Color Fishfinder

Color Fishfinder

Getting A Good Garmin Fish Finder

Getting a good fish finder is often as tough as finding the fish. But, Garmin fish finder products are made for a variety of budgets and skill levels. Garmin produces five different fish finders, which take care of the full range of requirements for almost all fishermen.

Their most reasonably priced model is also their basic level product. This is the Fishfinder 90. A perfect machine for the newbie as it is easy to use, but still effective enough to be useful. Good shallow water performance having a black and white display featuring an automatic gain adjustment. Battery operated with one hundred watts of electricity. This model sells for around one hundred ten dollars.

The second Garmin fishfinder machine up on the scale is the Garmin fishfinder 140. This model is only slightly more expensive than the basic model selling for less than one hundred thirty dollars, however it has a number of other features. The biggest difference is the screen size actually being a much larger - 128 by 240 pixels. Moreover it has automatic re-scaling and automatic back up of configurations.

The Model 160C is an one hundred fifty watt unit with a color display that is properly readable during daytime. The display is 128 by 128 pixels. This device is offered for about two hundred dollars. The next step up in cost is Model 300C. This is basically very similar to the 160C but having a large color display screen of 240 by 300 pixels. It also has a split screen feature. This machine is priced at about two hundred fifty dollars.

The leading edge version is the fishfinder 400C. This particular unit is supplied in both freshwater and saltwater version. The freshwater models can handle up to nine hundred feet depths and the salt water devices could enter up to fifteen hundred feet. The first one is a four hundred watt device and the second a five hundred watt machine.
About the Author

A
Garmin fish finder
is never a bad choice and with a
fishfinder GPS combo
you are even better off to a great catch.

In search of a new Fish Finder?

I just purchased a new Bass boat and want to upgrade the Fishfinder. I'm at a complete stalemate as to which one to purchase.Hummingbird - Lowrance.I like color,I like black and white. Confusing.I would like one with fish symbols and fish depth verification.Gps would be a plus,but not needed.On the gps models, do you always ave to have em split screen? Better to have a single beam or a tri-beam? Something easy to read without a sun glare would be brilliant.Just thought I would see what everyones take on em was.
Ole fisherman- I ave a budget of bout 4- 500 tops ave any suggestions in that range and Oi "CYGNUS" if you can't answer a question properly,piss off to something you know bout and stop wasting my time...

Last year my Bass fishing team went from 2 $150 Garmin 240's to a $1200 Humminbird 898- http://www.basspro.com/Humminbird-898c-SI-Sonar-GPSWAAS-Chartplotter-Combo/product/10204782/-1648102

The difference was night and day.

Although the side-finding and HD "views" were excellent, (and is certainly nice to have), after a season on the water I'd say the most important feature was the GPS mapping technology. As a tournament Bass fisherman, it was AWESOME to be able to have a VERY distinct map of our local lakes and be able to mark where we caught fish, what side of offshore structure to approach & fish, Etc.

It truly "opened-up" offshore fishing for us. Even on local waters we THOUGHT we knew!

Nevertheless, at this point, we wished we had gone with this lower-priced unit- http://www.basspro.com/Humminbird-788ci-HD-DI-Sonar/GPS/Chartplotter-Combo/product/10210561/-1764756#prodDescription

The above unit hasn't got all the side-finding bells and whistles,(like the $1200 model we purchased), BUT, it has Lakemaster/Navionics compatibility & a GPS. And we have ended up using THAT feature MUCH more than anything else.

Think about this:

If your fishing an unfamiliar lake at dawn or dusk, (or night), with the GPS/Mapping feature you can ALWAYS know WHERE you are when on plane. This becomes VERY important if the lake your fishing has sand-bars, shallow rock shoals, rip-rap, standing timber, Etc- no one wants to ruin their lower-unit because they hit a submerged rock or log! (In other words, you can move around a lake with more confidence.)

Also, being able to KNOW exactly WHERE you are in relation to a drop-off or long, underwater, tapering point can be VITAL to fishing success. With the GPS/Lakemaster/Navionics there is no "guessing" where the submerged island/drop-off/submerged point is; there is no,"Well, I GUESS we hit the whole sand flat"- you know exactly where you've been and exactly where your going.

In my opinion, if you can afford to get a Finder with GPS/with Mapping technology- GET IT! It makes a WORLD of difference!

EVERY semi-Pro/Pro Bass fishing guy has a GPS/Mapping finder. Go look it up!

Hope this helps?

PS- No, you don't have to be on split-screen at all times. Tri-beam is better, obviously.

"GPS would be nice, but not needed"- A person that's only eaten crackers could never comprehend or understand what a steak dinner tastes like. That is the difference me and my Bass fishing partner experienced after going from 2 G-240's to 1 Navionic's equipped GPS unit!

UPDATE: Well, like I mentioned above, I'd concentrate on getting a finder with either Navionics or Lakemaster mapping/GPS. (After experiencing the "steak dinner" I could never go BACK to the "cracker"- lol.) Lowrance and Humminbird ARE the best you can buy. But, sometimes, your budget makes it difficult to get "the best". Here are a couple I found that have GPS/Mapping and good reviews:

1. Lowrance M68- http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Color-M68C-S/Map-Sonar/GPS-Marine-Mapping-Combo/product/52522/-1002742#prodDescription

2. Humminbird 385- http://www.basspro.com/Humminbird-385ci-Compact-SonarGPSChartplotter-Combo/product/10205389/-1648123#prodDescription

3. Humminbird 597- http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10210562_250003002_250000000_250003000?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL#prodDescription Save your money and get this unit. It's only $150 over your budget. Why? The other two have minute screens.

In regards to Navionics/Lakemaster- If the description says, Navionics/Lakemaster COMPATIBLE this means you can purchase, (for around $200) a chip to install at a later date. Some finders come with basic Navionics/Lakemaster, some don't. It's ALWAYS a good idea to talk with a KNOWLEDGEABLE customer service person before making a final decision on a finder. I suggest you go to a Bass Pro Shops or a Cabelas. Generally, both of those stores have trained individuals on finders. ASK Q's! Make them show you how it works! Sometimes you can get a deal, (like free upgraded Navionics/Lakemaster), from a floor model- http://www.basspro.com/Navionics-HotMaps-Platinum-MultiDimensional-Lake-Maps/product/10205395/-1648764

Hope this extra info helps?