New Humminbird for ice anglers

[moreyes]

EUFAULA, Ala. (July 2010) – Humminbird is expanding its line of award-winning ice fishing products with the introduction of select models that can be used on hard or open water, and have GPS capabilities.

“We’ve added more options to our already popular ICE product line.” Humminbird Brand Manager Dale Logue said. “The new ICE models feature GPS chartplotting, selectable 2D and flasher sonar views, and easy conversion from coldwater ice fishing to summertime open-water fishing. With this product line, you will also see an ATV mounting system that will enable you to use your Humminbird unit on your ATV, snowmobile or automobile.”

ICE 300 Series

The ICE 385ci Combo and ICE 345c offer the versatility of displaying sonar information in either flasher or traditional 2D sonar mode. They come standard with an ICE transducer. Both portable models can also be converted for use on open water with the purchase of an optional suction cup transducer.

Featuring an internal 50-channel GPS receiver with WAAS, the ICE 385ci Combo provides complete cartography capabilities. Humminbird’s UniMap™ charts are built into the ICE 385ci Combo, which is also compatible with select LakeMaster® and Navionics® cartography packages.

In flasher mode, the ICE 300 Series models offer many of the same features that made Humminbird’s current ICE models so popular. Users can choose from three different color palettes (including exclusive six color palette) that can be displayed on the 3.5-inch screen. The view can be easily magnified with the ICE series 2X dynamic zoom feature. With the target line feature, an exact depth can be marked on the flasher display to indicate areas of peak fishing activity.

In traditional sonar mode, the ICE 300 Series models utilize Humminbird’s DualBeam PLUS™ Sonar. The 200 kHz beam projects a high resolution image with great detail, while the 83 kHz beam provides much wider overall coverage. The beams can be displayed separately or simultaneously.

The suggested retail prices are $449.99 for the ICE 385ci Combo and $329.99 for the ICE 345c.

ICE 55/385ci Combo

By combining its ICE 55 sonar flasher and ICE 385ci Combo fishfinder, Humminbird offers a high-performance system with great versatility all in one package.

The two models can be installed on one cradle to provide flasher sonar, traditional 2D sonar and GPS chartplotting all from a single location. Two ICE transducers come standard, so the ICE 55 and 385ci Combo can be separated and used at two different locations as well (only the ICE 385ci Combo has GPS).

This system also comes with two specially designed mounts that allow the 385ci Combo to be used as a mobile navigation device. By utilizing either the ATV/Snowmobile RAM® mount or the Automotive RAM mount, the 385ci Combo can be transported across a frozen lake to locate and mark specific spots with waypoints on the unit’s chartplotting map. The mounts are coupled with Humminbird’s exclusive Quick Disconnect system for easy attachment and removal.

The flasher sonar on both models offers a choice of three color palettes (including exclusive six color palette), a 2X dynamic zoom feature and a target line that marks exact depths on the display.

Featuring an internal 50-channel GPS receiver with WAAS, the 385ci Combo offers built-in Humminbird UniMap™ charts. It is also compatible with optional LakeMaster® and Navionics® cartography packages.

The ICE 385ci Combo also features Humminbird’s DualBeam PLUS™ Sonar. The 200 kHz beam projects a high resolution image with great detail, while the 83 kHz beam provides much wider overall coverage. The beams can be displayed separately or simultaneously.

The suggested retail price for the ICE 55/385ci Combo, which also includes two ICE transducers, ATV/Snowmobile RAM® mount and Automotive RAM® mount is $999.99.

[CJH]

Sweeeeeet! Pics Please!!!!!

[mamohr686]

Interesting concept, but I will have to wait for the beta testers to try them out. My handheld magellan gps works very slowly and the display is weak, if left in sub-zero temps for along time. The second problem is the price. I can buy a flasher and a gps with a chip for less than the combo price. It would be really convienent to look at the the depth contours and check for fish at the same time.

[Ed Carlson]

It is the 385ci with the portable pack, and the new Hummer ice ducer. You could do the same with the 788Ci if you wished too.

The new ice ducer is capable of working on the open water Hummers where the old 35, 45, and 55 ducer could not be aplied to the open water units.

This in short, means more flexibility in the Hummer line.

[LMITOUT]

The 385 and 345 are just their open water graphs in an ice fishing package (ice transducer and carrying case), but it appears they expanded on the idea by utilizing some sort of ATV mount which would eliminate the need for a separate handheld GPS that many of us carry along with a flasher.

I'm curious to see what the ICE55/385ci combo looks like.

[Ed Carlson]

Unfortunately to date, a bit of a shortcoming for the ICE 385ci combo is it can not run the new LakeMaster mapping data. It can only run 2020 Navionics Premium series data cards. For some this may be not much of a deal breaker, or even a shortcoming. Otherwise I think the 385ci, in itself may, be an interesting unit on the ice.

[student]

How about offering a way for two Humminbird units to fish side by side without any interference????? None of this interference rejection stuff, I want to run off of an entirely different frequency.

[stumper]

you can fish the 385ci and the ice 45 in the same hole if you want to. They are different frequencies.

[student]

Looking for the ability to do it with two 45's. I guess it's actually three now, my dad bought one too.

[moreyes]

The 385 DOES have LakeMaster compatibility!

[moreyes]

[Torgesom]

Random question--does the flasher feature work identical to a regular flasher--i.e. is it real time? Can you see your jig or is it not as powerful?

[Ed Carlson]

The 385 DOES have LakeMaster compatibility!

Has a new update came out recently for the 385 and 385Ci? The open water version was not update-able to the new LakeMaster data earlier this summer. We were told not to update them with the others.

Is this new 385 version already capable to run LM data?

I see it is pictured with LM mapping, not doubting you, but it's something new in it's capability's that I was unaware of.

If so, ..."My Bad"....thanks for the correction.

[moreyes]

Random question--does the flasher feature work identical to a regular flasher--i.e. is it real time? Can you see your jig or is it not as powerful?

Yes it does

[stumper]

Has a new update came out recently for the 385 and 385Ci? The open water version was not update-able to the new LakeMaster data earlier this summer. We were told not to update them with the others.

Is this new 385 version already capable to run LM data?

I see it is pictured with LM mapping, not doubting you, but it's something new in it's capability's that I was unaware of.

If so, ..."My Bad"....thanks for the correction.

Your spot on Ed, Humminbird will need to release an update for the units already out before they will take LM, which at this time they have not done.

[Chode2235]

Looks like Humminbird took a page out of Lowrance's playbook. It will be interesting to see how this plays out given HBs celebrity endorsements and marketing budget. Cant wait to hear Bro and Al tell me that "Graphs are the newest and best ways to see and catch fish on the ice." and "They do things no traditional flasher or ice fishing system can."

I have a Lowrance 334 that I have used on the ice for a few years now and love it. Mine gets double duty in the boat in the summer, and I love having the internal GPS (with Lakemaster) and the history the graph provides.

[herefish101]

I'm waiting till one of them offer "side imaging" or "down imaging" in an ice unit. It has to be coming.

[fishwater]

The SI and downscan stuff requires forward motion to make a clean image. They might be able to use a rotating transducer, but I wouldn't wait for it.

[PerchJerker]

The SI and downscan stuff requires forward motion to make a clean image. They might be able to use a rotating transducer, but I wouldn't wait for it.

Exactly. I know a couple of guys who have tried to rig up side imaging for under the ice, and I don't think it's done much for them.

[LOWinEYEin]

I second that!! If Hummingbird gets a ice machine on the market that has side imaging, I think it would out sell ANY fishfinder in history! I know I will HAVE to get one.

And I have a Lowrance 67c that has the flasher option, it really doesn't pick up your jig (no matter the size), so I would hope that HB did some better mods to there new series. Has anyone noticed this on the new HB's?

[hanson]

So can I take my 1197, put it on a Bluebox, add what I assume to be a new ice transducer and be on my happy way??

[Ed Carlson]

Present side scan imagery requires a predictable "Pan and Scan speed" to paint the picture one would wish to view. Under the ice this would require a 360 continuous rotation scan, kinda hard to pull off in a cost effective manner at present.

For now this would be a preaty hardware intensive module and would take up much of the ice hole, and very expensive to pull off. Imagine a 8" to 16" Mini Doppler Radar Dome shoved down a ice hole upside-down, that is about what it would theoretically require.

I can speculate the "See Through" or "Down Imaging" as the first logical step to pursue for graphs on the ice. There is significant obstacles to overcome in refresh rate and pulse rate to achieve a real time 2-D scan, let alone a 3-D picture, without a mass of smears from multiple targets on the move horizontally and vertically. Tricky, to say the least.

I agree, it's coming. There will be rapid momentum to work to achieve a functional 360 real time 2-D and 3-D imagery system for open water and on ice use. It is very likely already in development and testing, by at least one on ice sonar manufacturer....possibly more than one.

[Torgesom]

So anyone have the skinny if they are going to be compatible with the new lakemaster chips?

[Ed Carlson]

All the newly updated 385 and 385Ci units will be compatible with LM data cards, as well as Navionics.

All other newer Hummer units with the most recent updates installed would also be compatible with LM/Navionics, and candidates for an ice-pack conversion with the new ice-ducer.

It will require the XI 9/20 Single/Dual Beam, 20/60 Degree, 200/83 kHz. 15' cable.

NOTE:(There is 2 versions of ice-ducer in the Hummer line, one will work on the 35, 45, and 55 series flashers, it is the XI 9/19 455/240kHz Single/Dual Beam. The other is the XI 9/20 and will work on the graphs.)

Ice-Ducer MSRP $81.99

[Chode2235]

But it will need to be a specific Humminbird lakemaster chip. You wont be able to use the one that is compatible with your Garmin or Lowrance.