Wayne P.

Centered gives the best tracking at the transom and bow. No "trouble shooting" required, simple physics.

First of all it is not an investment if you intend to use stuff and not sell it for more than you paid for it, it is an expense. If you intend to start a fishing business, invest in how much you are willing to loose and hope that you recover the investment and make a profit.

Did you have Switchfire set to Clear?

It does not have Navionics map software. I just has a base map that is just some color--Uni-map. The unit can read Navionics and Lakemaster map software. You may find a package that includes a Navionics+ map card.

Doesn't make sense that Briery Creek is not on the Bing map since it is older than Sandy River Res that is on the Bing map. If you want a HD contour map of those two lakes, purchase the Navionics Boating App for your smartphone or tablet. The HD map is the Sonar Charts map layer. If you have a sonar/GPS unit, the Navionics+ and Navionics Hotmaps Platinum East products can have that map layer if you download Sonar Charts to the card when updating. This is from one of my tablets:

Yes, if you never run the motor on a higher speed than medium.

710205-1 XTM 9 HDSI 180 T is the best one. 710204-1 XTM 9 SI 180 T is the trolling motor puck version of the transom Compact SI transducer that comes with the Helix 5, Helix 7, and Helix 9 SI models. That is from the transducer listing on the Humminbird web site. I have all three of those plus the HDSI for the ONIX.

The Eagle has a uni-plug for power and transducer. If the Elite has the same single connection, they would be interchangeable.

That hidden stump won't show up on Insight or Genesis. If you don't have a waypoint for it, no map is going to show you where it is.

Put the Garmin SideVu transducer on the other side of the transom in the same position.

I saw some on beds Monday at Briery and caught a few females that had not spawned. The water clairty is just a couple of inches so I was seeing them with Humminbird 360 in the 3'-6' depth range. Water temp around 70 degrees. I was there mostly doing some sonar unit testing, so I just checked one area then fished for four hours and caught 26 bass. My avatar was the effective presentation. The crappie were being a nuisance too:

Post a screen shot of the lines and a picture of your transducer installation. I suspect you see less or no lines due to the transducer not having water contact. Your transducer is submerged when sitting still or moving slowly. It has nothing to do with which brand, it's the sonar technology and its installation.

I agree, any Side Imaging is better than no Side Imaging. It's all about the coverage. What is it about CHIRP that makes you think you want it?

Understanding how/why fish arches are recorded has more to do with their display than whether or not a unit will record them. After all it is just sound in the water and recorded return echoes. It is all about time and distance within a sonar pulse that is strong enough to create a return echo. The time factor is boat speed and screen scroll speed. Either or both can affect how an arch is recorded. Distance is when a fish is first within the sonar pulse until it is out of range of the sonar pulse. The top of the arch is when the fish is closest to the transducer (distance). If you don't understand that, view the sonar tutorial on the Lowrance website.

The max spec depth range for Humminbird Side Imaging is 150'. It does Side Imaging, Down Imaging, 2D sonar and GPS/Mapping. Does not do CHIRP. That is the Helix 5 SI GPS you listed. One of the Humminbird Helix 5 DI models would have the sonar features of the Garmin Striker 5DV. There is a GPS and non-GPS model. The Garmin Striker 5DV does not do SideVu, only 2D sonar and DownVu.

I think that sign as been updated to include disconnecting the fuel line from the motor. I don't have a current picture of the signs. I will get one in a couple of days.

Hunting Run Reservoir:

Just pick the screen size that fits your budget. All the Side Imaging units do the same thing the same way. In current models there is the Helix 5 SI GPS, Helix 7 SI GPS, Helix 9 SI GPS, Helix 10 SI GPS, and Helix 12 CHIRP SI GPS. Then there is the top of the line ONIX 8 SI, ONIX 10 SI, ION 10 and ION 12. Bigger displays display stuff BIGGER There are about 20 discontinued models you may find new or used. Just look for SI in the model name.

For shallow water, the best brand and sonar technology is Humminbird Side Imaging. This is 200' of coverage in less than 4' depth:

With Navionics Sonar Charts and my sonar logs, this lake went from this: To this:

The only way to upgrade the transducer is call and arrange for it. There is a cost difference of about $85 including shopping. The HDSI transducer is more expensive than the Compact SI and is the standard one for the Helix 10 and Helix 12 SI models. It is worth the effort and cost to get sharper images. PM sent with more information.

The Lowrance 2D sonar transducer will not do Imaging in any form. Yes the Helix units come with a transducer that does all the functions the unit is capable of. The Helix 5 SI GPS, Helix 7 SI GPS, and Helix 9 SI GPS models come with the Compact SI transducer XNT 9 HDSI 180 T. All of those units will produce sharper images if you exchange that transducer for the XHS 9 HDSI 180 T. That is handled through Humminbird Customer Service.

JVD has one on his boat too as well as several others. Non-pro me has one also-- doesn't make them bite though. It gives you the opportunity to make a cast where they are--sometimes they bite.