Lowrance or Humminbird?

Wondering how many guys out there are running the humminbird, with side sonar. Or should I wait to see the HDS from lowrance?

Hi There,

I have the humminbird 797c2i. It was kinda spendy but does a nice job. The side imaging is pretty good, not near the detail I was hoping for but it does paint a nice picture of what is under you. I like the ability to see a weed edge and how close you are to it. Also the screen capture pictures are interesting to save to a memory card and look at on the computer. Mine has all the mapping built in which frees up the memory card slot for the capture part.

An interesting feature I hadn’t really thought of was the GPS way points it saves when ever you take a picture. Now I have gone back into it and named them so that with the sonar disabled I can take it on the ice and find where I was during the summer. It has become my ice fishing GPS.

All in all, not bad. I would opt for one with a bigger screen next time but price does become an issue.

Welcome to IDO!

I’ve always had Lowrance units in the past, but pulled the trigger on a 997 side imaging unit last fall. The SI is nothing short of awesome, but I still prefer the way Lowrance reads bottom. I removed the lowrance when I installed the SI, but I plan on putting it back on when the water softens up to run them in tandem.

I run the Humbird 1197 SI/NVB. Could not imagine fishing structure without it!

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Wondering how many guys out there are running the humminbird, with side sonar. Or should I wait to see the HDS from lowrance?

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I have run both (Lowrance and HB-Side imaging). The benefits of the SI technology are impossible to argue against. Currently, I run a pair of large Lowrance units, but have decided to switch out to Humminbird this spring.

And no, I am not sponsored by either company.

If you’re interested in an in-depth analysis of the SI technology, please consider coming to the Humminbird seminars this Saturday at Skeeter Boat Center:

Skeeter/Humminbird Link 1
Skeeter/Humminbird Link 2

Skeeter Boat Center will be giving away a pair of new Humminbird SI-GPS combo units on Saturday. Hope to see you there!

I have allways been a Lowrance Eagle guy. I have the Humminbird 797CSI. I was concerned about switching over and relearning how to operate the unit. The menus are well thought out and sooo much easier to use then Lowrance.

The unit works flawless and the SI feature is something I would not ever go with out

The programers really listen to what fisherman want out of there unit and do a nice job of updating the software to acomodate the users. Humminbird has a sight for a wish list of changes users would like to see on there units. Updating is simple and I have never had an issue with glitches, or creating a problem after updating.

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Updating is simple and I have never had an issue with glitches, or creating a problem after updating.

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Which is another feature that contrasts with Lowrance….how many stories have we all heard of guys doing an update and having the unit perform worse than it did originally?

I recently went with the Bird and could not be happier, well I could be if I could catch the darn things

I’ve had a chance to fish with both the Lowrance Units and the Humminbird Side Imaging Units. For the type of fishing I primarily do (open water trolling), the Humminbird Side Imaging certainly gives me a tremendous advantage to see schools of walleyes and baitfish spanning out to the side of my troll run that I would not be able to see with a Lowrance Unit. Even though I’ve fished with Lowrance Units for the last 15 years and can navigate the screens in my sleep, my new boat will most definitely have birds in them!

I have no affiliations with either company.Both make good products.I have ran Hummingbird for the past 2 seasons and have been very satisfied.I have noticed that many folks converted from Lowrance to Bird and have been very surprised at the conversion acceptance.Not everyone,but the vast majority of customers I visit with have been very happy with the Hummingbird product.One factor to keep in mind though, Hummingbird is locked into Navionics only at this time.

Thanks to all that voiced the opinions,