Graph/GPS

[kt]

I'm looking to get a new Graph/GPS combo this year before the season starts. Just looking for a little info on quality units in the 500-1000 dollar range. Thanks in advance for any info.

[TonkaBass]

Pretty hard tp go wrong with Lowrance. They are very nice units backed by awesome customer service!

[Bigeye30"]

 Originally Posted By: TonkaBass

Pretty hard tp go wrong with Lowrance. They are very nice units backed by awesome customer service!

Lowrance does make a great product,(when they function accordingly) that much I will give them. But as far as customer service, well let's just say that there will never be another Lowrance product purchased by me, and our family has been with Lowrance since the Green Box. I don't want to get into a debate over this and I'm not going to offer up the details as this is not what the post was intended for, a bashing of one or another company.

If you do your research there's really only two companies that will probably be in your selection, the only reason I say this is due to the dealers in this state, most only carry Lowrance and Hummingbird as well as eagle but there owned by lowrance and usually found in the lower end units. Nothing wrong with them just that I don't think you'll find many if any in that price range. I would compare those two, I think since you posted in the Bass forumn your primary species that you fish is bass, if I were you I would highly recommend Hummingbird for the sole reason of Side Imaging, having the ability to scan under docks and around brush would be tough to beat, I'm in the same situation and have been doing some research lately as well, the one negative of hummingbird is that they only take navionics chips, where as Lowrance will take either lakemaster or navionics chips, screen size also seems to be a bit smaller on the hummingbirds, but the side imaging feature is something only hummingbird has. Peak Power is what what gives you your bottom reading (2400,4000 Watts etc) and pixels define your clarity. I've been comparing a few different models between the two. The lowrance internal gps antenna scares me a bit after reading some reviews and talking to some of the dealers, from what I gathered it's due to a heat issue, so if your going to be mounting the unit behind a windshield there is a good possibility of having the gps blank out for a small period of time, most have noted until the unit cools down a bit, of course you can add the external puck for a little additional money to solve this. Look around and talk to the different retailers in your area, all the ones that I have talked with have been very helpfull, I would also look at some retailers sites as many have product reviews, the one thing that I have found is that pricing seems to be set by the manufactures or so I feel, I haven't found any store that seems to be really lower than another, unless there running some sort of special promotion, I know alot of people as well as dealers that love lowrance but with the experience I had with them I am certianly going hummingbird. Good luck in your purchase. I look forward to hearing what others have to say.

[Central Bassman]

I agree that i think you might want to spend a little more money and get a side imaging unit. I think it is the best unit money can buy right now. The only problem i have with Hummingbird is that you can't use a Lakemaster Chip!!! I run a Lowrance now and love it, but if i could up grade units it would be to a Side Imaging. My customer service with Lowrance has been nothing but the best.

[kt]

In a perfect world i would love to get one of those humminbird SI's, but at the moment I can't afford that much (still payin off college loans and vehicle loans). I guess another question i have is do u prefer to have the gps at the console or at the bow, I can see positives with both, just wondering what some of you would vote for.

[Central Bassman]

I would just put the gps on the console, and mount it with a ram mount. That way you can turn it and use it when you are fishing on the bow and when you are driving your boat.

[Wayne Ek]

I've had nothing but great customer service from Lowrance. And no I do not staff for them. For me the jury is still out on side imaging for bass guys. Since we do alot of shallow water stuff and alot of deep weed-line fishing I want to sit in a boat with a side scan working and see how it reacts to deep weedlines. I would not rule out Garmin. I've owned a couple of them and was happy with their performance. Now I run Lowrance both front and console

[olski]

It's true the SI is very cool. But the navionics chip is not the only down fall. (I guess I don't really see it as a downfall though kind of a ford, chevy thing I think.) As of now no high speed transducer so if you want to see depth as your are running at high you either need a second unit or a second transducer glued in the hull with a switch. As for the new internals they have done alot of work on them and they are quite a bit better. So I guess my 2 cents worth would be take a good look at the 520 or 522 lowrance units.

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[Spazzums08]

Highly reccomend the 520s and the 522s. Where are you planning on mounting the unit? Inside your windshield, on the bow, stern, the console?

[bassNspear]

I would agree with everyone else. Run the 522c. Its close to your price range, and its going to have everything that you are looking for with the money you want to spend. The Hummin sides are awesome, but alot of money and still new,plus, no lakemaster chips

[kt]

Right now i have a decent eagle graph that i have been using for 3 years or so. So i will still be using that, i just have to decide what the new unit is going to be and where i am going to mount the new one. So my next question is, if you have two graphs, one being better quality and having gps compared to a decent other unit, where would you prefer to have the nicer graph, on the bow or the console. Right now my eagle is mounted on the console which has worked okay.

[Central Bassman]

Bow, As a bass angler we spend a lot of time fishing from the bow and having a good locator up on the bow can make the different from you catching fish or not. It is a lot easy to just look down see where you are and keep you on the spot.

[kt]

I was planning on putting it on the bow because that is where i spend most of my time by far, i was just looking to see if anyone has any opinions that would favor the console.

[olski]

I would have to agree with the better unit on the bow if thats were you spend your time. When people first here me say I have a 522 on the dash and an x27 on the bow the wonder why the bigger one on the front. Think about it the 522 is about 2 feet from my face at all times so the 5 inch screen is just fine but the 27 is closer to 6 feet away. The bigger screen further away makes sence to me.

[kt]

One more question about my new graph, have any of you had problems with mounting the transducer on the trolling motor with regards to distortion or not picking up the bottom when using the motor at high speed?

[jermisch]

I have not...my depthfinder does the same thing with the trolling motor running or off and it is a cheapy...