I run a HDS12 and HDS9 also and that has always been my experience too. Shallow SI is not as good on the Lowrance but once you go a bit deeper it's good.

I've got a Humminbird SI and a MK Ipilot but when on Texoma my best elctronic is my cell phone so I can call Chris C--The elecrtonics will help you Chris but if you are fishing shallow points they are not much good.

I can say get the new graph and keep the flasher really sad to see lowrance moving away from the color flasher as much. You can read bottom composition see structure as well as not only the fish but if you are using one the swivel on your line. Flasher is one of the best winter electronics to me as any. As the fish are not moving as much and I can knock them on the fore head with it. But knowing from your reports you know plenty that will be more than happy to help you get to a decision on what's next. Had a buddy out with you a bit back Charles roper and you put them on the fish and they had an amazing time. So you won't be fixing what ain't broken you will just make what's working that much better. Just don't take flash out all the way just my .02.

Here ya go Chris! I'm over here at LadiesMan dads den and we have a clearance sale for ya Upgrade that old flasher to our Aquasonic super flasher by Garcia with paper graph!!!! Or the mighty Eagle Z5000 LCG... And last but not least the Lowrance X70 (my fav). All were super fish finders that we have used over the past 30 or so years!!! Great selection don't pass this up.....

I had an Aquasonic, I hated loading the paper.

If you're asking then you've already made up your mind. Now you are just looking for approval but are going to do it whether you get approval or not.

(that's how it rolls at my house).

FishAll50 nailed it.... Go get your new boat toys

Love the antiquated graphs pic, Doc! Very cool! Never knew Terry and Ray were the original Tallballguy

I know my Humminbird SI still has the flasher option, not sure how accurate but you can have the best of both worlds.

Chris it is like comparing these two...Wait did you have a brick phone on the boat last time I saw you????

Chris I would not trouble myself with the new technology if I were half the fisherman you are. You are still out fishing most with the old school way. yOU WILL NOT CATCH AS GOOD WHEN YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE LEARNING CURVES with the new stuff. Keep your flasher going while you are learning the new stuff. Thats my 2 cents. Have a good one. Hope to fish with you in the future.

guys those onix pics blow my mind! this thread hasnt helped at all lol...neither has doing great on the fish "sure i be more ready if fishing was tough". thinking SI help eliminate dead water fast and the ulterra also tempting but its all $$$ still just TORN

Tell you what, I will buy you an IPILOT and then you let me put a chip in your brain that goes strait to my email and tells me where your brain thinks the fish are! lol jk.


I spent 2 months deciding on a graph and am happy with humminbird. Listen to your gut and Diel! He knows his stuff and you know yours. You would not even be looking at the graphs and tm's if you didn't want to get one right! Now it sounds like your trying to talk yourself out of it. This may be a stupid question but can you just make the change with one of your boats and see how it goes? At worst you can sell them to somewhere for 10 to 15 percent less than what you paid and take a minimal loss if it is not what you want, Heck I would be happy to say I had your graph on my boat lol! Either way there is no possible way they mess you up! They have an off button!

Chris, Frank, mark and I had a great time fishing with you a few months ago. Benp has a good point you can always sell your items if you are not happy with them. I sold my old Terrova to upgrade to a Terrova with ILink. It sold within hours of posting it on TFF. The only thing I could imagine to get me to sell my new Terrova would be the automated Stow and Deploy feature. And wow the Ulterra is close to production. Shut Up and Fish has me at the top of the list for it. I don't anticipate any difficulty selling my new Terrova.

If you attack learning the technology with the same ferocity you do fishing, it won't take you very long to master these modern fishing tools!

The Texas Striper Assoc guys used to laugh at me because I used a paper gragh. I switched to the digital age and bought a X-27.
Now they laugh at me because I still use an anchor instead of the I Pilot.

I was fishing with a younger guy several years ago and I asked him if he had a marker buoy. His response was .....yea on my GPS.....
I still use marker buoys, anchors,and could use a flasher. I do like my chart plotter but try to look around and triangulate my spots just in case.
Good old fashion boat handling without the use of electronics is hard to find anymore.
When the weather gets bad and the only thing working on the boat is Randy Wood or Chris Cary Ill take experience over electronics any day.
If your comfortable then keep them.

Chart plotter and digtal graph are a huge help when fishing lakes you don't normally fish.