Lowrance or humminbird gps sonar

[powerstroke7.3]

what fish finders would you reccommend as a basic gps, chartplotter, and fish finder unit. I dont need anything crazy just a simple system that does a good job. Mainly just be fishing in the sound here in connecticut. IM looking at the Lowrance LCX-28 or the Humminbird 788ci.

[Pursuit2470]

Don't rule out Garmin.............

[Paul Barnard]

Welcome to the forum powerstroke. We have a fantastic electronics forum on this site. Take a look around that forum. There is a wealth of information there. I have had some reliability issues with some of the Lowrance products I have owned. When they work, they work great, but I have had too many failures to trust them. I just put a Garmin on my new boat but haven't had a chance to use it.

[joe009]

i think lowrance makes a better unit.the lcx 28 is a 7 in.screen that is a plus.i fish in the sound out of mt. sinai and use a garmin 492.make sure you get a external antenna.you will lose your signal even with a canvas t- top.the gps is a must on any boat.

[conehead39]

Lowrance HDS series like 5 -10 inches. It has broadband tech.

[dssmith]

Originally Posted by powerstroke7.3

what fish finders would you reccommend as a basic gps, chartplotter, and fish finder unit. I dont need anything crazy just a simple system that does a good job. Mainly just be fishing in the sound here in connecticut. IM looking at the Lowrance LCX-28 or the Humminbird 788ci.

Humminbird makes very good fish finders. I don't have first hand knowledge about their chartplotting. Humminbird uses the same map/charts as most everyone else except for Garmin.

Garmin makes good easy to read chartplotters. For fishfinders, Humminbird is hard to beat in the price range you describe.

[dssmith]

Originally Posted by dssmith

Humminbird makes very good fish finders. I don't have first hand knowledge about their chartplotting. Humminbird uses the same map/charts as most everyone else except for Garmin.

Garmin makes good easy to read chartplotters. For fishfinders, Humminbird is hard to beat in the price range you describe.

There's another thing to consider. If you are a bottom fisherman or structure/wreck angler, you are likely to find a bathymetric chart of use. (I do) For this, you will use your chartplotter, and have to insert a different chip, or load the bathymetric chart to your unit somehow.

I only know about the Garmin Bathymetric chart, which is pretty good. If the same thing can be installed or used on the Humminbird unit, then go for it.

If you frequent the same spots, and "know where you are" most of the time, the chartplotter becomes less important. If you really want to focus on catching fish over structure, then the ff portions will become most important.