I know I asked this a while back, buttIm getting ready to purchase a fishfinder and I'm still confused on which way to go.
First off, I fish Lake Texoma exclusively, I know the area pretty well where I fish but still can't decide if I need a combo cart plotter sounder. What are the benefits of getting a combo over say another units that may have a bigger screen but no GPS?
2nd do I really need the DI or structure scan stuff? I really just want to be able to locate fish. I mainly fish for stripers and sandies. Thanks in advance for your opinions.

BBQFISH

�How To Use Elite-4 Series Fish Finders� on You Tube will help you.You might can buy 2 of these for 600.00 It will explain down scan.

Wait for Tackle Warehouse to have a 20% off sale and buy a humminbird 598si combo. That particular fish finder has side imaging, down imaging and traditional sonar. It would cost around $600 during a sale.

These are much cheaper than traditional sonar units. Just scan areas with boats fishing and look for curved arches being held by fishermen. Thats the new way to do it!

Lol. I just invite VIP!

Lakeguide,

I have those on the boat already! lol Didn't know I was a "potlicker" till I came here. But I'm on to the "crackers on the water and birds trick" now.

Icetea and Riverbassin, thanks for the input. I'll check it out.

Just kidding


Here's my take on the gps sonar combo VS just sonar. The real advantage to a gps combo is buying a really good lake map and being able to work a specific ridgline with ease. No bouy markers, nothing to do but drive down a line on a map. It makes finding the "spot within the spot" much faster and easier. The second advantage is October-December You may show up to find fog so thick you cant find which way is up With gps you can slowly.....go straight to your spot.

I LOVE SIDE IMAGING but I'm not smitten with down imaging. Save a little $ if you were just looking at DI in my opinion, I like my sonar better.

This is a great unit for around 5 bills:

597 hd ci Humminbird

http://www.amazon.com/Humminbird-407920-...+gps+fishfinder

Combo is the way to go! Checkout Cabella's online for great discounts on Lowrance units..They still should have the sale going. They may have Hummingbird units discounted too! Either combo unit is a good one to have. You will have twice the options without spending that much more..

Matt or anyone else,
I have sort of the same question but you grabbed my attention about side imaging. I have a 2007 5 inch display Lowrance with gps and sonar. I want a new toy (don't know that I need it) and was looking at the new Lowrance HDS 7 that has down imaging but not side scan for $699.00. The jump up to SC seems to be ALOT of money, even though I don't want the huge models. Can you tell me your very valued opinion about Side Scan? I thought it was more for structure but I have never used one, just drooled at the DEMO mode in Bass Pro.
Thanks in Advance!
The "other" Todd

I'm just not really impressed with what I see on downscan, it just looks like a different version of my sonar. I can see my color sonar much better. The screen is much brighter.

The big advantage with side scan technology is just the ability to see left and right. When you are in the birds caatching and the school moves, then the screen goes blank, I can look about 150 feet left or right and see which way they went. When you are in the middle of a big school, you can also tell if the bigger fish are out to one side of the school or the other. That makes a huge difference in how many big fish get in the boat at the end of the day.