Bow Mounted FF and Transducer Questions

[Tin Man]

Looking to possibly add a bow mounted FF to assist in my style of fishing.
Mostly fish alone.

My primary fishing includes....small, med, large reservoirs/lakes and Colorado river... Lakes Havasu/ Mohave..

Targets.....Primarily Flycoring for Stripers (trolling leadcore with various flies) and at times bass, crappie/bluegill

I have a Lowrance HDS Live 9 at console running the 3 in 1 transducer off transom.

This I use for trolling and flycoring. It's not useable when fishing from front casting deck.

When I switch to bass/panfish fishing, I would like to cast and fish off front deck and having a FF at bow would be nice.

So.....I was thinking of a few scenarios:

1. Purchase a Lowrance HDS Live 12 without transducer, exchange it for bow mounted head unit, and move the 9 to the bow (Larger screen allows me to better see screen when standing and trolling at rear of boat). This would mean running two HDS Live head units off one transducer. Is this feasible? Or would it better to purchase the 12 WITH transducer and mount the transducer to my Terrova TM?
Pros/Cons?

2. Purchase a Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 106sv with GT54 transducer and run it at bow with the transducer mounted to my Terrova TM? I have read the GT56 is a much improved transducer. This would be two different platforms to learn. This option would allow for a possible upgrade in the future to Live Scope.
Pros/Cons?

3. Other potential options I have not considered?

Planning/Preparing to purchase when prices drop...between now and Black Friday.

Thanks!

 

[FuzzyGrub]

From my perspective:

Option 1, I don't like using the transom transducer for the bow. You want to see what is right below you, or slightly forward.

Option 2. I don't like having two different mfgs to learn and use the options availale today. At my age, learning new tricks gets harder every day.

Assuming the Echomap is larger screen, I'd choose option 2 over 1.

Since it will be typically mounted near your feet, eyes will be further away and you need a big screen to see details. Also, will be bending over to change views or settings. Most of the time, we don't bother plugging in the bow finder. We are fishing shallow, and typically close to shore. On open water, has more value for navigating to a particular spot, brush pile, ledge, etc. Need the big digit settings turned on. Our bow unit is too small to do split screen with gps and 2d sonar, which is all we use at the bow. So if we have good waypoints with map data, its on gps, otherwise 2D sonar.

As far as upgrade and future paths, can't help you. I'm still working with very old equipment.

 

[Tin Man]

Th Garmin Echomap is 10"...slightly larger than my 9" Lowrance console unit...but it is Garmin which is a different platform.

Good info on needing to bend over to make adjustments. Even sitting, I would still need to bend over slightly if I use a high rise mount.

NOTE: I'm probably about the same distance away from my eyes to the head units at both console and bow...approx. 5'-6'

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Th Garmin Echomap is 10"...slightly larger than my 9" Lowrance console unit...but it is Garmin which is a different platform.

Good info on needing to bend over to make adjustments. Even sitting, I would still need to bend over slightly if I use a high rise mount.

NOTE: I'm probably about the same distance away from my eyes to the head units at both console and bow...approx. 5'-6'

Maybe you need another unit in the back?

Outside of the occasional vertical jigging, only glace once in a while at the screen while fishing.