Any thoughts on Lowrance Elite-5/CHIRP - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

octico · 09-08-2014, 09:38 AM

I am looking to get a new FF and was wondering if you think its worth getting the chirp technology?

momo fish · 09-08-2014, 06:59 PM

I'm interested as well. Only thing I can chime in about is the cost. When I compared I could buy the elite 5 HDI unit for almost half what the chirp models were going for. Now you ask yourself is the quality that much different when fishing off a kayak? Is that extra detail of the arch really significant?

Those are questions that so far I'm leaning towards no based on reviews and pictures. As much as I want the latest and greatest I'm not convinced it's worth it unless I own a boat but who knows how a good sale can changed ones mind

YakDout · 09-08-2014, 07:06 PM

If it's in the dragonfly than maybe.

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YakDout · 09-08-2014, 07:07 PM

Otherwise the elite 5hdi without chirp is all you need. I think the lowrance chirp is all just hype

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octico · 09-08-2014, 08:54 PM

I had the Elite 4 hdi that I sold with my Revo. Looking to get the new Outback. I liked it but at a depths of 200 feet I could not make out the bottom using the sonar. I was with a friend who had a Hummingbird and he could make out the structure. Will the elite 5 make viewing rocky structure that much better at deeper depths?

Silbaugh4liberty · 09-08-2014, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octico

I had the Elite 4 hdi that I sold with my Revo. Looking to get the new Outback. I liked it but at a depths of 200 feet I could not make out the bottom using the sonar. I was with a friend who had a Hummingbird and he could make out the structure. Will the elite 5 make viewing rocky structure that much better at deeper depths?

I fished with (Limits) in Newport for rockies, and my Lowrance mark 4 had the same problem, meanwhile he had a Lowrance elite 5 hdi (if i remember correctly), and he could see WAY more detail in structure, AND the fish hovering above the rocks. All i could see with mine is depth and that it was rocky. I need a new fishfinder if i want to target the rockfish. And next time, i think I'm going to use sardines instead of squid, in hopes of avoiding the lizard fish and croaker.

tsugg · 09-09-2014, 08:50 AM

I had the elite hdi and it always bugged me that I could never see my small baits and the things large enough to see on the screen were kind of lagging behind actual time. I now am using the raymarine dragonfly 5" and it's real time viewing, meaning if I jig the 3" swim bait up and down I'm seeing it go up and down in real time. You install it and forget it NO SETTINGS to mess with and the transducer fits in the lowrance ready scupper perfectly with very little modification. All you do is pick what screens you want to see, as in chart/downscan or sonar/downscan etc. super easy and clear. In the bays my elite would become unreadable in 7' of water over grass,it was like to shallow. The dragonfly shows the grass clearly with the fish in and around it.At over five hundred $$ it might be a little more than some wish to spend, but if you love to catch fish you will end up with some kind of finder in that price range to put you in the zone anyway.

octico · 09-09-2014, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsugg

I had the elite hdi and it always bugged me that I could never see my small baits and the things large enough to see on the screen were kind of lagging behind actual time. I now am using the raymarine dragonfly 5" and it's real time viewing, meaning if I jig the 3" swim bait up and down I'm seeing it go up and down in real time. You install it and forget it NO SETTINGS to mess with and the transducer fits in the lowrance ready scupper perfectly with very little modification. All you do is pick what screens you want to see, as in chart/downscan or sonar/downscan etc. super easy and clear. In the bays my elite would become unreadable in 7' of water over grass,it was like to shallow. The dragonfly shows the grass clearly with the fish in and around it.At over five hundred $$ it might be a little more than some wish to spend, but if you love to catch fish you will end up with some kind of finder in that price range to put you in the zone anyway.

The Dragon Fly is soo expensive. I am already forking out the money for a new yak!

makobob · 09-09-2014, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by octico

The Dragon Fly is soo expensive. I am already forking out the money for a new yak!

Buying the wrong finder will have you buying TWICE and usually spending more the second time around. That does not make dollars or sense.

octico · 09-09-2014, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makobob

Buying the wrong finder will have you buying TWICE and usually spending more the second time around. That does not make dollars or sense.

Thanks Bob I totally understand, I just need to find the right one. Just because it's more expensive does not make it better.

09-08-2014, 09:38 AM	#1
octico Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: The city of Orange Posts: 1,278	Any thoughts on Lowrance Elite-5/CHIRP I am looking to get a new FF and was wondering if you think its worth getting the chirp technology?

09-09-2014, 08:50 AM	#7
tsugg LOWSPARK Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: CARLSBAD Posts: 251	detail I had the elite hdi and it always bugged me that I could never see my small baits and the things large enough to see on the screen were kind of lagging behind actual time. I now am using the raymarine dragonfly 5" and it's real time viewing, meaning if I jig the 3" swim bait up and down I'm seeing it go up and down in real time. You install it and forget it NO SETTINGS to mess with and the transducer fits in the lowrance ready scupper perfectly with very little modification. All you do is pick what screens you want to see, as in chart/downscan or sonar/downscan etc. super easy and clear. In the bays my elite would become unreadable in 7' of water over grass,it was like to shallow. The dragonfly shows the grass clearly with the fish in and around it.At over five hundred $$ it might be a little more than some wish to spend, but if you love to catch fish you will end up with some kind of finder in that price range to put you in the zone anyway.

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09-08-2014, 06:59 PM	#2
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	I'm interested as well. Only thing I can chime in about is the cost. When I compared I could buy the elite 5 HDI unit for almost half what the chirp models were going for. Now you ask yourself is the quality that much different when fishing off a kayak? Is that extra detail of the arch really significant? Those are questions that so far I'm leaning towards no based on reviews and pictures. As much as I want the latest and greatest I'm not convinced it's worth it unless I own a boat but who knows how a good sale can changed ones mind

09-08-2014, 07:06 PM	#3
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	If it's in the dragonfly than maybe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09-08-2014, 07:07 PM	#4
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Otherwise the elite 5hdi without chirp is all you need. I think the lowrance chirp is all just hype Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

09-08-2014, 08:54 PM	#5
octico Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: The city of Orange Posts: 1,278	I had the Elite 4 hdi that I sold with my Revo. Looking to get the new Outback. I liked it but at a depths of 200 feet I could not make out the bottom using the sonar. I was with a friend who had a Hummingbird and he could make out the structure. Will the elite 5 make viewing rocky structure that much better at deeper depths?