Confused about sounder/ gps

[dannyplug1]

I am in the process of purchasing a new sounder/ gps. I am considering purchasing a hoby or upgrading the sounder on my wilderness ride. I have used a cheap pirana. I am confused about the types of sounders some make a picture of the bottom and some make a traditional representation. I fish areas that are rock sand and mixed and fish no deeper than thirty to forty feet. I wonder which type would be better for that situation. I am considering color. I have been told that a color sounder will enable you to determine the composition of the bottom better than a black and white monitor. Is this true? Also in the pictures of the sounders on websites they show the monitor as being half gps and half depth sounder. In these models is this the only screen or can you have the whole screen as a gps or the whole screen as a depth sounder. I have been looking at lowarance and humming bird and keep getting more confused. What I really need is a reccomendation. I want to spend up to four hundred(could be stretched a little) I fish in shallow areas of rock sand and mixed bottoms. I want the gps to be able to get me home in fog and darkness to mark potential hot spots. I want to be able to mark places and courses that I get hits on while trolling eels and or tubes. I am very confused do you guys have any suggestions in regard to particular models or types. thanks charlie

[Rockport24]

Go get a humminbird 385ci, best bang for your buck and a great size for the yak it's a color sonor with a gps you can have the screen be anything you want (all sonor or all gps or split a few different ways)

Color is a little better for reading the bottom. As for the one that shows a picture of a bottom, I believe those are called "side imaging" but for those, you HAVE to have the transducer directly in the water, it can't be mounted inside the hull like most people do with hobies.

Lowrance just came out with some nice lower-end models that might be worth a look and they also came out with a transducer set up that allows you to mount through the scupper holes of any kayak, whereas the humminbird scupper transdcuer only works with Ocean Kayaks.

[The Dad Fisherman]

You can switch up the display on most. splitscreen or just either the sounder or GPS.

Some have other alternate displays....such as a flasher type display

Matt.....got any info on that Lowrance Unit.....I'm also getting ready to pull the trigger on one for the yak

[jonserfish]

I purchased the lowrance mark 4 ($250)after messing around with one at BPS. It is awesome and I cant wait to get it in. Wont be here untill mid april. The track back feature is sick! no more searching around for structure if you don't save a m.o.b. when you first see the structure/fish/bait etc.. just scroll back throught the memory align the crosshairs and get gps location and depth in the water collumn if it was not on the bottom. I got no more excuses after that gets mounted.

[Rockport24]

these are new this year and look pretty damn cool because they have side imaging in a really compact package.
GPS Chartplotter Fishfinder | Lowrance Elite-4 DSI

It seems lowrance is finally getting wise to the kayak market. Humminbird isn't being left behind though, they came out with a similar unit as well this year. I'm sure both are awesome.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Thats in my ballpark for a Fishfinder.....nice unit.....especially since it can use the Scupper Mount

[Rockport24]

yeah that is a cool new feature, humminbird needs to stop being so proprietary, it's because the same company owns humminbird and ocean kayak

[jonserfish]

the elite is AWESOME! just went with the mark 4 to save a cpl hundered bucks.

[Tagger]

Amazon.com: Lowrance Elite - 4 DSI Fishfinder / GPS Chartplotter with 455 / 800 kHz Transducer: Sports & Outdoors

is this a good price ?

[The Dad Fisherman]

Eddie, if you have a sportsman guide buyers club membership they have the best price. It for the most part it looks like the price is pretty constant across the board on this unit.

Elite 4 Dsi Base Combo 455/Trd - 946056, Marine Electronics at Sportsman's Guide

[Tagger]

Looks like a nice piece with the GPS and color and all ... Too much coin right now but someday .. until then compass .

[thefishingfreak]

Originally Posted by dannyplug1

I have been told that a color sounder will enable you to determine the composition of the bottom better than a black and white monitor. Is this true? thanks charlie

By different colors yes but it's going to be red vs. say brown or orange. What tells the make up of the bottom is the height of the bottom echo. Hard rock will come out a a thin solid line where as soft mud will come out as a thick faint line. Sort of the difference between a red airbrush painting a line for mud and a red sharpie drawing a line for rock. You can plenty of detail out of a black n white display if you know how to set it and how to read it.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Tagger]

Love your description Mike ,,,, as only a master plug painter can describe ... airbrush vs. sharpie ... that's classic Freak !!!!!

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

By different colors yes but it's going to be red vs. say brown or orange. What tells the make up of the bottom is the height of the bottom echo. Hard rock will come out a a thin solid line where as soft mud will come out as a thick faint line. Sort of the difference between a red airbrush painting a line for mud and a red sharpie drawing a line for rock. You can plenty of detail out of a black n white display if you know how to set it and how to read it.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device