Fish Finder's

[macojoe]

Ok I know that we have spoke about this before, and I always yell Garmin.

But I am looking for a good fish finder and Garmin is not out of the running, but I am going to be hunting other fish in much deeper waters then ever before up to 300 ft and up to 30 miles from any land.

So what do guys use and recommend??

Money is no object as CB is buying it for me for Xmas!! *;) ;D

[tsubaki]

Once again, sorry, partial to Humminbird.
Glance at the 161, 363 or 580.

[tsubaki]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Humminbird-161-Combo-GPS-Fishfinder-Chartplotter_W0QQitemZ170150468778QQihZ007QQcatego ryZ29723QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Humminbird-363-Combo-GPS-Fishfinder-Fish-Finder_W0QQitemZ170144948781QQihZ007QQcategoryZ297 23QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Humminbird-580-Combo-GPS-Fishfinder-Sonar-Fish-Finder_W0QQitemZ170130288306QQihZ007QQcategoryZ297 23QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[macojoe]

Thanks but I am looking for Fish Finder only, I just bought a new color chart plotter, I hate combo units.

[chumbucket]

Since I'm buying, hope you'll be liking your new FF. here's a sneak preview.

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/HUMMINBIRD-SMARTCAST-RF35-WRIST-WATCH-FISH-FINDER-p/hum406280-1.htm

[macojoe]

Thats neat!! Not that its good or me but I have neer seen that!! ;)

[macojoe]

I have been thinking this one would be good?? But I hear that the LCD color are hard to see in nthe sun light??
But then you hear people and some sites say they are great in the sun??

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/FURUNO-FCV620-FISH-FINDER-p/furfcv620.htm

[THEFERMANATOR]

FURUNO makes an EXCELLENT UNIT!!!! But they are hard to see in the sunlight.

[macojoe]

thanks therm

[TheTinMan]

Hey MJ, If you're fishing DEEP you probably want a 1000w instead of 600w. Not sure if you can get the 620 w/1000w transducer.

Post this question on THT's Electronics forum and you should get plenty of advice I would think.

Furuno's are great units but I have heard complaints of the 600w in deep water.

[macojoe]

Thanks Tin!

[THEFERMANATOR]

I've got friends with this unit, they work well up to around 800 feet for charting bottom while trolling. It's an outdated 500W unit no longer available though. FURUNO has always been top of the line down here in the south. SITEX/KODEN is another very popular unit as well.

http://www.furuno.com/Furuno/Rooms/DisplayPages/LayoutInitial?ProductCategory=com.webridge.entity. Entity%5BOID%5B254A7571FC212F4DA79DA0E900AFCE78%5D %5D&Product=com.webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5B615 0C08918E06442AAB011F80D5C7247%5D%5D&Container=com. webridge.entity.Entity%5BOID%5BD97D5A0011412E45983 153D4941FDAAD%5D%5D

http://www.si-tex.com/

[Hammerhead]

I hava Eagle. It's good for 500'. Dunno how it rates to others tho'.

[macojoe]

I have narrowed it down to 3, what do you guys think??

Furuno fvc620,

Sitex CVS-833,

Raymarine DS600


Sitex is the only one that says viewable in sunlight??

[Airslot]

Bull...oney. I'm using the older Furnuni 600L for four or five years now and love it. I can see it fine in daylight even with my Costa's on. The new 620 has even better VIZ, so that's the only one on your list I'd consider.

That said, I also had a 582 on the Albe. The 600 will be good out to about 800' as previously stated, and is certainly all you need out to 500. Past 500' the 585 would be the way to go. I'd love to have the new 620 just for the gain knob. Wanna buy a 600L?

[macojoe]

I am leaning to Furuno also

friend just threw another in the mix?

Lowrance X510X

[Airslot]

Go to any of the forums where the offshore boys play and you'll find that Furuno has 80% of the deepwater business locked up.

Must be some reason? ::)

[macojoe]

Well I have been saying Furuno all along, but just trying to get everyones opion. ;)

[bigshrimpin]

I like furuno's stuff . . . Make's striped bass look like big orange pumpkins!!! I am cheap so I ended up buying a dual frequency 500watt - garmin 250C . . . it works well and I can hold bottom perfectly at 48.7 mph with a transom mount tranducer. Some of the newer garmin chartplotter fishfinder units are nice.

Since you're rich . . . you could always get a forward scanning sonar unit.

http://www.boatersland.com/iscan180.html

or if you can find one.

http://www.panbo.com/Furuno_20FL7000_small.jpg

[macojoe]

Nice but I said under a grand!! what you mean I am rich? I just a poor old Ma. boy!

I not the onethat got up and flew to sunny CA, you the rich boy!

[Blue_Runner]

I am cheap so I ended up buying a dual frequency 500watt - garmin 250C . .
Me too, but I'm even cheaper cause I went with the B&W unit :D

[reelapeelin]

Most of the guys down here use Lowrance on the lakes and I think it'd do a nice job...lots of power and excellent daylight readability...but a guy who gets serious about depth-finders gets Furuno ;) ...

[macojoe]

I have a guy here that swears by Lowrance, and he is pissed that I am not buying one!!
But I bought one about 5 years ago, and I hated it, Thats when I got the garmin.

[willy]

I'm with you MJ, I have had a couple of eagle, hummingbird units in boats I bought over the years and they were OK. But the first good one I bought myself was the Lowrance color depth / gps. It was a good unit but it occassionally gave me weird software gliches and had to tech out on the phone with them, and other than doing resets they basically said ok send it in and we will check it out.
I had two friends with the Garmin version of color combo unit and they said it was great, no glitches and I had a black and white version I inherited on Old School that I sold to Mulv, it worked great, several years old and still ticking as far as I know.
Now I bought myself the Garmin color version and it is sweet, easy to see, no glitches at all and it's software is more instinctive and easier to use than the Lowrance unit.
The Furuno stuff is on my friends boat, but he has the expensive unit with radar and the big screen, it has been great so far this season, very nice but out of my price range.
Over all I think Garmin has been the best for me and for the friends of mine that have them.

[Seacrets]

BS, I use a 250 (not color though) and I agree, it holds bottom at full speed, where others I've owned couldn't come close. There sure are better units, but the 250 is a good bang for the buck.

[macojoe]

Well the furuno has been ordered and will be here Friday!! ;D

[reelapeelin]

Well the furuno has been ordered and will be here Friday!! ;D



Good choice...you'll never regret it ;) ...

[macojoe]

My new F 620 just came today!!

But I have no time for install now :'(

Did I say I hate moving??

[Airslot]

Send it to me, and I'll install it for you....on Air Time ;D

[bassarama]

FURUNO makes an EXCELLENT UNIT!!!! But they are hard to see in the sunlight.


I have the Furuno 620 and love it so I totally disagree with the above statement.

Speaking for the my FF, it is VERY clear even on bright sunny days, one can change the LCD background color for night or what have you, also I can read fish as deep as 200 feet at 40 MPH.......beat that! :-*

[macojoe]

what transducer did you get with it?? I got the Airmar tilt thur hull $221 , I could not use the transom ducer as my trim tabs are in the way.

I have not installed yet cause I am so busy at works, school and I am moving!!

Thanks!

[Airslot]

MJ, I have the P-66 which is the transom mount. YOu should have the B-60-12, or the B-60-20, they are the thru-hull tilted element ducer's and are said to be incredible. I will have one one of these days. GarageNC has that in his V. the 12 or 20 are different models to compensate for deadrise, so I hope you got the right one.

'Slot

[macojoe]

12 for 12* deadrise and 20 for 20* deadrise??

[Airslot]

If you have the tilted element ducer, yes, the last two numbers were for the dearise. Basically, one for mod v boats and one for deep v, it doesn't have to be perfect to work.

[macojoe]

I have the 12, but they did not even offer the 20 on there site??

I guess I will have to call them! But I have no time for nothing right now :'(

[bcmarinamanager]

I have narrowed it down to 3, what do you guys think??

Furuno fvc620,

Sitex CVS-833,

Raymarine DS600


Sitex is the only one that says viewable in sunlight??







All three of those would be good choice, and all are quality products. Why aren't you going back with a Garmin? Garmin products are pretty bullet proof. After a Garmin, I would probably go with the Furuno though.

[macojoe]

BC I have never bought a top of the line FF before. I loved the little Garmin I had, but with a bigger boat I will be going deeper for Cod soon and wanted something more powerful.

I have bought and have here the Furuno 620 But have no time to install at this time as I am moving. :'(

But the question here now is weather or not I have the right transducer? I have ther Airmar tilted thur hull.

But it is the 12, and Air says they also have a 20, But there was no option for a 20 when I bought mine so I got the 12 not knowing.

My 1984 23 Sea Ox W/around has a 20* deadrise so looks like I might have gotten the wrong one??

Do you have any insite on this??

Thanks!

[Airslot]

If you have 20* deadrise, you'll want the other 'ducer. Whereever you got it should make good for you.