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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | What is better Lakemaster or Navionics for LOTW?
I just found out that Lakemaster was bought by Humminbird and will not be available for any other brand anymore, but I'm figuring on finding on online if I choose to go this route. Let's not let this thread go there though...I just want to know opinions on which one is better.
Right now I'm leaning towards Navionics though because it includes all of Canada that I will ever fish. Also, because I perfer the Navionics for Wisconsin.
Thanks. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Another option I would highly suggest would be the new Lowrance Insight HD and Pro cards. They will be released in April. Canada and the whole central part of the US will be included on this card. I saw the card the other day at the Minneapolis Boat Show and was very impressed!
All details of the HD and Pro cards can be found at the link below. Just so you know, most of the mapping is done by third parties and is not exclusive to one brand. I think you'll be very intrigued on how close inland lakes will look in comparison to the Navionics and Lakemaster cards.
http://www.lowrance.com/Products/Mapping/Insight-HD-and-PRO/
Lake Insight HD and PRO 2012 coverage map - includes coast to coast US lakes, plus 650 lakes with high-res 1-3 foot contours in light blue shaded area.
Here is a photo of states it'll cover, and it's only $99! The Navionics Platinum is also a very good card.
Edited by TJ DeVoe 2/7/2012 5:00 PM
(Lake Insight HD and PRO 2012_lg.png)
Attachments
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 Lake Insight HD and PRO 2012_lg.png (285KB - 251 downloads)
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| What is better Lakemaster or Navionics for LOTW?
What section(s) of LotW are you interested in?
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Posts: 153
Location: Storm Lake, IA | for navigation or fishing? I think the lakemaster chip gets to detailed and hard to read when navigating through islands. For the Fishing hands down the lakemaster chip is the bees knees. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | Sabaskong Bay |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | Will the insight maps work with the older lcx-25 models?
I'm sure you won't get all the features, but will it work? |
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| for navigation or fishing? I think the lakemaster chip gets to detailed and hard to read when navigating through islands. For the Fishing hands down the lakemaster chip is the bees knees.
It's a horse a piece in many ways and both offer good coverage of that area of the lake. As you get further north towards Kenora you "run off the map" right now but they're getting it mapped further and further north each year.
I find the Navionics chip easier to read overall since it's less cluttered, but the Lakemaster chip offers some superior features. On a Humminbird unit with a Lakemaster chip you can turn off the contour lines for easier navigation and turn them back on when you stop to fish. It also displays the safe travel routes on Lake of the Woods, while the newer Navionics maps do not. The Lakemaster chips offer incredible detail, but when you overzoom it can become difficult to read even on a 10" screen whereas the Navionics maps remain pretty clean and readable even at maximum zoom. On older units with less computing power, the Navionics chip will load faster when zooming in and out and scroll more smoothly. On new units with more memory they both refresh quickly.
One thing to keep in mind is that even the best survey will miss certain spots, especially on a lake as big as this one. It's easy to make two passes by a certain area and for there to be a rock sticking up right in between where the survey boat ran. I found one of these this year that topped out at 2' and was not shown on either the Navionics or the Lakemaster, but was listed on the Canadian Hydrographic paper map. I think the main travel cooridors tend to be better, but the further you get away from those the more careful you should be.
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | Jo,
Navionics made a chip for LOTW only a few years back with 1ft contours , that is the one I have and I love it.
Saint |
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Posts: 999
| Im happy with Navionics, it's been pretty accurate for us over the years. |
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| Saint1,
What is the name of the Navionics chip with one foot contours?
To my knowledge Lakemaster is the choice for detail and Navionics for overall maplike appearance. I run both on LOTW.
Navionics and Lakemaster are comparable on the Minnesota side. On the Canadian side Lakemaster has much more detail in the areas they have surveyed. IMO there is no comparison between the two in detail.
Lakemaster is no longer making Lowrance compatible chips. They are still making them for Hummingbirds. Unfortunately I run Lowrance. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I just got back from Sabaskong Bay, LOTW. I already can't wait to get back there next year!
I was pleasantly suprised to find the Navionics Midwest Chip (area N) had a map of the area on it. The data seemed exactly the same as the canada paper map. The detail was great for navigation but not accuate enough for fishing a spot. It would show a reef or rock pile in the area but it was almost always not accurate.
I know I have outdated electronics but I'm running a pair of Lowrance LCX-25C networked.
I am wondering if there is a map chip by Navionics, Lakemaster or Lowrance that has actual survey spot on data. I'm talking like what I have for lakes like Vermillion in MN on the Lakemaster chip. I know Lakemaster doesn't do Lowrance anymore but if it used to I can hopefully find that chip in e-bay before next year.
Any help is appreciated!
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | I loaned mine to a buddy,When I get it back I will post the name on it for you I normally Fish the Northwest Angle.
SAINT |
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Posts: 349
| There's a lake of the woods/rainy chip from lakemaster with 1' contours that is AWESOME!! Navionics does not compare. The whole lake isn't surveyed yet but here is a map of what they have done. Red outlined areas have 1 ft contours and blue has no contours, just the shoreline.
http://www.lakemap.com/documents/lakelists/2011/LOTW_coveragemap.jp...
You should still be able to find them for lowrance units somewhere online. If you're updating to HDS units anytime soon then look into the lowrance insight chip... not sure on how much they have for LOTW but my guess is what they do have will be lakemaster data... maybe TJ or someone will know more. |
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Posts: 444
Location: Duluth, MN | Keep in mind if you have an older Lowrance such as a 25 or 27c it will only read 1GB chips. Hence you must have a version 3 or older LOW chip. The newest version is version 4 and does not work in the 25\27c. I found that out recently and luckily found a version 3 and am ready to go next week at Mylies!! |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Bringing back up an old thread. I am also looking for a chip that has LOTW (Sabaskong/Miles Bay) that will work on older Lowrance units - LMS 332c and LX27c. Am I still limited to a version 3 or older Navionics chip? Any other options? Thanks guys. |
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Posts: 444
Location: Duluth, MN | I believe you are still limited. I don't think any of the new maps are on 1GB chips anymore. But from my experience last year you really don't need it. It was my first time there and i never felt like i was missing anything using the version 3 chip. And i found it extremely accurate. I'll be going again this year and am not worried about having to upgrade electronics at all. If you need a chip i can probably get one for you. Marine General in Duluth still has some. They probably don't even know they have them as i found mine buried in the bottom of the pile of chips they had laying on the floor. The place is notoriously messy so you just kind of dig till you find what your looking for. Let me know if you want me to take a look. I live just minutes away. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Thank you Bob. Sent you a PM |
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Posts: 132
| Similar question... I'm looking for a LOTW chip for my HDS gen 1 units. Does anyone have any experience with the Lowrance chips? I've been told the Lakemaster chips were the best detailed but they aren't made anymore. Is the Navionics north chip sufficient? How does the Lowrance chip compare to the LM or Navi maps? I'm going to the same area as Propster. |
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Posts: 755
| I use a 2010 Navionic's North Chip for Sabsong/Witch Bay/Kenora area and it works awesome. It is almost in perfect concurence with the Hydrologic paper maps for the area. With the fluctions inthe lake I would still sync up with the staff at your resort before bombing through the "non nav" channell areas to make sure there are not any new bogeys showing themselves. |
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