Question:

Anyone have any advice on buying a depth finder.bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles..mine is broken… do the $300 ones work better than the $100 ones? thanks

Response:

Anyone have any advice on buying a depth finder..bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles.mine is broken… do the $300 ones work better than the $100 ones? thanks

bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles   The purchase of a depth finder should take some thought since it is, to the most of us, a major investment.  First, you should ask yourself, what features do I need?  If you looking for only depth, consider a flasher or digital depth gauge.  If you want bottom contour, fish and bait fish to show up on your screen, I would say that a Lorance X75 would be the better electronic unit.  If you would like to have water temp, which is very important in most fishing circumstances, you should consider a finder which has those features.   bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles      I personally own a Lorance X75 on the front of my boat and a Lorance 300 at the helm.  I Largemouth bass fish for recreation and tournaments.  I would not own another.

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Lowrance makes a great unit.bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles  I would reccommend it over any other brand.   As for you question of cheaper units being the same as more expensive units:  They all perform the same basic function.  However, the more expensive units offer features that are really advantagous.  Probably the most important thing is to get a unit with as high of a verticle pixle count as possible.  The newer Lowrance units offer 240 verticle pixles.  This clarity will allow you to see the differece between baitfish and weeds.  It will also let you see fish sitting on the bottom in the 4X zoom mode.  The cheaper units that offer around 120 verticle pixles do not let you really see what your looking at. The Eagle Optima is basically the same unit as the Lowrance X-75 for a little less money.  It would probably be my unit of choice to check out. I wouldn’t buy anything less than 200 verticle pixles. The other thing to look at is your transducer options.  Last year I bought a Lowrance X70a-3D mainly because I liked the 4 beam transducer.  I really didn’t buy it for the 3D option.  3D is not that usefull. bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles It only shows you the bottom contour and fish symbols.  It doesn’t show you weed growth or bottom hardness.  The only time I use 3D is to help me stay positioned on top of a steep break line.  It can be really handy for this only if you have a multi beam transducer Good

Response:

do the $300 ones work better than the $100 ones? bass fishing boat fishing tips and articles  I’m not sure they work better, they typically offer more features and bigger displays.  The front-end (transducers and transmitter/receivers) are basically the same over the price ranges, but what they do with the information changes.  If you are looking at adding other sensors (speed and temperature) you have to move up a notch or two in price.  The capability to look sideways also means a price increase over the basic unit.  If you are looking at a bow-mount for use with a trolling motor, you might want to think of a unit with a bigger display than the base unit.  If you are tall, a basic unit can look pretty small down there with your sandals.  If you want to mount it next to the console. the smaller display will work.   From my point of view, I began bass fishing with electronics and I constantly use them.  Therefore, I put some money into them.  However, I don’t use all the features and wait half of what I paid for.  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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The awnser to your question is best look for in your own opinion.  If you are a weekender who wil use your graph for simply finding the best location for a morning’s fish then a lower priced, low end feature unit will be your best bet.  If however you are a serious minded angler who is constantly competing (either in tournaments or against your last outting’s catch) I would suggest mid priced mid featured unit with at least a side,  depth, and  water temp  features installed. If you are a beginning tournament angler, than I  would suggest an advance unit that can handle at least two type of transponders, down and to the side,   with depth, water temp, fish size id, fish depth, side finding, sensitivity, water PH, etc. Think of it in the same manner as buying a rod and reel combo.  Decide on what you want the rig to do,  based upon the demands that your present fish patterns require, then decide on the price range that you want to spend, and then pick the rig that fits the most of your requirements, with in the price that you can afford. DON’T LET SOMEONE SELL YOU A UNIT THAT DOES NOT MEET AT LEAST 3 QUARTERS YOUR PRESENT NEEDS (regardless of the manufacturer) or you will soon end up frustrated with the unit and you will be upgrading again. PICK A UNIT THAT IS UPGRADEABLE.  Most of the better mid priced units will allow you to add features (module upgrade) to the existing unit. This saves you the cost of replacing the graph head. Good luck, Strider – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – do the $300 ones work better than the $100 ones? I’m not sure they work better, they typically offer more features and bigger displays.  The front-end (transducers and transmitter/receivers) are basically the same over the price ranges, but what they do with the information changes.  If you are looking at adding other sensors (speed and temperature) you have to move up a notch or two in price.  The capability to look sideways also means a price increase over the basic unit.  If you are looking at a bow-mount for use with a trolling motor, you might want to think of a unit with a bigger display than the base unit.  If you are tall, a basic unit can look pretty small down there with your sandals.  If you want to mount it next to the console. the smaller display will work.   From my point of view, I began bass fishing with electronics and I constantly use them.  Therefore, I put some money into them.  However, I don’t use all the features and wait half of what I paid for. – Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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I strongly disagree with this posted responce.  In my responce I did say that all depth finders do perform the same basic function. However the higher priced units that offer high verticle pixle counts let you really see whats down below the water.  It shows definition and clarity that allows you to decide if its bait fish, fish or weeds. It lets you clearly see the difference between harder and soft bottoms covered with weeds.  Most of the low end unit just put a few pixle blotches on the screen that can be decifered differently.  Make sure you turn your fish ID off so that not everything that isn’t attached to the bottom shows up with a fish symbol. The main reason I strongly disagree with the previous responce is that high end units are not reserved for pro’s or very serious fishermen.   Think about this:  It amazes me as to how many people will spend thounsands of dollars on a fishing boat and wont spend $300 to $400 on a decent depth finder.  Yes it’s alot more money than the $120 to $200 units.  In time with using a depth finder for awhile you’ll really appreciate the capabilities of the higher end units.  These are your underwater eyes.  The difference in the units is like looking with 20-20 vision to having everything below you being blurred together. The analogy of not needing $100 dollar rods and reels really is not applicable in my opinion.  I fish with alot of lower end tackle but I would never compromise with my depth finder. If I had to pick one high end unit on the market that gives you the most bang for the buck it would be the Eagle Optima.   I also don’t see many depth finders on the market that are upgradeable.  I do see different trandsducer options for various units, but not real upgradeability.   Don Mutsch

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I strongly disagree with this posted responce.  In my responce I did say that all depth finders do perform the same basic function. However the higher priced units that offer high verticle pixle counts let you really see whats down below the water.  It shows definition and clarity that allows you to decide if its bait fish, fish or weeds. It lets you clearly see the difference between harder and soft bottoms covered with weeds.  Most of the low end unit just put a few pixle blotches on the screen that can be decifered differently.  Make sure you turn your fish ID off so that not everything that isn’t attached to the bottom shows up with a fish symbol. The main reason I strongly disagree with the previous responce is that high end units are not reserved for pro’s or very serious fishermen.   Think about this:  It amazes me as to how many people will spend thounsands of dollars on a fishing boat and wont spend $300 to $400 on a decent depth finder.  Yes it’s alot more money than the $120 to $200 units.  In time with using a depth finder for awhile you’ll really appreciate the capabilities of the higher end units.  These are your underwater eyes.  The difference in the units is like looking with 20-20 vision to having everything below you being blurred together. The analogy of not needing $100 dollar rods and reels really is not applicable in my opinion.  I fish with alot of lower end tackle but I would never compromise with my depth finder. If I had to pick one high end unit on the market that gives you the most bang for the buck it would be the Eagle Optima.   I also don’t see many depth finders on the market that are upgradeable.  I do see different trandsducer options for various units, but not real upgradeability.   Don Mutsch

I still stand by my post.  I do stringly feel the the individual must match the gear to the specific job at hand.  I fish both recreational and tournaments, and in all honesty I use my graph for bottom and side definitions.  But once a piece of structure has been identified, I use the graph for controlling boat position over or adjacent to that structre only. I have used both low end and top end graphs, and I have pulled fish out from almost right beside the transducer when the graph said there were no fish present. By the way, the Humminbird Wide Eye is fully upgradeable.  Modules plug in to the mount unit to upgrade the units features. ALSO I did not mean that  ONLY pro’s and serious fisherman should buy top end units, buit I have seen, in the past,  ”over the top” units being utilized to thirty percent of their capacity, by an inexperienced buyer who got caught up in the “gadget” syndrome and later kicked themselves for over buying on the graph and not leaving enough in the budget for that extra decent rod and reel. If you own a graph that cost 1200.00 dollars and it’s on a 1100.00 alluminum boat, what’s wrong with this picture.  A 200.00 unit would probably suffice for this fisherman.    I routinely fish with ten rods rigged when I am in a tournament. But when I’m out with boy’s for a recreational day I usually leave all but two at home.  I configure my rigs to the day’s needs.  I belive the same attitude may be taken when buting a graph.  ( I would suggest thst you go season by season not day by day though) The mechanic’s syaing still rings true.  ”The right tool for the job.” or better yet  ” Do not use an atom bomb to kill an ant.”   Good luck , Take nothing but fish and picture, leave nothing but footprints. Strider

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Strider,   ALSO I did not mean that ONLY pro’s and serious fisherman should buy   top end units, but I have seen, in the past, “over the top” units   being utilized to thirty percent of there capacity by an   inexperienced buyer who got caught up in the “gadget” syndrome and   later kicked themselves for over buying on the graph and not leaving   enough in the budget for that extra decent rod and reel. I can agree with this one from personal experience.  I’ve put $2000 worth of fishfinding stuff on my boat and I’d be just as well off with a calibrated string.  I’ve also come to the conclusion that the higher priced full-featured units have too many features for most people running around trying to snag a bass or two on the weekend.  If I had it to do all over again, I’d go with simpler Humminbird units.   I also think we spend too much time in this forum trying to convince the average weekend fisherman/woman/boy/girl into spending more money than they can probably afford.  If a 13 year old shows up here and asks about getting started with bass fishing, we all jump in there and recommend a 19 foot Champion with a 200 hp Merc with a full suite of Lowrance units and a locker full of G. Loomis rods with Calcutta reels and a bag of Banjo Minnows.  Okay, maybe we haven’t reach consensus on the Banjos yet. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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I understand your point and agree with you to a certain extent. However, when I talk about high end depth finders, I keep talking about high pixle count on the screen and other features found on higher end depth finder units.  I’m not talking about other options that you can add to your depth finder that no longer make it just a depth finder.  (i.e. GPS)  For example, I don’t reccommend that an occasional fisherman go out and buy a Lowrance Global Map 2000 with the depth finder or even a Lowrance LMS 350a which has the built in capability to add GPS. What I’m talking about is buying a purely higher end, straight forward depth finder.  The cost is now around $300 for one (Eagle Optima). This would give the person the main advantages of the high priced depth finders buy not the ability to add GPS as an example.  I just think it’s wrong to steer people down the path believing that a $120 depth finder is going to work fine for their needs.  Th low end units do basic sonar functions but are bacically only good for telling you how deep the water is.  As one who had fished with an Eagle Magma II for years and moved up to a Lowrance X-70a 3D, the difference is huge with the higher screen resolution.  It’s a hell of alot more than just a preaty picture.  Now when I’ve gone back to and fished with some of the lower end units like the Bottom Line fishing buddy, I look at what it’s capable of displaying and wind up just using it just for telling me the depth of water I’m in.  Not to cut anyone down that owns one but their more of an entertainment toy on the water rather than a fishing tool.  In fact, I’ll take my Vexilar FL-8 flasher any day over the low end LCD’s because the displayed info is accurate and can’t be misinterpreted. For an example, I relate one story to you on the difference between the lower end units and the higher end units.   This is a true story that happened last year while on vacation for a week with a group of people.  I was walleye fishing from my boat with a Lowrance X70a 3D and marking and lots of fish on the bottom and catching them (not much size to them but walleyes none the less).  My friend who was fishing in a boat near us has the same Eagle Magma II that I use to own.  They wern’t marking a thing but bottom and not catching much at all. After not believing that they could see them on their depth finder, I asked them to pull up next to me and I’d have a look for myself.  Sure enough, it looked like soft bottom all over the place.  After adjusting the sensativity (gain) and greyscale it still didn’t make a difference.  It was showing the fish, however the unit didn’t have the resolution capability to show a space between to fish and the bottom. Another friend of mine in another boat couldn’t see them on his Bottom Line (low res) but could see them on his Interfase (high res). This doesn’t mean that Bottom Line and Eagle products are bad.  ion fact I kind of have my eye one the new Bottom Line HR’s for the bow of my boat however i think they’re a little pricy compared to the new Eagle and Lowrance depthfinders. Oh well, I hope my point is understood without me beating it to death too much.  I just goes to show you that a million users on the Internet doesn’t produce much Shakspere.  Anyhow, I’m going to the Milwaukee Sports Show tonight and I’ll be looking closer at the new Bottom Lines and Lowrance/Eagles. Good fishin’ Don Mutsch – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Strider, ALSO I did not mean that ONLY pro’s and serious fisherman should buy top end units, but I have seen, in the past, “over the top” units being utilized to thirty percent of there capacity by an inexperienced buyer who got caught up in the “gadget” syndrome and later kicked themselves for over buying on the graph and not leaving enough in the budget for that extra decent rod and reel. I can agree with this one from personal experience.  I’ve put $2000 worth of fishfinding stuff on my boat and I’d be just as well off with a calibrated string.  I’ve also come to the conclusion that the higher priced full-featured units have too many features for most people running around trying to snag a bass or two on the weekend.  If I had it to do all over again, I’d go with simpler Humminbird units.   I also think we spend too much time in this forum trying to convince the average weekend fisherman/woman/boy/girl into spending more money than they can probably afford.  If a 13 year old shows up here and asks about getting started with bass fishing, we all jump in there and recommend a 19 foot Champion with a 200 hp Merc with a full suite of Lowrance units and a locker full of G. Loomis rods with Calcutta reels and a bag of Banjo Minnows.  Okay, maybe we haven’t reach consensus on the Banjos yet. Richard – Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Response:

Don,   Not to cut anyone down that owns one but their (they’re) more of an   entertainment toy on the water rather than a fishing tool. I understand what you are saying about pixel resolution; however, some of the less expensive units have zoom features which will help overcome that limitation. With that aside, the point I was making is exemplified by your above quoted sentence.  I think it is all right to point out the advantages and disadvantages of different depth finder units, but I object to calling somebody’s unit an entertainment toy.  It is becoming more and more evident that this forum is struggling to become some kind of an elitist bassin’ haven, and I object to that.  Furthermore, I’m tired of seeing people asking questions and feeling compelled to preface their questions with an excuse of why they can’t afford a “top o’ line” gadget.  I don’t think people shouldn’t feel compelled to explain their current economic situation, just to ask a simple question. I would like to think that there is room enough in this forum for all kinds of different people with differing economic conditions to exchange information about different aspects of bass fishing.  I would like to see someone ask about a $150 depth finder and be able to get information concerning its advantages and disadvantages and how to maximize its usefulness without being told that they are wasting their money on an “entertainment toy.”  I would like to see someone ask for advise on a $50 baitcaster without being told to give up bass fishing unless they use (can afford) a Calcutta.  And I would like to see that ten-year old who bagged that 5-pound bass from the shore on a $29.95 combo feel free to enter this forum and tell me what he was using for bait. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I strongly disagree with this posted responce.  In my responce I did say that all depth finders do perform the same basic function. However the higher priced units that offer high verticle pixle counts let you really see whats down below the water.  It shows definition and clarity that allows you to decide if its bait fish, fish or weeds. It lets you clearly see the difference between harder and soft bottoms covered with weeds.  Most of the low end unit just put a few pixle blotches on the screen that can be decifered differently.  Make sure you turn your fish ID off so that not everything that isn’t attached to the bottom shows up with a fish symbol. The main reason I strongly disagree with the previous responce is that high end units are not reserved for pro’s or very serious fishermen. Think about this:  It amazes me as to how many people will spend thounsands of dollars on a fishing boat and wont spend $300 to $400 on a decent depth finder.  Yes it’s alot more money than the $120 to $200 units.  In time with using a depth finder for awhile you’ll really appreciate the capabilities of the higher end units.  These are your underwater eyes.  The difference in the units is like looking with 20-20 vision to having everything below you being blurred together. The analogy of not needing $100 dollar rods and reels really is not applicable in my opinion.  I fish with alot of lower end tackle but I would never compromise with my depth finder. If I had to pick one high end unit on the market that gives you the most bang for the buck it would be the Eagle Optima. I also don’t see many depth finders on the market that are upgradeable.  I do see different trandsducer options for various units, but not real upgradeability. Don Mutsch I still stand by my post.  I do stringly feel the the individual must match the gear to the specific job at hand.  I fish both recreational and tournaments, and in all honesty I use my graph for bottom and side definitions.  But once a piece of structure has been identified, I use the graph for controlling boat position over or adjacent to that structre only. I have used both low end and top end graphs, and I have pulled fish out from almost right beside the transducer when the graph said there were no fish present. By the way, the Humminbird Wide Eye is fully upgradeable.  Modules plug in to the mount unit to upgrade the units features. ALSO I did not mean that  ONLY pro’s and serious fisherman should buy top end units, buit I have seen, in the past,  ”over the top” units being utilized to thirty percent of their capacity, by an inexperienced buyer who got caught up in the “gadget” syndrome and later kicked themselves for over buying on the graph and not leaving enough in the budget for that extra decent rod and reel. If you own a graph that cost 1200.00 dollars and it’s on a 1100.00 alluminum boat, what’s wrong with this picture.  A 200.00 unit would probably suffice for this fisherman.  I routinely fish with ten rods rigged when I am in a tournament. But when I’m out with boy’s for a recreational day I usually leave all but two at home.  I configure my rigs to the day’s needs.  I belive the same attitude may be taken when buting a graph.  ( I would suggest thst you go season by season not day by day though) The mechanic’s syaing still rings true.  ”The right tool for the job.” or better yet  ” Do not use an atom bomb to kill an ant.” Good luck , Take nothing but fish and picture, leave nothing but footprints. Strider

I’m curious to know about the fully upgradeable Humminbird Wide Eye. I don’t think it is the unit you make it sound like. For those who are looking to invest in fish finding equipment it seems better to have something to grow into not out of.  Will your Humminbird show fish on

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I strongly disagree with this posted responce.  In my responce I did say that all depth finders do perform the same basic function. However the higher priced units that offer high verticle pixle counts let you really see whats down below the water.  It shows definition and clarity that allows you to decide if its bait fish, fish or weeds. It lets you clearly see the difference between harder and soft bottoms covered with weeds.  Most of the low end unit just put a few pixle blotches on the screen that can be decifered differently.  Make sure you turn your fish ID off so that not everything that isn’t attached to the bottom shows up with a fish symbol. The main reason I strongly disagree with the previous responce is that high end units are not reserved for pro’s or very serious fishermen. Think about this:  It amazes me as to how many people will spend thounsands of dollars on a fishing boat and wont spend $300 to $400 on a decent depth finder.  Yes it’s alot more money than the $120 to $200 units.  In time with using a depth finder for awhile you’ll really appreciate the capabilities of the higher end units.  These are your underwater eyes.  The difference in the units is like looking with 20-20 vision to having everything below you being blurred together. The analogy of not needing $100 dollar rods and reels really is not applicable in my opinion.  I fish with alot of lower end tackle but I would never compromise with my depth finder. If I had to pick one high end unit on the market that gives you the most bang for the buck it would be the Eagle Optima. I also don’t see many depth finders on the market that are upgradeable.  I do see different trandsducer options for various units, but not real upgradeability. Don Mutsch I still stand by my post.  I do stringly feel the the individual must match the gear to the specific job at hand.  I fish both recreational and tournaments, and in all honesty I use my graph for bottom and side definitions.  But once a piece of structure has been identified, I use the graph for controlling boat position over or adjacent to that structre only. I have used both low end and top end graphs, and I have pulled fish out from almost right beside the transducer when the graph said there were no fish present. By the way, the Humminbird Wide Eye is fully upgradeable.  Modules plug in to the mount unit to upgrade the units features. ALSO I did not mean that  ONLY pro’s and serious fisherman should buy top end units, buit I have seen, in the past,  ”over the top” units being utilized to thirty percent of their capacity, by an inexperienced buyer who got caught up in the “gadget” syndrome and later kicked themselves for over buying on the graph and not leaving enough in the budget for that extra decent rod and reel. If you own a graph that cost 1200.00 dollars and it’s on a 1100.00 alluminum boat, what’s wrong with this picture.  A 200.00 unit would probably suffice for this fisherman.  I routinely fish with ten rods rigged when I am in a tournament. But when I’m out with boy’s for a recreational day I usually leave all but two at home.  I configure my rigs to the day’s needs.  I belive the same attitude may be taken when buting a graph.  ( I would suggest thst you go season by season not day by day though) The mechanic’s syaing still rings true.  ”The right tool for the job.” or better yet  ” Do not use an atom bomb to kill an ant.” Good luck , Take nothing but fish and picture, leave nothing but footprints. Strider

I’m curious to know about the fully upgradeable Humminbird Wide Eye. The lower priced units, like Humminbird’s, show fish symbols only. Have you ever seen little symbols on the bottom?  You can’t upgrade these to show bottom dwellers or bottom structure. For anyone planning on investing in fish finding equipment it seems better to have something to grow into not out of. Who ever complained about having too much horsepower?

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It is becoming more and more evident that this forum is struggling to become some kind of an elitist bassin’ haven, and I object to that.  Furthermore, I’m tired of seeing people asking questions and feeling compelled to preface … questions with an excuse of why they can’t afford a”top o’line”gadget.  I don’t think people should feel compelled to explain their current economic situation, just to ask a simple question. I would like to think that there is room enough in this forum for all kinds of different people with differing  conditions to exchange information about different aspectsof bass fishing. I would like to see someone ask about a $150 depth finder and be able to get information concerning its advantages and disadvantages and how to maximize its usefulness without being told that they are wasting their money on an “entertainment toy.” I would like to see someone askfor advise on a $50 baitcaster without being told to give up bass fishing unless they use (can afford) a Calcutta.  And I would like to see that ten-year old who bagged that 5-pound bass from the shore on a $29.95 combo feel free to enter this forum and tell me what he was using for bait. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Richard I could not agree more with this post if I had written it myself.  Top of the line equipment is nice (real nice) but certainly not necessary.  I always wonder if the people making the suggestions to “beginners” on the forum, buy that same “top of the line” equipment for their kids or if they go with the zebco 33 combo? Bass fishing can be as complex as we make it.  When I fish tournaments I carry 8-10 rods pre-rigged, 3 large tackle boxes of lures and accessories and have dual depth finders and gps on my boat.  But when I go fun fishing, I take one spinning rod and only the tackle that will fit in a belly bag, and fish a friend’s small pond in an 8 foot row boat.  Keep the Faith and High Ideals–They could be catching. — Fishing isn’t luck–Catching is Luck Best of Luck from Central Ohio–

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Bob,   Richard I could not agree more with this post if I had written it   myself.  Top of the line equipment is nice (real nice) but certainly   not necessary.  I always wonder if the people making the suggestions   to “beginners” on the forum, buy that same “top of the line”   equipment for their kids or if they go with the zebco 33 combo? Bass   fishing can be as complex as we make it.  When I fish tournaments I   carry 8-10 rods pre-rigged, 3 large tackle boxes of lures and   accessories and have dual depth finders and gps on my boat.  But when   I go fun fishing, I take one spinning rod and only the tackle that   will fit in a belly bag, and fish a friend’s small pond in an 8 foot   row boat.  Keep the Faith and High Ideals–They could be catching. I appreciate your support for the ideas (ideals) I expressed here.  I had a feeling I wasn’t alone when I expressed them.  But then again, a lot of us with the toys remember the good old days when we were friends with Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Response:

Whatever you do, avoid Hummingbirds!  I bought one last October-didn’t work new out of the box and I’m still waiting to get it back from Alabama. Meanwhile, I bought a Lowrance and it works fine.

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Well Richard, I think you read a little too much into my post than what was intended. First off, read the origional post.  The person was looking for a new depth finder and wanted to know if the $300 units were any better than the something like $150 units.  This is what I responded to.  I did not tell anyone that their $150 units are garbage or junk or a “waste of money” as you stated. Secondly, I felt that I made my point fairly clear that the lower end units I feel are primarily good for depth control more than anything. As for the “entertainment toy” comment that seems to have gotten you so steamed:  This comment comes from the fact that I talk to and hear from so many fishermen that tell me that they find that their lower end units help them pass time on the water and that they are not nuch good for anything other than checking the water depth.  It is hard to get much other reliable info from these units.  I also think it’s important that if someone asks that I give them my honest opinion. Seeing that so many people tell me that their low resolution unit gives them something to look at to help pass time, I chose to summarize by calling it a entertainment toy rather than a useful fishing tool.  This is not meant to sound elitist nor is it meant to degrade anyones financial situation.  What I hope happens is that someone will make a more informed decision on what they’re buying.  I want them to understand that there are significant performance differences and that it’s not about buying additional options and gadgets.  After knowing the limitations of the lower end units, maybe that person that doesn’t have much money will decide if the unit will meet their needs or if they will save a few extra bucks to buy the one that will meet their needs.  I’ll state it again, the unit I reccommended can be had for $280.00.  I’m not reccomending a unit with GPS and multiple transducers for $750 to $2,000. As for always reccommending top of the line equipment, I’ll have you know that I often reccommend the low end Quantum XR series spinning reels because you get alot of bang for $18.00.  I have a few of these and love them.  I realize that this portion of your post probably wasn’t specifically aimed at me, however I do want you to realize that I’m not one that gets caught up in the “own the top of the line or it’s crap” debate. I’ll also let you know that when people want to know how to better use their $150 unit that I have sent them useful information on this without them needing to “feel compelled to explain their current economic situation”.  In fact, last week I had three such requests. For the last time I’ll state it, I’m talking about a unit for under $300 in this thread not over a thousand.  I’m talking about a good performing unit that can be had for as little as a $100 to $125 dollars over the low resolution units.  I would call this a more practicle solution than elitist one. Nuff Said! Don Mutsch – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Don, Not to cut anyone down that owns one but their (they’re) more of an entertainment toy on the water rather than a fishing tool. I understand what you are saying about pixel resolution; however, some of the less expensive units have zoom features which will help overcome that limitation. With that aside, the point I was making is exemplified by your above quoted sentence.  I think it is all right to point out the advantages and disadvantages of different depth finder units, but I object to calling somebody’s unit an entertainment toy.  It is becoming more and more evident that this forum is struggling to become some kind of an elitist bassin’ haven, and I object to that.  Furthermore, I’m tired of seeing people asking questions and feeling compelled to preface their questions with an excuse of why they can’t afford a “top o’ line” gadget.  I don’t think people shouldn’t feel compelled to explain their current economic situation, just to ask a simple question. I would like to think that there is room enough in this forum for all kinds of different people with differing economic conditions to exchange information about different aspects of bass fishing.  I would like to see someone ask about a $150 depth finder and be able to get information concerning its advantages and disadvantages and how to maximize its usefulness without being told that they are wasting their money on an “entertainment toy.”  I would like to see someone ask for advise on a $50 baitcaster without being told to give up bass fishing unless they use (can afford) a Calcutta.  And I would like to see that ten-year old who bagged that 5-pound bass from the shore on a $29.95 combo feel free to enter this forum and tell me what he was using for bait. Richard – Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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Don,   Nuff Said! Sounds reasonable.  Nothing personal intended on my part – just a reaction to a general trend I perceived in the forum.   Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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Whatever you do, avoid Hummingbirds!  I bought one last   October-didn’t work new out of the box and I’m still waiting to get   it back from Alabama. Meanwhile, I bought a Lowrance and it works   fine. From my perspective, I’d say, avoid Lowrance.  I bought two of them last November.  One when in for repair in February, it took a month to get back.  The over one went in the first of this month and I’m still waiting.   It seems to me that Lowrance’s claim to turn your stuff around in 72 hours is a good marketing ploy, but nothing more.   Who knows, maybe a foreign brand will show up that will offers quality at a good price, or maybe Raytheon will lower their prices.  In the mean time, let the world know you are not pleased with the products you are buying, especially the company who made the junk.  I frequently write letters to companies who don’t deliver what they promise, and I like to send an info copy to the appropriate regulatory body.  Stick up for your money, especially if you worked hard to earn it. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

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Don,   Nuff Said! Sounds reasonable.  Nothing personal intended on my part – just a reaction to a general trend I perceived in the forum. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Guess I’d better defend myself here!  I probably am guilty of suggesting to “get the Calcutta” or “buy the G Loomis Rod” as often as anybody else here.  This is not meant as a slam to those of us (AND I DO MEAN US, right now, anyway) who don’t have megabucks to spend on fishing tackle. But I, for one, would rather have one really good rig, than two or three not so good one’s.   I guess I learned several years ago that you get what you pay for, and if I want it to last a while, buy the best you can get, and get fewer of the  toys instead of settling for less and having more of them.   I had a really good lifestyle going for several years – new bass boat, 30-40 rods and reels of top quality, numerous tackle boxes all ful of lures/ worms/ spinners/ even a separate box just for rattletraps (you all know of my love for them by now!!!!)  But, times can change, and they did for me.  I ended up unemployed for over a year, got divorced, lost my boat, lost my truck, moved into a dinky apartment from a pretty nice house, etc.  (I know – I can hear the violins playing, too!!!  Bear with me a minute!) I still have most of the tackle I had then, several really good early 90’s technology rods and reels, and ONE new G. Loomis rod.  Three Calcuttas, but I bought NONE of them.  I traded 2 reels for one of them, a rod and reel for another, and was given the third as a gift from a great friend!  I would trade any two of my rods for another G. Loomis blanked rod, and any two for another Calcutta.   I guess my point is that I don’t think we have to settle for poor quality stuff if we really don’t want to.  There are ways to get what you want.  Prowl the pawn shops.  Watch the papers for garage sales. Pick up some lesser stuff and offer to trade up with some of the second hand stores.  (You can often find some incredible stuff in pawn shops – more than likely stolen originally, but that’s not my problem, and I am buying it perfectly legally!!!  – or from folks who have gotten in over their heads and needed fast cash as I have on more than one occassion!) I apologize if any one thinks I think you HAVE to have the best, and if you read some of my previous posts, you will see that is not always the case.  But I do think that you CAN have it if you want it badly enough! I, too, have worked pretty hard for my “toys” and certainly don’t want to lose any more of them.  But I won’t go buy something that is not a quality item (NOT to say Quantum is NOT!) just to increase my numbers of toys. Hope that clears the air somewhat, and hope we can all get back to the subject so near and dear to our hearts —  MR. Fins and Scales!!! (Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Catfish, Pike, Pickerel, Musky, Gar, Carp, Perch, Bluegill, Trout or whatever else happens to “float your boat!!!!!!” Best to all! —    ”Keep your hooks wet, keep what you’ll eat, and throw      the rest back for the rest of us to catch again!!!”   Bob,                      /                            /                            /    (   /    /|          Happy          /      _/ * <<<<<<<<<<<< / |                        /          ( / |                      /                   |       (I wish all your fish were this relative size!?!) Any Opinions express here are mine alone, and not those of my employer. Besides, at my age, my memory is so bad now, that I don’t even remember what I just wrote here!     The return address on this message WON’T get to me!)

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   Whatever you do, avoid Hummingbirds!  I bought one last   October-didn’t work new out of the box and I’m still waiting to get   it back from Alabama. Meanwhile, I bought a Lowrance and it works   fine. From my perspective, I’d say, avoid Lowrance.  I bought two of them last November.  One when in for repair in February, it took a month to get back.  The over one went in the first of this month and I’m still waiting.   It seems to me that Lowrance’s claim to turn your stuff around in 72 hours is a good marketing ploy, but nothing more. Who knows, maybe a foreign brand will show up that will offers quality at a good price, or maybe Raytheon will lower their prices.  In the mean time, let the world know you are not pleased with the products you are buying, especially the company who made the junk.  I frequently write letters to companies who don’t deliver what they promise, and I like to send an info copy to the appropriate regulatory body.  Stick up for your money, especially if you worked hard to earn it. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Kinda paintin’ with a broad brush there aren’t ya Richard.  When ya call a quality product junk it kinda makes ya wonder ’bout the author!

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   Whatever you do, avoid Hummingbirds!  I bought one last   October-didn’t work new out of the box and I’m still waiting to get   it back from Alabama. Meanwhile, I bought a Lowrance and it works   fine. From my perspective, I’d say, avoid Lowrance.  I bought two of them last November.  One when in for repair in February, it took a month to get back.  The over one went in the first of this month and I’m still waiting.   It seems to me that Lowrance’s claim to turn your stuff around in 72 hours is a good marketing ploy, but nothing more. Who knows, maybe a foreign brand will show up that will offers quality at a good price, or maybe Raytheon will lower their prices.  In the mean time, let the world know you are not pleased with the products you are buying, especially the company who made the junk.  I frequently write letters to companies who don’t deliver what they promise, and I like to send an info copy to the appropriate regulatory body.  Stick up for your money, especially if you worked hard to earn it. Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96 Kinda paintin’ with a broad brush there aren’t ya Richard.  When ya call a quality product junk it kinda makes ya wonder ’bout the author!

Yeah, I am wondering about that myself. Maybe Richard would like to tell us the serial numbers huh Ron Water * Land * Air                   o  o     o  o           /^_/’   /^/ www.geocities.com/RainForest/2730                         //    /^`’  .              __,\_   /         /               <

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[SNIP] After talkingto my partner, my resident graph ‘expert’, I would like to apologize to you all.  It appears that I have been operating on mis information regarding upgradeability.  As Don pointed out, there are several transducer upgrades, (ie temp, PH etc) but no unit has the ability to increase defineition or resolution. I still fell that your money is better spent with attention to your current , and short term future needs, rather than buying anything simply because it’s the top of the market. Til next time Strider

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Ron, Kinda paintin’ with a broad brush there aren’t ya Richard.   When ya Kinda call a quality product junk it kinda makes ya wonder ’bout the author!

Yeah, I am wondering about that myself.  Maybe Richard would like to   tell us the serial numbers huh I was going to ignore the original reply to my message because I figure the individual either couldn’t understand two different thoughts being expresses in one post, or he was a satified employee of Lowrance. However, since you joined in, I added a third option – maybe my reply was a little confusing to some people.  But then again, I tend to favor my original idea that some people can’t appreciate the concept of going from a specific to the general in one writing. In case you will shopping for used “quality” units at sometime in the future, the serial number of the X-55A in question is 001788586.  The serial number of the Globalmap 2000 in question is 008138502.  Have fun shopping The objection I was originally making pertained to the following warranty paragraph: “On factory repairs, we guarantee your unit will be repaired in three working days from the time it is received.  This does not include shipping time.  If for some reason, we cannot meet this commitment, we will extend your warranty for another year, free of charge, from the date of repair.” In my case, each unit took a month to get back.  When I discussed this with my dealer, he said Lowrance takes 3 to 4 weeks for their repairs. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that their “three day” period is misleading.  Although their offer to extend the warranty for a year from the date of repair is nice, some people, like myself, would rather have the unit back as soon as possible. As far as the warranty extension goes, I’m still checking into the one- year extension from the date of repair.  I did not get any paper work back to confirm the extensions are in effect. The problem with my Lowrance units was moisture on the inside of the screen.  Again, a discussion with my dealer confirmed that this has been a long-term recurring problem.  This observation has been further validated my multiple posts in this forum.  When I see long-term recurring problems, I tend to view this as either a reliability problem or a quality problem.  Where a reliability problem can be viewed as a design deficiency, and a quality problem can be viewed as a process problem.  In simpler terms, a reliability problem means, “a bad thing was put together right,” and a quality problem means, “a good thing was put together wrong.” The second thought I originally expressed was not necessarily directed at Lowrance; however, I didn’t necessarily exclude them either.  Simply put, I was stating that if you feel like you paid good money and got junk, where junk can take on any flavor you want (and a misleading warranty policy can be viewed as junk), then do something about it.  One thing I frequently do is write to the company involved.  If the company non- responsive or haa a reputation for such, I send info copies to the appropriate regulatory agency.  Typically, I get things resolved to my satisfaction.  But then again, I’ve been know to write more than a couple of novel sentences.  I guess you might call that a broad stroke Richard  - Alice4Mac 2.4.4 E QWK Eval:27Jan96

Response:

I bought an Eagle Ultra III with broadview transducer. After 1 1/2 seasons, the display started to fog in the sun. I called Eagle with the Serial Number. They said “no problem”, gave me a return # and address. I sent in my transducer with it just in case. Within a week, I had a unit back, not my old one, but a brand new unit, a brand new transducer with all new mounting hardware including the strap and bracket for the trolling motor! Now that is service and standing behind your product! Believe me, I’m an Eagle customer forever now and reccommend it to everyone! Besides, I really like the Ultra III and all of its features. Greg Gonda Hydra-Sports – Best ride on the water. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   Whatever you do, avoid Hummingbirds!  I bought one last   October-didn’t work new out of the box and I’m still waiting to get   it back from Alabama. Meanwhile, I bought a Lowrance and it works   fine. From my perspective, I’d say, avoid Lowrance.  I bought two of them last November.  One when in for repair in February, it took a month to get back.  The over one went in the first of this month and I’m still waiting.   It seems to me that Lowrance’s claim to turn your stuff around in 72

Response:

Just thought I’d insert a comment on how everyone is commenting on screen fogging problems with their depth finders. I can tell you from discussions that I’ve had with many fishing friends and discussions I’ve had with a couple manufactures that all the units on the market have had the fogging problem.  It’s not an Eagle/Lowrance problem. Others I know have had it with their Hummingbirds and BottomLines.  As I understand it, their is effectivly two different source for buy the displays used in LCD depth finders. A BottomLine rep told me that while they accept the problem as their own, internally it’s a problem with the displays that they get from the manufacturer.  They said that they have had manufacturing runs where more units seam to come back with fogging problems than other runs.  This has to do with the quality of the parts they bought to put in their product.  Seein that their a limited source of suppliers, it doesn’t surprise me to find out that all have the problem. As for myself, I’ve yet to have this problem with my Lowrance or Eagles and I hope my luck continues to hold. Good Fishin’ Don Mutsch

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in their product.  Seein that their a limited source of suppliers, it doesn’t surprise me to find out that all have the problem. As for myself, I’ve yet to have this problem with my Lowrance or Eagles and I hope my luck continues to hold.

As we all know, “fogging” is due to moisture ingress. All it takes is a tiny little air leak for moisture to enter the casing. The unit will `breath’ each time the temperature changes and more moisture will be admited. You will notice that all new Eagles and Lowrance now have `breathing ports’. There is a piece of membrane similar to Goretex that allows pressure balance but blocks moisture from entering the unit. They have worked well in tests. Ron Water * Land * Air                   o  o     o  o           /^_/’   /^/ www.geocities.com/RainForest/2730                         //    /^`’  .              __,\_   /         /               <

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