Bow graph recommendations

[Jaypo]

I am looking for a graph for the bow of my boat. Have a Lowrance 520c on the console and want something that will leverage the universal sonar in the trolling motor. Is a Lowrance x50ds going to be enough or am I better off going higher. Other options would be the Lowrance x125 or x67c.

Love to know what others feel is enough and why. Where would your cost/benefit trade-off lie?

Mostly bass fish with occasional big water in a fiberglass fish n' ski Skeeter.

[Hookmaster]

I ugraded from a flasher to a graph last summer using the universal sonar. I went with a FishMark 480. Not to expensive but 480 vertical pixels. This has 1500 watts of power which is good enough. A less expensive option is the FishMark 320 or 240 or the Humminbird 525.

[Central Bassman]

i'm guessing you really like the 520, if so the 50 isn't going to be good enough for you. If you are going to be standing a lot when fishing from the bow the bigger screen is nice.Lowrances makes Eagles and they are good units, they arnt the quietly of a lowrance but still good units. Its going to depend on how much you want to spend?? If you are going to use it a lot then spend the money man, it will just be less of a pain that way.

[Pherris]

As previously mentioned I would reccomend a big screen. I run a HB 937C. The two main reasons is the big screen and GPS. It allows you to work breaks,points, weedlines,bruspiles etc... very effetivly while still allowing you to to use the graph at the same time. I can watch my bait fall and see the fish come after it if I am fishing under the cone range, much like a vex in the winter. Really fun because I love to drop shot also, very effective. Good Luck with your decision. Good Fishing!!

[gowhenyoucan]

This may be a stretch for you but hear me out. Lowrance has come up with a new system in which you can use a new locator/gps combo on the console and transfer the information via hardwire to your bow Lowrance electronics. This allows you to use your "expensive", accurate info from the console anywhere(like a lakemaster chip or a plotted trail you have created). I employ a Lowrance 28C HD and route it up to a cheap adaptable gps/locator unit. You can still use the transducer in your electric trolling motor at the push of a button if you choose to do so from your bow. Good luck in your decision!

[delcecchi]

My my, the Cabelas guy told me wrong then. He said networking wouldn't eliminate the need for a chip in the front unit, but only allow sharing waypoints.

[Jaypo]

Sorry for the delayed response. Wife was close by when I was on the computer and we are close to fishing opener. Bad things happen in my house with that combo...

The networking option seems like the winner. Is there a special hookup for doing this or are the instructions readily accessible in the manuals?

[goose89]

I believe the guy at Cabela's was correct. The units are networked and share waypoints, but the chip in the console will not show up on the bow or vice versa. That's what I've been told and have experienced. If this is wrong, I'd like to know how to "share" a chip between Lowrances.

BTW, I had similar situation last year. I moved my 520 to the bow and got a 38 for the console and networked them off a GPS puck in back. The 520 works fine up front off my Minnkota US. Expensive route, but worth it to me. I fish quite abit out of the back of my boat, and couldn't see the 520's screen well,unless real close to it. The 38 is great, as is the 520 up front. Good luck.

[norma]

I too would recomend the big screen. I also was in the market for a bow mount graph. Currently there is a 332c and a global 3500c at the helm. Was at Cabelas the other week and in the bargin cave there was a LCX27c display only for $628. Went out the door with it. And thanks very much to John and Josh at Thorn Bros. They upgraded the GPS puck and both other units so the LCX 27 would recognize them on the network. At no cost I might add. And they had all of the cables I needed in stock. Guess I will be buying more stuff from there now.

And yes, the big screen lets me see both the gps and graph while I am sitting in the front chair.