Thread: Fish finder/chart plotter

I am in the market to upgrade my fish finder. I have around $1500 ish to spend.
I'm a techno retard so want something user friendly, accurate and easy to read and understand.

For all you regular fishos out there what would you reccomend?
Another dumb question can you get them wireless?
Do you have to buy mapping seperately or do they come pre installed?

Is side scan worth it?

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maybe checkout NZ fishing website,countless threads on this exact topic.
theres bound to be a fresh one going atm or just put out

Spend the max on a sounder I prefer furuno even some of the older 620/585 models are great with lots of transducers around . I find the more buttons the easier to use rather than the newer menu based models as you are always looking for the right function in the menu .As for gps go garmin all the way and better if it has a zoom in zoom out button just like your handheld , you get pissed of changing between sounder /gps on a single much better to have 2 units you can even get the latest charts for $20 on your stupid phone gps . Remember a sounder will show whats down there so get the best . I run a furuno combo unit in gps only with charts and a separate furuno colour sounder , if the sounder only unit shits itself I can plug its transducer into the combo unit and carry on with split screen if need be .

Originally Posted by widerange

maybe checkout NZ fishing website,countless threads on this exact topic.
theres bound to be a fresh one going atm or just put out

Had a quick look. Not much there to be fair. Mostly people having issues with what they have bought

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Originally Posted by R93

I am in the market to upgrade my fish finder. I have around $1500 ish to spend.
I'm a techno retard so want something user friendly, accurate and easy to read and understand.

For all you regular fishos out there what would you reccomend?
Another dumb question can you get them wireless?
Do you have to buy mapping seperately or do they come pre installed?

Is side scan worth it?

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

It all depends on exactly what use you want it for

Um budget is about right if mainly fishing shallow, if fishing deep (over 150-200m then you have almost got enough in your budget for the Transducer only)

Most are somewhat easy to drive but to get the best out of them you need to use the "manual settings"

The more expensive units can and do support Phone app's / wifi....................but I have to ask why bother is a smaller boat (less than 10m )??

Mapping is usually show separately but included (ask) Garmin for example show charts at a Value but you cannot actually buy one with out charts

Marine Charting on SD cards usually ranges in price from 300-500 dollars (yes I know you can buy charting for your phone from the same companies for peanuts but that's the way it works)

Sidescan works but only in shallow water as it was really designed for use by freshwater fisherman in the states (effective range in saltwater is much reduced compared to Freshwater)
Working out how to read it also will mess with your head for a start.

They are also a lot easier to understand if you hinge the transducer out from the hull. New to me and I was starting to think my old one was better than my new one!!

I have the Simrad GO7
Need accuracy for fog so chart is more important than Sonar depth to me.
Nice compact unit
Only negatives are very bright in dark (yes in Dark mode) but I imagine all same there and cover is a bitch to get off so I just leave it resting over it

https://www.actionoutdoors.kiwi/epag...oductViaPortal

Have you tried turning brightness down not just using dark mode?
Momentary push of power button then select brightness from memory its been a while and now simrad is competitors product but these are full dimming displays i believe.

Originally Posted by mikee

Have you tried turning brightness down not just using dark mode?
Momentary push of power button then select brightness from memory its been a while and now simrad is competitors product but these are full dimming displays i believe.

I keep meaning to take the manual down to leave on boat - its not really an issue to me - I just pop the cover over it whilst driving if needed.
Will give it a go @mikee
Keep letting me know when over - will catch up "one day"

Simrad EVO3.

Originally Posted by Sarvo

I keep meaning to take the manual down to leave on boat - its not really an issue to me - I just pop the cover over it whilst driving if needed.
Will give it a go @mikee
Keep letting me know when over - will catch up "one day"

Put the manual on your phone.

Id go for a garmin, i personally stay away from touch screens also.

And if ya going to use it in a split screen mode don't get the 7 inch model. Unless you have the eyes of an eagle. I'm gonna upgrade the head unit to 12 inches. I have a garmin

I've used recent model Garmin, Humminbird and Simrad fishfinders and they're all good. Nothing to add to what's written above apart from the side scan thing. Unless you're seriously in to lure fishing in shallow water, I'd skip it.

Originally Posted by Maca49

They are also a lot easier to understand if you hinge the transducer out from the hull. New to me and I was starting to think my old one was better than my new one!!

What do you mean out from the Hull? My current one is on a bit of an arm and is about a third as far as the prop.

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