New Handheld GPS for Ice Fishing

Been thinking about upgrading from a 10+ year old handheld Lowrance GPS to something newer with mapping just for ice fishing.

What’s everyone using or recommend?

With an iPhone you can download the Navionics App for $10. Works great.

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With an iPhone you can download the Navionics App for $10. Works great.

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I’ve thought about that, but in South Dakota, getting a cell signal half the time is frustrating at best. Verizon forgot to send the “Can you hear me now guy” to South Dakota.

I just got the Navionics app for Android last week. I’ve used it on Lake Mendota and it looks great. You don’t need a cell phone signal to use it. You just need GPS signals. You download the maps you want while you’re in a Wi Fi network and then out on the ice the maps are there just like your handheld GPS. And it only cost $10.00.

x2 navionics+smartphone. just shut off gps (and turn on airplane mode if no signal), and keep warm when not using to save battery.

My opinion is that a smart phone falls way short of a hand held. I am speaking in terms of abuse and moisture, not to even mention battery life.

I have a Garmin 62 GPs that I purchased earlier this year. It will give me a fix sitting in my family room. On the lake it has been great. It is definitely worth a look.

WS

I like my garmin Oregon 450 works great for on the ice…I used to rely on my smartphone until one day it acted up on me when I didn’t know wher i was.. Kinda scared me i got it working again, but i decided i trust a gps more than my cell…

I too will be investing into a GPS with chip next season. I have the Navionics app + iPhone and it just doesn’t compare to an actual handheld GPS. Yes, the app will out you in the general area but it isn’t very accurate. It sucks the life out of your phone almost instantly and pair that up with the cold and your phone is dead. I’ve also found out that you can only zoom so far in on the smartphone app whereas a handheld GPS, you can zoom in as much as you want showing you those little inside/outside breaks on a break line and showing the details I want to see

I took a look at the Navionics Mobile App this morning and read through the facts page for Android phones. It’s a nice option but falls short of what I need. http://navionics.com/en/faq/410.

They state… “Navionics Mobile Charts are not intended to replace fully functional chartplotters; however they are an excellent reference tool or compliment to your onboard electronics.”

As I said, I have an old Lowrance handheld, a unit on my boat and now an Elite 4 Ice Machine. I thought the chartplotter with Elite 4 Ice Machine would be perfect, but it’s just not very useful for locating way-points. Ever try to sit a full size unit in a portable pack on the dash of the truck or walk around trying to hold out the pack? Doesn’t work real well and it certainly doesn’t fit on top of the dash or on the front of the ATV.

I really need a full functioning handheld GPS that can be used for hunting, fishing, geocaching, etc. I need portability, ease of use, mapping capabilities, way-point and route management. I’ve been looking at the various Garmin’s (Montana, Oregon, Dakota), Lowrance (Endura) and Magellan (eXplorist, Triton) but just not sure which one.

What is the good, the bad the ugly between these units?

I’ve used handhelds for many years and have become a fan of Garmin. The latest units like my GPSMap78 also allow you take any .jpg image and create a custom map. So on small northern WI lakes I fish that have a paper map but aren’t on a chip, I can turn that paper map into a gps on-screen map. Amazing. Don’t have any experience with Lowrance, but as far as I know they don’t have custom mapping ability.

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…Garmin. The latest units like my GPSMap78 also allow you take any .jpg image and create a custom map. So on small northern WI lakes I fish that have a paper map but aren’t on a chip, I can turn that paper map into a gps on-screen map.

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Garmin is one brand I’ve never owned, but I like the idea of the custom mapping from .jpg images. There are several small lakes here is South Dakota that you’ll not find on Navionics, Lake Insight or LakeMaster chips.

Explain more about the custom mapping or where can I find more information about it on the Garmin website.

I picked up a garmin e trex 20 and the garmin lake insight chip for it. so far Im liking it way better than the navionics app on my phone.

here you go:

http://www.garmin.com/us/products/onthetrail/custommaps

FYI the Oregon 450 is 200 on e bay…

Garmin COLORADO couldn’t be happier with a hand held.

Garmin is the way to go no matter what unit. For those that haven’t figured it out yet and own a Garmin and have a chip in it, go to Garmin’s sight and down load BASE CAMP (free) on your computer. Get a USB connector that matches your GPS (should have got one with your unit). Plug into computer and after a little time your chip map will come up. Looking at your maps on the computer will amaze you. Also marking way points and saving way point from computer to devise is so easy.

This really enhances your scouting ability and will work on older Garmins as well.

Will that work on a Mac, or only a Windoze machine?

John S.

They have it for both. I run a Mac and a 24″ monitor makes searching almost as fun as fishing. Great way to pass the time on those days you can’t be out.

I’m with you on the Garmin.
I have the gps/map 62 love it.

When Garmin offered Lakemaster one could buy a the CD software where you down load the software then create your own chip up to 2 Garmin units worth. You get the lakes downloaded onto you computer and are able to create and transfer way points.
I’m not sure if the Garmin maps do this anymore but its something to look into.
Also one can transfer way points to Google earth.

Hummingbird needs to introduce a well made simple to use hand held that is easy to read in sunlight and of course uses Lakemaster chips and Navionics and maybe others.

I own a Lowrance H2Oc and am very dis satisfied the only reason I keep it is for the Lakemaster chips. If Hummingbird would make a handheld I would be first in line and would DUMP the H2Oc The customer service from Lowrance is subpar at best.

My Oregon 400t was great until I dropped it in the ice hole today. You think it is magnetic so I can at least try to save my lakemaster chip if it is broke?

It is under my perm in 15′