Author Topic: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500  (Read 3032 times)

Offline Bucktail

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Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« on: July 27, 2014, 10:39:16 PM »
My brother-in-law is looking for a fishfinder for his 17' CC.  He mostly fishes Lake George, Raritan Bay and Barnegat Bay.

Any suggestions?  He's thinking about just a straight fishfinder, but can anyone recommend decent combo (fishfinder/GPS) units available at that price?

Thanks,
Bob t^


Offline IrishAyes

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2014, 07:45:32 AM »
I was checking out the Raymarine Dragonfly over the winter. Was going to add it to my arsenal of electronics but will have to wait til next year.

I have no personal experience with this but it does look like a decent machine for the money. A few hundred over what he wants to spend but it does have the GPS also. Not a bad feature to have for marking and returning to your fishing spots and to find your way back home in unfamiliar waters.

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May the holes in your net be no larger than the fish in it.  ~Irish Blessing


Offline Hunter 2

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2014, 07:47:59 AM »
Definately get a combo unit.  Most small ones have built in antenna.  Shop Garmin prices
Eddie "Hunter 2"
36' Topaz "Hallie Loren"    Charter boat sailing from Wagners Marina, Keyport NJ


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Offline Treebeard

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2014, 10:24:07 AM »
Bob, I love the Lowrance Elite 5 I have on my Jonboat... I've used Lowrance stuff for for a long time, and have always been happy..I spent about 10x more for the Raymarine E series that I had on the Scout..it was nice when it worked.. but it did'nt really show me much more.. and was a LOT more troublesome...IMO the Elite is a sweet unit for the $$.. Here's a shot of mine doing its job..  TT^  chrz


Offline fellinger

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #4 on: July 28, 2014, 10:29:06 AM »
I have the Gamin 441S. It does well, allows addition of an upgraded chart which you can manage your waypoints via computer and put them into the plotter via scandisk.


Fred, fishing the "Kristy Marie" from Manasquan River Club. Channels 16/67/68.

Offline Reefsquatter

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2014, 11:44:37 AM »
Had a 541s garmin and it worked except that it was trouble when anchoring, would never refresh fast enough, had their old garmin 498c and it was great.

Offline Maritime Matt

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2014, 03:12:48 PM »
Everyone has there own preferences. With that said and my experience in seeing and installing, you can't go wrong with Garmin. There Customer Service is A-1 and I see many older units still operating. I can't say the same for one of the others in a previous post. I have a 12 year old Furuno FCV 600L bottom machine on my boat and it operates the same as day 1. As well, my chart plotter is a Standard Horizon CP 150 and just as old. Had a few glitches with that but again there customer service was right there. Furuno has some new combos out and may be worth checking out.

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Offline Bucktail

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2014, 04:31:42 PM »
Thanks guys.  Keep 'em coming. t^

Offline Fightin Irish

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2014, 12:37:04 AM »
I would go with the raymarine dragonfly.  I have the c127 with down vision and the down vision is the exact one used in the dragonfly.  A thresher was under the boat and you coul make out it was a shark with the high tail.  Was very impressed so far. I will be putting one on my father in laws boat this fall
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Offline wb

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Re: Quality Color FishFinder Under $500
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2014, 09:25:45 AM »
My old Garmin combo works just as Day One, never blipped at all

Based on that alone I would get another, their pricing is reasonable.

 

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