Humminbird Helix 5 si gps - Best Fish Finder For The Money

[LuisFisher]

Though we're less than halfway into the current year, I am finding it incredibly difficult to not immediately name this particular fish finder as the best of this year. It's certainly my favorite to come out in the past few years, with a design and functionality that really appeals to my needs and criteria. And, I mean, that's not to say the device is perfect; every fish finder has its flaws, and the Helix 5 is no different, but to find them would require a great deal of nitpicking in my opinion.

Now, before you go off and start pinning me as some sort of salesman for Humminbird products, allow me to say that I am traditionally a Lowrance-type of dude. Their fish finders, the 332c in particular, strike a balance between aesthetic and functionality, having sharp displays with (at least in models made in the last decade) full-color images, not to mention a very classy exterior design to the device.

Now, I've heard of Humminbird fish finders in the past, and my friends' experience with them have been mostly good. I've not heard anything about this particular model prior to using it, however. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a device that's not only “mostly good,” but perhaps even “mostly perfect.”

The Humminbird Helix 5 SI GPS comes with a bevy of neat, practical features aside from the titular GPS. The device features an LED backlit, 800 by 480 color display, an SD card slot for saving pre-built maps and saved locations, and multiple imaging settings.

This last feature is interesting, as the device has both Down-Imaging and Side-Imaging, along with something the device manufacturer calls “DualBeam PLUS,” which is a sort of hybrid sonar standard that uses two beams, a narrow one to scope out depth and a wide one to scope out fish and debris. DualBeam PLUS seems to be something unique to Humminbird fish finders, and while I find myself using the other two sonar standards just out of familiarity, my brief experience with it hasn't been detrimental in the least.

The Side-Imaging feature is also an uncommon feature with some of the other fish finders I've seen out there, and it is a pretty useful feature! What it does is pretty self-explanatory: it sends out sonar signals from the sides of the boat, out about 160 ft., to detect fish and other things that might be swimming out around the ship. It's most effective when moving at slow speeds, so that the readings that come in are more accurate.

Aside from that, the device works and looks very well in all the normal aspects. Readings are accurate and easily understood, with a clean interface and a practical design. The GPS is similarly accurate and easy to read, and the card reader will take most common map formats.  Now, personally, I still like the design of my old Lowrance more, but that is by no means to say that the rounded design of the Helix 5 is not aesthetically pleasing. The size and shape of the device makes it easy to hold and remove when necessary.

So, all in all, I can't think of any reason not to recommend this particular fish finder, except for perhaps the price point (I got mine for about $500). Still, even that's reasonable once you consider what all you're getting out of this: the many sonar settings, the ergonomic design, and the efficient functionality of it all. If you're looking for a quality fish finder, and you've got the money to spend, I heartily recommend the Humminbird Helix 5 SI GPS. It is, without a doubt, the best fish finder of 2016.

[delcecchi]

This sounds like a commercial....    Everybody doing side imaging these days.  

[leech~~]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the info on the Helix 5 SI.

[dairyman]

I bought the helix 5 last spring with di and si.  I really like the unit----BUT-----the screen size is getting to be too small for me.  I'm thinking of going to the helix 7 with gps and DI only.  I have not been able to use the SI function with any degree of success.  The screen size between the two is amazing.  Oh I guess I should say I'm 73 and I suppose my eye sight isn't what used to be.

I used the 5 these last 2 winters for ice fishing and it does a really good job