Strictly Sonar: Lowrance/Bird/Garmin

[Vollmer]

Strictly speaking about sonar/downscan. Which do you think is the best?

I ran Lowrance and Garmin in my last boat. I run a Helix 9 g3n now.
The bottom separation on this bird is terrible in my opinion.
I am thinking about using that expensive 9 strictly for mapping, and adding a Lowrance or Garmin for sonar/di.

I am quite happy with my Helix 10 for side imaging, however.

 

[Auggie]

I love Lowrance, but going Garmin and adding Livescope would be very valuable and double for ice fishing.

 

[gone_fishing]

Strictly speaking about sonar/downscan. Which do you think is the best?

I ran Lowrance and Garmin in my last boat. I run a Helix 9 g3n now.
The bottom separation on this bird is terrible in my opinion.
I am thinking about using that expensive 9 strictly for mapping, and adding a Lowrance or Garmin for sonar/di.

I am quite happy with my Helix 10 for side imaging, however.

What kind of bottom reading issues are you seeing? Humminbird has released a couple software updates over the winter that were suppose to address issues with 2D sonar in shallow water (under 10'). I know my Helix 7 would sometimes show a double bottom and the depth reading would be twice the actual depth. Did the software update but haven't been on the water with the boat yet to confirm issues.

 

[Vollmer]

It just seems like the Bird is bad at showing any separation.
Harder to distinguish a rock from a fish, compared to Lowrance and Garmin.

 

[Vollmer]

What kind of bottom reading issues are you seeing? Humminbird has released a couple software updates over the winter that were suppose to address issues with 2D sonar in shallow water (under 10'). I know my Helix 7 would sometimes show a double bottom and the depth reading would be twice the actual depth. Did the software update but haven't been on the water with the boat yet to confirm issues.

I’d be curious to know what you find out.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

I have a lowrance and bird both on my dash in the new boat, was out today and was very impressed with mega side imaging I could see fish easy and see the difference between pike and walleye. Haven't had a chance to do much with the other graph mostly using it for sat imaging but will be using the structure map feature when I get time. Is your switch fire setting set on clear or max mode V? I always run mine on max and have had best luck that way

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I think set about in the middle of the max mode

 

[Vollmer]

I am currently on clear mode, but after watching some setup vids, I am now on max mode, but yet to try it on water.

Agreed on the Mega Side Imaging.

 

[Captain Ahab]

H-bird 2d sonar just doesn’t do it for me either.

 

[Allen]

I don't know if I am versed enough to know if I like the Lowrance Total Scan on an HDS Gen III unit. I have a pair of them and I see structure great, but I don't see fish (judging on my ability to catch fish where I haven't seen them).

One thing I am quite certain of is that it pisses me off to no end with the TS transducers ability to lose the bottom at high speeds. Hell, my Toon only does 32 and my Lund around 39 and I lose bottom far too often when at full throttle.

 

[risingsun]

I have a lowrance and bird both on my dash in the new boat, was out today and was very impressed with mega side imaging I could see fish easy and see the difference between pike and walleye. Haven't had a chance to do much with the other graph mostly using it for sat imaging but will be using the structure map feature when I get time. Is your switch fire setting set on clear or max mode V? I always run mine on max and have had best luck that way

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I think set about in the middle of the max mode

I would love to see screenshots of the difference between northern and walleye.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

When I learn how to do that on the graph I'll take pictures of it

 

[risingsun]

Awesome. Thank you

 

[buckhunter24_7]

Mostly use the shadow of the fish to identify it from other objects in the water. And see how high up on the water it is

 

[Fisherman25]

I don't know if I am versed enough to know if I like the Lowrance Total Scan on an HDS Gen III unit. I have a pair of them and I see structure great, but I don't see fish (judging on my ability to catch fish where I haven't seen them).

One thing I am quite certain of is that it pisses me off to no end with the TS transducers ability to lose the bottom at high speeds. Hell, my Toon only does 32 and my Lund around 39 and I lose bottom far too often when at full throttle.

In hull ducer is your answer. Cheap and fairly easy install. They never lose bottom at high speed.

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I am currently on clear mode, but after watching some setup vids, I am now on max mode, but yet to try it on water.

Agreed on the Mega Side Imaging.

I run mine on clear mode and have no issue defining fish. That said I rely fully on side imaging inside of 10-12’. The cone is too small at that depth to matter to me. I’m more interested in where I missed them. Once you get around 15 foot and deeper I have no issue picking out fish on 2Dn.

 

[ndfinfan]

I don't know if I am versed enough to know if I like the Lowrance Total Scan on an HDS Gen III unit. I have a pair of them and I see structure great, but I don't see fish (judging on my ability to catch fish where I haven't seen them).

One thing I am quite certain of is that it pisses me off to no end with the TS transducers ability to lose the bottom at high speeds. Hell, my Toon only does 32 and my Lund around 39 and I lose bottom far too often when at full throttle.

Same here Allen - only had new boat out once so far...have a 9 inch Hook2 on console and never got above 15mph but with screen split between map and regular sonar lost bottom easily...on my old Hook when making longer runs I would always split screen between map and downscan...wouldn't lose bottom then would swap over to map/sonar when slowing down to search for fish...but I will say the sonar at slow speeds with this tripleshot transducer is amazing...as well as the sidescan.

 

[RustyTackleBox]

I have humminbird solix and garmin... the i still need to run the si ducer for the garmin until then i have just the livescope on it... for me i have the 2d and di running if I'm trying to mark fish on bottom with the bird or 2d and si

 

[AaronJ]

I run all 3 brands.

I give a slight nod to the down imaging by Lowrance. Seem to have slightly better target separation.

I give a big nod to Birds for side imaging. I am interested in seeing how the down imaging with the built in MEGA ducer on the new Terrova works. The couple hours I had it out on Saturday I was impressed and it may beat the Lowrance down imaging with some tweaking of settings.

Garmin, for the pricepoint, is decent at both down and side imaging. Built in maps is where it shines. And, the ability to add Livescope...

All this being, said our next Yar build will have 3 Helix 10s.

 

[eyexer]

By far the best locator for bottom separation for me has been the old vexilar edge2. It’s so much better than the current graphs for that one purpose I found a used one I’m installing it.

 

[all4eyes]

Hds units for graphing and a helix for mapping. Like the separation on the hds units better. Both have pros and cons. Hardest part was getting them to run together,

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Same here Allen - only had new boat out once so far...have a 9 inch Hook2 on console and never got above 15mph but with screen split between map and regular sonar lost bottom easily...on my old Hook when making longer runs I would always split screen between map and downscan...wouldn't lose bottom then would swap over to map/sonar when slowing down to search for fish...but I will say the sonar at slow speeds with this tripleshot transducer is amazing...as well as the sidescan.

Raise the transducer a bit, bet its washing out,

 

[Riggen&Jiggen]

Not sure about brand new Humminbirds but 2 or 3 year old ones you had to use the dual beam setting for your sonar to get a good picture.