Best Mississippi River Detail for GPS?

I need you river freaks help. I have made the switch from Garmin to Lowrance electronics. One of my GPS/ Sounders is a LCX-19C. I have been spending time on Lowrance’s website trying to figure out which Maps will give me the best river detail.

Can anyone out there tell me which Mapbase you use for good Mississippi River detail for your Lowrance?

It looks like here is what is available…
– Lake Master Pro Maps (Wisconsin or Minnesota)
– Fishing Hot Spots Elite (North)
– Navionics (Navigable Rivers)

I would like to get the Fishing Hot Spots Elite (North) so I’ll have Wisconsin Lakes as well, but I remember the Garmin hotspots cd had HORRIBLE river detail.

HELP!!!

Hey D-nort,

I have both the Lakemaster and the Navionics navigable rivers. Lakemaster is really good for pools 4 and 8, good detail and accurate. Once you get off those pools, you’re kind of stuck though…that’s why I added the Navionics. Navionics is pretty decent for depth contours and very good for wing dam location and shoreline / island contour and location. It’s actually shown me a few things that I never knew were there…I’d go check them out to verify the map and sure enough, I’d been driving right by for years! That’s my 2 cents…good luck!

I would get Navionics Premium North . It has the same data as Navigable Rivers and is cheaper (now that it’s $50 less than last year)! AND, it gives you a few thousand other lakes in MN, WI, MI, ND, SD, and IA.

Hi Dave,

I have 2 chips – both Navionics – Premium North (1 foot contour) and Navigable Rivers – the price has come down considerably on the chips in the last year – I bought the Lowrance 332C from Wade last winter and started with the Premium then bought – Navigable Rivers – I feel it gave me everything I needed. I have the reverse problem that you have now. The new boat has Garmin electronics so I have to get used to the 168 now. I am guessing I will hang the I-finder on a Ram mount until I feel comfortable.

kizew,

Did you find the river data was the same on both chips?

Very similar Wade – not exactly the same but very similar – I think the accuracy of Navigable Rivers a little more to my liking – it seems that the boat is within 10′ of structure on the GPS with the Rivers chip, and about 30′ with the Premium – I think there is just SOOOOOO much info on the Premium chip that maybe it gives a little to accuracy.

Also I find that if I have a river tournament and I am sequestered to a hotel parking lot, it is much easier to “play” with the GPS zoomed out if I don’t have to deal with the lakes

d-nort – They wont exactly fit in your data port on the Lowrance, but for 9.95 each pool , Mapping Specialists is putting together the most updated,complete 3D,full color contour maps of the river available. Curent C.O.E. data including wingdams, milemarkers all boatlandings with photos and gps grid ,and all lake and backwater names,fishing info, all on waterproof /tearproof material. Pool 9 & 10 by early summer ,and 4 and 8 after that. A must for every angler,and good companion to your electronics. I’ll keep everyone posted as to availability. Going to be awsome! – Cory

Great stuff GN – thanks for the info – can’t wait!

Wade, you’ll be hearing from me REAL soon . Thanks for the advice guys…

Wade, I think there are more depth contours on the Navigatible River chip than the premium north.

Also, noticed a 4 mile area around Savanna, IL on pool 13 has a 500′ error on it. The river, backwater, railroad everything is shifted by 500ft. This only occurs in the river chip as the Premium chip uses hotspot data for this pool which is very much outdated.

Navionics knows of the error but not sure if it has been fixed.

Thanks Ken. That surprises me because I was once told they were the same data. That’s too bad because the Premium chip is less costly.

I can still get river charts if you need them but they are $199.

Dave,
I would have to agree with Wade. Navionics Premium North is a great product. I am researching the same stuff right now and I am most most impressed with navionics.
Danny

But then again I wasn’t aware of the info Ken has contributed.