Recommendations on a GPS/depth finder combo??

[mauryc]

.........that won't break the bank.

[Sean]

I have a Garmin 178C, and absalutly love it. I think it goes for around $500.00 with the internal attena. The B/W version 178 - Is alott cheaper.

[reelapeelin]

I REELY like this Lowrance 337 color combo ... color's nice but not essential ... 5" dia. screen for about $650...the 337's been replaced w/the 522c for the same price... ;) ...

[Gator_Bait]

I just installed a Garmin 498 internal antenna and love it. It has been replaced by new models and you can get sweet deals on them. When they came out they MSRP'd for $879 or something and I got mine brand new shipped to my door for $525. Boater's World has them for $679 still too.

I got mine form an Ebay vendor, who I eventually just called on the phone and handled it direct, he was in VA.

The Lowrance 522c is nice too I looked at both and it really came down to which I could get the best bang for the buck deal.

Good luck!

Scott

[macojoe]

Learn to fish and you won't need them!! :P










Garmin is the way to go I love them!! But I don't like combo units, I have seprate units on my boat.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v131/macojoe/Picture004Medium.jpg

[Shawsee]

Flounder,

I went the cheap route this time around. I got the Eagle Cuda 168 depth/fishfinder and picked it up at WalMart for $74.00 *It works good for the money and no compalints so far.
http://www.eaglegps.com/Products/Sonar/Cuda168.htm

Then for a GPS I got the Garmin 76 pro-kit from Cabelas for $199.99 and for a small handheld it works great and it comes with all accessories needed.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat21276-cat602018&id=0012289015073a&navCount=10&podId=0012 289&parentId=cat602018&masterpathid=&navAction=pus h&catalogCode=7IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=ca t602018&hasJS=true

so for roughly $275 plus shipping on the Garmin I got a decent set-up which didn't break the bank. When I upgrade I will have a decent backup GPS.

[tsubaki]

Humminbird 161 - Walmart- $288 plus tax. ebay $260 plus shipping

[Coach]

I just bought a Lowrance M68C. My neighbor has one. Nice little unit. $399

[WiseGuy]

Eagle fishelite 480. Eagle models are identical Lowrance, but cheaper.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0023563016594a&navCount=2&podId=002356 3&parentId=cat602012&masterpathid=&navAction=push& cmCat=MainCatcat602025-cat602012&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&ind exId=cat602012&hasJS=true

[chesapeake_dreamer]

My buddy I fish with has the Garmin 178 Damn good at it's job. I'm looking at buying one also but can't seem to find a through hull transducer. Figure it's not a bad idea to put it in whil the floors out.

[bigshrimpin]

chesapeake . . . just get the transom mount ducer and glue it inside the hull with silicone. Shoots right though.

[chesapeake_dreamer]

didn't mean to sound stupid, just wasn't sure that would work. Don't see why it wouldn't

[rhahn427]

Eagle fishelite 480. Eagle models are identical Lowrance, but cheaper.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0023563016594a&navCount=2&podId=002356 3&parentId=cat602012&masterpathid=&navAction=push& cmCat=MainCatcat602025-cat602012&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&ind exId=cat602012&hasJS=true


Hey Guy ......... sorry but they aren't the same. Simrad owns Lowrance and Lowrance owns Eagle. Simrad offers the top end DF/GPS/Radar that is used on the professional boats and ships, Lowrance is the next down in theri line and Eagle is the low end. Don't get me wrong, the Eagles are good units and I have had several of them but the Lowrance usually has double the power of the comparable Eagles and usually a higher pixel count and sometimes a larger screen. THe chart that you showed from Cabelas does not show the RMS or Peak to Peak power. THis is what gives you the accuracy and sensitivity. Eagles range from 1500 - 4000 Watts and pixel counts to 640x480, Lowrance is usually 2400-8000W and pixel count to 800x600 with a screen double the largest Eagle.

I've been out fishing before showing fish and my buddy wasn't showing anything. If I didn't have the Lowrance with more power, we wouldn't have been on fish ....... we would have passed right by.

With depthfinders everyone has their preference my only advice is to buy the best you can comfortably afford and learn how to use it because it will make the difference on those days where fish are hard to come by.

[rhahn427]

chesapeake . . . just get the transom mount ducer and glue it inside the hull with silicone. *Shoots right though. *

I think I'd check with the manufacturer first to find out what if any are the differences ........ the thru hauls are made to shoot through the thick hull ....... I'm not so sure the transom mounts are made to do the same. Otherwise the manufacturer would make only one type ..... it would be more profitable for them.

[twistedparot]

my lowrance came with instructions for transom or thrue hull mounting the ducer.

[rhahn427]

I'm just saying that sometimes the pucks are different

....... http://www.lei-extras.com/store/search.asp?SearchType=Category&Category=192+kHz+Tr ansducers+20%B0

[WiseGuy]

rhahn427,

I'm assuming of course that we are looking at sister models and the 480 to 480 are the same pixels, same screen, same box, same buttons, same software and functions. The difference is the peak power and depth capacity as you said. I guess being a freshwater guy, anything over 800 feet sounds like ridiculous overkill and that power would not improve the findings I recieve in the 50 foot max depths I'm at. So no difference to me and my situation I guess. Only difference to me would be $200.

[rhahn427]

rhahn427,

I'm assuming of course that we are looking at sister models and the 480 to 480 are the same pixels, same screen, same box, same buttons, same software and functions. * The difference is the peak power and depth capacity as you said. *I guess being a freshwater guy, anything over 800 feet sounds like ridiculous overkill and that power would not improve the findings I recieve in the 50 foot max depths I'm at. *So no difference to me and my situation I guess. *Only difference to me would be $200. *

It's not just the maximum depth, it's the sensitivity and separation and a whole bunch of things ......... usually the higher the power the more sensivity ......... on my Lcx111c and my LCX25c I can watch a small jig/bucktail that I'm fishing with go all the way to the bottom and sometimes watch the fish as it moves up to bite ....... as I said ..... I've seen times when I can see fish and others can't because of the depth finder.

[WiseGuy]

OK - we're both happy 8)

[chesapeake_dreamin]

love the sound of both the lowrances but, I ain't got a grand to spend on a fishfinder w/o ending up in divorce court.

[rhahn427]

I didn't spend a grand on either one of mine ....... in fact that's why I have them .....

You have to be on the lookout for the deals. I bought my boat Dec 06 and it had an X70A depthfinder. I liked it alot and found another one at a fishing flea market for $50.

I was looking for a GPS and I really wanted a combo unit. A friend told me that Lowrance will give you a credit letter if you have a broken DF that they can't repair or replace. Lowrence sent me a credit letter for $250 off of a x25c, $75 off a 332c or $400 off of a 111c.

Cabelas at the same time showed a sale on the x25c for $1050/w GPS so I ordered one. It was a misprint but I got them to honor their price and the credit letter. So I got the x25c for $800.

Last October, Boaters World bought all of the LCX111c's and offered them at the Annapolis Boat Show for $1016. I got another credit letter for my broken second x70. I was one of the first ones at the show and Boaters World also accepted the credit letter so I got the 111c for $616.

I just couldn't pass up either deal.

Best time to buy is in the Fall/winter just before the new models come out.