Contour elite does anyone have/use it?

[MikeG3Boat]

Thinking about purchasing contour elite minnesota. Does anyone have it and what do you think about it? Has it helped you find fish?

[jentz]

I have it and use it often,I also have the chip for my bird that matches elite.On the computer I can look at lakes I will fish and find the contours that look like they hold fish.It doesnt help me catch fish but it does help me find areas to fish.If you have read about it the comparison feature is nice.You'll enjoy using it,help you catch fish???

[h8go4s]

I'm a little disappointed in it. The user interface for things like zooming and panning is crude. On a large lake, it becomes tedious. You can highlight flats, humps, breaks, etc. but I can do that on my Bird too. I was particularly interested in a snaggy piece of structure that I thought the 3d view would help me with. This spot has two rock humps coming up to 3ft and 8ft out of 20-28ft. It shows the 1-foot contours in 2D, but the 3D view doesn't even show any depth change. You can download a trial version which shows Green Lake near Willmar. I'd recommend doing that. I'm guessing they'll be at the Sportshow this weekend also.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I think it has stalled out in further development. I hope I'm wrong. I know the guys that own the biz have other jobs, so I dont think it is progressing very fast. Still no iPad version that was talked about last year.

That said, I'm glad I bought it. I use it for planning my trips.

[MikeG3Boat]

What is the comparison feature?

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Hey, they weren't at the Sportshow this year! Did I see something like that at Humminbird?

[MikeG3Boat]

The Navionics is really about mapping. They don't have anything that you can input information and weather, etc and it suggests spots where fish might be.

[jentz]

Wish I were fishin: I stop by the Littlefalls office of lakemaster often.Are those the people you speak of with other jobs?? Never have I stopped and at least 5 people were working on their maps and programing.

Last time there the elite computer programing was yet being advanced.I bought my elite last spring because my request for the home lake was added as the more contour lines mapping.They sold me the disc that hadent even been sent out to retailors yet.

I have their printed maps also.Great programing and maps for the wall!

[jentz]

The comparison will when you enter some info show all areas of the lake that compare to a certain area you select,It then shows all areas with the same or close to same features,Like depth,bottom composition,weeds,shelves, drop offs.

Maybe try the green lake users testing that h8go-4s suggests.I'm not a wiz with a computer but with this disc I try different things it can do.I have to agree on the 3d, I thought it was my inability of understanding computer and program stuff,I havent got it to work whatever it is suppose to do? The other things I have played with have all been inpressive,I can compare them to my home lake, which I know well and I think it's the only mapping out there worth a hoot! Not 100% accurate but closer than others!

[FisH_SLaYer24]

Like stated above, I love using it for finding potential areas to fish especially on bodies of water that I have never fished before or haven't spent very much time on. Could it better? Maybe, but for what I use the software for, I find it very helpful for I am trying to accomplish

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Wish I were fishin: I stop by the Littlefalls office of lakemaster often.Are those the people you speak of with other jobs?? Never have I stopped and at least 5 people were working on their maps and programing.

Last time there the elite computer programing was yet being advanced.I bought my elite last spring because my request for the home lake was added as the more contour lines mapping.They sold me the disc that hadent even been sent out to retailors yet.

I have their printed maps also.Great programing and maps for the wall!

Lakemaster does not own Contour Elite, it is owned by Strategic Fishing Systems and yes, they have other jobs so it is a part time effort. Just saying that could be why the slow development for some new features, like the iPad version.