Fish Finder Frequently Asked Questions Volume 8

Questions about fish finders? Send an email to webmaster@notjustfishing.com

Comments:
Lowrance 480M
I have owned my gps/fishfinder for a little over a year. overall the unit has been very effective, down falls to me are not in color (shouldn't have listened to salesman.) don't like the waypoint design of this unit. can be complicated to operate. upsides are very accurate gps, fishfinder very effective. If I would by another I would upgrade to color!
Captain Terry

Comments:
Eagle Cuda 242
Terrific unit, very clear display, fish ID accurate, I actually dropped a line to the depth and there were fish there. Had a Humminbird Platinum ID 600 previously, but could not purchase the replacement transducer for it at the cost of the Eagle 242.
Barry R

Comments:
Eagle SupraPro
I like my unit because it actually shows a fish symbol and shows the size of the fish (3 sizes) and shows the depth of each fish. I troll for Northern Pike and Lake Trout and can identify which species it is based on the depth.
Barry C

Comments:
Humminbird Matrix 47 3D
Very disappointing equipment. Doesn't see more than half the fish. Checked with underwater camera many times. I tried to send it back for service and diagnostics came back same. Even problem with depth measurement.
Lev B

Comments:
Humminbird 717
I was eyeing a much more expensive model with color display but realized with some help from my wife that data is data and display quality is for dvd movies.

If you can easily read and understand what you are looking at then color doesn't matter. My Humminbird 717 read the depth accurately even at speeds exceeding 30 mph. This is a fine base unit that is upgradable to GPS and has the potential to be effective for a long time to come.
Cliff B

Comments:
The finder works great (Humminbird Matrix 17) but I wasn't impressed with the plastic mount for the transducer. Already lost one when the mount holding the transducer to the boat cracked and the transducer cable found the motor.
Anonymous

Comments:
I have been an owner of a Bottomline TBL-210 for twenty-five years. I have had few complaints because of their lifetime guarantee, 50+ dollars and your instrument was ready for use better than before. Now that Humminbird has taken the Bottomline name over there is no gurantee anymore, and no repair work. Where has our pride of workmanship gone?
Rick V Atlanta, Georgia

Comments:
Navman Fish4380: overall a simple unit with color graph that can be read in all light conditions. Excellent compatibility with digital Mercury engines for Smartcraft capabilities. Overall, decent and inexpensive sonar with functionality for diagnostic on fuel and engine monitoring. Best part, you can change the RPM on the main engine if needed (trolling. Sonar is marginal at best. It doesn't have many options for a serious fisherman and the separation is not as accurate as some of the other brands on the market. If you are looking for a decent sonar and options for monitoring engine/without a lot of work this is the ticket for the price.
Barry

Comments:
Lowrance 337C Fish Finder: The colour display is beautiful. It provide a lot of information.
Like most units you have to practice using it. Lowrance provides a program to practice with, as the unit doesn't come with a power cord for home use.

The fish alert sounds can be overwelming during salmon season when you have a few thousand fish under you. For those that have limited consel space, this unit fits.

If you have more room, get the larger display. It has the standard menu layout. For those of you that use GPS units this will be a snap. For fishing in large bodies of water, having a marine topo map would be a must. The onboard map might not be to usefull other wise.
Anonymous