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Posts: 132
Location: MN | Anyone using the side imaging units from Hummingbird? I would like to hear comments on using these for muskie fishing. Also, what size do you recommend? Others have said that the smallest unit is a bad choice as it is too small to provide all the information well. Any info would be appreciated. | |
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Posts: 90
| I have a 997 and love it for finding structure, weedlines and suspended fish. I really can't say enough good things about it. I would tell you to purchase the biggest screen that you can afford. You won't be able to split the screen and still actually be able to read the side imaging effectively, but full screen you will be fine. Also I don't run the SI further then 90 ft to both sides and usually keep it around 75ft to get a better picture of what is down there. | |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | How deep does the water need to be in order to get a view 100 feet (or so) to each side?
Thanks...
TB | |
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Posts: 90
| I might not be understanding the question, but as long as you have 100 ft of water to the left/right the side imaging will shoot then signal out there and read whatever it shows. If you are asking whether or not you could read 100ft left/right if you were on a 3ft flat, the answer is yes. | |
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Location: Green Bay, WI | Yes, that's what I was asking...thanks.
Someone once told me that you had to have a certain depth, in order to get full range out to each side. I can't imagine why that would be as I don't own one of these units just yet--but I am going to buy in the next couple weeks...hopefully. I have a Lowrance X38 now, so I only have room for the 997 on the console, as much as I'd like the 1197. But since I don't really have to use it as a map (unless I mark something of course), I figure it will be OK. Or maybe I should just sell the X38 for the difference in price between the 997 & 1197, and just buy the big unit? So many decisions, so little time. But I definitely don't have room the 1197 as long as the 997 is on the boat--but I would have room for my little LCX-520 beside an 1197 if I chose to go that route.
I am really looking forward to using one of these things though, as I've heard very good things about them. And I guess I figure that when you're looking for a needle in a haystack, you might as well use a magnet...
TB | |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I don't have a Hummingbird on my boat, but got to see it in action when Cap'n Koepp and I were out on the opener. All I can say is, yowza!!! I was ready to sell my electronics and pick one up.  They are pretty swee once you know what you are looking at (I was fortunate to get a good tutorial from Koepp).
I would go with the biggest screen as mentioned above. If you don't, you won't get to see everything that you could normally if using the split screen, which I would think would be most usefull unless you have a separate GPS and normal locator. Like mentioned above, there's a TON of information you can get from these. I was amazed at what we saw. | |
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Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin | I have the 1197 and it is by far the best investment I have put on my boat. I agree with the 75 foot range in the side image. Unbelievable unit is all I can say. Get the big one you will not regret it.
For the best pictures you must be moving at a slow idle or better. Simply the best info you can get while on the water. You can see how thick the weeds are, how tall, even what kind. I can tell the difference between cabbage patches and milfoil in most situations. Rocks, logs, sticks, tires, boat, piers, old rafts, rail road timber, a car and other objects I have seen on the bottom just last year and so far this year.
Still learning to read the suspended fish on the side image. It's not hard to learn but it takes some time on the water to get used to read it. I know my home lake very well so I can go by well known things and learn how they show up on the side image screen. You can even see the prop wash when a boat passes by you.
It also lets you see both sided of a weed line. If your on the outside of the weedline you can see how far it is from you and how far it goes before it stops, then you can see how far it is to shore. Showing you the inside open area from the inside weedline to shore is awsome. So just by casting the outside weedline I can see how far I should cast to cover the weeds or move over the weeds and cover the inside edge of the weeds to shore. Great unit all around.
Adjustable side image length is also very cool. I usually run split screen-SI on one side with 75ft to the right side and run my sonar on the other side.
Waypoint marking is also very cool. You can see something on the side image and move the curser to that object and mark that point. That is huge. No turnig around to get over it and make GPS it. I can keep going but you know my opinion on this graph. Simply the best out there at this time. | |
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Posts: 132
Location: MN | Thanks for the info. | |
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Hummingbird Side Imaging