I need some advice on fishfinders and chartplotters.  I want to upgrade my cheap electronics on both my dash and at the bow.  But I need to stay within $600 for both together.  So here is my line of thinking....

 

I'm leaning towards the the 3.5" display DI "only" at the dash to locate structure, brush piles, bait, fish, etc. idling with the big motor.

 

Then get the 3.5" DI with GPS for the bow so I can fish with the DI and mark waypoints as I fine tune the location, brush pile, etc. with the trolling motor.  

 

Am I thinking correctly on this???

 

Is there any reason to have standard 2D sonar if the DI is so clear and gives you a better picture?

 

Do you prefer Lowrance or Humminbird?

 

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance!

It depends on how you fish, mostly a casting distance away from shore or several hundred yards off shore.

My advice is buy the best units you can afford. The larger screen size should be on your console, not a built in small unit. GPS or chart plotting is needed when you are fishing off shore or pin pointing isolate structure or cover elements anywhere.

A smaller size unit can be utilized in the bow to help with boat control and keeping on areas you discovered using your larger console unit, both units can be net worked.

Whatever you do, consider color units, well worth the extra cost.

Technology changes quickly with marine electronics, with your limited budget last years state of the art models can often be found at a sale discount. The first thing is deciding what you need.

Tom

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Whatever you do, consider color units, well worth the extra cost.

Technology changes quickly with marine electronics, with your limited budget last years state of the art models can often be found at a sale discount. The first thing is deciding what you need.

Tom

With color in mind, what's more important color or DI? Considering a limited budget which is the must have?

With color in mind, what's more important color or DI? Considering a limited budget which is the must have?

My take. I'd rather have a color 2d graph. I've had DI on my SI units for 2 years and have never used the DI option.

They make a 3.5" screen? That is like a cell phone LOL.

 

Di does NOT replace standard 2d sonar. It is used with it to figure out what you are really seeing.

My personal sonar units are Lawrance that date back to 2005, the year I bought my last bass boat.

LCX-19C console unit and X510C bow unit. These pre date HD and for how I fish and where I fish the units are all I need. I can determine at what depth the thermocline is located, where bait fish are located and separate bass from both bottom structure and cover. To up date these units the cost is over $2,000 and I can get the state of the art at cost! Both side and down scanning would be great.

If I was a tournament angler competing for a pay check, I would up grade my units....The only tournament I fish any more are charity night tournaments and state of the art sonar isn't needed for fishing nights or during the day for fun fishing.

Color separates targets form cover or structure and is easier to see and clarity is important.

Tom

I recently upgraded to a Lowrance Elite 5 DSI Color and Chartplotter Combo, and let me tell you i regret it. I was looking for more of a traditional 2D sonar and didnt know it. Dont get me wrong the DSI is great for brushpiles, rocks, and such but as far as actually marking fish its not as good as the traditional 2D.. Keep that in mind. 

I'm not sure if it is feasible for you, but if it were me I would wait and save up the money to get a little nicer unit at the console. I think it would be worth the wait to get a side imaging unit. The extra features found in a Humminbird 798 will be used far more than two cheaper units. They can be found used online for $600-$800 all day.

I went in with $500 dollars today to Sportsmans Warehouse to buy one of two electronics for my boat. My first was going to be a large unit on the console. I had made up my mind on a DI Hummingbird then found the Lowrance 5x DSi on sale for $199.99. I picked up a Lowrance x-4 as well for the bow for $80. We have pretty small water here so I just could bring myself to spend 1k on them. The front electronic is just to have for a glance at depth and temp. Not really worried about "finding fish". So with my extra money I bought a new rod too!