Help with locator on front of boat.

I want to get a depth finder for the bow before it’s to late in the spring. I could not get what I wanted.

Here goes Helix 5 in front now not impressed. I have a Lowrance reveal 5 in the back, really like this unit. I’m thinking of getting a Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 with inland maps 7 because my eyes are getting older got a Navionics chip already from a previous Lowrance locator.

Due to the universal sonar on the Minnkota Terrova I know the Down scan will not work unless I put the actual transducer on the trolling motor. Because of spot lock and I love it, after watching it wind around the thought of having any other cables just looks like a pain to me have seen ways you can do it but spendy and probably not worth it.

I could run the transducer from the transom to the front but then I’m 16 feet away from the front and I would like to know what’s in front of me.

Also fine without down scan up front. Already pretty much excepting this fact the locator on the Lowrance to me works great.

Bass fish mostly in 20 feet of water or less.

Would need to buy the universal cable and a new ram mount for the front.

With the technology of today feel like I’m going backwards with out down scan but after having umpteen cords cut or twisted with the old way I was so happy to get my trolling motor with the universal transducer.
Or I could skip it all and just put the Helix on it and keep it the way it is. $500 is my budget for the locator

Thanks for any advice or what would you do?

Will the universal transducer work well with the Lowrance have heard they do just not Helix style

No issues using it without down scan the regular screen works great on my Lowrance now.

After a little bit of You tubing just found out That my Minnkota is not compatible with a Lowrance locator. Less than 2 years old so would a Helix 7 be better and if so can you buy them for ice but no Downscan?

mrpike1973 wrote:

After a little bit of You tubing just found out That my Minnkota is not compatible with a Lowrance locator. Less than 2 years old so would a Helix 7 be better and if so can you buy them for ice but no Downscan?

That doesn’t sound right, M-K sells this cable for that FF. MKR-US2-10

HRG

Buy what ever you want and run the separate transducer. Many of us been doing it for years. Never a single issue.
If you wanted the built in lowrance ducer you should have went motorguide. I run the xi5 but have a separate garmin ducer on it. It won’t wrap its self more then once around in spot lock before turning opposite way.

I wouldn’t recommend a helix 7 if you don’t like the 5. But im not a helix fan at all.

I believe HRG is correct. You can get an adapter cord to use the Terrova with your Lowrance. Obviously Minn Kota products are designed now to be integrated with Humminbirds so that would probably be the most efficient route if you continue to use a Helix with it.

mrpike1973 wrote:

With the technology of today feel like I’m going backwards with out down scan but after having umpteen cords cut or twisted with the old way I was so happy to get my trolling motor with the universal transducer.
Or I could skip it all and just put the Helix on it and keep it the way it is. $500 is my budget for the locator

I just use the US2 in the front with regular sonar. If I want downscan or sidescan I sit where I can see the console mounted unit. Generally if I’m up front I’m casting and all I need to see is the depth and you don’t need anything fancy for that.

As others said, there should be an adapter to use US2 with a Lowrance, that’s what makes it Universal.

As for down scan up front, I do like it but I wouldn’t call it necessary. I’m a walleye guy so take it for what its worth. I like using my DI in late summer when fish are schooled up on deep rocks or deep weed lines. I can switch over from 2D to DI to see if I’m looking at fish or rocks/weeds and how many individual fish there are. SI transducer on the trolling motor I find completely unnecessary, but like I said I’m a walleye guy.

The Minnkota site has a comprehensive list of the correct adapters for the various units and brands. Note that Lowrance has a couple different adapters.

http://www.minnkotamotors.com/learn/technology/trolling-motors/universal-sonar-2#Lowrance

Benny wrote:

SI transducer on the trolling motor I find completely unnecessary, but like I said I’m a walleye guy.

I find side imaging to be useless on a bow mount since the head is always turning and maintaining a consistent speed is also difficult. My unit has it, but I just don’t use it up there.

Its useful at the console though because I can maintain a more consistent speed using the outboard and the transducer isn’t turning all the time when its attached to the transom.

I run a Terrova and Helix units, but I will admit that I’m not that impressed with the sonar accuracy. From my experience with Lowrance, they seem to be significantly better with their sonar readings. However, as a predominantly MN bass fisherman I won’t give up my Helix units because the Lakemaster mapping is way too good to change. IMO, I’m willing to sacrifice lesser accurate sonar for the best mapping. Since I’m casting I care more about boat positioning around structure/contours rather than whats directly below me.

I’ve used both a Lowrance Elite 5 and a Humminbird Helix 7 with a US2 transducer on a Terrova in the past and I was never satisfied with the performance of the US2 on either. Maybe it was just the US2 transducer that I had on my Terrova, I don’t know, but I never cared for the quality of the image.
I’ve got an Ulterra now with a built in MDI transducer and I think the image quality is greatly improved over the US2 transducer even when just using 2D imaging with the MDI transducer.
I use both the Lowrance Elite 5 and a Helix 7 for ice fishing too and I think they both have very, very good image quality when using ice fishing transducers as well.
I run a Helix 12 with both a side imaging transducer and a 2D transducer on the transom of my boat also and I’ve also ran a Helix 7 with a 2D transducer on the transom in the past as well and in a all cases, I find the image quality to be very, very good and I’ve always thought the accuracy to be outstanding.
If you don’t like the sonar accuracy of your Helix, maybe you have a bad transducer or maybe some settings need tweeking.