I have a 14ft semi v aluminum boat. I like to catfish I have a budget 300 or less. I know nothing about fish finders. I went to cabelas and bass pro this weekend and played with the ones on display and neither person working that section had a clue how they worked. I like the downward imaging. I also like the split screen sonar and di. Do I need maps or gps ? I only fish ray Roberts or lewisville does the maps show you where the creeks are and brush piles can I get anything good for 300 I like the piaranna 197c di just from playing with it. What do yall recommend ?

Check out the Humminbird Helix models. They have 4-5 to choose from from $199 up. They are very nice units and will do everything you are looking for.

Yes. Get a Helix 5 DI w/GPS. Then get regular ol' Lakemaster card. It will show you all the detail of the lake contours and it also has a bunch of preloaded fishing spots.

Yes, gps will show you creek channels, ledges, flats, drop offs, and you can mark your brush piles. I have had the Garmin 43dv on my boat since last December and can tell you for a $300 unit it is awesome. It has GPS and DownVu as well as standard sonar. You can use split screen in different configurations or view the entire screen with DownVu, GPS, or standard sonar only. Lewisville and Ray Bob are both Garmin mapped with 1' contours. Also, Garmin is so easy to use. If you are new, it can save you a lot of frustration. Good luck!

SE Kansas grass grower