7" fish finder recomendations?

[zuren]

I would like to put a nicer fish finder on my boat, and on my wish list. If COVID continues to be something that reduces or eliminates other activities, I see more fishing in my future.

I'm looking at Sonar/GPS combo units like a Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 or one of the Humminbird Helix 7:

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/lowrance-hook-reveal-7-fish-finder

https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=10651&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=16&searchTerm=helix+7#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

Any opinions on either of these, or competing 7" models from Garmin, etc.?

I'm not opposed to a 5" screen, but I tend to keep stuff forever as long as it keeps working, and my eyes are not getting younger. This is going in my 14' aluminum boat so I figure that 7" is a decent compromise between something really small and the 10-12" monsters I've seen.

Thanks!

 

[MrGiggles]

The Helix is a better unit than the hook series.

I've run them all, I like the menu system on Garmins the best, but that is personal preference. Right now I have a 5DV (bow) and a 7SV on the console. I also run a Helix 5 SI GPS on the console for mapping.

I think you're on the right track with a Helix 7, or an Echomap 73SV.

A 7" is about the bare minimum that you want for side imaging, and is nice for running multiple views in split screen.

GPS is really handy, side and down imaging are too but I don't use them as much. If I had to choose one or the other, GPS all the way.

 

[Wallyc]

If it was my money......Helix 7 mega si g3 or if you want to expand later like I did a helix 7 si g3n would be my call. I have been running bird now for 4 years. Over all I’m petty happy with them. Autochart live is great! The bottom hardness scale and vegetation scale are also equally as great. With the g3 the 2d Hw chirp sonar is a vast improvement over g2 models. Mega imageing is just phenomenal.
The only couple of draw backs if you want to call them that is no favorite keys.
Blended down imaging is the only other major drawback that I know of which is taking the water column from both sides and blending them together. If you want those you have to step up to the 8 inch model.
I know I sound like a fan boy when I say this but I love my birds .I have the time under my belt to have learned how to use them to their fullest potential and they help me see and catch a lot a Fish that I would’ve never have known were there. I have proven it to my fishing buddy’s on my home turf time and time again.

My network:
Helix 10 mega si g2n Bow
Helix 9 si mega si+ g3n tiller
As360tm bow mount 360
Ethernet box

 

[Wallyc]

Pics from over the years

 

[LDUBS]

I have a Helix 7. Has down imaging but I never use that for my fishing style. I do have the Navionics card for lake mapping. I run split screen 100% of the time and would not go smaller. Mine if kind of old, so doesn't have all of the latest tech (no CHIRP).

I can't really compare with other brands because I've only used HB. All I can say is I like it a lot and have no plans to replace it.

 

[Wallyc]

See pic

 

[Wallyc]

Pic 2

 

[zuren]

If it was my money......Helix 7 mega si g3 or if you want to expand later like I did a helix 7 si g3n would be my call...

The options out there are a bit overwhelming but considering this is a small boat for inland lakes, I'm looking at the side-imaging units closer. Looks like this is the one you are talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Hummingbird-410950-1-Helix-Finder-Chirp/dp/B07L4JN57F?th=1

What I don't understand is why is this unit more expensive than the same unit + Nav (on the same page). It's only a few dollars difference, but I would expect the "Nav" unit to be MUCH more.

The 8"+ models seem to be the threshold into the nearly $1000 bracket, which is too rich for my blood. $600ish is about my limit without risking divorce! I'm coming from an $150ish Eagle depth finder from the mid-2000s so really anything made in the last year or 2 will be a shock for me!

Thanks to all for the replies so far!

 

[LDUBS]

I don't know the answer about pricing with/without the Nav card. But I would highly recommend getting the version with the Navionics lake card. It provides an incredible amount of detail about the bottom contour. I know I'm repeating myself, but I think I use the lake maps more than I do the sonar.

 

[Wallyc]

I understand about the divorce thing!lol
That will do everything my units will do short of what I said above and no networking and no 360. Best bang for the buck. It also will do split screen but at that point screen gets pretty small. It depends on how close the unit is to you. At the tiller my 9 is fine for split screen because it’s 3 foot from me. Now standing at the bow my 10 is about 4.5 feet from me. If you owned an eagle I would imagine it is a 2d sonar only. The best thing you can do is learn everything you can about how it works. These are not set it and forget it units. The bird section on bass boat central forum is a wealth of knowledge. You can download the owners manual from Humminbirds web site.

 

[Wallyc]

One last thing get yourself get a zero line card you’ll need it .With auto chart live on the unit will only save up to eight hours of information when you are recording so you will need the card for anything more than that. Me personally I can take or leave the Nav card because of auto chart live most places I Fish the Nav card don’t do a lick of good as I fish mostly small electric only reservoirs.

 

[handyandy]

I just recently got and installed a helix 7si G2N the SI is nice wish it was little more clear like the newer ones but I got the unit on clearance from scheels for just under 400 to my door was hard to beat. Guys were asking that out of used units. I'm still getting the hang of it as I've only had the boat out twice since putting it on the other week. I have/had a few year old garmin 53sv which has down imagining and gps 5" screen. It's a good little unit is easy to use. I agree going from my garmin to this bird the garmin I think is easier to use/setup. My garmin is going to become my front fish finder replacing an little 4" lowrance basic color sonar unit I've had up front for a while. At some point I will run the ethernet cable from the bird in the back at the tiller up front to my TM so I can utilize follow the contour or for following way points on the gps with the troller.

My gripes about the bird are like I said already I think the garmin was/is easier to setup and change settings, going between different screens/functions of the unit were easier with the garmin than the bird I think. I hate the humminbird ducer it sprays a ton of water so much so I'm probably going to have make a little splash guard for it. If I adjust it to not spray so bad it's up too high. The dang humminbird ducer is like a brick on mine, the garmin was like a surfboard shape didn't spray water at all. The other thing I hated about the bird is it didn't include a son cover, and the gimble mount doesn't swivel at all so I had to buy a swivel mount, and son cover separate. Garmin came with a cover and the mount swiveled. I know even newer garmin 7" mounts swivel my buddy got a 7" garmin with si and gps not long ago his gimble mount swivels. Maybe you don't care about any of that but just figured I'd share.

 

[LDUBS]

I hate the humminbird ducer it sprays a ton of water so much so I'm probably going to have make a little splash guard for it. If I adjust it to not spray so bad it's up too high. The dang humminbird ducer is like a brick on mine,

I have a feeling you already know this. Your HB transducer should have come with a rubber plug that goes between the mounting bracket and the actual transducer. The purpose is the fill the gap so you don't get spray (rooster tail). My old HB transducer didn't have that. It was included with my Helix 7 transducer. Makes a huge difference.

 

[handyandy]

Yeah I realized that after I had it on said the hell with it. I've since put it on we will see if it helps much I'm skeptical. The garmin came with a better mount for the screen, the ducer was a better shape, and the mount I think was better. If it wasn't for the fact that I want to be able to network with my new to me trolling motor I need to install still I probably would have gone garmin again. It's kind of like which do you prefer coke or pepsi? I'm sure I will get use to the layout of screens and menus on the bird, but from the garmins I used in my boat and a newer 8" model a buddy has I think they're easier to figure out. When I first was messing with my buddies garmin which is much newer than mine and touch screen it didn't take me but 5-10 mins to figure out how to flip between functions and adjust frequencies without any looking in the manual my humminbird I need to browse through the manual still. Maybe the g3's are better idk. I went with the g2n cause it was 400 versus almost 700 for the same size in a g3n. It's big upgrade for me from just regular sonar with down imaging to having side imaging too, but I thought the imagine would be a little clearer than it is.

 

[handyandy]

maybe the g3's are different but on my g2 I hate how you scroll between the different screens/functions you have to keep hitting the button and scroll through every screen to get to the one you want. The Garmin you had a menu and just picked which screen/function you wanted to view you didn't have to keep punching a button scrolling through five screens to get to where you wanted.

 

[MrGiggles]

maybe the g3's are different but on my g2 I hate how you scroll between the different screens/functions you have to keep hitting the button and scroll through every screen to get to the one you want. The Garmin you had a menu and just picked which screen/function you wanted to view you didn't have to keep punching a button scrolling through five screens to get to where you wanted.

I agree, I like having the main function menu instead of having to scroll through them on the 'Bird.

You can go in the settings and hide the views/functions that you do not use. I have mine narrowed down to 3 screens, so it's not too bad. It's all personal preference though, some probably prefer it.

 

[LDUBS]

On my Helix 7 you scroll through each screen view until you get to the one you want, just like you guys say. It is possible, I'm pretty sure, to hide those screen views of no interest. There is also a long vs short menu list option. I have to check to see if I can actually modify the menus. But mine is an old unit. Not a G anything as far as I know. haha.

Edit -- I think I just restated what you already said. Sorry about that.

 

[wmk0002]

Any updates on the search?

 

[Wallyc]

I don’t have a problem with them . They are simple to operate. . With that said I do use a remote for both units. I use the sh$t out of both to keep from having to fiddle with the pad. Birds are not set it and forget it like Lowrance is with auto sensitivity I believe the feature is called where it keeps the picture pretty. If you want pretty pictures you definitely want a 7g3. It has mega. Garmin are nice units as well. I know a few friends who run them and no complaints.