798CI SI for Ice Fishing

Any body used one for ice fishing?
Wanted to set up a portable unit so went with the trolling motor transducer.
Haven’t yet attached it to anything. But did mount the main unit on a Blue Genz box. Hope to use the 798CI to go to waypoints and thought I might as well try the ice fishing mode. Just don’t know what to expect.
Thanks,
John

There are some definite applications of Humminbird Fishing Systems for ice fishing.

First, as you mentioned, is to use them to travel to waypoints that you mark during open water. The Side Imaging feature, as you probably know, allows you to identify and drop waypoints on structure without passing directly over it. Personally, I have a long list of crib waypoints on Lake Wissota that I am itching to visit this winter for crappies and walleyes.

Second, an overlooked benefit is the use of the XM weather receiver accessory for Humminbird units. This receiver (which looks just like the regular GPS puck) allows the unit to receive up-to-date weather information (precip, winds, sky cover, forecasts) from an XM satellite and overlay that information on the unit’s map chart. Want to be ahead of an impending weather system, or make a move to target that perfect shallow weedline as cloud cover is moving in? If so, then an XM weather receiver is a good choice. I just added one to my system this fall.

Finally, with the advent of Down Imaging, I think the Humminbird units will have an enhanced sonar capability through the ice as well. Nobody at the factory has looked into this yet, but I intend to as soon as the water is crunchy enough.

Warren tried the side imaging through the ice and it worked well:

Ice SI

Sorry if this is a bit off the topic here, but I recently purchased a 798c SI. I have been with a few people who use the 900 series model and was very impressed. I have heard some reviews that the 798 is no match to it. Is there more to the difference in these products than screen size? Does the power and/or transducer size make a huge difference? In short, I guess I am wondering if I am going to be wishing I had waited until I could afford the 900 series model. Right now, only the 798 is in my budget, but I am considering returning it in fear that I will want to buy the other later on. Any thoughts, particularly from those who own the 798? Also, just to verify, is the 798 is upgradeable to the down-imaging – Jason I saw your post regarding the press release, but wanted to verify. Finally, will side imaging interfere with my Lowrance (200 Hz) locator. I am thinking of having both on my console so I can use the humminbird full screen SI & still see sonar/gps on the lowrance (to compensate for being too cheap for the bigger screen Thanks in advance!

The 798 has a smaller screen and a different transducer design. It does all of its imaging with 3 frequencies (200/83/455) while the 898, 997/8, and 1197 have access to 4 (including 800 kHz) which can be user-selected to provide the highest possible resolution images. The 798 also operates at about half the power output of the 898, 997/8, and 1197. The small screen of the 798 does make clear viewing of side images a challenge, unless you’re willing to get your nose pretty close to the unit.

Having said that, the 798 is still a full-featured side imaging unit and a great piece of technology to own. The 798 will be upgradable to include Down Imaging and all the new waypoint management tools that Humminbird is rolling out in just a few weeks.

Because the 798 uses 200 kHz to collect its traditional 2D sonar image, as does the Lowrance, those units will experience some cross-talk with each other in 2D. The interference will NOT make either unit unusable…rather, it will add some vertical line noise to the 2D sonar readings of both. I’ll put up some screen captures later today that show this noise. The Lowrance will not impact the SI abilities of the 798 because the Lowrance sonar beam is at a different frequency than the 798’s SI sonar (455 kHz).

If you’re thinking about a larger unit that carries all of the benefits of the 997/8 or 1197 without the pricetag, think about the 898 (7″ screen, rolling out in January) or try to find one of the remaining closeout 997s that are still on the market. The new 898 will retail for just under $1500, the same approximate proce of some of the closeout 997s.

You can use the split screen graph over side imaging. The graph will show structure slightly before it comes up on the side imaging: when that happens I do get close to the screen to see whats’ coming.
Also the ability to record allows you to review at home what you saw on the water. The GPS marks plus the route/trail paths let you redo your day as many times and ways as you wish.
I consider the 798CI SI a great value. Sure I’d like to have a 900 or 1100 series but for now the 798 will get me way ahead of where I was in getting to know my lakes

Thanks for the info! I think I will be keeping the unit, as it sounds like I can definitely use it to help me find fish/structure. I’m a little concerned about the quality of the images, but having something with SI capability is definitely better than nothing.