UTV mapping/sonar for ice fishing

[guywhofishes]

I need a mapping/sonar system in a UTV (it'll probably live there)

I have a bunch of Lowrance (Doc's) chips and would like to stay Lowrance so I can use them in boat and on ice.

Which Lowrance unit would allow me to map and ice fish out the door?

 

[Vollmer]

An Elite 7 HDI is all you need for that, in my opinion.

 

[AaronJ]

An Elite 7 HDI is all you need for that, in my opinion.

Agreed. I am still running on old Elite 7 HDI for mapping. Suction cup mount for windshield with cigarette lighter power cord. Still Vex or Livescope for the actual fishing.

 

[SDMF]

Transducer cord management is your Achilles heel if looking for a single do-all unit, that and the potential for draw-down of the UTV battery if powering via ciggy lighter receptacle. Also, if you have the unit placed properly for navigation while driving, how are you going to re-position for fishing out the door so you can see the screen?

 

[Riggen&Jiggen]

I take a Humminbird helix that I use for mapping on my boat. I bought a power cord and an ice transducer for it. It probably set me back about $150. So I use it year around. That way I didn't have to buy a separate unit for ice fishing. I imagine you could do the same with a Lowrance. I just bought a soft cooler with a rubber bottom to put my batteries and the unit in while ice fishing. If you wanted to attach it to a snowmobile or four wheeler you could buy a ram mount. While driving around you don't have to have the transducer plugged in to your unit for the GPS to work. When you arrive to your spot you could detach the unit from the ram mount, plug in the transducer, put it in your bag and your fishing.

 

[dragoneyes]

Converted my old Lowrance HDS 5 to ice fishing with the ice pack cost around 175.00 for the gps,mapping abilities sonar works good also battery life is only around 6 hrs with the brightness turned to 7. I use my Vexilar also as battery life is 3x more than my Hds. Wanted to use what i already had an save my money for my next investment a Marcum underwater camera.

 

[guywhofishes]

Transducer cord management is your Achilles heel if looking for a single do-all unit, that and the potential for draw-down of the UTV battery if powering via ciggy lighter receptacle. Also, if you have the unit placed properly for navigation while driving, how are you going to re-position for fishing out the door so you can see the screen?

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how long are cables on Lowrance ice fishing pucks?

Do they make extensions?

 

[SDMF]

- - - Updated - - -

how long are cables on Lowrance ice fishing pucks?

Do they make extensions?

20', yes.

No worries about length and getting the transducer into a workable spot. The challenge will be routing and deployment/storage and then what to about a screen when you're fishing out the door. I still have to watch my rod-tip too.

If you had a FF/GPS with an HDMI-out you could use a small LCD projector onto a white cutting-board next to the hole.

 

[guywhofishes]

20'??? Usually ice ducer cables are 6-8' long aren't they?

 

[SDMF]

20'??? Usually ice ducer cables are 6-8' long aren't they?

Was thinking regular ‘ducer. Oops!

 

[Captain Ahab]

20'??? Usually ice ducer cables are 6-8' long aren't they?

I think it’s 6’. Pretty darn short for out of the cab.

 

[guywhofishes]

extensions are available

 

[risingsun]

No sonar, but a nice mapping unit to go with your Doc maps. https://www.bismanonline.com/bismarck_nd/lowrance_hds_7m_gen_2_gps_chart_plotter