fish finder

[kipbass]

I'm looking at purchasing a better fish finder like the Hummingbird 798ci. Its got side imaging feature. Anyone know or have personal experience with this unit?

[ctom]

I'm not sure on brand, but I fish with a guy once in a while who has side-imaging and honestly it makes fishing with it almost unfair. I don't use locators for finding or watching fish I use mine to follow or locate sunken structure. Most of what I fish has current and fish seen around the sunken stuff move continually while the structure stays put. I don't have any problems find the fish around the stuff but I do have a problem locating to better stuff sunk down below me. If I had side imaging that's what I would be using it for.

[kipbass]

I have a terrible time locating fish and or structure. I'm currently using a $125 finder which doesn't do much. Most of the time it's a crap shoot for me. I usually fish spots where I have caught a few fish before, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I've never been one to take more fish than I can feed my family with, but having a few bags in the freezer for a rainy day is nice too.

[Bassman2169]

I have one and I love it.  Like Ctom said, I use it more for locating structure, rock piles, brush piles than trying to spot fish.  It does work great when I go to grand spoonbill snagging though.  They show up great on it, and we troll back and forth where they are stacked up and load up on them.  Its nice to use along docks too, you can find brush and other structure back under them.

[ctom]

I have a terrible time locating fish and or structure. I'm currently using a $125 finder which doesn't do much.

Up here we use flaskers and flat screens. Definitely different in aspects but oh, so similar in use. One thing in using the flashers that taught me a lot in using the locator was that I had to figure out the sensitivity end of things. Just flipping the switch and letting that locator run on "auto" was like walking in the dark without a flashlight....lots of things were missed. You need to go into the system and over-ride the default running system and get your more specific needs locked in as your primary function.

My locator is the more expensive of the "cuda" variety and was a  portable unit. I bought it at a garage sale for $25.00. After doing some surgery on the pivot base it turned into a pivot bracket that mounted in the boat and the wiring from the battery case got amended to run off a 12 volt motorcycle battery. The unit had a flasher mode that runs at real time and I switch to this if I want to mark fish. But to use the unit for what's under the boat I have made adjustments to the sensitivity and made that "my default" setting that makes it way more capable of finding things in water down to 50 fifty feet and I don't ever fish that deep. When I switch the unit on, its my program running, not the factory default.

I'd dig the owners manual out and try making some setting to the sensitivity and see if you can't work thru the problems before spending a ton of money.

[el rat]

Buy the unit and start buring gas using your locator; once you have it and learn it you will never fish without one period.

[pjmcla]

Most replies will say to get the largest screen you can afford if going to side scan.  I use an older 997 Humminbird.  I agree that the larger screen is much better; and the internal electronics are more powerful.  Cabelas has some close outs going ( as of 3/15/13 ).  And yes; the side scan when tuned in, and the water smooth will reveal a lot of detail.  Fish themselves are harder to detect on the sidescan mode vs 2D; but you can see and way point mark the structure and then look.  Sunlight is a bit of a pill at times as it makes viewing tougher.   Speed for optimum use of my side screen is 1.5 - 3.5  MPH and straight as an arrow steering.   

[el rat]

you could wait until tacklewarehouse runs a sale.  looking to buy my 3rd 800 series,  2 in dash 1 on bow. 1 just for side-imaging 1 for lakemaster card.

[DobynsTriton]

I have lowrance hds but ive spent time with hummin birds too..I use mine on ledges to find rock piled & shell beds & i use them to find beds early in the year. of you have it tweaked right you can tell which way they're facing ect

[fsh4fun]

I have a Humminbird 998c,bought last yr. It has down imaging,and side imaging. Both are unbelievable. With a chip in the unit,and while fishing in the river,I can see objects out to the side, within a set distance. I found large rock piles,moved the cursor over to the pile,than set a waypoint.You can than go back and using your map,go right to the rocks. Last year I was searching for structure,and when I went between to points, about 75 yards apart,I spotted something. I went back slowly and saw a object that was either a duck blind or a dock. You could SEE the 4x4 posts,and the boards that made up the decking.I also have a auto pilot Terrova,and troll in the Bay of Green Bay for walleyes. Now I want to add the i-pilot link,that will let the bow mount motor,and the 998c with the proper chip follow a contour line,or you can set it the stay out from shore at a set distance. Select the depth & speed,and the two units do the rest.Humminbirdfactoryou tlet has a sale on the 998 now,and shipping is free.I know their expensive,but the side,and down imaging is the future in electronics.My 998c is also ready to run the 360 imaging,more money!!!  good luck.

[kipbass]

Thanks for all the help. From the reviews at BP, it doesn't seem to like trolling motors much as they complained about interference.

[pjmcla]

A side scan or even down scan image is not as good when mounted on the trolling motor compared to a good transom mount.  Too much inherent movement and vibration as well as potential electrical interference.  You want the transducer as "still" as you can get it with as clean of an electrical feed as possible.  Transducer mounting is critical for optimum performance.   Clean water flow is a must.  I know as I have "explored" all the ways to degrade an image      .

[matt]

yes you can have it on trolling motor and I love my 1198 you would have to pry it out of dead cool freezen fingers

[Dawg1419]

I got a 898 mounted on my TM and love it. You will be suprised what you find. Ive found old swimming pools and boats. Oh brush piles and fish too. Good luck

[firetiger]

I have an 1198.  If you an afford it, go with the big screen, it makes a big difference.

Here's some structure...



Here are some fish...




They're not the best quality photos since I was just cruising around.  I had some really cool bridge pictures, just can't find them at the moment.