Wayne P.

I use the Silver Buddy, Vault, and Krazy Blade. I only use them in cold water when the fish are on the bottom like this: This is a Krazy Blade catch at a different lake-- 8# 6 oz dink

That is not a stand-alone unit, it can be linked to another unit just like the 7" Humminbird 899ci HD SI Combo can for $999.99 MSRP. " no linking to another unit needed"

You will not find a new unit with a 9" display for under $1000 You will not find a unit that has the side looking imaging technology that does not have GPS/mapping. If you want the largest display stand-alone unit available with Down Imaging, Side Imaging, traditional sonar (2D) and GPS/ mapping for under $1000, that will be the 7" display Humminbird Helix 7 SI GPS due to be on the market in September. It was also awarded the "Best in Show" for electronics at ICAST this week. MSRP $699.99---less at a marine electronics dealer.

Additionally if you want to see a cartoon example of how a fish arch is recorded, go to the Lowrance website and locate the Sonar Tutorial. Towards the end is the arch cartoon. Additionally since time and distance is what forms the arch, the boat speed, fish speed, and/or unit screen scroll speed affects how and what size it is recorded.

A 2D display can only record the echos from "stuff" in the water. A fish has an air bladder. Air bubbles reflect sonar pulses. Echos are returned from suspended matter also, like leaves, trees, plankton and even temperature changes. An arch is recorded because a subject is first detected at the outer edge of its coverage, farthest from the transducer (beginning of the arch shape). As the subject passes through the sonar coverage it gets closer to the transducer. At the closest point it is directly under the transducer (peak of the arch). As the subject gets farther away, the other end of the arch is recorded until it is no longer detected. Bottom line is it has nothing to do with a fish's shape or even if it is a fish. It is entirely a result if time and distance of a subject within the sonar coverage. If you know your waters, then you would know if an arch is a representation of a fish or some other subject. There are several example of fish arches posted in the Screenshots topic above.,

It didn't show or tell how long you have to keep the line in the device to do the "weld". I suspect the "weld" is hot melt glue.

With the Radio Shack power supply in the link, you just connect the unit power cord red and black wires to the connectors on the power supply. Don't need anything else. That means you purchase a power cord that fits your unit (that is a Lowrance accessory), and the Radio Shack power supply. My setups are a little more complicated, but you don't need to know all of that.

No, I did not keep it. I don't keep any fish I catch. Too lazy to clean them, LOL CPR Catch Photograph Release I only bass fish and caught 46 more of them---larger though. That lake does need help from those that will kept them. The most bass I have caught there in a day is 184. At that lake, 50-100 a day is common------for me.

One of the lakes I fish has this sign posted: I caught this one at that lake Sunday:

I do that with my Humminbird units. Just need a power cord and a power source. I use converters from Radio Shack. http://comingsoon.radioshack.com/radioshack-13-8vdc-19a-power-supply/2200508.html#.VaZa765qyWI Most of the time I have at least two models on/beside my desk. As I type this, I have three. This is four units powered and one connected to a TV on the wall.

The real original Chatterbait by Rad Lures -- 1/4 oz with a Live Magic Shad trailer

Page 9 in the manual titled CURSER. You don't have the actual button like larger units do, but you have the menu item to exit the curser use that freezes the map.

It is about 14 miles from the mouth of S.Sauty to the city

EXIT after you do map searching so the GPS can function

Never saw a 2 piece model. I have one in a baitcast model--6' Medium I don't t think there is Spidercast rod or reel made anymore I have two Spidercast baitcast reels--one round and the other low profile. Check Ebay

I use Side Imaging at the bow. If you get a Helix model you cannot connect it to your 1198 to share data.

Yep, pretty much over by July 1st. I've only been fishing three days this month so far and only caught a total of 108 bass. Sort of pathetic.

Try Hunting Run Res a few miles West of Motts. It is loaded with bass. Need permits for that too. It's open to fishing Thursday through Sunday and holidays. Boat rentals too. Lots of these in the lake: Just need to find the right ones at the right depth for this time of year. I collected the data for a HD contour map there. You can see it on the Navionics website's Web App and can have it on your smartphone/tablet with the Navionics Boating App. I made a paper copy and it is in the check-in shed.

The maps on the Navionics website and on the Navionics Mobile App are current maps. If you get a unit that reads Navionics mapping, what you see on the Web App is what will be on the map card after you purchase it and do an update. A new purchase of Navionics mapping includes a year of Freshest Data Updates. The data is updated on the website daily "somewhere". I think they advertise 2000 edits a day around the world.

Humminbird Side Imaging is not speed sensitive, you adjust the unit for the boat speed. You can get clear sharp images from zero to about 12 MPH.

Yes, they can be RAM mounted--just attach the RAM mount to the included gimbal mount. You can get RAM mounts for all sorts of electronic devices- sonar units, radios, phones, computers, etc

If you are a bank beater, you have no use for any imaging and not so much even 2D sonar since you are looking at what you are fishing. The down looking imaging and 2D sonar shows what is under your kayak/boat. If you leave the security of the shoreline, then any imaging is better than no imaging since it will show what it looks like "down there".

It is wise to NOT adapt the included Compact SI transom transducer to a trolling motor. It is best to use the proper one for that application XTM 9 SI 180 T. That is trolling motor puck, needs no adapter, and has extra internal shielding to combat possible RFI. Another choice is the XTM 9 HDSI 180 T which will produce sharper images--more expensive. With a new purchase you can contact Humminbird Customer Service to arrange for an exchange of the unused, unopened mount package. There will be a cost difference.

Depending on the motor, connecting the sonar unit to the trolling motor battery may not be an issue. I did that for about 40 years with jon boats. Variable speed motors have the most issues with electronics.

The larger the display, the less pixels per square inch they will have, but the displayed subjects will be larger and easier to see. Additionally with a larger display, multiple views will be larger. There will be and additional Humminbird 7" display series out soon for a lower price, the Helix 7. That will give you a choice of a lower price standalone model, or a unit that can share data with another unit at a higher price with the 800 series.