Which plotter/depthfinder?

[SnakePlissken]

Looking to add a plotter and depth/fish finder to my boat and can't decide which one I like the best. I think I've narrowed it down to these two and would appreciate any comments or thoughts.
Hummingbird 587ci HD (5" screen with 640x480 res) @$364
Lowrance Elite 5 DSI (5" screen with 480x480 res) @@375

Not sure how important the down scan imaging is but I guess it would be nice. I'm leaning to the hummingbird not only for the price but also for the higher resolution. Anyone got others in the less than $500 range to consider?

[Lariverdog]

I'm an offshore guy and paid considerably more for my garmin setup. That being said, I've never been impressed with hummingbird products. I'd save a tad more and go with the furuno GP1670F. You will be shocked what a difference it makes. It's like buying a $1000 rifle and putting a $40 tasco scope on hit. You can't hit what you can't see, you can't catch what you can't find.

[SnakePlissken]

I'll check it out but I'm an inshore and lake guy. Also, my boat is more of a pleasure boat (bowrider) that I want to fish out of at times. Unfortunately my wife wouldn't let me buy a true fishing boat. I don't have to do anything today (just put my boat in for winterization) so I'll keep reading and checking around.

[Barking 13]

Both of those units would serve you well... you would be amazed at the DSI. My ultimate setup would be a couple or three HDS10's or 8's networked. Two on the bow and one at the console. Console unit would be for navigation = gps / down / side scan, the front two, zoomed gps split screeen / structure scan, and zoomed side and down scan.. Problem is, I don't have ~10k to spend on depthfinders..lol

I guess I'll just have to do with my trusty 520/522's... I'm seriously looking at an HDS5 or 7... I can still network it with the 520/522's

[BeastMan]

Guys, yall are speaking a different language and I like it. We have a pretty basic and cheap depth finder and that is it. Everywhere we fish from the Biloxi Marsh to Cat Island is done strictly on memory and experience and a basic compass. We've been talking about adding a GPS where we could pre-program coordinates to all of our favorite spots. It would also help immensely when fishing any marsh area. It's easy to get lost in there if you're not careful.

[Barking 13]

Beast, most of my fishing is done on the Tenn Tom and Pickwick. Although part of the same system, Columbus and Pickwick have very little in common. Columbus / Aliceville / Aberdeen, etc., is very shallow and hard to get lost on, but I still use the GPS waypoints to mark small points or humps, holes, ditches, etc in usually less than 15 ft of water. This helps me line up on certain pieces of structure or cover. Now at Pickwick / Bay Springs it's a lot different. The structure could be as much as 40 ft deep and finding a hump in a 200 acre area is next to impossible. As well as the sheer size of the impoundment, you can get turned around in a hurry if you don't know where you're going... especially at night...

some of the best fishermen I know at Pickwick use a system like described in the previous post. But don't get me wrong. 10k in sonar / gps units won't automatically make anyone a better angler. You still have to spend time on the water and learn how to interpret the system as a whole. (and lots of it)

[BeastMan]

I wasn't downing it at all. I was saying how nice it would be to have. Out method does have error. For instance, last time we went to the Biloxi marsh it was pretty rough and the compass was doing some moving. We ended up a bit more west than we intended. Heading out from BSL, it would be nice to have the places we like that are out of vision, marked and plotted out digitally

[Natedogg33]

I have all Hummingbird on my Skeeter. 986csi in the back and have a 386 ci on the front. Love the 986, the side imager is great once you figure it out. Love the color GPS. Like the color imager on the front. With that being said, from what I've heard, the Lowrance is the way to go. The down imager is frickin awesome. I just dont have enough experience with Lowrance for me to justify changing. Fish with a few folks, and get some idea in what you want the units to do.

[Natedogg33]

Excuse me, but I misthought my front depth finder. It's a 586c.

[Barking 13]

Nate, what Skeeter do you have? I've got an 05 SX-180 115 hammer 4 stroke.. just right for what I fish, but if I fished PW more I'd like a 20i or Z20

[Natedogg33]

I have a ZX202. No carpet, like a bay boat. 225 Yamaha. It's an older boat, '00, but I like the way it's set up.

[Barking 13]

202 is a good hull.... you're probably running a 25 or 26 pitch and hittin about 68?