Hi, mostly new to bass fishing and recently purchased my first bass boat, a 2026 Xpress H18 w/Yamaha Sho. Have owned boats in the past, but just duck boats. Really want to get my 5 year old into fishing so decided this would be a good starting point!

 

My question is centered on electronic setup. I have been doing a lot of research on reading the Helix 5 it comes with on the dash and need to go out and get some practice utilizing the side and down imaging and get a grasp on understanding it. But am starting to dip my toes in on some budget friendly ($750-1500) electronics upgrades as well as an upgraded TM to something with spotlock/ipilot. What would be some recommendations on what to put at the dash versus the bow. Not looking at live imagining, hence the budget. But want something that’s a little larger, easier to see. 
 

TIA!

Pick your poison as far as manufacturers but in my opinion, keeping costs to a minimum, 1-12 inch unit at the console is enough coupled with another unit on the bow.  They can be split screened to show side scan, down scan, 2d and mapping and still be readable.  If you find fewer suit your needs, even better as far as fitting all on 1 screen.  I’m pretty old school and know my graphs pretty well so I can do a 9 at the console and an 8 on the bow.  Console is running 2d and mapping most of the time and front is down scan/side scan.  

Is that $1500 for both a trolling motor AND electronics?  That will be tough since the cheapest spotlock TM will be almost that (around $1200 for a powerdrive I think).

 

First, figure out what you want to do with each and what is important to you.  Absent FFS, there isn't much I'd use the one on the bow for.  If you are fishing offshore and using it for positioning on waypoints then sure.  Forget side and down imaging in the front- I just don't use it that way.  For going down the bank fishing, you don't need anything more than depth really.  And seeing the grains of rice looking dots while 5' from the screen (standing up) is tough. Heck, I think I look at my bow unit for the TIME more than anything when I'm fishing in an evening (I'm usually fishing heavier cover with power lures so FFS doesn't play).  Occasionally I'll use it with FFS to see where the grassline is out ahead of me, but I could just make a cast or two to find that out also.

 

On the console, side and down/2D are important for me to find 'stuff'- rock and brush piles, contours, etc.  My default view on the console unit is side on top (full screen width) with 2D and DI+ on the bottom.  SI to broadly find things and 2D/DI to confirm what it is with a different view.  My usual method is to mark waypoints that way and then swap to FFS on the bow when I go check them out.

 

Trolling motor wise, it would help to know what you have now to know what an upgrade is.  The standard on that boat is a minn kota edge so I'll assume that's what you have and you want to stay with minn kota/johnson outdoors.  That is the edge 45# per express's website.  A jump to a 24V 80# spotlock unit would be a nice jump.  You've got powerdrive as the base model at $1600 (24V/70#/54") and that's just about the cheapest spotlock option (the 12V lower thrust are a little cheaper).  

9 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

Is that $1500 for both a trolling motor AND electronics?  That will be tough since the cheapest spotlock TM will be almost that (around $1200 for a powerdrive I think).

Thanks for the tips!

 

750-1500 was for the electronics only. Planning on another 1500 budget for TM.

Your XPress should have a TM with spot lock as standard equipment. Spot lock is essential today!

My suggestion to shorten your learning curve is hire a good guide that can teach you how to use today’s sonar units, money well spent!

The type of sonar comes down to where and how you bass fish. For example shoreline fishing you don’t need State of the Art FFS live scanning sonar, 2D down and side scan is all anyone needs IMO.

Tom

PS, I have my sons spinning rod he used when 5 years old. I set the rod with an Omega Zebco 154 Trigerspin reel, but can’t remember if I have the reel? 
Will send it to you if interested for shipping cost, PM me.

32 minutes ago, ClemsonCody said:

Thanks for the tips!

 

750-1500 was for the electronics only. Planning on another 1500 budget for TM.

 

In that case, think about what you want to use everything for and what your future might look like.  You have helix 5 now which won't network.  If it was how I run things, I would stick that on the front so that you have depth and 2D there, maybe maps.  Then get a new console unit.  Which one?  In Hbird you only have one good choice- xplore 9".  The helix is discontinued.  It is not touch screen.  The helix 9/10 is a good unit and if you have a full boat of them I wouldn't change.  But you don't have any yet and are starting fresh.  So start fresh with the most future compatible unit.  Then in the future you can network things together (the xplore9 should network to a one boat network powerdrive already).

17 minutes ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Your XPress should have a TM with spot lock as standard equipment. Spot lock is essential today!

 

You would think that.  But the difference between an edge 45 and an entry spotlock is nearly $1k.  Add in margin and fees and that's $1200-1500 added onto the cost of a new boat which is a pretty hefty sticker shock.  Also, the entry level spotlock motors are all electric drive and lots of people don't like that.  For some people, spotlock is only a nice to have so the extra cost isn't worth it.  That said, on a high end boat (not a tracker) I'd think it should be there.

 

I'm surprised that one of the major motor manufacturers hasn't come out with a basic spotlock cheaper than the powerdrive just for this occasion.  Not for retail sale, just for sale to boat builders.  If they could make one at the $700-900 MSRP price point equivalent (discounted for B2B buying) that would be a no brainer.  

I’ll refine my comments.  If you are going to nothing but beat the banks, then yes, a front graph is optional but I have yet to see a bass boat without one.  I find my front unit highly useful finding the drops and weedlines where they start and stop out from the bank and structure that could be 50 feet from the bank but still fishable and easily spotted on side scan.  Personally, I couldn’t function without a front graph regardless of whether I am pounding a bank or fishing off shore more.  It’s my underwater eyes.  

I'm with @TOXIC.  If I didn't have a graph up front I would fish from the console.  😆

 

Even if I'm fishing the bank I want to know how deep the water is under me.  I also like to see the map to know the structure around me.

You should be able to find a pair of graphs for the budget presented.

 

I would go with the biggest size screen you can afford at each spot. If they are the same version, you can link them. So when you mark something on one, it also shows up on the other.

 

For ultimate compatibility, certain brands link with each other:

Garmin and the kraken

Humminbird and certain minnkota models

Lowrance and the ghost

1 hour ago, gim said:

You should be able to find a pair of graphs for the budget presented.

 

I would go with the biggest size screen you can afford at each spot. If they are the same version, you can link them. So when you mark something on one, it also shows up on the other.

 

For ultimate compatibility, certain brands link with each other:

Garmin and the kraken

Humminbird and certain minnkota models

Lowrance and the ghost

 

You could get an Elite FS 7 and FS 9 for $1500, but you’d need to add some more to be able to network them. And then if you wanted to add a compatible trolling motor that’s $3300 for the cheapest Recon.  Garmin would be similar.  I don’t think two is a practical choice at $1500, but it depends what the OP is going to do with them.  At least having the helix means he can put that in the lowest priority spot and get a single ‘good’ unit for the other.  Then upgrade in the future.  

@TOXIC @casts_by_fly and everyone else, thanks for all the input!

 

I know I’ll be bumping my TM budget up in order to get atleast a Terrova, maybe and Ultrex. That being said, I went with Humminbird graphs. Went ahead and got the Xplore 9 for the console, installed in yesterday flawlessly and ran it today and everything looked good, transducer seems perfectly parallel/level. Next time BPS runs another 10% off for Club members, gonna get the 12 for the bow.

 

Thanks again for all the input and suggestions!

On 8/15/2025 at 6:42 PM, ClemsonCody said:

@TOXIC @casts_by_fly and everyone else, thanks for all the input!

 

I know I’ll be bumping my TM budget up in order to get atleast a Terrova, maybe and Ultrex. That being said, I went with Humminbird graphs. Went ahead and got the Xplore 9 for the console, installed in yesterday flawlessly and ran it today and everything looked good, transducer seems perfectly parallel/level. Next time BPS runs another 10% off for Club members, gonna get the 12 for the bow.

 

Thanks again for all the input and suggestions!

you won’t be sad about that setup. That’s exactly what I have and I love it. Sure, having a pair of 12’s on the console would make my life easier but the xplore touch screen and processor are so fast you can flick between views really fast while you’re looking.