Depth Sounder/Fishfinder

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Malcolm in the Middle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Depth Sounder/Fishfinder
    Posted: 08 Jul 2020 at 6:37pm
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My old basic depth sounder has given up so looking for a replacement.

Huge choice out there and its a question of how much to spend - what do I need. I'm up to, as a minimum, a fish finder/GPS unit at about $500. The question is whether to outlay an extra $300 odd for one with a chart plotter?

I mainly fish in familiar waters, ie Firth of Thames and Tauranga. Also sometimes Rotorua lakes - but I understand there are very limited charts for the latter.

Any thoughts?  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Catchelot Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2020 at 7:25pm
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MITM 

These days having a chart plotter is so much better with what you can view, eg your trail of where you are and where you have been, in case its dark or foggy and you then can come home following the trail you came out on. Thus, a great navigation tool.

The CP will have a modern map of the area which may show reefs and interest for fishing/prospecting... new CP will have bathymetric mapping as well for more depth contours, very useful when looking for new ground.
And of course you can mark and plot all your areas of interest and your own spot x's for future reference.

If you are only fishing in close and not over 150m then a standard 200Khz model of sounder/fish finder will suffice with standard transducer, but if you are a tweaker and want to examine the fish/bait and contacts mid water and good definition of structure on the bottom, then ask for the narrow beam high performance transducer to match the sounder/FF.

Also with the CP... the best bit is cruising over and area and seeing great fish sign and creating a waypoint or mark and then drifting back over that or the rock you have found.Big smile

Very well worth the extra funds mate.Thumbs Up

"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Johnny Watson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2020 at 8:17pm
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Definitely fork out extra for a chartplotter mate. All the reasons listed above are easily worth the additional costs
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ofthesea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jul 2020 at 10:58pm
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The GPS chart plotter any day. If I had to choose one to break down it would be the depth sounder not my fishing marks.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2020 at 10:00am
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I run a lowrance 7" HDI .. a budget units but bit over your pocket depth.
I use this for sounder only.

 I still have my old 7" huminbird.. transducer removed, and as a general gps...and yes it is just general.

I have a $150 levato 7" android tab with fully updated, subscribed navionics (about $35/yr)  for my main gps  to drop me right on that gutter in a reef, or follow a route or track out or back in the bar.

I also have navionics on my android phone and a spare  10" tab. Latter is just a spare.
 They all sync, talk to each other...all for the 1 $35/yr subscription.

Like others.. the gps is my go to.. once you have your spots marked over different seasons /tides its more a matter of dropping lines there, fish markings or not,  rather than using the sounder.
 Sounder and side scan for getting down creeks in 400mm water to the river.. staying in channels crossing bars, finding new foul, new spots.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote King Arthur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jul 2020 at 10:36am
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 The link below is good value for a 7"unit. $390, no charts but GPS for trails. May suit your needs.


 

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Malcolm in the Middle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 1:45pm
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Thanks for your thoughts. Sounds as though the extra $s is worth it Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ofthesea Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 2:53pm
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Not saying its a big issue but sometimes handy to follow your trail in reverse heading home, when visibility is poor.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 4:03pm
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handy to follow your trail in reverse heading home, when visibility is poor.

Which can be done just as well a a tablet with Navionics app loaded.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Keith C Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 4:08pm
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Originally posted by Steps Steps wrote:

handy to follow your trail in reverse heading home, when visibility is poor.


Which can be done just as well a a tablet with Navionics app loaded.



What marinised tablet have you found at a reasonable price, Steps? Anything cheaper than a chart plotter?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote strx7 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 4:12pm
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Spend the extra 250-300 on a 8 inch Tablet with built in GPS to use as a plotter, that way you can see your sounder on a descent sized screen and your plotter on one too.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 4:12pm
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Rotorua lakes - but I understand there are very limited charts for the latter.
All  covered except
Okatainia the SE end not covered well.
 Green lake  Lake rotomahana Lake Rerewhakaatui Rotoehu not covered

https://webapp.navionics.com/?ticket=ST-1493511625rNKBQNGYg0-pXbHduqG#boating@10&key=jzwhF_ndt%60%40



Spend the extra 250-300 on a 8 inch Tablet with built in GPS to use as a plotter, that way you can see your sounder on a descent sized screen and your plotter on one too.

Thumbs Up yep and it will be about the cost of actually buying the maps which is on top of the cost of the sounder Wink
 The sounder only comes with a very very basic map

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 4:30pm
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What marinised tablet have you found at a reasonable price, Steps? Anything cheaper than a chart plotter?

I started with my little hauwai smart phone for a while.. then a 7" cheap 2nd hand , android 4 from memory tablet with gps.
 I have updated to a sale price obsolete adriod 5 or 6 levato 10" android 5 or 6 a couple yrs back but still use the old Huawai
 Marinised.. on fine days just have it in a holder on the dash rail... wet or going over the bars it goes in a ziplock

 I dont use the obsolete 'new ' 10" cause it is by the spa pool to watch the news etc...
 It is loaded with navionics, as is my phone, and the sounder with a very basic version I got 2nd  hand but cant rem the last time put the gps up on the sounder., and they all sync up tracks, routes, markers and my fishing logs very nicely.
 Even the old tablets repeatedly drop me with in at least 2 to 3 m of where I want to be on very cloudy days or in the back of a island cliffs.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BananaBoat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jul 2020 at 7:40pm
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your budget allows 8 hundy, you will get a nice 7 inch unit for that

you definitely want gps tracking

hook the fish, mark it, track back to the hook up, then catch his mates
a good option..... allows navionics card or similar... its an added cost for this feature, certainly future proofs this setup, to me, better than an additional mobile device that can do similar cheaper

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote FarmerBrowne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jul 2020 at 8:51am
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if you fish the Rotorua Lakes and want reasonably detailed charts of the bottom contours - C Map genesis social map will provide most of the detail you need https://www.genesismaps.com/SocialMap
The link above will take you to the maps and you can zoom in to see the amount of detail available
 
I think they only work on lowrance or simrad units at this stage.  You subscribe for free and download the charts you want onto a card that goes in your unit.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Accident Prone Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2020 at 9:17am
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Hey mate, I have a Lowrance HDS7 Gen2 chartplotter/sounder incl transducer you can have for $250 if you want it.

I'm in Rotorua and fish the lakes a lot. I can show you how to get all the bathymetric charts for all the lakes free from Insight Genesis.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote offcut1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2020 at 11:07am
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Vaguely related question..... I’ve got an HDS 9 and I’ve been meaning to sort out Insight Genesis for a while. Does it add much in NZ? It’s a crowd sourced map update right? Do enough kiwis contribute to make it worthwhile?

And also.... I’ve always been told not to run a sounder out of the water too long to avoid damaging (overheating?) it. Do you unplug the transducer if you’re running the unit out of the water for a while?

Cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BananaBoat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2020 at 6:24pm
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depends who you talk to.... some say its an old wives tale
its the transducer that would heat up killing it
some of the newer ff/gps units you can select to turn the transducer off

I have a humminbird helix on my kayak, bought the spot x book, enter the gps marks, sometimes fluffing around on it for an hour or more.... still going ok

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Wanda_Ra Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2020 at 6:50pm
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i just use wetmaps.co.nz on my mob, works well and its free.

If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Muzzfishing Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jul 2020 at 7:28pm
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[QUOTE=offcut1
And also.... I’ve always been told not to run a sounder out of the water too long to avoid damaging (overheating?) it. Do you unplug the transducer if you’re running the unit out of the water for a while?

Cheers

[Yes leaving transducer out of water and running can damage the transducer. Garmin units after turning on push On/Off button and a new menu pops up. Disable transducer. Turn off very simple to turn off and on. Transducers are not cheap why take the chance]
    A Good Skipper Keeps the water on the outside of the boat.
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