I hope this is not considered a hijack but Mo I'd like to work with you on your 2D 1197 sonar. Can you explain what you don't like so that I can help you and do you have the latest FREE upgrades on your unit?

Mike

If you like cat and big catfish here is a Big Blue I captured with Humminbird Side Imaging. Not a catfish expert but the catfish experts tell me its a blue because of forked tail you can see in the shadow. You can even see the mouth open and big baitfish I would guess gizzard shad all around the mouth.

TMike--
Maybe I have to crawfish a little here. After the last
upgrade , the 2d sonar on HB is very much improved ,I will admit. The truth is , I almost never use it. The 1197 is either on sidescan, downscan , or gps map.
I had MartyK8 on the boat awhile back , he was fishing
from the back of the boat and very impressed with the
2d sonar ( watching his jig on the screen while deadsticking
in 30 ft of water).
Maybe all I need is to use it more to appreciate it
on the 2d view.

the bigger question maybe , with sidescan and downscan ,
how much will anyone be using 2d ?

MO

I like watching my jig on the Switchfire 2D also. It is amazing. You can position your jig right above a fishes head.

Still from what I've seen HB's 2D is inferior to Lowrance. But it sounds like once you get SI, 2D is hardly used. Would the SI folks agree?

Doug, thats a great image. I'd have to see more of those to make the jump to HB. The Lowrance SI images I've seen are like that and overall more detailed IMHO. But, is it $600 better?

Anyone use Lowrance 2D with HB SI? Any interferance?

I actually find the DownScan more useful then the sI. I fish crappy which focus on structure. I use the sI to locate the structure then use the DownScan the rest of the time. Once I have logged the structure, I spend most of my time looking at the DownScan, 2d Sonar and the map.

I liked the HDS so much that I sold my entire HB setup (997, 787, Interlink, Weather....) and purchased a HDS 8 and StructureScan. I have yet to regret. Saving up for a 10" and will move the 8" up front. From the softkeys, menu layout to the better display, Lowrance is the ticket for me. Shoot... I liked it so much I started a Lowrance website...

Good luck on your research.

I just got the bird 998si, having it installed tomorrow. Have been reading the book for a month. Had Lowrance for ten years, read everything I could find on both and picked Hummingbird. I'm planing to wear that lake out looking at everything underwater.

I disagree on several accounts here. With DI or DS you need to be moving 3 to 6mph to get a clear picture. With 2D sonar you don't. You also need the 2D sonar for vertical fishing. Very difficult to use DI or DS for vertical fishing to see your spoon. The foot print of DI and DS is narrow while 2D sonar is a cone. DI and DS is almost useless if your a shallow water guy. You will mostly (not always) use DS and DI for deeper water applications.

In regaurds to sonar quality of the Humminbird. Here are some comparisons where I put the image of the DI on top of the 2D sonar. I don't see how you can get any better than this...

Triton Mike,

All I can say is WOW!! After I have a little more time on the water I'll be reaching out for suggestions.

Great job on the above images!

Those are some great images Mike. Thanks for sharing. Are you calling DI down imaging and DS down scan? Do you or anyone have any HB 2D and SI of a school of gamefish? How shallow do you think SI is still benefitial? I would think SI would be benefitial in keeping up with a school of open water fish. Is it?

Fish Images:

Spoonbill images sent to me from Guide Don House March 15- Missouri Spoonbill Opener. You can see the tails in bills in the SI Images. He's using the SI enhance feature to make the fish just out and view easier.






63# Seen then Snagged:

Shallow water:






Bass near shallow chute:

0.9Feet

0.7 Feet



Shallow enough?

DI is Down Imaging aka Humminbird, DS is Down Scan aka Lowrance.

I guide for Spotted Bass here in Georgia and do a tremendous amount of vertical fishing with spoons and dropshot. We also do alot of skinny water fishing as well.

Here are some images for ya in addition to Dougs

Couple of hundred fish in shallow water (note the depth and span of SI beams in the images).





2D sonar shots of fish





SI shots of fish





DI Shots of Fish

Incredible shots! That 2D looks really awesome but the Down and Side Imaging are in a class all by their self.