what fishfinder to buy? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Dannowar · 02-13-2015, 01:12 PM

So wait. You're gonna buy a top of the line fish finder not knowing anything about fish finders.....then you're gonna goop the memory card slot?!

Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else.....

Bert Vega · 02-13-2015, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dannowar

Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else.....

DING DING DING

Best advise so far

erinoo · 02-13-2015, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dannowar

So wait. You're gonna buy a top of the line fish finder not knowing anything about fish finders.....then you're gonna goop the memory card slot?!

Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else.....

Now this is a smart man.

FISH11 · 02-13-2015, 04:49 PM

Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else.....[/QUOTE]

Here Here. I have a couple of Lowrance Elite 4's and thought there was something better. I have now used at the same time a Dragonfly 4.7 that my grandson won with the HOW Cuda 14 last year. I have it as a selfcontained unit that attaches to a rail and has the transducer direct in the water with and attached ram mount. I have used it twice in mission bay, once in san diego bay and once out in LJ out to 250 feet depft. Being able to compare my Elite 4 and the Dragonfly at the same time made me appreciate the Elite 4. Way less cost and much more adjustments to sensitivity and any typre of noise filters. I was able to learn more about the ajustments on the Elite and was able to verify all the different types of signals. If I was looking for a new FF I would actually buy the Lowrance Elite 5 HDS. Very easy to use and read the screen. Someone said that West Marine is going to have a one day sale on Feb. 20th for like $350. I would jump on it.

FlyFishinYakr · 02-14-2015, 04:36 AM

First off how much of that Tax Return do you want to spend?
I bought an Elite 5X DSI for my 2013 Outback.
The only 3 times I took it out was to Castaic (2x on the lagoon 1x on the upper lake), was to play (err...rather familiarize myself) with the Unit and how to access the functions/settings. It seemed to work OK [working the split screen(s), good clear marks once I figured out how to work the settings, structure, etc.), although I didn't fish (the upper lake) to test accuracy of the marks. I would have had the "Jailbirds" been out to play or if the LMB bite in the "Lagoon" had been decent. My only complaint (which was addressed by HOBIE for 2015), was that I couldn't get a temp reading due the interior "wet mount" (the only reasonable option other than the RAM transducer mount) I had ANDY at OEX SSB install on my Kayak and "some clutter" on the screen which I eventually filtered out.
I have heard so many good things about Lowrance products over the years and the performance of my Elite-5, I couldn't help myself when I had a chance at an HDS-8 DSI (for the screen size and dual SD slots) for under $1K for the new 2015 Outback I want to get when I'm better (will be great not having to "squint" to see the screen!).
This is just my opinion and I've noticed everyone seems to have their own preferences. Decide what's the most important to you, do the research and check the reviews from other members or fishing/boating Forums, pay attention to any recurring complaint(s) then make the best decision you can.
There is no guarantee that whatever you purchase will "be perfect" but then on the other hand you will learn what to look for in your next one!
Right now there's a big deal being made of the Dragonfly series (the 7 being the most popular) of FF on the market right now, haven't heard of any "glitches" just satisfied owners.
Best of luck in your search and decision.
FFY

jimmy310 · 02-14-2015, 07:26 PM

well i got the dragonfly 6 now i need to know how to wire it up any help?????

YakDout · 02-14-2015, 08:53 PM

Typically red connects to red and black to black....But I was wrong once before.

Oxbeast1210 · 02-14-2015, 09:27 PM

if its the same as my dragonfly 7 it shiuld have a black
res and white wire. on a kayak the black and white go to the negative on the battery. what kayak are you installing on?

02-13-2015, 01:12 PM	#1
Dannowar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,823	So wait. You're gonna buy a top of the line fish finder not knowing anything about fish finders.....then you're gonna goop the memory card slot?! Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else..... __________________ "Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you’ll suck forever." — Brian Wilson

02-13-2015, 04:49 PM	#4
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	Buy yourself an elite 4, learn how to use the thing and spend your extra money on titties and beer. Or whatever else.....[/QUOTE] Here Here. I have a couple of Lowrance Elite 4's and thought there was something better. I have now used at the same time a Dragonfly 4.7 that my grandson won with the HOW Cuda 14 last year. I have it as a selfcontained unit that attaches to a rail and has the transducer direct in the water with and attached ram mount. I have used it twice in mission bay, once in san diego bay and once out in LJ out to 250 feet depft. Being able to compare my Elite 4 and the Dragonfly at the same time made me appreciate the Elite 4. Way less cost and much more adjustments to sensitivity and any typre of noise filters. I was able to learn more about the ajustments on the Elite and was able to verify all the different types of signals. If I was looking for a new FF I would actually buy the Lowrance Elite 5 HDS. Very easy to use and read the screen. Someone said that West Marine is going to have a one day sale on Feb. 20th for like $350. I would jump on it. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

02-14-2015, 04:36 AM	#5
FlyFishinYakr Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Nor Cal...30 min from Bodega/Tomales Bay, 1hr from Clear Lake, 2+ hr to Berryessa & the Delta Posts: 729	First off how much of that Tax Return do you want to spend? I bought an Elite 5X DSI for my 2013 Outback. The only 3 times I took it out was to Castaic (2x on the lagoon 1x on the upper lake), was to play (err...rather familiarize myself) with the Unit and how to access the functions/settings. It seemed to work OK [working the split screen(s), good clear marks once I figured out how to work the settings, structure, etc.), although I didn't fish (the upper lake) to test accuracy of the marks. I would have had the "Jailbirds" been out to play or if the LMB bite in the "Lagoon" had been decent. My only complaint (which was addressed by HOBIE for 2015), was that I couldn't get a temp reading due the interior "wet mount" (the only reasonable option other than the RAM transducer mount) I had ANDY at OEX SSB install on my Kayak and "some clutter" on the screen which I eventually filtered out. I have heard so many good things about Lowrance products over the years and the performance of my Elite-5, I couldn't help myself when I had a chance at an HDS-8 DSI (for the screen size and dual SD slots) for under $1K for the new 2015 Outback I want to get when I'm better (will be great not having to "squint" to see the screen!). This is just my opinion and I've noticed everyone seems to have their own preferences. Decide what's the most important to you, do the research and check the reviews from other members or fishing/boating Forums, pay attention to any recurring complaint(s) then make the best decision you can. There is no guarantee that whatever you purchase will "be perfect" but then on the other hand you will learn what to look for in your next one! Right now there's a big deal being made of the Dragonfly series (the 7 being the most popular) of FF on the market right now, haven't heard of any "glitches" just satisfied owners. Best of luck in your search and decision. FFY Last edited by FlyFishinYakr; 02-14-2015 at 04:53 AM.

02-14-2015, 07:26 PM	#6
jimmy310 Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: cypress, california Posts: 60	well i got the dragonfly 6 now i need to know how to wire it up any help?????

02-14-2015, 08:53 PM	#7
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Typically red connects to red and black to black....But I was wrong once before.

02-14-2015, 09:27 PM	#8
Oxbeast1210 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: San Diego Posts: 421	if its the same as my dragonfly 7 it shiuld have a black res and white wire. on a kayak the black and white go to the negative on the battery. what kayak are you installing on?