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Posts: 190
| I have a X15 and am looking to upgrade my map cards. Does anybody have a preference on which one is the best.
Lake master pros maps
fishing hot spots Elite
Enhanced lake maps
Navionics
Hot maps
I fish wisconsin indiana and lake of the woods. Also I know there is a new lake of the woods map coming out, does anybody have experience with it. --> http://shop.lakemap.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=242
Thanks in advance
Cbuf
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Posts: 38
Location: Iowa City, Iowa | My Lowrance unit has fishing hotspot maps on the harddrive, but the Lake Master pro (Wisconsin) chip shows more info (on the lakes I fish). I have been told that Lake Master is using more recent info. Another interesting difference is that the hotspot maps of N Twin & Upper Buckatabon (Vilas county WI) are contour, but the S Twin & Lower Buckatabon are not. The Lake Master maps are contour for all four lakes. I have hardcopy contour maps (Fishing Hotspots) of all four lakes, but two contour & two outline maps on the HD. Why the difference? Another of the world's great mysteries! |
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| So are you happy with the lake master maps?
Thanks
Chris |
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Posts: 38
Location: Iowa City, Iowa | Does the sun rise in the east? |
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Posts: 2089
| I used the Navionics Premium Gold North and both Wisconsin and Minnesota Lakemaster chips last season.The Lakemaster allows the user to zoom in a little closer, but both are GREAT products.Depending on how old your x-15 is, it may need software upgrades to run the new chips.These can be downloaded from the Lowrance website.Let the mapping begin! Steve |
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Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | What's the best lake map? It's taking several different ones of the same lake, taking info from all of them and transcribing the info onto one, then going out on the water and making your own notes. This is one of those times that redundancy is the key to accurracy. Do not overlook hand-drawn maps sold in local shops either. Buy as many different maps of the same body of water that you can. |
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Posts: 767
Location: Ames, Iowa | Last year at the Blaine Show I looked at a Lowrance with color mapping of Leech Lake. Though impressive and generally accurate, I thought it left details out, and was not specifically accurate when looking at depths and shape of quite a few points and flats I'm familiar with. Maybe I am expecting too much. For instance, a 400 yard long underwater point/bar is depicted as one uniform, 10 foot deep tongue when it actually has three unique 5-6 foot deep flats separated by 50 yard, 10 foot deep expanses of water. I've also found that the paper FHS and Reel bottom maps and FHS mapping software for the Garmin GPSs have the same limitations. But in their defense, I think RB maps explain that there are many places where they have had to fill in the gaps without soundings being done. Since I only paid $9 for the FHS map and $19 for the Reel Bottom map, I certainly understand the limitations of their mapping process. I buy the FHS maps, partly because I can drive the boat and read the map pretty much at the same time, and hand it to my fishing partner so they can help me or get an idea of where we are going. I think the only map that is going to be specifically accurate is the one you create for a friend after repeatedly fishing a spot. |
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Posts: 767
Location: Ames, Iowa | Sorry- did not notice the "map cards" was specified.
don |
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Posts: 190
| Thanks for all the good information. Here is what I found out by talking to Navionics, Lake master, and lowance.
I have a older X15mt. 1998 ish
So when I called Lowance they were extremely helpful. For a chip deposit, that I get back when I send the chips back, they are sending me all the software upgrade for my unit. That’s right it is free. What the software upgrade does is allow me to run the top of the line lake master pro maps. My unit will only run the classic navionics, so it is a no brainer that I will run the Lake master pro maps.
If you have a new unit this information might help you choose what chips to get. All these companies are actively surveying lakes so this information is only good for right now.
If you fish Wisconsin you want lakemaster pro maps. They have more lakes and more High definition lakes than the navionics premium. Lake master HD is as good as Navionics.
If you fish Minnesota, its a tossup Navionics premium has great quality hd lake maps and tons of lakes. Lakemaster has a ton too. The difference I have been told by the guy at Lakemaster is that you can zoom in 1 – 2 levels closer. To me this is important when I’m going 40 on lake of the woods avoiding rocks.
If your fishing Lake of the Woods. Do not buy a chip until this spring. Lake master has had survey crews out on the water all last fall surveying the lake. They currently offer the US side in great detail, but the canada side will be available in the spring. The guy I talked to was not sure if the entire lake would be available or if just a huge southern section.
If you want maps in other states you have to navionics as lake master pro maps only has maps for a handful of lakes other than what is in Wisco and minn. They do have mapping software available, but I prefer the plug and play. For Illinios and Indiana I will be going with the navionics classic.
I hope this makes people better informed.
Thanks
Chris
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| A few days ago I compared lakemaster pro to hotmaps premium( side by side, identical gps units), looking at various Wisconsin lakes. It seemed to me, and my fishing partner that the hotmaps premium showed alot more detail, and more lakes. But, three different salesman and a store manager pushed for me to buy the lakemaster pro chip. Am I missing something? The hotspots premium chip and the lakemaster chip were both the newest versions. Any opinions? |
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Posts: 190
| After talking with both of them the difference is on a lake by lake basis. Lakemaster has more high def in wisco and navionic in minn. Lake master maps are more up to date and have better coverage. Look at the lakes you like to fish and find the map which has the best and most options for those areas. Also, Lakemaster and be used on olders GPS systems like x15 and x17. Premimium can only be used on the newer systems 2005 -2006.
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Does anybody have an opinion on the best lake maps