Depth finder guidance needed

[Bjrink]

Hey fellas, looked at the new depth finders and just can’t seem to pull the trigger. Do a lot of downlining with live bait for trout and hybrids. I have always struggled to find fish with the lowrance HDS 5 and ready for a change…. so looking for a good down scan and side scan with maps. I have been looking at the Lowrance elite, Garmin echo map and the Helix. I run motor guide so leaning toward the lowrance to synch with motor. Budget around $1000. Also may eventually buy the upgrade live scope/panoptix depending on how much we use the boat. What you say?

 

[Dustin Pate]

Having experimented with the Livescope for the last few weeks I will say this... Get the largest Garmin screen you can afford and then get the Livescope with perspective mount. Just do it.

 

[JROESEL]

There are several discussions on this forum, but I’m a Garmin guy, and yes live scope is a game changer, you can hook the Garmin up and not change a setting and find fish, I also ran motor guide xi5, I put the 93 uhd transducer on the foot, just like the old trolling motors, you can catch the 93 on sale for about 600$

 

[BoosterC]

I think a big key is getting the biggest screen you can afford, I have an HDS 7 on my electric boat and Helix 9's on my bass boat. As I age, I have a harder time seeing the tiny dots. I can't imagine trying to see them on a 5 inch screen. Getting a top end Garmin with live scope but a 5 inch screen will not improve anything.

 

[Ajohnson0587]

Another Vote for Garmin with Live scope, and at least a 10" screen and don't forget the prospective mount. I recently just added a 93SV and 102SV with live scope to the front of my boat, best money I spent on electronics. People are probably look at me crazy because I've got $6k in electronics on the front a Tracker PRO-165 lol, but I can tell you in the first 2 trips the money was worth it though lol.

 

[Bjrink]

I have always been a live bait guy, and would love to spend the money on a set up like that. But the bait and the right time typically works for me. Want to stay under $1000 if I can and upgrade as I go.

 

[hopper]

I have always been a live bait guy, and would love to spend the money on a set up like that. But the bait and the right time typically works for me. Want to stay under $1000 if I can and upgrade as I go.

I have the Garmin 93sv plus paid around $600. I am pretty happy with it so far and could upgrade to the panoptix later if I want. Only issue is the sideview isnt the best or as good as I have seen on the bird units, may just be I haven't got it dialed in. I dont know alot about these things and the Garmin is pretty much plug it in and go, the auto settings are what I run it in most of the time.

 

[Liquid nails]

Garmin guy here as well. Love my 93sv

 

[Ajohnson0587]

I have always been a live bait guy, and would love to spend the money on a set up like that. But the bait and the right time typically works for me. Want to stay under $1000 if I can and upgrade as I go.

Do what works for you! You can get a Garmin 93SV UHD with the new GT56 transducer for $1,100-$1,200 give or take, that's what I paid for the 93SV I just put up front with the 102SV. I got the 93SV from amazon. FYI if you really want side scan I wouldn't go with a screen smaller then 9", it makes it difficult trying to decipher fish from rocks. I have a Garmin 73SV UHD on my kayak and its tough at times

 

[Ajohnson0587]

I have the Garmin 93sv plus paid around $600. I am pretty happy with it so far and could upgrade to the panoptix later if I want. Only issue is the sideview isnt the best or as good as I have seen on the bird units, may just be I haven't got it dialed in. I dont know alot about these things and the Garmin is pretty much plug it in and go, the auto settings are what I run it in most of the time.

Go on Youtube and you will find video's that will help you get the contrast dialed in and the SV will be much more useable. I had the Same problem with the 73SV on my Kayak, also the different between the 73 & 93 is astounding, the 73 is can be difficult to tell what's fish and what's rock's on the SV when I first got it.

 

[Dustin Pate]

Another Vote for Garmin with Live scope, and at least a 10" screen and forget the prospective mount. I recently just added a 93SV and 102SV with live scope to the front of my boat, best money I spent on electronics. People are probably look at me crazy because I've got $6k in electronics on the front a Tracker PRO-165 lol, but I can tell you in the first 2 trips the money was worth it though lol.

Curious why you say to forget the perspective mount? In the few weeks I have used it, I have probably had it in the perspective position 75% of the time. I have found fish a number of times that I don't think you would have seen on the forward view. The mount itself from Garmin is somewhat pricy, but the ease of being able to flip between the three views is awesome.

 

[Ajohnson0587]

Curious why you say to forget the perspective mount? In the few weeks I have used it, I have probably had it in the perspective position 75% of the time. I have found fish a number of times that I don't think you would have seen on the forward view. The mount itself from Garmin is somewhat pricy, but the ease of being able to flip between the three views is awesome.

That's a typo, I meant to say "Don't forget the Prospective mount".