FISH FINDER HUNTING

I’m in the market for a new fish finder, after fishing pool 14 with a visitor from out of town I realized just how poor my OLD Lowrance X-4 and my Bottomline perform compared to what is on the market now.

I am looking to purchase a $250-300 unit, and would like a side finder option as well as speed and temp sensors. I’ve looked at Lowrance X-85, would love one but it is out of my price range for now.

How about some recommendations from a few fellow river rats! So many manufacturers and styles, it is a little mind boggling trying to pick the best I can afford.

My friend has a Ratheon Apelco 265, which performed very well but did not have side view capability, and is only a year old. I think I can get a side view transducer for this unit but am not sure. Anyone have any comments on the Ratheon?

I love this site!

Hey bud, Its a Raytheon L 365 I`m looking in the book and it has a optional sidelooker transducer. Once again it was great hunting eyes with ya. John

We had a great time on a high pressure weekend. That’s fishing! Yeah, I see the 365 has speed and temp, not the 265. I’ve found places on the web to order, but none have a listing for the side view transducer. I thought it would be a good option for viewing the face of the dam without going over it scaring fish or banging my old motor. What do you think? Is it worth buying the side view?

Hey John, I found a place here to buy the crankbaits we were using, and talked them into maintaining there inventory. The way I was going through them Sunday I hope they keep plenty on hand! LOL!

John, I forgotto ask you, could you send me a copy of the picture of that pig you caught Saturday? Gotta have one for my river memories book!

Edited by Rooster on 08/02/01 06:05 AM.

I would reccommend NOT buying anything in the hummingbird line. I mistakenly, bought one of their top of the line models, payed $300 for it and don’t like it at all.

You bet I`ll send one to ya. I really dont see a need for a sidefinder on the river but thats just my view of it. I have never been a boat that had one on the river so I dont know how well it works.I hope the bite is just as good in 2 weeks,if you dont catch them all.John

I’ll second Keith’s response, my boat came with the Hummingbird Panorama. Three way ducer. I despise the thing though. I would be very disappointed if I was the one who paid $500.00 or whatever retail is. In my humble opinion the Lowrance is hard to beat. Save you pennies a little longer and get the 85. I can guarantee you will love that graph.

I use a Lowrance X-65 on my bow and love it. It is cheaper than the X-85, unfortunately has fewer pixels too but still a very nice unit. I believe this would fit into your range…and you can add speed/temp to it easily just by plugging it in. An additional advantage it has is a mode that looks like a flasher for either high speed running or structure hunting. I have heard Garmin is also a nice unit although never had one.

Have fished over an X-65 on buddies boat and blew my eagle away……..course my eagle was xmas gift from pops so wont complain too much…….x-65 is awesome

Rooster

Check out this bass sight it has a buy and sell equipment. I bought my LMS350A with 12 channel GPS for $300. and the guy gauranteed it 100%. Works Perfect. Even E-Mailed me two weeks later too see if I was happy with it. A great place for rods reels and boating equipment, or questions about electronics, new and used. Post up a want ad for what you are looking for . It`s all free. http://WWW.anglerworld.com

Good Luck

Tom P

Rooster,

I have a plain Jane Eagle Fish ID 128, it works fine for me, I can not tell you anything about the side finder option as I have never used one. As for speed and temp the temperature reading is the surface water only not a true reading for the bottom, as for the speed a hand held GPS is a lot more accurate and it can be used in other places than just your boat like for hunting. I have been told by other fishermen that speed and temp are the first thing to go out (break) on a fish finder. With the money you save on a model like the Fish ID you can get a good hand held GPS. Just my two cents I know a lot of guys will disagree with this.

Steve

<<<Life is Fishing, the rest is just details!>>>

I bought an X65 this spring and have enjoyed using it. I have also fished w/ the X85 on a buddy’s boat. Nice unit, but it was over my budget. If you are near a Cabelas, check out the Eagle Optima (?). I know they were having a good deal on them. The benefit of those, just from looking at the box (not using them) was 240 pixels versus 160 in an X65.

I had an x-65 and once I got it dialed in I really liked it.

Im currently running a garmin 240 and its probably the best for the money you can get. More pixels and priced right and easy to setup. Pinpoint 7420 is a darn good unit but a little more money.

Steve Hougom – FTR Webstaff