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side imaging fishfinder
#1
I'm going to buy a new fishfinder and was wanting to get one with side imaging capabilities. looking at a helix 7 series. Any thoughts on this unit or if you have any other recommendations i would be glad to hear them.

My current fishfinder is a Lowrance Hook 7. good unit. just looking to upgrade.
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#2
(02-18-2021, 01:01 AM)elkantlers Wrote: I'm going to buy a new fishfinder and was wanting to get one with side imaging capabilities. looking at a helix 7 series. Any thoughts on this unit or if you have any other recommendations i would be glad to hear them.

My current fishfinder is a Lowrance Hook 7. good unit. just looking to upgrade.
IMO, it comes down to the brand you want to buy, they all have good units, so just find one that you can get a good deal on. I have three Humminbirds. The biggest screen you can afford.
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#3
The one i'm looking at is the Helix 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N

Mainly I wonder if the side imaging is worth it for kokanee and do they work well in deep water like Flaming Gorge.
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#4
(02-18-2021, 01:27 AM)elkantlers Wrote: The one i'm looking at is the Helix 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N

Mainly I wonder if the side imaging is worth it for kokanee and do they work well in deep water like Flaming Gorge.
I was hoping liketrolling would say something but I believe the one you are talking about is the same one he uses at the Berry and the Gorge. The unit that worked the best, at least from my prospective, was the Humminbird 360, because it allows you to see all around the boat, 360 degrees, but they are on pricey side. SI is the second best and what I have.
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#5
(02-18-2021, 01:01 AM)elkantlers Wrote: I'm going to buy a new fishfinder and was wanting to get one with side imaging capabilities. looking at a helix 7 series. Any thoughts on this unit or if you have any other recommendations i would be glad to hear them.

My current fishfinder is a Lowrance Hook 7. good unit. just looking to upgrade.
I upgraded last year to a Garmin 94sv it has a 9” screen with all the bells and whistles of the Hummingbird with a larger screen for the money and in my opinion after owning all the major brands of fish finders Garmin is the most intuitive and easiest to operate. I payed around $800 for a refurbished unit a year ago. Side image came in the most handy early in the season when the fish where high in the water column allowing me to see them as they scattered when my boat went over and then turn my gear into them.
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#6
I own the Humminbird HELIX9 CHIRP MSI GPS G3N 410860-1 and it is a nice unit.

Here are a couple images of sturgeon:

[Image: Sturgeon-on-Helix-9-1.jpg]

make png[Image: Sturgeon-on-Helix-9-2.jpg]
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#7
I was looking at the HOOK Reveal.

https://www.lowrance.com/lowrance/type/f...us-inland/

It had the features that I was looking for until I decided to put the new Lowrance trolling motor on the front of my boat so I bought the TI 2 so that the two units would be compatible. I've really liked the side imaging on it while trolling for walleye.

Lowrance might be able to upgrade/update your head unit and then with a new transducer you could be good to go.

Kent is right they work great for sturgeon.


[Image: IMG950193.jpg]



[Image: IMG-0174.jpg]
Live to hunt----- Hunt to live.
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#8
I never use my side imaging in deep water, but saying that I would not buy a fishfinder unless it had SI and DI
just buy what works for you    garmin has live scope  humminbird and Lowrance are coming out with it 
it is hard for any one to tell you what to buy find some you want to buy and start watching a lot of you tube read how they work and how you change settings... go to this web site http://www.bbcboards.net/forum.php   they talk alot about fishfinders

Humminbird vs Garmin vs Lowrance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v...University



Panoptix LiveScope – The most amazing sonar technology ever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-OqrHjO...H2j7VtTlNc




I have Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv and 2 Humminbird solix both 12" with  mega 360

to get the garmin  live scope to show what I want I need, fishing for kokanee I bought  two transducers the LVS32 TRANSDUCER and the PS30 transducer both show fish live
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#9
I just upgraded to the Helix 9 in the Cabela's sale, I'm looking to get the 360 setup for ice fishing next year... I watched too much In Depth Outdoors this year and they sold me on the 360 for shallow water like I fish for cats and crappie.... I really hope it will work for me, but I just opened the box yesterday so I'm pretty new to it, but I know covering the wider swath has got to help with locating fish... This Helix seems like a really nice unit and is a lot bigger than I figured the 9" would be... I can't imagine what that new 15" screen will be like... anyway good luck choosing, I think the Garmin with the live scope is a great unit as well, but I think for me, the detail is more important than the live action, so I went for the 360... Hope it was a good choice... Later Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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#10
(02-18-2021, 02:49 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: I just upgraded to the Helix 9 in the Cabela's sale, I'm looking to get the 360 setup for ice fishing next year...

Do you have a link to, "the 360 setup for ice fishing"?
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#11
for Mega 360 to work I think you need a Helix that is G3N/G4n  you should be able to use in on your boat are ice fishing I love it for sturgeon
Humminbird Mega 360 Imaging Ultrex
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411580-1...mount.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411390-1...acket.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411250-1...trade.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum740198-1...apter.html

https://www.humminbird.com/learn/imaging...60-imaging

go down to To covert your MEGA 360 Imaging transducer for use on ice, you will need:
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#12
(02-18-2021, 03:45 PM)liketrolling Wrote: for Mega 360 to work I think you need a Helix that is G3N/G4n  you should be able to use in on your boat are ice fishing I love it for sturgeon
Humminbird Mega 360 Imaging Ultrex
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411580-1...mount.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411390-1...acket.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum411250-1...trade.html
https://www.hodgesmarine.com/hum740198-1...apter.html

https://www.humminbird.com/learn/imaging...60-imaging

go down to To covert your MEGA 360 Imaging transducer for use on ice, you will need:

They sure are proud (AKA expensive) of their transducer.  I already have $1,458 invested in the unit so far, but mighty tempting to get one of those transducers and use it anchored up, while sturgeon fishing, and through the ice.
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#13
(02-18-2021, 01:01 AM)elkantlers Wrote: I'm going to buy a new fishfinder and was wanting to get one with side imaging capabilities. looking at a helix 7 series. Any thoughts on this unit or if you have any other recommendations i would be glad to hear them.

My current fishfinder is a Lowrance Hook 7. good unit. just looking to upgrade.
Side imaging is well worth getting. Here is a picture of my Lowrance T7 elite showing the foundation of an old building in the North end of Willard Bay. I would not have known it was there if not for the SI.


[Image: IMG-0974.jpg]

[Image: IMG-0978.jpg]
Good fishing to all.   Hue
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#14
Thanks for all the responses. I need to watch a bunch of Youtube and decide which one will best do me. 75% of the time we are fishing for Kokanee at Strawberry, FG or Electric Lake. So That is what I want to focus on and get the best FF for that.
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#15
(02-18-2021, 03:08 PM)kentofnsl Wrote:
(02-18-2021, 02:49 PM)SkunkedAgain Wrote: I just upgraded to the Helix 9 in the Cabela's sale, I'm looking to get the 360 setup for ice fishing next year...

Do you have a link to, "the 360 setup for ice fishing"?
Hey Kent, I've been looking at In Depth Outdoors, James has a video segment on how to set one up, there's also a good one on Wired 2 Fish... I guess you have to buy the piece parts this year and put them together... Looks like about $1600 to get the set up... I'm really choking on the price after the cost of the head unit too... not sure if I'll do it this year or not... Looks like Pro Fishing Supply has the parts for maybe a $100 less and free shipping... however the shuttle is out of stock at this time...  Man I wish I was a rich man... Later Jeff
When things get stressful think I'll go fish'en and worry about it tomorrow!
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#16
(02-18-2021, 01:27 AM)elkantlers Wrote: The one i'm looking at is the Helix 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G3N

Mainly I wonder if the side imaging is worth it for kokanee and do they work well in deep water like Flaming Gorge.
fishing for kokanee  I like humminbird  but I love Gramin live scope but the set up I have cost $7000.

I don't think you can go wrong with a helix 10

I have a solix gen 1 and a  solix gen 2 I had to buy the gen 2 so I could get a mega 360
I like the transducer that came with the gen 1 better for fishing for kokanee because I can see the downrigger ball better

this snapshot is strawberry using the solix gen 1 look at the bottom you can see what 75-95 Khz you can see the down rigger balls good here
the other side is 175-225   if you see fish here they are under the boat.

[Image: snp0727203503.jpg]

this is the gen 2  transducer  which may be the same transducer that comes with the helix gen3 or 4 I would hafe to chack that out
I have 3 settings this is only one of them. 140-200 KHz  with this transducer you don't see the downrigger ball as good. this is at deer creek
I had four downriggers down.  but this is a great transducer jigging for big lakers down 100 feet.
[Image: snp1015200052.jpg]

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[Image: snp1015204706.jpg]

[url=https://ibb.co/R3XPSxS][Image: snp1015205913.jpg]
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