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Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | I've fished with guys who have had anything from just a handheld to the Humminbird w/ side imaging. I'm running on a little tight budget right now. (Who isn't who lives in Michigan?  ) Any suggestions? I fish mostly smaller inland lakes, but have recently got bit with the bug on St. Clair, so GPS is a must. |
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Posts: 1237
Location: South Portsmouth, KY | A Lowrance Ifinder H2Oc is an awsome handeld gps. I have taken this thing to canada and i would have been lost or hit rocks without it.Just get ya a map chip and you are ready to go! |
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Posts: 163
Location: lake st clair michigan | hey jim im not sure what you wanna spend.... but cabelas has the lowrance 520 for 499.00 i have one it works great ....the base map that comes with is ok but i would add a lakemaster chip for 99.00....good luck |
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Posts: 332
Location: Michigan | I have the Humminbird 787C2 Sonar/Mapping GPS Combo, I paid $650 for it. It's on sale at Cabela's now for $499. I also have the 2008 Navionics Hot Maps Premium Chip (North), thousands of Michigan lakes on there including-St. Clair/Detroit River, Thorn, Ovid, Hudson, Sanford, Murray......Also Wisconsin and Minnesota. $99 on sale at Cabela's. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | It really depends on what you're willing to spend. If you're looking to spend the least amount that you can because of your budget, yet still have something that will do a quality job, I would agree with the H2O if you just want something for GPS. The only downside is the size of the screen. I have both an H2O and a 5200C Lowrance Global Map. While the 5200 is very nice and easier to read from a distance, I still use my H2O a lot.
Otherwise you should be able to find a good Lowrance or Humminbird combo unit for about $500 if you look for a discontinued model.
Aaron |
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| I have the Expedition C which is the H2O with a faster processor. I love it. |
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Posts: 469
Location: MN | muskydeceiver,
Same here. Great device. Great price. Don't forget about maps ,additional 79-99$ for each USA and Canada.
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Posts: 133
Location: Wausau, WI | The Lowrance H20c is a great unit. I have paired that unit with a Navionics Hotmaps North Chip and it's awesome. I especially like it because I take it ice fishing all the time in the winter and all of my waypoints are still on it. However, I would like a much larger screen. My advice, buy the biggest screen you can afford. |
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Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Sounds like a lot of votes for the H2O. That was the first model I was actually looking at getting. Does it zoom in plenty far for smaller structures?
Edited by JimtenHaaf 7/19/2009 11:56 AM
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | You will be able to zoom in plenty far on the H2O. I believe the Lakemaster will zoom in farther than the Navionics. (I have two older chips, so I'm not sure if zooming ability has changed) But both should be fine.
Aaron |
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| I have the Navionics in my Expedition and it goes to 1/8 of a mile. Plenty far... |
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Posts: 727
| I just got an h2o for my b-day. I love it, my dad has the color version and its not that much different. Great unit. |
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Posts: 897
| The H2O C runs around $350, the H2O is $250ish, a chip is another $90-110. Spend the extra $150-250 and get a LMS-520C. Unless you're trolling all the time, you'll regret not getting something with a bigger screen. The H2O will get you to the spot, but unless you have eagle vision or figure out a way to mount it 5 feet off the ground by your head that little screen is impossible to use when you are casting structure and running the trolling motor. You also get a great sonar unit with the 520.
On my last boat, a 16' Alumacraft, I had a 520C mounted on the console on a RAM mount and would turn it around when I got to my spot. Worked great. On my new boat I put one up front, love it. I own an H2O as well, I use it for ice fishing and for winter scouting at home. The H2O is perfect for those applications, but is not even close to perfect for musky fishing.
My vote is spend a bit more and get something you won't regret buying. |
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Posts: 676
Location: Wisconsin | The H2Oc is $269 and H2O b&w is $169 at cabelas. Lakemaster 09 or Navionics 2008 are 99 bucks.
The 520 or 522 models are discontinued and you might be able to find one, the HDS 5 is the new model.
The Eagle FishElite 642ci is the next closest model like the 520 series.
The H2O both models have great screens and I had never an issue reading them, granted they are small screens, but so is a 520 if you split screen with the sonar. Plus, you can take the H20 anywhere. I have used mine canoeing and kayaking (which is awesome with the chip running), and ATV hunting as well.
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| I run the trolling motor and can see my screen just fine.....
This is when I think the color screen makes the difference. It allows you to see the depth contours well.
Edited by muskydeceiver 7/20/2009 11:18 AM
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Posts: 233
Location: Iowa | I have the H20 c and I really like it. I would definitely go with the color unit.
Jeremy |
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| if color isn't an issue, look at the eagle fish elite 480. It is a basic gps unit that work well and is based off the old lowrance lms 480. Best part is that the unit is only 360$ full retail...look for sales on this unit. |
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Location: Lake Geneva, WI | I have an H20c as well. I've been looking to upgrade to a deptfinder/gps, but when you think about it a 5inch screen split with the depth and gps the screen size is about the same as the h2o. I bought the H2O for ice fishing mainly but with a ram mount it works great in the boat. You can get the humminbird 788c or ci online for around $531 was the cheapest I could found. The sales guy at Cabelas recommended that over the lowrance hds5.
Edited by muskynut09 7/23/2009 12:26 PM
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