Humminbird or Lowrance

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bigwoodsmn
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Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Wed Mar 04, 2015 5:41 am

You like Humminbird or Lowrance?

Just stripped off my

Gen 1 Lowrance HDS 8
Gen 1 Lowrance HDS 5
Gen 1 Lowrance LSS-1 Structure Scan

sold them, and mailed to some guy in Illinois.

Time for new stuff.

I'm looking at Humminbird 1199ci HD SI Combo - there's a $300 rebate in March. I'm looking at Gen 3 Lowrance units with side scan and structure scan.

There was some insightful conversations on here about ice fishing electronics.

Your thoughts on Open Water units?


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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Bowhunting Brian » Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:14 am

Bird.

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BassBoysLLP
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Wed Mar 04, 2015 6:48 am

After seeing both, I prefer the down imaging/scan capability of the Lowrance over the Humminbird. Prefer the side imaging and overall display of the Humminbird.

That being said, I'd take a hard look at the Onix. Looks incredible.
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Dewey
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Mar 04, 2015 7:00 am

Interested in this thread. Eventually I want to upgrade my Humminbird which came with a 386ci to a larger display and the side imaging is very intriguing to me.

Looks like a nice unit.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Humminbi ... rd+1199ci+


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Rome
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Rome » Wed Mar 04, 2015 7:48 am

These two are becoming like the old Ford vs Chevy. Both Lowrance and Humminbird are putting out great units, it comes down to personal preference. I'm a musky fisherman, so my applications and needs are different than a walleye or bass guy, for instance. And, even with that, I don't think one brand is better than the other for any specific species.

I like my Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor, and love the linking capabilities with my Bird. I also run a Lowrance on the same boat. When it's time to replace the Lowrance, it will be with a Bird just to keep things consistent.

If I ran a MotorGuide trolling motor, I'd probably run Lowrance. I just love the additional options you get when you sync up your trolling motor with your unit.

If you do a lot of open water fishing, side imaging is really hard to beat. If you do a lot of jigging, down imaging is hard to beat. And, yet, I have buddies who will tell you the exact opposite. Again, personal preference with all the toys these days.
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby pitz0022 » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:48 am

I have no experience with Bird, but My father in law had a Lowrance HDS10 last summer that wouldn't boot. He took it to Reeds who sent it back to Lowrance for him. That was June. He got a new unit back in the end of August along with a bill for $1,000. I think it overheated and fried something, but I don't have any evidence to support that. I was surprised that they charged him a grand to replace it and that it took so long.

Not to badmouth Lowrance as that is the only bad experience I've had with them, but I swore I would remember his experience with it when it was time for me to upgrade. I am also intrigued by the birds capability of interfacing with the iPilot. I'm paying attention to this thread too.
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Jeff G » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:52 am

I have the lowrance has gen 2 touch 12 inch touch screen with structure scan transducer. Love everything about it. was really $$$$$ but worth it.
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Jeff G » Wed Mar 04, 2015 8:54 am

Most of the time i run 3 different screens open on my lowrance. down scan, traditional sonar, structure scan.
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bigwoodsmn
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Wed Mar 04, 2015 10:48 am

Jeff G wrote:Most of the time i run 3 different screens open on my lowrance. down scan, traditional sonar, structure scan.


Yeah I ran side imaging on the 8 with sonar or GPS on the 5. Or downscan on the 8 and sonar or GPS on the 5.

I always found the down scan more valuable for walleye fishing than the regular sonar - especially on soft bottom. If you put the two together you had a pretty positive ID on everything down there. Side imaging is cool for open water basin trolling... which isn't what most people probably use it for... but helps me keep an eye off the sides ... if I spot something I drop a GPS peg and can come back through. I'd also use left or right imaging to look at structure off to one side or the other. Then I wouldn't have to run the boat through the shallower water which can make a difference on some of the clear lakes I fish. I didn't use the side imaging as much as I should have but I wouldn't go without it.
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bigwoodsmn
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:03 am

The electronics I buy this time around will need to last 4-5 years, minimum. After playing around with the touchscreen models, I can't really imagine buying one with menu buttons again. ... even though I might have to.

If I go Lowrance HDS Gen 2 or 3, I'd need a new Motorguide trolling motor if I want to link them together. I have a MinnKota.

If I go Humminbird Onix, I'd need to get rid of iPilot and get "iPilot Link" for my MinnKota which is halfway to a new trolling motor.

This is tough. All I know is my boat doesn't have electronics.

Maybe I should get a new boat :D Those 23ft Lund Barons look pretty nice. :shock:
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:35 am

bigwoodsmn wrote:The electronics I buy this time around will need to last 4-5 years, minimum. After playing around with the touchscreen models, I can't really imagine buying one with menu buttons again. ... even though I might have to.

If I go Lowrance HDS Gen 2 or 3, I'd need a new Motorguide trolling motor if I want to link them together. I have a MinnKota.

If I go Humminbird Onix, I'd need to get rid of iPilot and get "iPilot Link" for my MinnKota which is halfway to a new trolling motor.

This is tough. All I know is my boat doesn't have electronics.

Maybe I should get a new boat :D Those 23ft Lund Barons look pretty nice. :shock:


How well do the touchscreens perform when wet? I know my phones work horrible when the screens are wet.

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bigwoodsmn
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Thu Mar 12, 2015 2:28 pm

I made my purchase tonight.

The touch screens work better than smart phone touch screens because they're made to work when wet. I've used my friend's Lowrance Gen 2 touch screen and it works fine.

The Gen 3 Touch also added back more menu buttons than the Gen 2.

Tonight I bought the Lowrance 9" HDS Generation 3 bundle - 8. Structure Scan / Down Imaging / Side Imaging / CHIRP Sonar and I also bought the Lake Insight chip. It has 48 states plus Lake of the Woods, Rainy River, and Rainy Lake... even parts of the Canadian side, I'm told. The unit is WiFi enabled and with the free GoFree app it broadcasts itself to your tablet or phone. So you can run it from your tablet or phone.

Next year I will sell my MinnKota V2 PowerDrive with iPilot and get a MotorGuide X5i. Then I'll use the Lowrance to link to the bow mount trolling motor to follow contours.

Two features Humminbird had that this HDS doesn't have: 1. 360 imaging (though Lowrance has a similar "spotlight" forward scanning technology) and 2. Humminbird has a technology that will map the bottom even if you don't have a chip for the lake you're on. Those two items are somewhat spendy add-ons. In the end... with the CHIRP sonar, and menus I know, I went back to Lowrance.

EDIT:
..... one reason to add back Menus to the Gen 3 is so the unit can be used when wearing gloves.

[bbvideo=425,350]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV1hwCKOls0[/bbvideo]
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Stanley
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Mar 12, 2015 3:31 pm

:think:
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby Jeff G » Fri Mar 13, 2015 1:24 am

you will love it! I am going to update my gen 2 touch with the gen 3 software. they made some nice changes. Congrats :clap: :clap:
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bigwoodsmn
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Re: Humminbird or Lowrance

Unread postby bigwoodsmn » Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:30 am

Jeff G wrote:you will love it! I am going to update my gen 2 touch with the gen 3 software. they made some nice changes. Congrats :clap: :clap:


Thanks Jeff - that's another thing - there are great deals on the Gen 2s right now.


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