have tried to research on the net for under $800 don't mention whether they have a speedo on them or not. The speedo that's on my side console doesn't kick in until i'm over around 15knots.

I fish botany bay, the hacking, and when the weather is good i troll around the bombie and shark island. Most of my fishing is done in the bay/estuary going for flatty and bream, but when we go outside we like to troll for kingie's and bonito...

I'm after a findfinder that must give me readings for:

Depth ( Duh! )

Bottom contour

Water temp

Speed

Bait schools

Colour would be preferred, but will settle for a better resolution black and white screen.

Not too worried about how deep it can read.

I've had a very quick look at a Furuno LS4100... does this come standard with everything i need to satisfy my above list or will i have to buy other attachments etc to get the speed reading?

Most of the websites the companies have don't do very good comparisons at all, so it's almost impossible for a newbie like myself to make a good decision with minimal research.

I'm not in a hurry to purchase one, so would appreciate your opinions.