Depth finders $100.00 or less?

[Aquaman01]

I know - ya get what ya pay for - but my budget won't take me over $100.00 this year. What do ya'll figure is the best sonar for my range? It'll be my first, so I need it easy and dependable. Thanx -

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[frozen toes]

I hear ya on the budget, I am in the same Boat-no pun intended. I was at Cabela;s the other day and seen a Piranha 1 for $77. A buddy of mine has one and says they do the job very well. Whatever is in your budget is what YOU can afford. People do not need the highest priced item to get results. Take a look, I am going to be picking one up this Spring also.

[Steve Foss]

I got a Pirhana 2 for $89 last summer on sale, and it's all the unit I need on the Lund. It works great. Before that I had a Lowrance 60-foot flasher, so even though the Pirhana's near the bottom of the sonar food chain these days, it was a great improvement for me.

[Guest]

If you can foot another $50, theres a nice x75 for sale in the for sale forum.

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MILLE LACS GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/
click here

[LaVoi]

My advice is call around and keep your eyes open. Two years ago I was in the same situation. I was intially looking for a cheap LCD model, but when I called Scheel's they happened to have a used Zercom Clearwater Classic flasher for a $100. It is no vexilar but boy do I love it. I use all the time, summer and winter and it is a great flasher for my money. There are great deals out there just keep and eye open.

[Deemo]

I also have a lowrance X-71 for sale if anyone is interested. It is in the sale forum.

[Aquaman01]

Thanks! Okay, I don't know much about sonars, but it's my understanding that flashers show the depth and other objects down there at their depths.
Q. - How do I use a flasher to read bottom content and contours?

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[Guest]

hence the reason for a graph. You can tell bottom cotent with a fasher but you obviously won't be able to see countour. You just have to use your imagination and guess how steep the drop is.

[Guest]

The Flasher will show slight background "noise" or feedback when you're on harder bottom and it will show lots of this feedback on softer bottom areas.

You can get a demo at any shop that sells flashers as long as they're set up for such a thing.

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Chells

[Steve Foss]

Thin bottom line on the flasher means soft bottom (less signal returning to the unit because it's lost in the soft bottom). Thick bottom line means hard bottom.

I never had trouble figuring countour with a flasher. All an LCD does for bottom contour is give you a short-term record on the screen of where you've been. With a flasher, you can use your memory for that five seconds.

Best thing I've found with the LCD is that, when it marks a fish, it's on the screen for awhile. With a flasher, if you're looking away when you go over a fish, you miss the blip.

[Mykal]

Aquaman01, back to the subject at hand. I have an Eagle Supra Pro ID that is a few years old and I actually converted it to a home made wood ice box with battery, charger, and ducer arm holder. Never use it anymore because I bought an LX-3. The graph sells for 100 new. I'll give you the ice set up as well for $40. That should fit in your budget. [email protected]

[Aquaman01]

Mykal - you have mail.

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[Mykal]

Glad to help out a fellow FM'er. See you Wednesday.

[Aquaman01]

Thanks again Michael. I'm gonna be real happy with it.

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[Mykal]

No problem. Enjoy. I'm gonna miss that homemade ice box.

[Aquaman01]

Fine work! If I don't use the box, I'll put another side on it, and it can be my son's first tool box. He has a hammer and a rubber mallet that will fit nicely in there.

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."