Advice on sonar unit

Rabun

Senior Member
Hi Guy's, my brother inlaw just got a new for him skiff...18 or so footer. He has an old lowrance mono fish finder and is wanting to upgrade to a color unit that has built in gps. He has $500 to spend. He will be fishing inshore bay/sound areas so depth will be minimal. Doesn't need a lot of bells and whistles...basic sonar and chartplotter capability. I know there are many many options so thought I would just cut to the chase and ask those in the know.

Thanks in advance!
 

61BelAir

Senior Member
Humminbird Helix 7 Chirp Gps G2 can usually be found for less than $400. It'd be my choice for the under $500 range. I don't have a whole lot of fishfinder experience, but I have heard only good things about Humminbirds customer service. I'm happy with my Helix 7 (same as above except it has SI also) and Helix 5 with same features as above.
 

61BelAir

Senior Member
You're welcome. Hopefully some of these guys with far more experience will chime in. If you aren't familiar with it, watch a youtube video on the AutoChart Live feature. It's a setting that will scan and chart areas as you drive over them. Great for either places for which there is no chart or for places where charts aren't up to date. I personally don't fish places where I need all that, but I can see how important it would be in the ocean.
 

1eyefishing

...just joking, seriously.
If he will up his budget to 6 or $700 tops he will be in the market for a non-networkable 9" color screen, with side scan, downscan, sonar, and GPS...
It makes finding and exploring and marking structure much more fun and profitable ( in terms of pounds of fish).:D
 

doomtrpr_z71

Senior Member
I got my helix 7 DI gps for 300 from Amazon, it was in the warehouse section. The helix 5 chirp was on sale at Walmart for less than $200 a little while ago.
 

Rabun

Senior Member
Thank you guy's...this is good information and I will pass along. This forum's members have such a wealth of knowledge and y'all are very wiling to share it. Very much appreciated!
 
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