Lowrance H2O reccomendations w/ lakemaster chip

[Larson15]

I am considering getting this unit with the lakemaster chip. i wanted to see what everyone opinion is on this unit with the chip and if its worth getting. I will be using it for mostly bass and walleye fishing.

[PerchJerker]

You can search the archives, there's a lot of posts about the H2Oc and the LakeMaster chip. Most guys really like them, you don't hear many complaints about them.

[hookjunior]

I have the H2OC with a lakemaster chip and have been very happy with it. It is easy to use and the lakes that have been surveyed seem to be very accurate, but this is also the only gps I have ever used so I don't have anything to compare it to. I would really recommend getting the color version over the black and white, the color version is a lot easier to see.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Yes, good buy if you need (want) a portable unit.

I have the H2Oc with Lakemaster and it works great.

[bearberg]

Great unit and combination.

[Flooringuy]

I'd have to agree. No complaints with mine.

[paceman]

I love mine. Use it for both summer and winter fishing.....

[ottertailguy]

I have the H2O that isn't color and they are great units. But get the chip with it or you won't happy until you do.

[RECOIL]

I have had an H2O for years, and love it. I mostly use it for ice fishing. No problems with it... ever.

[magnum mike]

The big thing about any mapping software is where are you going to use it hte most. Look at the lakes that are included on the Lakemaster chip. They have great data on what is shown but the navionics chip has more lakes that I use.

[ameyers41]

I have had no issues with my H2O. I agree with Magnum though. Check the list of lakes. I used both the old Lakemaster and Navionics until the new Navionics added a couple local lakes I like. The Lakemasters have always been pretty accurate. I wasn't happy with the accuracy of the old navionics for some of the lakes I fished. However, a few funs this year and the new navionics 09 chip is just as accurate.

[JeffS]

I have the H20c with a 2006 or 07 lakemaster chip (i bought the chip in April 07). With the color screen I would recommend lithium batteries because the color graphics drains regular AA's quickly. Lithiums will last me several months, but i just use it when going to and from the fish house.

The lakemaster chip is not accurate at all. I've also looked at the navionics chip from that same year and that one is also not accurate, at least not on Otter Tail lake. The lakemaster chip is easier to use on the Lowrance unit, just plug it in and the contours pop up on the screen. With the navionics I believe there is some further installation steps.

[Larson15]

I stopped at a store yesterday and played around with the unit using both chips individually. The new navionics is nice because it picks up more lakes and has more detail. The lakemaster is definitely easy to use and is probably what Im going to buy. Since the same company that makes the lakemaster chip makes lowrance it seems to make sense. I appreciate the input.

[PerchJerker]

Since the same company that makes the lakemaster chip makes lowrance it seems to make sense.

Not true. They are separate companies.

Lowrance buys the map data from LakeMaster. So does Garmin, you could buy a Garmin handheld GPS and Garmin LakeMaster chip and have the exact same maps you'd have if you were using an H2O.

Other people mentioned this already, but the key to choosing the right mapping product is to check the list of lakes that you fish against the list of lakes that are on each map card --- and go with the one that has more of your lakes in high definition. For some guys it's Nav, for others it's LM. I use both and like them both.

[Larson15]

The new navionics chip will definately have more lakes than the lakemaster. I just like how the lakemaster works

[scott b]

h2o black and white. 10 hrs of use compared to 4 hours of use on the color model. I dont need a gps unit to tell me that the water is blue.

[para1911]

Very nice combo, I have the h20c and Lakemaster chip (along with a few other chips). I'm not too inpressed with the function of the Navionics chips but they work decently. I previously had a non color and would not even think about going back to it. The detail, coutours and icons are WAY easier to read requiring just a quick glance with the color version. I have as much interest in b&w tv's as b&w gps units. As far as battery life, between the two units the color version lasted about an hour short of the color(8-10hrs).