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[DionJL]

Sonar is the basic sounding technology. Down Imaging (DI) and Side Imaging (SI) are the newer technologies. All entry level fish finders have "sonar".

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks that's what I thought. Sorry for some reason I thought I saw some models that didn't say they were equipped with sonar.

Soooooo, looking on the Hummingbiord website, it looks like for my purposes I'd want to go with the "Helix 5 Sonar GPS"? (model in bottom left).

http://www.humminbird.com/Freshwater/Product-Category/Series/HELIX-5-Series/?p=1&ps=48

Here is the model if you click on it:

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/HELIX-5-SONAR-GPS/

[Canyon]

We purchased a garmin 95,sv it was around $1600 installed it myself works great

[Canyon]

[Canyon]

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/1010152_901631903222041_9143576423474359546_n.jpg?oh=555ab844beaad89e32e913dd4ab62a5a&oe=569B1131[/img]

[DionJL]

Thanks that's what I thought. Sorry for some reason I thought I saw some models that didn't say they were equipped with sonar.

Soooooo, looking on the Hummingbiord website, it looks like for my purposes I'd want to go with the "Helix 5 Sonar GPS"? (model in bottom left).

http://www.humminbird.com/Freshwater/Product-Category/Series/HELIX-5-Series/?p=1&ps=48

Here is the model if you click on it:

http://www.humminbird.com/Products/HELIX-5-SONAR-GPS/

As I've mentioned before, I have the Helix 5 DI/GPS and I do love it. However, I probably could have gone with the Sonar/GPS combo and been equally happy. I am not finding the down-imaging all that easy to interpret or useful. Make sure you get the Navionics chip for the finder if you buy the GPS version.

[Spawn Sack]

I never did buy a new fish finder last fall. Just made do with the glitchey old Garmin. I would, however, like to have a new FF for fishing this year. With the Vancouver boat show coming up, I'm hoping to score a good deal on either the Hummingbird Helix 5, or Lowrance Elite 5 CHIRP. Seems these are the two best picks in my price range ($500ish).

I figure Cabelas (.ca) is always a good start to see what the going rate is.

The bare bones, sonar only, Helix 5 is $279.99. The one I'm leaning towards is the Sonar/GPS combo for $409.99. The price keeps going up if you want down imaging (DI),or the top of the line model with DI and SI. I think the Sonar/GPS model will more than suit my needs.

Also, for another $100, you can get the sonar/GPS model with the Nav+ chip. Can anyone comment to the usefulness of this chip? All I really want to be able to do is plot routes on the river, and mark "good spots" (sturgeon hole or whatever). I don't care if I have maps of lakes.

Whatever GPS I end up buying the primary goal is to have it work at slow cruising speed. My current FF is all over the place at anything faster than just in gear. Seems most river boater's FF reads bottom at slow cruising speed. I want to be able to cruise slowly through different channels and known what the bloody depth is! I'll be pretty disappointed if the new FF fares no better than the old black and white cheapy. Anyway, in addition to this I would like to be able to use the GPS for it's most basic functions: read speed, mark some fishing spots, plot a few routes on the river.

I'm not ruling out the Elite 5 CHIRP. Online reviews are about as solid as the Helix 5, and price is in the same range ($530.99 from Cabelas).

I'll have to see what kind of deals are floating around at the boat show.

If anyone has any last thoughts on the Hummingbird vs the Lowrance, or any comments on this FF purchase I'd like to hear it.

http://www.cabelas.ca/category/sonargps-combos/2393?pagesize=60&orderby=5

http://www.cabelas.ca/category/maps-charts/2395

[DionJL]

Also, for another $100, you can get the sonar/GPS model with the Nav+ chip. Can anyone comment to the usefulness of this chip? All I really want to be able to do is plot routes on the river, and mark "good spots" (sturgeon hole or whatever). I don't care if I have maps of lakes.

The Nav+ chip is pretty damn handy. I have the Helix 5 DI/GPS (I would recommend the model you are looking at though). The maps are very useful for plotting out a course or finding sturgeon spots. I also use the GPS to plot my course on rivers so that I can follow it in thick fog or low-light conditions. I mounted the transducer on a suction cup mount so that I can switch the finder from my 16' Jon boat to my 10' pram with easy. On the lakes the Nav chip helps locate shoals, deep spots, etc. However the level of detail is not high, so don't expect it to pin-point the drop off.

***If you do use the suction cup mount, ensure you use the safety strap that clips onto the transducer cable. It was an expensive mistake when I didn't use it and the suction cup released while driving at speed and the transducer cable ripped out of the back of the Fishfinder head unit and both the transducer and suction cup sank to the bottom of the Fraser.

[Damien]

http://www.amazon.ca/Lowrance-MARK-4-HDI-200-455/dp/B00FPQYGMC

There is one of these at the Canadian Tire store in Langley on clearance for $229.00 - might be an awesome way to get your feet wet with navi and DI. 

Upgrade if/when you feel ready to move to the big leagues and still get $100-$150 back when you sell it to upgrade.

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks guys, esp DionJL

Well, I think I'll likely buy the Helix 5, sonar/GPS model, with the Nav+ chip. Cabela's has it on for $509.99, so if I find a sweet deal at the boat show coming up I'll likely buy one. Most reviews of this unit are very good, but most say the GPS is pretty useless without the Nav chip. The Elite 5 CHIRP is also very highly reviewed, however with the nav chip I'll be a fair bit over budget, so I think I'll give it a miss.

DionJL, so with the Helix 5 and the Nav chip, does it show you depth charts? Apologies this is probably not the correct navigational jargon You know...where you can see the depth contours, "deep spots" and so on? Will the GPS show this in rivers, in particular the fraser? Or is it more for lake fishing?

Also, I'm curious if you get an accurate reading of bottom with this unit at cruising speed? My main reason for replacing the existing FF, and I know this is kind of lame, but it always loses bottom as soon as you get moving. Can't even get a lock on bottom putting at very slow speed I've dinked with transducer depth, angle, and so on with little effect. But, what's funny, is if I take the boat in a clear LAKE, say Chilliwack, it reads bottom FINE! Like almost up to WOT. Yeah. So, I'm hazarding a guess that this older unit, with wussy power compared to new ones I'm looking at, struggles to zap through the dirty Fraser.

However, it will read just fine barely moving or anchored, so I could be out to lunch on this theory. I'll just have to take a chance on a new unit and hope that get better bottom reading out of it.

[DionJL]

DionJL, so with the Helix 5 and the Nav chip, does it show you depth charts? Apologies this is probably not the correct navigational jargon You know...where you can see the depth contours, "deep spots" and so on? Will the GPS show this in rivers, in particular the fraser? Or is it more for lake fishing?

Yes you get bathymetric contours in most lakes and large rivers plus the ocean.

Also, I'm curious if you get an accurate reading of bottom with this unit at cruising speed? My main reason for replacing the existing FF, and I know this is kind of lame, but it always loses bottom as soon as you get moving. Can't even get a lock on bottom putting at very slow speed I've dinked with transducer depth, angle, and so on with little effect. But, what's funny, is if I take the boat in a clear LAKE, say Chilliwack, it reads bottom FINE! Like almost up to WOT. Yeah. So, I'm hazarding a guess that this older unit, with wussy power compared to new ones I'm looking at, struggles to zap through the dirty Fraser.

I get readings when moving, but not when on plane. But at least with the contour maps you have some idea what the depth you are in. I think the technology has been refined so a newer finder can likely pick out "noise" from solid bottom readings more readily. That said, I haven't ever been overly concerned with depth readings while travelling at speed; my jet can run in very shallow water when on plane and if I did get stuck, it's light enough one or two guys could drag it off of a gravel bar. You also aren't going to get reasonable readings in anything shallower than a couple feet.

Edit to add: Check Steveston Marine for the finder. They had a sale going last year when I grabbed mine.

[andrewscag]

I got the Lowrance Elite 4 not long ago and absolutely love it.  The 5 is pretty much the same internals but with a bigger screen so I can pretty much vouch for that too.  Like you, I wasn't sure how much I'd use the GPS and maps but now that I have them I consider them must haves.  I fish solo a fair bit so it's really nice to be able to just follow a contour line when trolling and not have to constantly jump back to adjust the down rigger when I'm fishing the bottom. So far I don't really use the down scan much but I've been in mostly salt water since getting it.  CHIRP works considerably better than the standard modes, at least where I've been fishing so far.  Enjoy your new toy!

[Spawn Sack]

Thanks a lot guys. So I was in Steveston Marine yesterday. They had the Lowrance Elite 5 CHIRP (sonar/GPS/ and DI) with the Nav + Chip. Reg $699 on sale for $599.

I ALMOST bought it but I wasn't 100% sure if I wanted it over the Hummingbird Helix 5 with Nav + chip from Cabelas for $509.99.

One thing I found a bit confusing is there are several different "grades" of Nav chip. They did not have a Helix 5 in stock so I could look at both boxes side by side and see if one appeared to have a "better" chip than the other. Meh, I'm guessing they both come with the "standard" chip which is likely more than sufficient for my needs.

I find it a bit difficult trying to compare the Helix 5 and Elite 5 CHIRP head to head. Clearly they are pretty comparable and seem to have similar capabilities if you read their spec sheets. The guy at Stevestons recommended the Lowrance as, in his opinion, it is more user friendly. Also, for another 90 bucks I get the down imaging. Now ppl seem to say the DI is at times difficult to interpret, but it is one more gimmick to fart around with which I like

Any one have any last thoughts on the Hummingbird vs the Lowrance? My plan is to hope to score a good deal at the boat show and if no luck buy the one in Stevestons (if still in stock )

[skaha]

--for sure let us know what you end up with...would be great if they have a compare at the boat show.
--I would go with the best chip available... I use the gold as at the time it had the best detail on fresh water lakes in BC.  Some have coast salt and fresh seperate so depends on where you are going to use it.
--I use the nave all of the time... even on lakes that I know well but it really helps to dial in on lakes or areas being fished for the first time.

--I did find that on some areas the positioning was not accurate by as much as 50 meters but I think there is a way to calibrate the system to get it on track. 
--Was interesting using on lakes that I have fished and had a good idea of where I would catch fish. Using the chart to find similar drop off or features in other parts of the lake.

--I don't have down image yet but expect it is going to be a bonus for the same reason... identify structure of areas where you have been succesful in the past and try to find similar areas. I believe this is going to be as much of an improvement for me as the navi charts were.

--I need a new unit for this season and the season starts for me near end of the month.

[Damien]

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/73883/humminbird-859ci-hd-combo
$549 on blowout