lakemaster maps

Is there a program that would alow me to veiw the Lorance chip for Rainy Lake on my computer, as the screen is much larger.

Yes, there is.

If all you want to do is view the GPS maps you can install a free Lowrance emulator and view the map data by accessing the info on your card through an SD card reader. Note – you won’t be able to do anything with this data outside of looking at it. You won’t be able to edit, save, add waypoints, routes, etc.

Here’s a link to the Lowrance emulators.

http://www.lowrance.com/en/Downloads/Product-Emulators/

I’ve had good luck with the 112 emulator.

Now, if you want to do more than just look at the maps (you will, trust me) there’s a couple options for you but neither of them are free. Both are Lakemaster products.

The first is Contour Pro.

http://www.lakemap.com/woodsrainycontourprosoftware.aspx

Contour Pro installs on your pc and gives you access to all the high definition contours AND it allows you to save new waypoints, edit existing waypoints, work with routes, etc. you basically have the full functionality of your Lakemaster map on your PC as if it was in your GPS unit… except that the screen is much larger, the full keyboard far more convenient for typing and much more.

Here’s the link to the full list of Contour Pro software features >>> http://www.lakemap.com/softwarefeatures.aspx

The other option is Contour Elite.

http://www.lakemap.com/sfscontourelite.aspx

This software is similar to Contour Pro in that it allows a user to access Lakemaster map data through their computer. Elite does have some major feature advantages over the “Pro” version that sets it apart.

Here’s the description from the Lakemaster website:

LakeMaster® Lake Maps is pleased to announce the release of Contour Elite™- the most revolutionary lake map planning software on the market. Strategic Fishing Systems has combined their highly sophisticated PC software engine with the most accurate, high-definition lake data from LakeMaster. Advanced features within the user friendly interface allow you to perform an indepth search by fish species, quick searches for key fishing structures, or design a custom search based on your own criteria. Whether it’s a fishing report, a friendly recommendation, or your own experience, quickly turn information into results.

Here’s a couple videos on Contour Elite:

In my opinion Contour Elite is one of the most useful tools I’ve used in some time. The search functions make narrowing down productive areas much faster. The “find similar” function that allows an angler to search for other spots similar to the one they’ve already found is incredibly accurate.

You can search with Elite on type of structure, depth, angle of break, direction of break. There’s also a “species” search that allows an angler to search based on known characteristics of a species that allows an angler to search for “walleyes, in the spring, at night, in shallow water” and get solid and useful results back.

Once you’ve found a new spot, saved a few waypoints, notes, routes, etc., there’s a simple to use export tool that allows you to quickly transfer all the data you’ve saved over to your GPS unit using a blank SD card as the carrier.

No other software I’ve used will do anything close to what Elite will do.

So there’s my long answer to your short question. And I didn’t even scratch the surface with regards to capabilities. Let me know if you have any additional questions. I have a copy for Rainy/Lake of the Woods and I’m just getting my feet wet with it, learning as I go. So far I’m blown away with the capabilities.

If you can’t tell… I’m excited about Elite!

Does this type of software actually help you put more fish on the ice or in the boat? Absolutely. When Contour Elite came out a couple months ago Joel Nelson and I used it to plan an ice trip to the North West Angle on Lake of the Woods which is an area we’d never fished before.

Here’s that show if you want to see how that worked out for us!

See more IDO Fishing Videos!

Thanks for the info on the Lowrance emulator. I had no idea this existed.

There are a few lakes in WI that I fish and was considering a LakeMaster Wisconsin chip, but have also been curious about the Contour Elite. Can you transfer lake maps from Contour Elite to a SD card and have all the information you need, or do you need the LakeMaster chip in your Lowrance as well?

Quote:

---

Can you transfer lake maps from Contour Elite to a SD card and have all the information you need, or do you need the LakeMaster chip in your Lowrance as well?

---

You need the chip in your GPS as well. There’s really no way for existing GPS units to display the 3D info that is available to us on the PC using Elite. Maybe in the future. Right now even the most powerful GPS units would choke trying to display these new features while even a modestly powered PC handles Elite with ease.

James; can that be installed on a MAC?

James does it include the Mississippi? or just lakes

Quote:

---

James; can that be installed on a MAC?

---

Contour Pro and Contour Elite cannot be directly installed on a mac. However, that’s where I installed mine.

I use Parallels to run both Windows and OS X on one machine. Works slick and super-super easy to use. Version 5 cost me $30!

Parallels – Version 5

Here’s a brief from Amazon:

Run Windows on Your Mac the Easy Way. Right Alongside Mac OS X.
Parallels Desktop for Mac makes it possible to run Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Linux and more side-by-side with Mac OS X without rebooting. With Parallels’ award-winning virtualization technology, you can run Mac OS X and your favorite Windows applications at the same time. You can even drag-and-drop files between desktops! Launch Windows applications like Mac applications–right from your Mac’s dock.

If you own a Mac… I couldn’t recommend it more strongly. Two up.

Quote:

---

James does it include the Mississippi? or just lakes

---

You get all the Mississippi River pools that would be on the respective MN or WI gps chips. It is pretty cool looking at wingdams in 3D.

So I been doing a little poking around on this thing on Lake Masters web site and I think Im hooked!! Talk about shortening the learning curve in a big way. I can see me now trying to find a waterproof case for my lap top so I can take it right in the boat with me. The search feature would be huge and the fish eye view 3D sure will give a new perspective on how the structure lays out. Now I just gotta convince mama to let me spend the cash
thanks for the info James

Now if we could only hook up our Humminbird SI transducer, or Lowrance LSS-1 units, to our laptops with appropriate programs, we would not even need those expensive units in our boats. But I suspect that will not happen for awhile.

I used Contour Pro for creating my own maps with waypoints of Rainy Lake. Printed the maps at home, loaded the waypoints in my Lowrance all before leaving home to drive up to Rainy.
It is truly an unbelieveable fishing tool.

I took a gander at the Elite at the Ice Show.

This program is going to be a big hit and shorten the learning curve of many anglers. The “fish eye” view is like draining the water out of the lake/river and seeing how the bottom/edges are laid out.

Once you have an area that you know holds fish, the software will “find” other areas that are similar.

They brought areas up on the screen that I’m intimately familiar with. My mouth dropped. It BLOWS away Contour Pro software.

I agree, I already have changed plans from getting a second sonar/gps unit at the console for dedicated GPS display, and will be getting a mount made for my laptop instead. Already been out using the laptop on the ice hooked up to my Garmin handheld. HOwever, I need to get a laptop with a screen that can be read in the sunlight like the HDS units

Thanks for the info James. Do I understand correctly that I could put the SD card in my computer and look at it while on the Lorance emulator.

Correct.

I recently picked up the Elite, its flat out amazing. I loaded a bunch of my gps coordinates onto the software and quickly realized why they are such good spots. Did a quick search for similar spots on the same lake and have added two sometimes three additional spots for me to try.
This is a warning this software is very addicting, Pool 2 is just sick.

Just to pass on that Lowrance does not have an emulator for the HDS series. I posted that question to Lowrance yesterday and they responded today. Happy with the response time but would be nice to have an emulator for the HDS:)

James I recieved my lakemaster chip on thursday and down loaded the emulator for both my 5200c and 102c. Do I have to down load the gps part of the downloads. Maybe I’m doing somehting wrong as it don’t show the lakemaster display. Only the lorance installed map. Thanks for your help.

You have to connect your map card to the pc using an SD card reader. The emulator will typically automatically recognize the GPS map card.

Now, I should point out that I’ve found not all Lowrance emulators work. I could NEVER get the 113 to display any external map data where the 112 always worked well. So there’s a variable to consider there as well.

My advice would be to install the 112 first as I know it works, get the map displaying, then get it to work with the emulator for the various fish finders you own.

If the map doesn’t automatically display then you’ll need to go into your emulator menu to manually select the map.

Hope this helps.

Here’s a recent thread with info on card readers… if you need one.

http://www.idofishing.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=ftlgeneral&Number=977830

I agree the contour elite looks like a great tool, but as far as I can tell it only goes as far south as pool 8 on the mississippi. Come on man