01-11-2005, 02:31 PM
Good suggestions by everyone.
Power does matter. If you can afford it, go bigger. Some will claim it scares the fish, that is rubbish. I can generally catch more fish using the finder, than those in my party not using one.
Cone angle is an interesting dilemma. If you are only fishing flat bottomed lakes, like Schofield, and most areas of the berry, or even Utah Lake and Willard bay, go for the wider cone angle...as in shallow water it will show you more area, and in theory more fish. However if you fish areas with steeply sloping banks, the finder is going to tell you the depth of the shallowest part of its cone. Therefore the wider the cone, the shallower the finder thinks the water is. I have a 20 degree cone angle, and when fishing Causey, there is generally 3-5 feet of water beneath the bottom that doesn't show up on the finder. So make your choice based on the types of water you fish. Some of the more expensive units, have dual cone capabilities. For example the new Garmin 250 dual frequency, can use either a 20 degree cone or a 45 degree cone, so one of these units might be worth your money if you fish in a large variety of settings.
Basically, go with as much power as you can afford...for those of us stuck on a budget, I think the Eagle units are great, they have a lot of great features, are in the moderate power range, and usually have really good screen resolutions for the price you pay.
Hope you can find one that will fit your needs.
[signature]
Power does matter. If you can afford it, go bigger. Some will claim it scares the fish, that is rubbish. I can generally catch more fish using the finder, than those in my party not using one.
Cone angle is an interesting dilemma. If you are only fishing flat bottomed lakes, like Schofield, and most areas of the berry, or even Utah Lake and Willard bay, go for the wider cone angle...as in shallow water it will show you more area, and in theory more fish. However if you fish areas with steeply sloping banks, the finder is going to tell you the depth of the shallowest part of its cone. Therefore the wider the cone, the shallower the finder thinks the water is. I have a 20 degree cone angle, and when fishing Causey, there is generally 3-5 feet of water beneath the bottom that doesn't show up on the finder. So make your choice based on the types of water you fish. Some of the more expensive units, have dual cone capabilities. For example the new Garmin 250 dual frequency, can use either a 20 degree cone or a 45 degree cone, so one of these units might be worth your money if you fish in a large variety of settings.
Basically, go with as much power as you can afford...for those of us stuck on a budget, I think the Eagle units are great, they have a lot of great features, are in the moderate power range, and usually have really good screen resolutions for the price you pay.
Hope you can find one that will fit your needs.
[signature]