In the market for a new fishfinder

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stickbow shooter

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Finely going to bite the bullet and by a new unit.We have a 12yr old Lowrance that depth finder shuts down when you most want it.Been looking at a Lowrance Hook2 7 splitshot sonar/gps combo. Anyone familiar with these Hook series? Any suggestions would be very much appreciated
 
I have a hook5 built into my dash, but I only use it while idling around. I have my face glued to my hummingbird90% of the time. I really like being able to adjust the lake level and I find Myself looking at my lake map as much or more than I do the depth finder. 1 feature the Lowrance has it the ability to scroll back through the path you covered and set a way point so you can return to a piece of structure or hot stop. I haven't tried it myself though. I think most new units today regardless of brand will be much better than you have now. I guess you have to ask yourself what options are most important to you.
 
Meatwagon said:
I have a hook5 built into my dash, but I only use it while idling around. I have my face glued to my hummingbird90% of the time. I really like being able to adjust the lake level and I find Myself looking at my lake map as much or more than I do the depth finder. 1 feature the Lowrance has it the ability to scroll back through the path you covered and set a way point so you can return to a piece of structure or hot stop. I haven't tried it myself though. I think most new units today regardless of brand will be much better than you have now. I guess you have to ask yourself what options are most important to you.[/QUOTe A hummingbird that will fully support a Lakemaster like meatwagon said would be my choice. At least Helix.
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I got an older Hummingbird 597. When I heard about the lake map feature (on this site) and how you can adjust the lake level I bought the map card (Called Lakemaster). Like Meatwagon said, I also have my face glued to the lakemap. Wow, can't believe I was at Powell all these years without it. Unless Lowrance came out with adjustable lake level for their maps I would take a strong look at Hummingbird and LakeMaster.
 
I have the 2017 Lowrance Hook2 5” Splitshot with Navionics combo. I love it and the downscan CHIRP imaging is incredible. It’s very effective and allows lake level settings like the Humminbird. For the price ($315) including Navionics I think it’s as good as any.13214C59-EF95-4D32-8A05-05F8F3D8BF26.jpeg18BFC4E9-D214-4CA0-9F09-33A1BC63BFC2.jpegB78E5334-7876-428C-B51F-9254BF9D72FE.jpeg
 
My Hummingbird 788ci, even with current available software upgrades and lakemaster card installed will not let lake level adjust beyond 30 feet up or down so be careful to make sure your particular unit will be able to utilize the lakemaster fully, Although there are ways to manipulate the sonar unit to be more effective at finding whales before you are on top of them, it still is not as good as current level contour lines. The three times I communicated with Hummingbird about installing lakemaster I was not told that my 788 would only adjust 30 feet even though I made it clear I was on a lake with 100' swings. Oh well, buyer beware. That being said, I would still buy a Hummingbird, probably Helix series.
 
I run a Lowrance HDS-7 with a Navionics chip and a Helix 7 with the Lakemaster chip. I prefer the Lowrance unit, however if I spent most of my time on Powell and had to choose one I would probably go for the Helix just for the Lakemaster mapping, it really is nice on Powell.
 
I run a Hook seven on the front of my Ranger and am not thrilled with it. Sometimes it just checks out, especially if I've been in very shallow water. A little research on the net confirmed others have had the same problem. Then I have to turn it off and reboot. I run a Lowrance HDS 7 touch on the stern and love it, so I'm not anti-Lowrance, just disappointed in the Hook 7.
 
I recently returned from a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC. While I was there, I did a little shopping in the BPS store and talked with an employee about which sonars were popular in that area. My question was this: "What sonar is more popular here; Lowrance or Humminbird?" His answer came as a surprise; he said: "Neither; Garmin outsells both of them."

I then asked: " Okay then, between Lowrance and Humminbird, which do you sell more of?" He said: "Lowrance out sells Humminbird."

Now the customers there are mostly ocean boaters and their needs might be different than us land locked boaters here in the West. But I think based on what he said, I might be inclined to take a hard look at what Garmin offers that is comparable to my Lowrance Elite 7 Ti if I decide to change /upgrade in the future. I have never fished Lake Powell from my boat and don't ever intend too. My 2 trips a year there are always with a friend who has a house boat there and we always fish from his Ranger. He has always used Lowrance electronics on his Ranger.
 
Wow,thanks to all that responded . I guess it will all boil down to price. After reading various great comments we definitely want a unit that is compatible with navionics or lakemaster
Thanks again steve
 
Guys, I would like a great moving map display with great graphics and pretty pictures. Don't care one bit about fish finders, and wouldn't hook it up if it came with one. Any ideas what model that would be?
 
For $400.00 you can get a new Helix 7 GPS G2 unit, another $100.00 for a Lakemaster card. That is what I run on my boat and am very happy with it. I don't have the sonar hooked up on it either, I only use the GPS and mapping.
 
I have seen those, and like the looks of them. Is the Lakemaster card necessary, or does the base unit come with a database and map?
 
I run two lowrance HDS5's gen 1 on my boat, love them both, have one running the small cone(helm) and then big cone (trolling motor) I do like the lowrance products, when I update will probably stay
 
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