O.K. guys, I just got my bonus from work, and I am buying a GPS combo unit for the console,and a regular unit for the bow(both color).  Do I go with Humminbird or Lowrance?  I need to keep it at around 1200-1400 dollars.  Thanks.

If you look around you can find the h'bird 900 series combo gps and side imaging unit for around $1500 and now they have the 797 series with with the gps and side imaging with the smaller screen for around $900.  I have never used any lowrance units with gps and currently have the hbird 737 and the 767(and happyw with their perfomance),  I wish they would have had the 797 last year.  I think the side imaging is the cats bottom.

Look here: http://www.fishfinder-store.com/humminbird-fishfinder.html

Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

If you go Humminbird. You can get two 787c2i at $650 each for bow and consol and get their new interlink for $150 that lets both units share info. this way what ever you save on one is saved and seen on the other.  The two uits will work together. that is right at your $1400 limit

I have a 787c and a Matrix 87c, which are almost the same unit. Im getting an interlink shortly. The 787c is a great unit

my opinion is lowrance.  The new 522c is 650 or 700 dollars and then you can get the 102c for the bow and its about 400 i believe.  Then you still have a couple hundred for more fishing stuff!!

Go with the Humminbird 787c2 ($649) on the console then add either a Humminbird 777c2 ($500) or 747c ($400) , both gps ready, to the bow. Connect the 2 units together with and interlink ($100). The interlink will allow you to use the gps antenna from the 787 to work on the 777 or 747, so you will have gps functionality at both spots. You will also be able to share waypoints between units and marking a spot on one will automatically create a waypoint on the other. Like HPBB said the 787c2 is an awesome unit. For the same price as the 522 from lowrance you get more power and higher screen resolution and a true dual beam transducer. The 777c2 is the exact same as the 787 execpt for the gps antenna the 747 has lower screen resolution. The brand new 797cs SI($1000) would be the best option as it has features that nothing from lowrance can touch, but it would put you over your budget for the entire system.

I went with a Hummingbird Matrix 97 last summer, and added the side-scan. The unit was only about $700, and I have no complaints at all.  Really good performance and picture, accurate boat speed, full GPS goodies, easy to understand.  Put in Hot-maps, with lots of detail.  Total for all- just over $950.

I thought I might want a bit larger screen, but after using it I don't have any problems with it.  I have it mounted on the driver console front with a swivel base; I can see it from either seat when fishing.  This is the primary sonar for the boat, but you cannot show both the down and side transducer pictures at once- you have to flip a selector switch.  

Side scan is really nice, but being able to direct it is important- and mounted on your troller, it's a bit impractical.  Got an answer for that.  I converted the Garmon sonar I had before to a targeting side-scanner, mounted separately. This outfit clamps to any of 4 boat cleats and fits over the side.  The mount holds the display head, so everything is in one spot. There's a handle on top of the drop tube; it tilts the transducer at the bottom. Tilt the handle up to see anywhere from vertical to horizontal, or rotate 360 to look sideways all around the boat- at any angle.  The tubular handle always points exactly where the transducer is looking.  

Now we have the Hummingbird being monitored by the front man, the garmin side-pointer at the rear.  Everybody's happy!

I bought the Eagle 500C which is a Sonar and GPS in one unit. I LOVE it and with the $150 lake topo chip in it -- it is hard to beat. I would buy another one unless I would buy that Hummingbird side sonar unit.

  $500 for the Unit

+$150 for the chip

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= $750 ready to go

x   2     units

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= $1500          for two top of the line color sonar/color gps units and you are SET!!!