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Sonar on a budget. #11300707 12/24/15 01:20 AM
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amobo45 Offline OP
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Is it possible to locate catfish using a cheaper sonar?
How does the cheaper piranha ones work from Walmart?
I can't really afford the 500-$1000 ones right now, just wondering if it's a waste of money to
Buy the cheaper ones. I have a depth finder but it only shows the bottom and it's not real accurate

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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11301018 12/24/15 04:16 AM
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In my opinion having the $12 navionics app on your phone is going to be a better investment than one of those super cheap sonars.


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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11301079 12/24/15 04:54 AM
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amobo45 Offline OP
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Yeah I got it this morning but I'm meaning to find big fish on sonar.

Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: Flipside Outdoors] #11301080 12/24/15 04:56 AM
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Originally Posted By: obsessive
In my opinion having the $12 navionics app on your phone is going to be a better investment than one of those super cheap sonars.


agreed
i catch more fish off my navionics app then my 400.00 at the time elite 5
by the app and save up at least a grand and get something that will help you see the fish



Fish a lot, catch a little
Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11301256 12/24/15 01:14 PM
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Wayne P. Online Content
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Originally Posted By: amobo45
Yeah I got it this morning but I'm meaning to find big fish on sonar.


Get a Vexilar Sonarphone SP200 wireless transducer to go with your mobile app. You can have maps, Navionics Sonar Charts Live mapping, and sonar on your mobile device.

BTW, any sonar unit will "find big fish" if you learn how to use it for that.

Last edited by Wayne P.; 12/24/15 01:20 PM.

Helix 12 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N and G4N, 1198c SI, SOLIX 10 SI G3,
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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11301503 12/24/15 03:38 PM
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This is what the Sonarphone app looks like on an iPad. Looks the same with iOS smartphone or Android phone/tablet.
I have it on three tablets and two smartphones.



Helix 12 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N and G4N, 1198c SI, SOLIX 10 SI G3,
Helix 8 MEGA SI+ GPS G4N, SOLIX 12 SI and G3, MEGA 360, MEGA LIVE TL, RC-1
Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11301644 12/24/15 04:46 PM
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There is a lot of good used units out there that are better than the piranha. I am getting ready to sell my HDS 5.


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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: Wayne P.] #11301742 12/24/15 05:48 PM
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amobo45 Offline OP
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Wow you can see the fish well on that. I think I will try that out

Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11302015 12/24/15 08:21 PM
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Yup buy used.


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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11302110 12/24/15 09:15 PM
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I got one of these Lowrance Mark-4 with GPS recently for my kayak (from a different place). I have the Navionics smartphone app too which is nice, but over time I have realized having a fish finder mounted with GPS ability is a lot more practical. This graph does not have the down imaging transducer and may not be the best choice for you but I thought I'd share. This graph does have enough resolution to pick up big fish no problem. If only I could limit the fish alarm to big fish!

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/lowrance--factory-inspected-and-certified-demo-unit;-mark-4-hdi-with-83-200-khz-tran-mt-transducer-and-us-base-map-cartography--17292483

Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: Wayne P.] #11302727 12/25/15 07:06 AM
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Originally Posted By: Wayne P.
This is what the Sonarphone app looks like on an iPad. Looks the same with iOS smartphone or Android phone/tablet.
I have it on three tablets and two smartphones.



I wonder how long until they come out with a side imaging unit. That is cheap as dirt compared to a brand new unit with a comparable screen size (I already have an ipad).


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Re: Sonar on a budget. [Re: amobo45] #11302752 12/25/15 10:08 AM
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Another thing you can do is real time contour map creation paired with the Navionics mobile app.
That function is called Sonar Charts Live.


Helix 12 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N and G4N, 1198c SI, SOLIX 10 SI G3,
Helix 8 MEGA SI+ GPS G4N, SOLIX 12 SI and G3, MEGA 360, MEGA LIVE TL, RC-1
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