Yes, its me

Haven't sat with my old friends from TFF for a bit because my job responsibilities have kept me focused on the best bass fishing market in the world...West Virginia(JK JK!)!!!

Seriously, Mary Ellen and Art have done a great job here since I've been gone, so I have allowed them all of the "glory".

I am taking the time to post because I saw something during my visit to TX last week that blew me away. The newest lake Fork data from Navionics. I did a tv shoot with Barry Stokes from SW Outdoors with a prototype of the new data (which went live yesterday as a free update)and had Shaun (US Product manager) and Art (Our TX Factory guy)along in a seperate boat strictly to test the new maps.

Impressed is an understatement. This stuff is the most signifigant improvement to Lake Fork mapping since we initially surveyed the lake about 6 years ago.

What you won't see is a ton of new contours. What you will see is a new shoreline that is SCARY accurate that marks virtually every dock on the lake. It is VERY close at the current pool level. We have added back in ACCURATE road beds (which we confirmed in the field with side imaging technology. If road beds are part of your tactical plan for Fork, this is now the absolute reference product)

We also took the time to put the "other" guy's maps for fork through their paces. We confirmed that the other map companies road beds are consistently 50-250' off (which we know but didnt have proof till now) and although many may look "neat" in the store, DO NOT match up on the water (and that is NOT a statement I would make if I didn't have bulletproof backup)

Creeks are clearly marked now as well as are many other features that you asked for. If is says they are there, they are (at least all we had time to check).

In a nutshell, its everything the TX anglers have asked for, and I am VERY proud of the team that put the map together.

The best thing about it is you can get it TODAY-for free if your Premium or Platinum HotMaps chart was purchased between Oct 1 2010 and today. Just go to the new webstore at Navionics.com and get it!

Oh. we are by NO means done with this or other lakes in TX. And, YES, you get future updates like this for free for a year when you invest in a Navionics map!

Also, there are screen shots on our FB page if you aren't already a fan.

Thanks for the read! As always, I enjoyed the visist! (oh-and I don't buy for a minute that the Fork spawn is done looking at some of the toads we saw on the flats. WOW what a fishery!

Sounds great Jeff....what if we have an older version of the Navionics map though? Is the upgrade still available? cost??

thanks,

I'm buying.

yeah, what he said!

If your card was purchased before last October 1 (2010) you are going to need to visit one of your fine Texas retailers and buy a HotMaps Premium or Platinum. REMEMBER-this is the first of many planned TX updates that you will get as well, so it is a good time to update an older chart.

(HOWEVER: And I will REFUSE to admit that i ever said this!!! If you bought your card-HotMaps Premium or Platinum near that date-Oct of 2010, it cant hurt to try and see if it has the required software to receive a years worth of updates...you never know...I NEVER SAID IT!!!!)

Also, the HotMaps Platinum updates are not live today, but should be next week. if you have a HotMaps Platinum chart purchased since OCT 1, 2010, you need to wait a few more days! (sorry about that).

PS: I hear a fairly large border lake is on the short list, as is a lake named after a Texas Governor

Sounds like the competition is putting a little pressure on Navionics. American Capitalism at it best. Running down the "other guy's" a little, Jeff ?

I'm looking at the Navionics web site and I see nothing about updates or downloads. So where is it?

Just purchased my 2 HDS units. Do I need to buy 2 of the platinum chips? 1 for each unit?

Jeff-- I did catch you on with Barry Stokes-- And I said to myself--he really did listen to those long phone conversations several years ago--Thanks--Mark Petri

Competition is good. Information is good. Accurate information is worth paying for.

In the end you guys win!

Yeah, well theres a reeeeal good story about that. The program is very new, so Im giving the web dept some line...

Right now its plug and go with a newer HotMaps Premium chart
http://store.navionics.com/faqs/installation_help

Facebook is offering the newest info at this point.

I will let everyone know when the website news section is updated

Prob not. You will need two chips, but they prob both dont need to be platinum. Think a Platinum for the console and a basic hotmaps for the "off" gps. Or you can run a basemap on the other unit.

Two Platinums would be pretty sweet tho

I listen very carefully when the discussion is important and I am lucky enough to have the ear of someone who knows more than me!

Greham, there will always be competition in a free market. It is our intention to give you, the consumer, the information on all products available and let you make your decision. Navionics has no resaon to "run down" any other product.

With that being said, I was on the water with our new info on Lake Fork and it is spot on.

One of the biggest complaints we heard was when we lost sub surface info such as road beds and creek channels. All of that information plus additional information is now on Fork and accurate. More lakes will be added as we go down the list. There are many lakes as you can imagine and we will get to the majority of them as soon aas we can.

Remember that you will have one year from the date of registration of your 2011 chart to get free downloads.

Navguy,..can you show some shots of what your taking about,..
are the road beds and creek channels big enough to see, and colored,..??