BEST LOW Contour Chip?

[jerkin'm]

Looking for the best chip of the Canadian side of LOW...Which is most accurate as to contour and hazards?Mostly interested in Sabaskong Bay, Whitefish Bay area. Is there a fishable jumbo perch population in this area? Will be up for a week middle of August and would like to get a couple anxious 3 year olds out for some action.

[Gissert]

Hey jerkin'm

If we hook up on Presidents Day weekend, I can give you the lowdown on Sabaskong. I have some good maps I can show you.

[jerkin'm]

Sounds good....We are definitely in for Prez Weekend...I'm guessing you know the lake we will be on first thing Saturday a.m....Let me know if you want to meet up with us, we will be hitting several other over the weekend....Hopefully a little riding as well..

[Shorelunch]

Jerkinm, Navionics is releasing a 2006 Canadian chip with LOW, Rainy, Lac Seul and a few more. I've also read, on this site, that the 2006 Northern edition also has these lakes.

The Lakemaster chip does not include the Canadian side of the lakes.

[Scoot]

Lakemaster will be releasing a chip in a month or so that will include some of the Canadian side of LOW in 1 foot contours. Unfortunately, it won't include Sabaskong. It'll basically go from Morson to the NNW, just S of Miles Bay, W to Naongashing, and West to the Angle Inlet. No Sabaskong and no Whitefish yet, but they plan on doing this work in the next two years.

[Brett Erickson]

As far as accurate, the Navionics XL charts are going to be the best. These are utilizing more of the Canadian Hydrographic Data. The other chips, including the new Canada chip, are utilizing the HotSpots data. The HotSpots data will not have the new bouy system and it will show you driving over a lot of islands. It is a good 'basic' reference, but do not rely on it solely.

Hope this helps,

Brett Erickson

www.thornebros.com

[fishanytime]

I use the Garmin 182C sonar and map with the LOTW's chip. It will be accurate within 9 to 20 feet according to the unit. You can include that information in a small frame on top of the unit. It and the depth frame are very valuable when travelling 30+ mph on the lake.

I do a lot of trolling and we will be on land at times when close to the shore. I think they are all that way. The lake coutours are easy to read at slow speeds.

I have always liked the Garmin for sonar purposes, I really rely on it for locating walleyes, catchable walleyes, that is schools of fish next to or on the bottom.

[Eastwind]

jerkin'm,

I bought a Navionics chip for my Lowrance unit two years ago that shows all of Sabaskong Bay from Nestor Falls over to Oak Island and also the U.S. side. It clearly shows the navigation channels, new buoy numbers and fishing structure. It only shows me driving over an island occassionaly. I need to check the package when I get home but I bought it at Capras and I think it was the XL version Lake Superior issue. Thorne Bros should have it also. It covers from Green Bay and the Northern end of Lake Michigan, Rainy Lake, Lake Kabetogema Lake Superior etc. all the way up through LOW. I forget if it covers Whitefish Bay or not. I will check at homwe and forward more info.

[cedarnarrowsguy]

I just purshased the navionics chip that will cover LOW, LacSuel, Rainy and others in contour. I guess this one just came out...I used it on Rainy last week end and it helped a lot.

[jerkin'm]

The one time I ventured over there I did drive over a small barely submerged island...I would like to try and avoid this if possilble Are the maps of LOW just the old charts formatted onto the chip? Or is there a more recently done survey on the chip? I have the lowrance h20 and have the lakemaster chip already so I am probably spoiled as the accuracy is unreal...unfortunately no chip for the area of LOW I want to check out..Sounds like I need the Navionics XL from the posts so far...No comments about the fishing in this area in mid August?

[Hemlock]

In my H2O, I have the Navionics CANE182S which is just Lake of the Woods, Canada and US. I had the Great Lakes XL chart which was the exact same detail and nav. aids as what I've got but has the other lakes too. They no longer make what I've got, so my vote is for the West Great Lakes XL chip. It has color potential too, which is a waste if you have the monochrome gps like I've got, but you can always upgrade your unit, and you shouldn't have to buy another chip.

The info on this chip is simply taken from the charts. If it appears more detailed, then they have a software program that magically "fills in the blanks" to look more contoured. They have not (re)surveyed the lake since back in the 50's.

Fishing in August on LOTW Canadian waters is solid. Walleyes are still on the humps.

[Eastwind]

When I said I drove over an island I only meant that the GPS showed me to be on the island when I was actually off of it by 20' to 30'. As far as the fishing in mid August goes, I have been there the past two Augusts and did extremely well one year and just okay the next. The key is to keep trying different types of structure and different areas. It will absolutely be better fishing than you will find in MN during August.

[jerkin'm]

Yeah, I understood what you meant, I did "drive over an island" though..I have fished a smaller lake up in the Crow vicinity in August and done very well also, just thought it would be fun to try LOW as well..

[Hemlock]

The only thing my gps has steered me wrong, if you will, is it showed my track on the way home, going on the wrong side of buoys. This is a bad thing, if you don't have the know how. I mean you have to understand the rules of the road and stay to the right of the red returning. (returning, always means to Kenora on Lake of the Woods) If it weren't for that knowledge, I would've followed my track from the way up and cracked a rock on the way home because I was trusting my gps too much. They do have error, and they are simply tools to help you through things.

[mcmsek]

Any tips on what the best brand/model is the best to buy if I want a GPS to put lake maps on for under $500.

[Scoot]

Do you want a handheld unit or a fixed graph/gps unit? For handhelds, I like a lot of the units out. I like the IFinder, the Infotrack Sport, and the 60c (the 60c's screen is a little small for me, but it's a nice unit). For a graph/gps unit, I've got a 332c and love it. For the money, I don't think you can beat a 332c.

Regarding these chip questions, I can't wait for the Lakemaster work to get done on LOW- those 1 foot contours on what is already done is REALLY impressive.

[Hemlock]

Scoot, what has Lakemaster done to LOW on the CDN side?