small fish graph for 14' boat

[arrowdem]

got a little 14' boat perfect for throwing in the water wherever i want and for some small bodies of water and i would like to have some sort of a fish graph to put in there... Lowrance has that hook series that seems like it would be a good fit, has anyone tried any of these and if so what model would you suggest to go to?


https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=lowrance+hook+

 

[Fly Carpin]

If I were to put a graph on a boat that was small water specific, I'd look into one with some sort of autochart capabilities. That way you have your own contour map that you can sell to your buddies for cases of beer

 

[arrowdem]

If I were to put a graph on a boat that was small water specific, I'd look into one with some sort of autochart capabilities. That way you have your own contour map that you can sell to your buddies for cases of beer

i like where your heads at on this topic so far

 

[RustyTackleBox]

for small uncharted lakes I would think side imaging would be even more helpful since you do not usually have any sort of mapping...

I am hoping to put my buddies speed canoe in some small lakes this summer to do some mapping for ice fishing (16ft lund with more in electronics than the boat is worth)

 

[arrowdem]

the lakes that i will be on around here do have some mapping on my navionics app, but im not opposed to having some sort of capabilites for doing that, the only thing is what would something like that cost a guy for a basic set up? this is a $500-700 boat mind you and i spend more of my time in the big boat on bigger bodies of water so im hoping to not have to break the bank on something

 

[Kurtr]

i would just get the 16 it would not look out of place at all

 

[arrowdem]

i would just get the 16 it would not look out of place at all

well it's settled then thanks for all your input guys Kurt found the right one for me! haha it would look like a large flat screen tv in a boat that small! haha

 

[RustyTackleBox]

imo electronics are an important part to getting on and staying on fish... I had the predecessor to the hook series the lowrance elite 5 and I missed a lot of fish because I just did not know they were there and I know this because I now still have that graph on the dash of my boat beside my big TV screen 10" and will mark 10-15 fish to every 1 the lowrance marks... that being said... have you thought about using a ram mount in your big boat and one in your small boat that you can just put another transducer on the little boat and swap the head unit back and forth... I know I got an extra power cord for my onix 8 to use in the truck for ice fishing for the maps and it was only $30, new ducer is about 200 (depending) and a ram mount is going to be 30-60

 

[arrowdem]

imo electronics are an important part to getting on and staying on fish... I had the predecessor to the hook series the lowrance elite 5 and I missed a lot of fish because I just did not know they were there and I know this because I now still have that graph on the dash of my boat beside my big TV screen 10" and will mark 10-15 fish to every 1 the lowrance marks... that being said... have you thought about using a ram mount in your big boat and one in your small boat that you can just put another transducer on the little boat and swap the head unit back and forth... I know I got an extra power cord for my onix 8 to use in the truck for ice fishing for the maps and it was only $30, new ducer is about 200 (depending) and a ram mount is going to be 30-60

that big boat will be parked up at devils lake all summer with everything left up there at the campsite so there is no pulling stuff back and forth and this little boat will be for me dickin around closer to home, so that wont work out do you think that these hook series are quite a bit better than the elites or have you not run them yet?

 

[Lostlunker]

I would go with the Humminbird Helix 5 or the Lowrance Hook 4. Think of it as a dual purpose investment since you will be able to use either unit in the winter if you also pick up an ice pack. I use my Lowrance Elite 4 in my canoe all the time. I keep it in the ice pack and just have it sitting on the floor of the canoe with trolling motor mount for the ducer. It's easy enough to see and is functional. I see Jet has the Lowrance pretty cheap at the moment and looks like it comes packaged with a chip (Lake Insight or Navionics Hot Maps I can't tell which one from the description?). $184 bucks with 15% off if its your first order seems like a decent deal.

https://jet.com/product/Lowrance-Ho...ount-Transdu/7c39335de7414339b35a09a00d706446

 

[RustyTackleBox]

I don't have any experience with the hook series... wasn't a fan of the elite so I switched to the bird... several friends have the helix now and it seems to do a good job too... helix 7 or 9 are good options (7 has an ice bag too) or if you go with the hook I would make a good deal on a lowrance ice bag I no longer use since I got a marcum LX7

 

[Vollmer]

Picked up a hook 3 for father in law on ebay for $75.

 

[arrowdem]

Picked up a hook 3 for father in law on ebay for $75.

if im correct there is no chip and no gps correct?

 

[Muzzytipped]

I would do the Lowrance Elite4x-CHIRP Ice Machine and buy and extra boat transducer. Then you have a kickass ice unit with gps and mapping and also use on the boat.

https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/low...0-12643-001/?gclid=CPnNrM6ArNMCFZ62wAodOpYPLQ

 

[FishSticks]

I found a used Helix 7 DI to put on my dad's old duck boat for such occasions. Hoping to put it to use for the next few weeks in the some small ND waters. Maybe buy an ice ducer for this winter as well.

 

[Captain Ahab]

The real question is why you would want to graph only small fish?

 

[arrowdem]

The real question is why you would want to graph only small fish?

well played, sir

 

[Kurtr]

I use an elite 7 that works for me but i suck at catching fish though so take that with a grain of salt

 

[Captain Ahab]

I just set a gimbal bracket onto a portable holder like a vexilar pro-pack base with a vex-style battery. I also have a spare transducer on a transducer holder that can be attached to the transom of any boat. I then just swap head units from boat to boat. Not hard to zip a head unit off and on as long as it isn't "in-dash" mounted.

 

[Ponyroper]

I would do the Lowrance Elite4x-CHIRP Ice Machine and buy and extra boat transducer. Then you have a kickass ice unit with gps and mapping and also use on the boat.

https://www.mygreenoutdoors.com/low...0-12643-001/?gclid=CPnNrM6ArNMCFZ62wAodOpYPLQ

I believe the X series (4X, 5X, 7X etc.) do NOT have GPS or mapping capabilities. That's why they are cheaper. Last year I bought an Elite 5X HDI CHIRP on sale from Cabela's for $199 and got a $50 rebate from Lowrance. It doesn't have GPS or mapping but I like how clear the CHIRP feature makes it. Actually prefer it to my Elite-7 HDI without CHIRP and use it more. $149 cost included an HDI transducer.