I am looking to upgrade my only electronic on my boat. I currently have a L-HDS5 Gen1 at the wheel. I am currently looking into a Helix 9 si. My question is would I benefit more by having the Helix at the console  or at my feet on the bow? 

My thoughts were this, I would have it up front then down the road get a 99x or 88x model and have it at the console. Not sure this would make since or not.

Thoughts?
 

My boat came with a simple finder mounted at the console.  I then bought a Garmin 93SV and had the same question as you.  I ended up mounting it at the console and I'm happy with that.  It seems I use the unit while I'm motoring around, looking for structure and fish.  Once I find a spot I want to fish, I'm fishing and don't have much need to look at the screen.  I thought I'd be buying another unit to mount up front, but I'm really not sure I need/want it enough to spend the money.

I'll be interested to read other posts in this thread... maybe I'm missing something.

Tight lines,

Bob

I use Humminbird Side Imaging at the console and bow. Either place is good.

"down the road" for a 800 or 900 series will have to be a used unit. All the number series models are discontinued and have been replaced by the Helix series.

2 minutes ago, desmobob said:

My boat came with a simple finder mounted at the console.  I then bought a Garmin 93SV and had the same question as you.  I ended up mounting it at the console and I'm happy with that.  It seems I use the unit while I'm motoring around, looking for structure and fish.  Once I find a spot I want to fish, I'm fishing and don't have much need to look at the screen.  I thought I'd be buying another unit to mount up front, but I'm really not sure I need/want it enough to spend the money.

I'll be interested to read other posts in this thread... maybe I'm missing something.

Tight lines,

Bob

I watch my sonar screens all the time.

If you are only having one unit, it would depend on the lakes you fish.  If you fish larger lakes, I think I would have it on the console.  But if you are fishing smaller lakes that you know well, then up front would probably be best.  I too, look at my electronics constantly.  Even more so since I've installed Panoptix with DownVu on the trolling motor.  Pretty sure it would really suck to not have units on the console and the front deck.  Gotta do what is best for you.

 

SE Kansas grass grower 

On March 16, 2016 at 9:45 PM, desmobob said:

My boat came with a simple finder mounted at the console.  I then bought a Garmin 93SV and had the same question as you.  I ended up mounting it at the console and I'm happy with that.  It seems I use the unit while I'm motoring around, looking for structure and fish.  Once I find a spot I want to fish, I'm fishing and don't have much need to look at the screen.  I thought I'd be buying another unit to mount up front, but I'm really not sure I need/want it enough to spend the money.

I'll be interested to read other posts in this thread... maybe I'm missing something.

Tight lines,

Bob

 

On March 16, 2016 at 9:47 PM, Wayne P. said:

I use Humminbird Side Imaging at the console and bow. Either place is good.

"down the road" for a 800 or 900 series will have to be a used unit. All the number series models are discontinued and have been replaced by the Helix series.

I watch my sonar screens all the time.

 

I guess if I was fishing in deeper water, I'd want to be watching the screen all the time.  Where I fish, I'd guess I'm in 6' or less of water the majority of the time I'm fishing, and casting to areas that wouldn't show up on the screen.

Tight lines,

Bob

3 hours ago, desmobob said:

 

 

I guess if I was fishing in deeper water, I'd want to be watching the screen all the time.  Where I fish, I'd guess I'm in 6' or less of water the majority of the time I'm fishing, and casting to areas that wouldn't show up on the screen.

Tight lines,

Bob

I fish in less than 6' and see fish and stuff out to the SI range I have set. That is usually 50' left and right or 30'-60'  radius using the 360.

There is a bass at the lower left of the display that I caught after watching it being recorded, I was in less than 4'. That fish was about 75' from the boat when it was recorded.

I watched this bass moving in this laydown and cast where I was and caught it. It was in less than 4' also.

 

This is another bass that was a the laydown at about 3' depth:

 

Very interesting information thank you all for your input. 

2 hours ago, Wayne P. said:

I fish in less than 6' and see fish and stuff out to the SI range I have set. That is usually 50' left and right or 30'-60'  radius using the 360.

There is a bass at the lower left of the display that I caught after watching it being recorded, I was in less than 4'. That fish was about 75' from the boat when it was recorded.

I watched this bass moving in this laydown and cast where I was and caught it. It was in less than 4' also.

 

This is another bass that was a the laydown at about 3' depth:

 

Jesus your unit must cost more than your boat lol