nickcalderone Posted November 2, 2007 Report Share Posted November 2, 2007 Does anyone here own the new Humminbird sidescan fishfinder? I saw a demo of this unit on their web-site...and it seems incredible! If you haven't seen it, check it out. I was just wondering if any owners out there would be willing to post their 2 cents about it. It seems like it is beyond ANY other sonar out there...but then, slick advertising can make anything look good. I am SERIOUSLY considering buying one of these units but I would like some owner opinions and impressions on it before I spend $1800 for it. Any info would be greatly appreciated! Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted November 4, 2007 Report Share Posted November 4, 2007 I got a 987 sidescan/chartplotter/sonar last winter. Yes expensive, and yes, it's worth it if you use its capabilities. No other system lets you cruise a bank 150 ft away, see all the structure and move a cursor to a likely target and mark it on your GPS. All without driving the boat over the fish. If you're a structure fisherman, that's worth its weight in gold. Cruise a creek arm with both side beams running and map the whole thing in one pass. I've had no issues with mine since installation and haven't heard or read about any glitches or qualtity problems from other users. I use the Navionics Hot Spots Premium map cartridge, which is the best for inland fishing and seems to be "right on" as far as accuracy of the map versus observed depths from the sonar. The new model 997 has a brighter screen and higher frequency for the sidescan beams, for a bit more detail. If there is any "issue", it's where to mount that big transducer. I put mine down on the back of the boat's pad like a typical transducer. It reads to about 50 mph and no problems so far. Some guys put theirs higher up on the motor bracket so it's out of the water at speed and is less prone to impact damage (you can't sidescan at speeds faster than 5-6 mph anyway). The transducer is a $200 item. They then install a thru-hull transducer and a Hbird switch to select between the two. Just remember you need a clear shot out BOTH sides of the transducer. Putting it on the trolling motor is not recommended since swiveling during a run distorts the side image. I think the large screen units are worth the added expense to get more info on screen, but I haven't seen the small screen units in operation. IMO, Hbird has really upped quality since the company was acquired by Johnson Outdoors a few yrs ago. There's a Yahoo Group dedicated to the sidescan units that is frequented by Hbird engineers, if you have specific tech questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickcalderone Posted November 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Bob, Thank you so much for the detailed reply! I really appreciate you taking the time to be so detailed. I am just about convinced that this is the unit to go with. I have been using the Eagle 320 and 480, both of which are good, but after seeing the Humminbird sidescan, I am ready to make the leap. As far as accuracy, would you say that this unit displays what is actually down there, or is there some degree of interpretation on the users part? I mean, from the demo I saw, it looks like an underwater video which seems pretty cut and dry... I only ask because I actually had an AquaVu camera that I used in conjunction with my sonar to actually SEE what was on the screen. Man, there were times that I was waaaay off. What I thought were schools of bass, were actually just carp or mullet. What showed up as fish arches on my sonar was actually part of a suspended tree limb that part of the boat passed over. Anyway, the camera is kind of cumbersome to use and forget any visibility if it was windy or there was current flow. It was neat though to see what was down there, but the rivers here are really stained so half the time I spent viewing "coffee". I am just tired of guessing what's on the screen. I'm afraid if I get the sidescan, I will spend more time watching than fishing... Thanks again! Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
