Hummingbird or Lowrance

[bemidjibasser]

St. Croix- The 520 or 522 is a good unit. I have had mine for a couple years now and really haven't had any problems with it other than having to replace a transducer. The internal antenna is very useful if you like to ice fish as well. If you get the power cod that plugs into the cigarette lighter you can run this unit in the winter in your truck or on a fourwheeler/ sled. You might want to check out reed's store, they have all of the last years models on sale, including the 520/522 and the lcx 27/28 if I remember right. I have no experience withthe birds, so I can't help there.

[reddog]

Has anyone tried the NVB from Hummingbgird. Where you dont have to have a chip at all, and all the information is built into the unit. I have looked at these here at work, and they look awesome. talking with a good friend of mine, say they are awesome that you dont have to always change chips if you fish in alot of different areas.l

The biggest problem with the NVB package, is that it is from 2006. I believe that it could be a good deal, should you have the luxury to fish all over the country, but that is not the way it is for me. so I stuck with the unbundled packange and I already owned the 08 North, which works for everywhere I fish.

[gunning]

The SI is cool stuff. There is a yahoo group for side imaging you can really learn a lot about how to use that unit and how to interpret what you are seeing. They have a bunch of cool pictures. If you are looking into getting a SI unit or have one I would check it out. Just google yahoo side imaging.

[moviking]

OK! seeing how I live in MO. how good would the SI work in the trees in the water. Seems to me you would see a lot of of every thing. Dietz says anyone can learn to operate them. HA

[Deitz Dittrich]

LMAO @ Mov!!!

[Cecil]

Croix, have you thought about getting the HDS5?

[st.crioxfishin]

I have looked at the HDS5, from the things that I have read about them so far I'm not sure if I want one. have they fixed the initial problems with it such as water getting inside the unit and being able to accept the newer nav cards? If so I may take a harder look at them. I recently found a decent deal on a HB 917c Combo for $744.99 so I might take that deal. right now I'm just doing a bunch of looking, never had a gps unit and want to make sure I make the right choice.

[PerchJerker]

I have looked at the HDS5, from the things that I have read about them so far I'm not sure if I want one. have they fixed the initial problems with it such as water getting inside the unit and being able to accept the newer nav cards? If so I may take a harder look at them. I recently found a decent deal on a HB 917c Combo for $744.99 so I might take that deal. right now I'm just doing a bunch of looking, never had a gps unit and want to make sure I make the right choice.

It sounds like the water intrusion was a problem with some of the very first units and they were recalled, at least that's what they've been saying. I haven't heard from anyone who's had a water intrusion problem with their HDS, so hopefully it is a thing of the past.

The update for the Nav cards is due in April, I don't think it's been released yet though.

[gunning]

Does anyone run the humminbird quadrabeam plus transducer.

[SimilarIsland]

Does anyone run the humminbird quadrabeam plus transducer.

Yes, I run it on my 917 on the bow trolling motor.

[st.crioxfishin]

similarisland, how do you like the 917 unit? I'm considering getting it

[SimilarIsland]

similarisland, how do you like the 917 unit? I'm considering getting it

I like the 917 and I was able to get the dealer to give me a quadra transducer which ends up being the same as a 957. I network it with my 997si on the console. That being said, if I had to do it over again, I would go for another 997si or smaller 7 series si on the bow. At the time, I didn't realize si would work on a trolling motor so well. The 917 with the quadra transducer gives you some view/indication to the sides, depending on water depth. The 2d power of the 917 is only half of what the 997 is, so it's not quite as good in deeper water on the 2d. Of course, it's not nearly as expensive either. If I wasn't tainted so bad with the si, I would probably love the 917.

[matthothand]

I just picked up my HDS unit and am pretty jazzed. Hopefully it treats me right. If not...hey, it's just a pile of money.

[bassNspear]

pile of money is right. Im not sure if i would be into them yet. I hope they are good units. Im a bird fan, and i have fallin in love with all there 7 inch and bigger units.

[polarsusd81]

I knew a good deal about the 'Birds before last night, but the seminar at Thorne pretty much sealed the deal. I am going to start saving for a 997. That reminds me, I should check my lottery ticket from last night. LOL.