hummingbird 597 ice

[True]

For those of you who have actually used the 597 ice can I please get an honest review? Maybe some pro's and con's also. Thank you

[amateurfishing]

I have the 597 ci HD, not sure if that is what you r referring to but if so, I absolutely love it

pros: love graph feature for ice as well as open water

many different screen views to choose from

double as open water finder also

see multiple parts of water column all at once

easily pick up lure

switch fire mode is nice for deeper water

cons: gps not super reliable

[Might_B_A_Pike]

Love it! I have the 597 that came in the ice pack. I also use it during the summer months.

I have the lake master chip in it. I love having this extra feature. the only thing that made me hesitant to get this unit was the target separation is not as good as a more traditional flasher (according to the fact sheets) but having a GPS to scout out spots far outweighs the target separation 100 to 1. And on that note, I have never noticed any issue with target separation.

It has taken me a bit to find out what I like to use most for the sonar mode, I don’t like using the circle flasher, I use the main sonar graph because it shows a history and it is easier to detect small changes.

If I am in a shack I will manually set the bottom of the chart to about 1-2’ more than the depth (this makes for a better read that when finds the bottom automatcially)

RTS Window – I set this to “wide”, this make a real time vertical graph on the far right of the screen. and the stronger the signal the wider the line. (there is a picture of this on pg. 9 of the manual http://store.humminbird.cust.shopatron.com/media/document/587ci-597ci_Manual.pdf) this gives a real time picture of both the depth, and strength of a signal.

I set the backround color to black, this makes it easier to look at in a shack.

Cons: the GPS can be slow to load. I keep the unit in the front of my truck and turn it on when I am approaching the lake, that way I don’t have to wait for it to load.

[eagle_3464]

I am using a 798 on the ice and love the fact that I have sonar, GPS, and lakemaps all in one unit. I will agree that if you are inside a vehicle the GPS is slow to load but I don't find that to be a problem outside or on a wheeler. In those cases the GPS with Lakemaster is spot-on to waypoints I have saved previously. I also love the tracking feature of the GPS when it is snowing heavily, foggy, or most importantly variable ice conditions. It is difficult to spot problem areas after dark but with GPS tracking you can just follow the same path you went out on.

Is target separation as good as some other high end units? Likely not, but IMO using the scrolling memory of the traditional sonar screen rather than flasher mode allows you to see changes happening on the bottom easier. I have used a camera in conjunction with the 798 and I can't see that I am missing anything with the sonar.

IMO, it won't be long until traditional sonar surpasses the flashers. Bird, Vex, and Marcum will all refine their technology into a state of the art ice unit. Until then, I am completely happy with my 798.

[Day Dreamer]

I used my 587 last weekend. It worked very well next to a Vexilar with some filters turned on. I also use the unit during the summer months have no issues.

Some cons; I believe the unit drains battery life. Compared to the Vex. I know I'm not comparing apples to apples here. Battery life seems shorter.

When schools of crappies came through at various depth levels from 6 feet to 14 feet the screen "wigged out". IMO, it appeared the unit could adjust to the various depths and fish movement below fast enough to the point I had to "reboot" to bring it back.

My issue only-I play with it too much. There's a lot of buttons/menus to play with/adjust/change, etc. I missed some fish because of my playing around.

Other that I really like this unit.

[T.S128]

I bought one last year and hated it on the ice. Its a good unit on the boat.

if you are going to stick it your boat and dont have a flasher already it will serve its purpose but i wouldn't buy it just for the ice.

pros: Its quiet, the different screens modes, as well as gps and marking spots all on one unit

cons:

terrible battery life compared to a regular flasher

mine would jump around depths from 8 to 150ft constantly. this can be avoided by some adjustments in the setting but then every depth you fish you have to change

poor target id had a lot of trouble marking panfish jigs in 20fow without turning up sensitivity and creating a lot of noise.

it seemed a little slow as if there was a slight lag when jigging

I wasn't a huge fan of the big screen and always worried about it being dropped and cracked

I sold my vx1p to buy this and dearly missed it right away. I disagree and think that mechanical flashers will always be around. digital sonar has more bells and whistles but I dont think we will be exclusively digital anytime soon. the unit will do what it is supposed to but i just preferred an "old school" flasher. If you want to go digital for an ice unit the lx6 or 7 is the way to go

[PurpleFloyd]

I have the Lowrance equivalent and really like the graph mode. Haven't used the GPS yet but will in time. I have seen the HB in action on the ice and it is a great unit.

[amateurfishing]

I bought one last year and hated it on the ice. Its a good unit on the boat.

if you are going to stick it your boat and dont have a flasher already it will serve its purpose but i wouldn't buy it just for the ice.

pros: Its quiet, the different screens modes, as well as gps and marking spots all on one unit

cons:

terrible battery life compared to a regular flasher

mine would jump around depths from 8 to 150ft constantly. this can be avoided by some adjustments in the setting but then every depth you fish you have to change

poor target id had a lot of trouble marking panfish jigs in 20fow without turning up sensitivity and creating a lot of noise.

it seemed a little slow as if there was a slight lag when jigging

I wasn't a huge fan of the big screen and always worried about it being dropped and cracked

I sold my vx1p to buy this and dearly missed it right away. I disagree and think that mechanical flashers will always be around. digital sonar has more bells and whistles but I dont think we will be exclusively digital anytime soon. the unit will do what it is supposed to but i just preferred an "old school" flasher. If you want to go digital for an ice unit the lx6 or 7 is the way to go

sounds like u just missed your flasher

I can see a 1/32nd oz jig in 40FOW no problem (play with sensitivity)

Large screen (LOL) afraid of getting cracked then don't drop it

graph jumps around? then set bottom depth

battery life? I get 20 hours out of my batteries

sounds like you were set on your flasher b4 you even used this for ice, which is fine but just be honest, eh?

[Might_B_A_Pike]

I think with any new ice electronic you need to take it out more than once before you give up on it. the first time I took out the humminbird I got some buyers remorse and was afraid it would not do what I wanted. next time out played around with the setting more, not I wouldn't trade it for anything two seasons in.

If you don't have the setting correct you will not be happy with it.

[T.S128]

I honestly was really excited to use it why else would I buy one? I used it for about a month even with setting bottom lock the depth readout would still jump around not the bottom. I talked to HB several times they couldn't figure out was going on either. I really wanted to like this unit but just couldn't. Maybe I got a lemon who knows but he asked for a review and I gave mine what's the crime in that? If everyone only gave good feedback of something reviews would be worthless. I sounds like I missed my flasher because I did miss it the 597 didn't perform up to par in my experience.

[amateurfishing]

there is no crime in your review. I've never heard anyone complain about them as much as you did, I'm sure you received a bad unit (did u ask HB to fix or replace), and I was just replying to ways that you could possibly fix your issues. Unless you are using it every day, I'm not sure how you could explain the issues u r referring to and you should have easily have been able to get it replaced/fixed if you only had it for 30 days. Not a pi$$ing match by any means, you did not get out of it what you expected & may or may not have given HB a chance to make it right. Enjoy your flasher

[jepik]

what he said..x2

[MudPuppy77]

I have the 597ci HD DI and now that it can be used on ice after HB's software update, I was able to use it for the first time on the ice last weekend. I thought it was every bit as good as the older Vexilar that I was using. There is a very slight lag when using the flasher mode but I could see the fish coming up to my lure and honestly any time that happens, I switch to looking at my rod to detect a bite anyway. I don't totally rely on the flasher to catch fish.

The battery life was good. I was out for a good 7 hours and still had plenty of battery life left.

The only problem I had was that the bottom depth would jump around and the screen would flash and black out for a second. This happened very randomly. The transducer wasn't moving at all so something is going on. I see from previous posts that adjusting the bottom range might help but I contacted HB and they told me to send it back for replacement. One thing I did notice when unpacking the transducer is that I could see the wires right at the point that the cord connects to the transducer puck. I assume that this is not normal so I will send it back and see what happens.

Anyone else have the same problem with bottom depth jumping around and screen blacking out?

[True]

Thank you for all of your review, good and bad. I decided to buy the 597 in hope that it will be a 3 trick pony. But if not it can just stay in the boat.

[amateurfishing]

if you have any questions, just holler

[CamoHunter]

I think you'll be happy with your 597. I have the 788ci HD, which is basically the same unit with a couple added features. I've used mine on the ice two years now, and have no complaints. The biggest pro to me, is that I don't have to own two different finders now (one for boat, one for ice fishing). That, and having GPS and lakemaster chip right on the ice is great. It's pretty nice to be able to return to productive spots with GPS year after year, and find new spots while on the ice with the lakemaster maps. If you want more info, I posted some screen recordings from last year, and pictures of my setup here:

Go to Ice Shanty.com

And search for the topic: 385ci, 587ci HD, 788ci HD

I can't seem to get the link to work right.

[Hardwater_Fan]

CamoHunter - I have the same 788ci HD as you. I read your post on iceleaders and have to agree with everything you've mentioned. It's an all-around awesome unit!

One thing you haven't mentioned is the ability to save your favorite three screen views. The three buttons with just a dot on them are kind of like the presets on your car radio. So, instead of flipping through all the screens (GPS, sonar, flasher, 83/200, etc), you can set the three views you like best so you can return to them with the push of just one button. For example, I have mine set to:

Button 1 - Flasher view

Button 2 - Sonar view with whole water column on left and bottom zoom on the right

Button 3 - Lakemaster/Navionics chip map view

I didn't know what these buttons did until someone pointed it out. Since then, it's been really handy to go back and forth between views.

[walleye44]

Thank you for all of your review, good and bad. I decided to buy the 597 in hope that it will be a 3 trick pony. But if not it can just stay in the boat.

Got to gandermountain.com They have the DI unit on sale. You can have DI too if you order the ice ducer & the case separate.

[True]

I've got to tell ya I'm [PoorWordUsage] this unit shows up with no chart/nav menu. Customer support says turn it on and leave it outside awhile so I do. 1 hour later nothing. Call support again lady says initialize GPS . I say how I have no chart/nav menu to get that option. She says send it in. I say that's dump it should work out of the box.

[BartmanMN]

That is dump. I had to send my 788 to Humminbird after the GPS did not work on fishing opener.

[amateurfishing]

sorry to hear, that's not acceptable

1) if it does not work out of box, consumer should be able to go back to retailer for immediate replacement, not have to deal with CS like that

2) sounds more & more like manufacturers just hurry to get product on shelf and worry bout working bugs out later after they already have the customer on the hook.

just not acceptable, I'd b screaming on the phone at someone and if retailers would not honor a replacement policy id be looking for different retailer, why retailers are willing to sell product but not support it (regarding exchanges/warranties) is beyond me

[Might_B_A_Pike]

The fish were stacked up pretty good yesterday, so I took a picture of what my unit lookes like in action with the settings I like, on the right you can see what is called the "RTS window", that is a vertical graph, each little tick is a sonar return, the stronger the signal the wider it shows. this gives a real time picture(you need to have the RTS window set to wide to see it this way.

then you can see the graph is the rest of it showing the history. it makes it easier ot see sutle changes.

Hope that is helpful.

[amateurfishing]

....and my personal preference is to take the fish icon off, you already know there is fish there, no reason to have that icon clutter up your screen more

[Might_B_A_Pike]

Good Call, I had it turned off but ended up hitting the reset button this last summer, forgot to turn it off.