Ok I have a lake a want to make a map of.  What is my best and cheapest option. I have purchased the humminbird helix 5 and it will run either.  Im knew to these map chip things and have never used one.  Would the navionics chip record the contours of the lake bottom for me?

Navionics on my HDS 9/12 actually brings up the depth and contours of the lake. Just make sure to get the info on which card your lake is on. Guntersville and Parksville is on a different chip than my local lakes.

The answer depends mainly on the whereabouts of the lakes you're fishing.

Lakemaster has only recently expanded their cartography to southern waters.

If I were living in the upper midwest, I would definitely opt for Lakemaster,

but living in Florida, Navionics clearly gets the nod.

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of Lakemaster's accuracy in South Carolina.

 

Roger

Navionics on my HDS 9/12 actually brings up the depth and contours of the lake. Just make sure to get the info on which card your lake is on. Guntersville and Parksville is on a different chip than my local lakes.

 

The answer depends mainly on the whereabouts of the lakes you're fishing.

Lakemaster has only recently expanded their cartography to southern waters.

If I were living in the upper midwest, I would definitely opt for Lakemaster,

but living in Florida, Navionics clearly gets the nod.

Unfortunately, I'm not aware of Lakemaster's accuracy in South Carolina.

 

Roger

Well this small lake I fish does not have a map one does not exist, most of the waters I fish do not have a topo map so basically im wanting a system that will scan the lake and make a topo map.

I haven't used your particular system, but my HDSs with structure scan will let me pace back and forth through the area and actually scan the bottom. Your hummingbird have that?

I haven't used your particular system, but my HDSs with structure scan will let me pace back and forth through the area and actually scan the bottom. Your hummingbird have that?

I actually have a lowrance that I think has that, its a small unit. But what I am wanting is a contour map of my lakes on my unit.  Auto chart I know does that by you driving around and it scans the bottom then you take the chip out and download onto your computer and it creates a detailed topo map of were you drove around at.  Is that what you mean?

You can do that. Mine gives me the ability to actually save it to the SD card and I can turn said overlay on and off in the menus. I use it for tourney fishing and I'll go through and scan coves to get detailed scans. My roommate has gone as far as scanning his to his computer and then printing them off on a plotter. Basically making a homemade physical map.

FIrst of all you don't do recordings on a map card EVER.

 

You record on a blank formatted card, the Helix has a microSD card reader. 

Get a 4 or 8 GB microSD card and a SD card adaptor.

Record on that card and then you can use either Lakemaster Auto Charts or Navionics Sonar Charts for the map processing.

The Lakemaster version is private and you do the processing and map creation.

The Navionics is shared on the Navionics map server and can be downloaded by anyone and is viewed on the Navionics website's Web App.

 

The Lakemaster version is computer software that you purchase and install on your computer to process the recordings to load to a Zeroline card.

 

The Navionics Sonar Charts is FREE with the Navionics+ map card. You upload your recordings to the Navionics server and they make the map for you and then let you know the data has been processed so you can download it to the Navionics+ card.  That is what I use

 

If you want more detailed information about it, just PM me.

I have done more than 200 recordings that have been processed with Navionics Sonar Charts.

Well this small lake I fish does not have a map one does not exist, most of the waters I fish do not have a topo map so basically im wanting a system that will scan the lake and make a topo map.

 

I have a Humminbird Onix and chart my own contour lines using AutoChart Live.

It's a very time-consuming task and is only fun when you're boating alone.

I always feel guilty using AutoChart, because my wife has to fish from a boat moving 5 mph 

 

Roger

I wouldn't recommend a micro. Had a few where the connection failed between the SD base and the card. Spend the money and get a high quality sd.

I wouldn't recommend a micro. Had a few where the connection failed between the SD base and the card. Spend the money and get a high quality sd.

Some units just have a microSD card reader. A SD card will not fit. 

The Humminbird Helix models and some of the newer Lowrance units just have a microSD card reader.

 

The Navionics cards are all microSD with a SD adpator. Been that way since mid 2010.

Just bought one for our lakes this year. Full size sd card. Got upset when I went back to BPS for a rod and they had it on sale.

Just bought one for our lakes this year. Full size sd card. Got upset when I went back to BPS for a rod and they had it on sale.

If you just bought a Navionics card it is a microSD inside a SD adaptor. LOOK

Nope. A full sized sd card. And don't say it's fake, it was bought sealed from BPS.

Nope. A full sized sd card. And don't say it's fake, it was bought sealed from BPS.

 

Post a picture of the card

My navionics card is also a full sized sd card

If you bought a Navionics card in the last 4-5 years it is a microSD inside a SD adaptor like the black card here:.

The blue one was prior to 2010 and is a SD.