Which fish finder should I buy

[Rdstair]

Buying a 2012 Lowe Fishing Machine 175. This is my first boat. I can not decide about my bow unit. I am going back and forth between the HB 597C DI and the HB 788C DI. My counsel unit will be a HB 1198C SI. I will be mostly fishing here in MN. Will do some bigger water like Mill Lacs and some river fishing on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. The 788 is inly $150 more. Money is not a problem. You guys are the experts so I respect your opinions.

[Ranger Guy]

Originally Posted by Rdstair

Money is not a problem.

If this is the case then I can't imagine having anything other then at least a 998c si at the bow. It gives you a very large bright screen so you can use either 2 or all 3 available views at the same time, sonar, DI & SI. You can use the same heavy duty 2" ball Ram mount which will get it around 10" up off the deck for easy viewing and you will also have the ability to switch the 2 monitors around if you desire to quickly and easily because they use all the same connections. The base is different sizes so you'll just switch the ram mount ball.

If I have a buddy then I'll leave the 1198 at the console for him to view at the back then I'll use the 998 at the bow or use the 1198 there if I am alone...

DI up front is better then nothing but the coverage area is much too small. You will miss some areas when you are fishing from the bow without SI.

Another advantage is that you can purchase an HB Interlink and then you can share sonar, GPS, waypoints between the 2 units. You might can do all this as well with an 898 if you don't mind the smaller screen. You'll save 500 bucks..

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[TN_Bassin]

If money is not an issue then you should buy the best... simple as that. IMO the bow unit should be equal to or better than the console unit... because you fish from the bow.. not the middle of the boat... I say better to glace down at a 10 inch screen rather than squint at a smaller one.

[bassboogieman]

If this is the case then I can't imagine having anything other then at least a 998c si at the bow

I almost totally agree, although I think an 8" screen would be sufficient with the 9" screen optimum if your budget allows. I currently have a 797cSI upfront and it's really too small to see very much when standing on the front deck and really bad with sun glare. Compared with the 1197cSI at my helm, well there just is no comparison and the visibility is made worse if you want to use any split screen features on a 5" screen. I'm looking to swap out the small unit for something larger come spring.

The OP apparently isn't planning on a SI unit up front so this won't apply specifically to him. But while on the subject, I'm also not happy with SI upfront with the transducer on the trolling motor, the picture distorts every time you change course with the trolling motor. I am probalby going with a down image 9" unit up front. Eliminating the SI will make it more financially feasible to move up to a 9" DI unit.

I don't do a lot of deep water or offshore fishing, but when I do I think the DI will work better up front on the t/m, as most of my side image searching is done with the outboard running and viewing the 1197. Another negative for the SI up front - optimal performance for the SI feature is obtained at 4 -6 MPH, that's hard to do on a trolling motor.

[TN_Bassin]

Hey boogie have you tried the Si up front with the chart speed cranked all the way up?

[bassboogieman]

No, didn't give that a try. Will that help with the warping issue? I think it may compensate for the reduced speed issue, but the issue with being able to see it (especially with the screen split) is the most problematic for me. I'm just too far away to see that small screen when standing up. I've got to fool with the unit up front, I have interferrence issues also with the transducer mounted on the t/m. I think I have to establish a common negative for the t/m batteries and crank battery to eliminate some of that. Didn't have those issues with my old Lowrance units. The heck with new rods, maybe I just need a new boat.

[TN_Bassin]

The one thing about the lowrance structure scan opposed to the hummingbird side imaging, is that you don't have to fool with chart speeds. Lowrance's automatically adjust for the speed you're going. When I'm on the big motor I'll have the 1197's chart speed at around 3-4 depending on the speed I'm going. When I'm on the trolling motor I put it on 1, because I don't have an SI transducer bow mounted. As a general rule of thumb I would try setting the chart speed to the current mph you're going.

The reason I would try cranking the bow mount Si chart speed all the way up is when you turn your trolling motor to aim the SI, the transducer is moving faster than you are at the time. It won't eliminate all of the warping but I think it will help a lot.

[lilmule]

Im older ,am camo blind,need glasses to read yet have no trouble seeing and or reading a 5 in screen,as for split screening its like side scanning some spend to much time looking and not doing.Top of line the sure if you just bought a 52-58k boat.
3k ,I didnt spend that kind of money for the whole boat,yeah was a cheapie,runs stops n starts,floats in the mean time.
One of these days im gonna pass one thats actually watching reruns on his tv mounted on the console.I also own two bird units but should do me a lifetime and none costing 1,000 or more each.
Its a tool nice one but still a tool and an expensive one at that.
Cant help but chuckle at the wrapped .com boats out there on the main idling around side scanning,im going by to a spot know whats underneath hundreds of objects on a screen littered as flooded not dredged and anyone with a map and 100 dollar depth finder can find and sit on half of them.
For those that have newer boats it most likly increases the value and is a good tool providing you dont spend your time on it versus having a rod in hand.