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Topic: Down Imaging Fishfinders in Kayak?  (Read 10493 times)

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Yarjammer

  • Salmon
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  • Date Registered: May 2008
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Has anyone seen or used one of these?  I am seriously considering upgrading my 'finder and wondering how well they work.

 


polepole

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About to get one too.  Alas, I don't think I'll have it before ORC.

-Allen


Yarjammer

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Woodinville, Wa.
  • Date Registered: May 2008
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I'm having the hardest time deciding between Humminbird and Lowrance.  I'm trying to figure out if the differences are akin to arguing Ford v. Chevy.


kykfshr

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I am just finishing up installing a 798ci hd si combo on my Ultra.  Will post some pics of the install when I am done.  Your welcome to check it out at the ORC or shoot me a PM and we could meet up for some poison water bass fishin.

Scott


Yarjammer

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Sweet setup, but my wife will kill me if I spend as much on my 'finder as I did on my 'yak.  She's pissed I'm considering a $500 one.  I'll be heading to Cabelas on Saturday and probably won't make my final decision until I'm in the store.  I am really torn on whether or not color is worth the premium given that I actually prefer the greyscale to color in the standard versions.


Quillback

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As far as the manufacturer, I think it is a Chev / Ford decision.  Ask several guides and it depends on which manufacturer is their sponsor.
I'm partial to color as I like the contrast better than B/W.  With that said you should look at the power requirements for each: Humminbird, Lowrance, B/W & color.  I have a Humminbird 778c that requires 650 mA.  If I run it at 50% brightness it only requires 350 mA.  I don't think you will go wrong with selecting either one.


demonick

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  • Date Registered: Apr 2009
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I have a Humminbird 788ci and love it.  It is not down imaging and I wish it was.  It has been perfectly reliable and definitely gets wet and survives well.  I do completely rinse it under a fresh water tap after each use.  I run it at full brightness so it is pulling 650mA all the time and my 7aH battery gives at least 8 hours of use.  I have lowered the warning voltage level to the minimum. 

Since I have never used a Lowrance unit I can not compare them, but I am completely satisfied with my Humminbird.  They do occasionally have reconditioned units.  If I ever upgrade, I am going to go with down imaging.

One thing you need to consider is if the down imaging will work well shooting through the plastic.  Down imaging is a much more precision technology than simple sonar.  Since Humminbird and Ocean Kayak are both owned by Johnson Outdoors I suspect they could answer the question for you. 
« Last Edit: June 09, 2011, 08:57:15 AM by demonick »
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bsteves

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Quote
One thing you need to consider is if the down imaging will work well shooting through the plastic.  Down imaging is a much more precision technology than simple sonar.  Since Humminbird and Ocean Kayak are both owned by Johnson Outdoors I suspect they could answer the question for you.

Ah but kykfshr doesn't have to worry about this with his OK Ultra 4.7 as it's already compatible with the large down imaging transducers. 

Here's  a link to an Australian kayak fishing forum where an Ultra 4.7  + Humminbird 798ci raves about his side scan/down image sonar set up.  He's even saved a few tracks and plotted them on Google Earth.  It's pretty neat.

http://www.kfdu.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=15939

About 6 posts down he posts an image of the transducer mount.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


Stumblefish

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I'm curious as to the depth range. With limited power and , I'm guessing, very few beams , it might only get to 50'-75, deep enough for me though.  If I got one I'd spend too much time playing sonarman instead of fishing. :laugh:


Yarjammer

  • Salmon
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  • Location: Woodinville, Wa.
  • Date Registered: May 2008
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One thing you need to consider is if the down imaging will work well shooting through the plastic.  Down imaging is a much more precision technology than simple sonar.  Since Humminbird and Ocean Kayak are both owned by Johnson Outdoors I suspect they could answer the question for you.

I've been wondering about that, but I think I would mount it in one of the scupper hole cavities (similar to the 'bird scupper transducer) and marine goop it in place after cutting off/trimming the mounting tang.  The scupper should still be able to flow water around it.  I imagine it would work through the poly, I just want to maximize its potential if I'm dropping that kind of money on it.

Humminbird DI transducer:



The effective depth for getting the most from the down imaging is ~15'-200'.  Supposedly its horrible for shallow (who cares?) and has a sweet spot between 30'-150' where you get the best returns.


bsteves

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According to the Humminbird site, max depth on the side/down imaging for the 798ci is 100ft.  But it also has traditional 83/200 kHz bands that are good to 1500 ft.

I'm officially jealous and I know that I'd also spend too much time playing sonar man if I had one.   Actually, I'd probably just paddle back and forth at my favorite fishing holes recording data and making underwater maps in Google Earth later on.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


Yarjammer

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  • Location: Woodinville, Wa.
  • Date Registered: May 2008
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I think the 200' depth is coming from the guys running the much larger units.  I don't really have much use for any visibility below ~100'  anyways.  The fact that Humminbird has the ability to function on 83/200 in addition to 455 is a bonus over the Lowrance.

Right now I have to figure out what I value most - DI, Color, & GPS.  I can't afford all three in one the unit.  I have a handheld GPS and don't rely on it too much except for locating a spot every now and again.  If it was on my 'finder, I might use it more.


kardinal_84

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  • Date Registered: Mar 2011
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I LOVE fishing toys!!!  But really, what advantage is there to seeing an "image"  isn't that what I am looking at anyways on the returns?  Every picture I have seen of the normal sonar returns and the "down imagining" image look exactly the same to me with a bunch of the "fuzz" removed.

My buddy has a side scan system on is boat and other than the "that's neat" factor, can't say it has ever helped us really find fish. 

Totally clueless.  Got a little excited and after researching it a bit, a LOT less excited about this down imaging.  I must be missing something I think???
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Stumblefish

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While the fish finder helps you find fish , the higher frequency imaging ones seem to show more detail. I think the imaging ones are more for they guys who know the species real well, the imaging will show structures like trees,rock outcrops and bottom channels in good detail so they can plan how to fish better.


bsteves

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The nice thing about side scan is that it does just as it sounds, it scans the sides.  You have a much wider scan of the bottom and you know where (how far left or right) things are in the image.  For example.. you might be paddling along directly over a sandy bottom, but with the side scan going, you'll notice the rocky out crop 30 m to your left and be able to mark it as 30 m to your left via the GPS and come back to it to fish.
“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.”

― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh


 

anything