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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 17, 2013 19:23:29 GMT -5
was going to put the HDS 5 from my bass boat on the front of the pontoon but that isnt happening now. Was shopping around and trying to decide on which one to get to put up front of the pontoon. Its mainly going to be used for locating and throwing on bait and in the winter time for jigging.
Ive narrowed it down
HDS 5
or Elite 7
Both in the same price range with the elite 7 having the larger screen
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Post by mwardncsu on Mar 17, 2013 20:13:23 GMT -5
What is going on the console? With the HDS you have the option to network to an HDS elsewhere in the boat. Can be useful if you want to display the bow xducer at the console when slow trolling - see the fish BEFORE your baits have passed over them.
Are you talking about the Elite 7 HDI or just regular sonar version? With HDS you can also display StructureScan (side and down) on the 5 at the bow (even though the xducer may be off the stern).
If you will have a Lowrance HDS at The console then the only advantage to the 7 is screen size. For catching bait and using regular sonar, this is not a big deal - for jigging it may be a benefit
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 18, 2013 6:02:58 GMT -5
as of right now looks like I am going to be keeping the Hummingbird 997 at the console. Wife isnt quite ready for me to strip down the bass boat.
So its looking like the only thing I am going to be doing at the moment is one at the bow. Really hadn't decided about if the difference on the Elite 7 if I go that way.
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Post by mwardncsu on Mar 18, 2013 9:25:03 GMT -5
Tougher call. If you think eventually you'll turn an HDS on the console, then I'd go with the HDS5 on the bow. Is there not a lower priced Humminbird that you can also network and out on the bow? If it ill be a totally stand-alone, then the Elite7 is probaby a good choice for a sonar unit - may not even need to spend the extra $ on the version with downscan or GPS
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 18, 2013 12:51:53 GMT -5
you make a good piont. I think Im leaning towards and HDS 5 as in the future I might put a Lowrance at the concole. I looked at some of the humminbirds for the front but I dont care much for their 2d sonar. I like Lowrance's 2d a lot better.
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Post by grasscutter on Mar 18, 2013 14:12:58 GMT -5
For what is worth....got an email today that bass pro shop will do he 6 equal payment thingy....don't know where ya had planned on getting it......might make it more attractive to get a higher price unit instead of buying 2..... Like one now and the one you really want later......just a suggestion
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BentRod
Global Moderator
Posts: 2,252
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Post by BentRod on Mar 18, 2013 15:14:08 GMT -5
I was at Gander this afternoon. I didn't realize how small the HDS 7 really is in comparison to some of the others. The Elite 7 is a lot bigger..just no sidescan. The 7 touch is bigger too. The HDS 5 is too small for anything but sonar. I would just as soon get the Elite 7 cause you'll hardly be able to see sidescan on a 5. The Elite 7 is actually a great deal..I'd just want sidescan on mine but for a bowmount for bait n jigging, it's not bad actually.   |
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 19, 2013 6:24:51 GMT -5
Yea i swung by there yesterday on my lunch. I couldn't get the screen to show the same 2d as the HDS but it could have just been because it was in Demo Mode. do you use side scan from the front much while looking for bait?
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BentRod
Global Moderator
Posts: 2,252
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Post by BentRod on Mar 19, 2013 7:31:18 GMT -5
I don't personally have a unit up front. I don't see the need for it honestly. If I was only using it for bait, I'd use it like 5x a year and I'm too poor for that. I can always spin my console units around to view from the front then just turn the boat 45deg and throw. Most of my bait catching is done by visual cues. I look for things like sunny banks, flips, dark clouds in the water, turned up mud, etc. Otherwise for me, it's usually throwing on shallow or deep lights, but I don't need a unit for that. This years been odd with the big bait and a sonar up front may have definitely helped a few times but most of the time (at least on SML for me) I don't see where I'd get the use out of it to spend a bunch of money on one. But everybody's different and boats are different too. I don't spend much time in front of my boat if I'm not catching bait. On a pontoon, you might? Bass guys spend all the time in front. It just depends on what you're using it for. I wouldn't get much use out of mine for what it would cost me. That's just my $0.02.
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Post by mytoyzfishing on Mar 19, 2013 9:56:32 GMT -5
yea good points. The problem i run into is that my pontoon has a bimini top that prevents me from throwing off the back for the most part. Ive done it a couple of times when its all the way down but I have to stand on the seats to do it and not a lot of foot room. Ive swong the fishfinder around so I can see it up front and used the TM to push me backwards over the bait but haven't been to successful doing it that way since there is 26' between the front and the xducer. I agree its a lot of money to spend to find bait and the little jigging I would use it for in the winter. Im hoping the wife will see my point and just let me take the HDS 5 off the bass boat.
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