Lowrance Elite5 vs Elite5DSI - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

RJClark · 05-22-2013, 06:06 PM

Good afternoon everyone. Newbie to kayak fishing, I am trying to outfit my Hobie Adventure yak for some so cal costal action. I'm looking for some advice about ff/GPS. I am leaning towards the Lowrance Elite5 because of its 1000 foot depth capacity, however I also like the DSI for hoop netting but it's capacity of only 250 feet seems shallow. So do I need a ff that can go deeper than 250 feet for fishing off so cal? Thanks everyone.

SoCalCJ · 05-22-2013, 08:22 PM

I've been running the Elite-5 for a year on my PA. It's a really good unit but I'm already looking to upgrade to the HDS-5. My advise is to spend the extra $$$ now on the HDS if you can. For socal fishing I don't ever go deeper than 300 ft in the settings. The only other advise I would give is to make sure you get the 50/200 kHz transducer so you can run a true high/low.

Fishwhisperer619 · 05-22-2013, 09:05 PM

Idk how much money you are looking to spend but I have a Humminbird 581i HD DI Combo and absolutely love it, very good clarity and strong reads. I should also mention that I dont hoop met or anything like that so im not sure what things you need for that but im very happy with it. You should give it a look.

salty pirate · 05-22-2013, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJClark

Good afternoon everyone. Newbie to kayak fishing, I am trying to outfit my Hobie Adventure yak for some so cal costal action. I'm looking for some advice about ff/GPS. I am leaning towards the Lowrance Elite5 because of its 1000 foot depth capacity, however I also like the DSI for hoop netting but it's capacity of only 250 feet seems shallow. So do I need a ff that can go deeper than 250 feet for fishing off so cal? Thanks everyone.

you don't need a ff to go deeper than 250ft, unless you plan to fish deeper. I have a ff with both color 83/200khz and dsi 455/800khz transducer.

dsi 455/800khz works good in saltwater depths less than 90ft, I know is says 250 but thats freshwater.

My pick goes to the elite-5.

JarrodMc · 05-22-2013, 09:13 PM

West Marine has the Elite5 DSI Gold on sale for 400 this week. I just installed one on my Cuda 14 with a RAM mount and RAM ducer mount for a truer reading with the DSI. I works great and runs all day on my 12v 10.5AH battery.

Ddwineguy · 05-22-2013, 09:35 PM

I picked up the lowrance elite 7 hdi which is a broadband plus a dsi unit that you can split screen or have a chart the broad band image and the dsi image all up at once. It also has a feature that overlays the broadband and dsi to create one image. I will be installing it on my new yak that should be here any day now and will let you all know what I think.

longv · 05-23-2013, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ddwineguy

I picked up the lowrance elite 7 hdi which is a broadband plus a dsi unit that you can split screen or have a chart the broad band image and the dsi image all up at once. It also has a feature that overlays the broadband and dsi to create one image. I will be installing it on my new yak that should be here any day now and will let you all know what I think.

which transducer did you go with? 83/200 or 50/200

Ddwineguy · 05-23-2013, 12:30 PM

I'm starting with the 83/200. The 50/200 doesn't fit in the pro angler under mount. I understand that lowrance is engineering a solution. I may change after that is done if I am not happy with the results.

Scion619 · 05-23-2013, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ddwineguy

I'm starting with the 83/200. The 50/200 doesn't fit in the pro angler under mount. I understand that lowrance is engineering a solution. I may change after that is done if I am not happy with the results.

Yah gonna have oex install my hds 5 tomorow and was wondering cause I have the 50/200. I'm hoping they can modify it to make it fit.

salty pirate · 05-23-2013, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ddwineguy

I'm starting with the 83/200. The 50/200 doesn't fit in the pro angler under mount. I understand that lowrance is engineering a solution. I may change after that is done if I am not happy with the results.

I have the same one. you won't be dissapointed.

salty pirate · 05-23-2013, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scion619

Yah gonna have oex install my hds 5 tomorow and was wondering cause I have the 50/200. I'm hoping they can modify it to make it fit.

should not be a problem if it's 50/200 only and not 50/200 455/800

spottie slayer · 05-23-2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JarrodMc

West Marine has the Elite5 DSI Gold on sale for 400 this week. I just installed one on my Cuda 14 with a RAM mount and RAM ducer mount for a truer reading with the DSI. I works great and runs all day on my 12v 10.5AH battery.

what color is ur cuda?

momo fish · 05-23-2013, 07:49 PM

dam, if you don't find or catch fish with that high tech ff, I don't know what else you can do

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ddwineguy

I picked up the lowrance elite 7 hdi which is a broadband plus a dsi unit that you can split screen or have a chart the broad band image and the dsi image all up at once. It also has a feature that overlays the broadband and dsi to create one image. I will be installing it on my new yak that should be here any day now and will let you all know what I think.

RJClark · 05-24-2013, 08:28 AM

So it sounds like the DSI with the 250 feet capacity should be good? Thanks everyone.

Hunters Pa · 05-24-2013, 09:17 AM

I agonized over teh decision and went with the DSI. I am more interested in finding structure that could be holding fish that I can't see than seeing potential fish that may or may not respond.

salty pirate · 05-24-2013, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJClark

So it sounds like the DSI with the 250 feet capacity should be good? Thanks everyone.

call lowrance and tell them what type of fishing you are doing first. in my experiance dsi will not be as helpfull in saltwater conditions over 90 ft.

momo fish · 05-24-2013, 07:51 PM

I can see the need for DSI.. Im looking into getting the elite 4 DSI as that would meet my needs for color FF plus be able to get better images for structure..

Will hope the elite 7 in the future.. but overkill..

RJClark · 05-26-2013, 11:17 AM

Does anyone have the Gold version with the better charts? How is the bottom detail?

TJones · 05-26-2013, 04:27 PM

strange how the lowrance only scans to 90' ? this is supposed to compete with the hummingbird. hummingbird has a new model 500 series with down imaging and side imaging . unit is not cheap , needless to say , but either is a lowrance . the hummingbirds are definitely putting out a lot of power. i am barley learning how to switch from 80 / 200 , so i am no expert .

. good luck . the one thing that might be more advantageous is the hummingbird transducer , as opposed to the lowrance transducer . they both need to be in the water to work properly , but the lowrance transducer is long and thin , about 10 " . the hummngbird is 4" x 5" , and 3/4 " thick . this is on the higher units . correct me if i am wrong?

JarrodMc · 05-27-2013, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spottie slayer

what color is ur cuda?

I got the red and black- Black widow

05-22-2013, 06:06 PM	#1
RJClark Junior Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 16	Lowrance Elite5 vs Elite5DSI Good afternoon everyone. Newbie to kayak fishing, I am trying to outfit my Hobie Adventure yak for some so cal costal action. I'm looking for some advice about ff/GPS. I am leaning towards the Lowrance Elite5 because of its 1000 foot depth capacity, however I also like the DSI for hoop netting but it's capacity of only 250 feet seems shallow. So do I need a ff that can go deeper than 250 feet for fishing off so cal? Thanks everyone.

05-22-2013, 09:13 PM	#5
JarrodMc Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Vista Posts: 411	West Marine has the Elite5 DSI Gold on sale for 400 this week. I just installed one on my Cuda 14 with a RAM mount and RAM ducer mount for a truer reading with the DSI. I works great and runs all day on my 12v 10.5AH battery. __________________

05-26-2013, 04:27 PM	#19
TJones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 2,526	suggestion strange how the lowrance only scans to 90' ? this is supposed to compete with the hummingbird. hummingbird has a new model 500 series with down imaging and side imaging . unit is not cheap , needless to say , but either is a lowrance . the hummingbirds are definitely putting out a lot of power. i am barley learning how to switch from 80 / 200 , so i am no expert . . good luck . the one thing that might be more advantageous is the hummingbird transducer , as opposed to the lowrance transducer . they both need to be in the water to work properly , but the lowrance transducer is long and thin , about 10 " . the hummngbird is 4" x 5" , and 3/4 " thick . this is on the higher units . correct me if i am wrong?

05-22-2013, 08:22 PM	#2
SoCalCJ Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Newport Beach, CA Posts: 126	I've been running the Elite-5 for a year on my PA. It's a really good unit but I'm already looking to upgrade to the HDS-5. My advise is to spend the extra $$$ now on the HDS if you can. For socal fishing I don't ever go deeper than 300 ft in the settings. The only other advise I would give is to make sure you get the 50/200 kHz transducer so you can run a true high/low.

05-22-2013, 09:05 PM	#3
Fishwhisperer619 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: chula vista Posts: 323	Idk how much money you are looking to spend but I have a Humminbird 581i HD DI Combo and absolutely love it, very good clarity and strong reads. I should also mention that I dont hoop met or anything like that so im not sure what things you need for that but im very happy with it. You should give it a look.

05-22-2013, 09:35 PM	#6
Ddwineguy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: san diego Posts: 210	I picked up the lowrance elite 7 hdi which is a broadband plus a dsi unit that you can split screen or have a chart the broad band image and the dsi image all up at once. It also has a feature that overlays the broadband and dsi to create one image. I will be installing it on my new yak that should be here any day now and will let you all know what I think.

05-23-2013, 12:30 PM	#8
Ddwineguy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: san diego Posts: 210	I'm starting with the 83/200. The 50/200 doesn't fit in the pro angler under mount. I understand that lowrance is engineering a solution. I may change after that is done if I am not happy with the results.

05-24-2013, 08:28 AM	#14
RJClark Junior Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 16	So it sounds like the DSI with the 250 feet capacity should be good? Thanks everyone.

05-24-2013, 09:17 AM	#15
Hunters Pa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fullerton Posts: 1,360	I agonized over teh decision and went with the DSI. I am more interested in finding structure that could be holding fish that I can't see than seeing potential fish that may or may not respond.

05-24-2013, 07:51 PM	#17
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	I can see the need for DSI.. Im looking into getting the elite 4 DSI as that would meet my needs for color FF plus be able to get better images for structure.. Will hope the elite 7 in the future.. but overkill..

05-26-2013, 11:17 AM	#18
RJClark Junior Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 16	Does anyone have the Gold version with the better charts? How is the bottom detail?