What's your Favorite Fish Finder? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Sheephead · 06-15-2015, 09:25 PM

I'm looking to get a fish finder in the -$400 range and am struggling to choose between Elite 4x, 5x chirp and Humming bird Helix 5. I know I want a FF with gps and preferably some form of topography chart if its not super expensive. Will be mostly fishing the bays and the Kelp beds soon once I lose my fear of the waves.

What's your Guy's Favorite FF that you use?

YakDout · 06-15-2015, 09:26 PM

Wait for a sale. Got my hds 5 for $399

bigbarrels · 06-16-2015, 03:52 AM

HDs-5

octico · 06-16-2015, 11:55 AM

DragonFly if you want to something out of the box that just works. No fussing with the DragonFly.

Bert Vega · 06-16-2015, 12:02 PM

Cant go wrong with the HDS 5. I like the Lowrance over the Raymarine. But that is just my opinion.

FISH11 · 06-16-2015, 12:39 PM

HDS 5, I also have a Raymarine chirp 4.7 and prefer everything about the HDS5 better in salt water.

AirborneYak · 06-16-2015, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheephead

I'm looking to get a fish finder in the -$400 range and am struggling to choose between Elite 4x, 5x chirp and Humming bird Helix 5. I know I want a FF with gps and preferably some form of topography chart if its not super expensive. Will be mostly fishing the bays and the Kelp beds soon once I lose my fear of the waves.

What's your Guy's Favorite FF that you use?

The helix 5 comes with their unimap and that does not have any topography. But the helix 5 has a better screen resolution than any other on your list.

Cadillyak · 06-16-2015, 02:45 PM

Had an HDS 5. Wouldn't of traded it for the world, then I got an HDS 7. Wish I could splurge on a Gen 3!!

cabojohn · 06-16-2015, 03:49 PM

Zed- best fish finder ever.

PRICELESS.

PapaDave · 06-17-2015, 10:04 AM

One that finds the fish, tells you what it wants to eat, hooks it up for you, fillets and cooks it.

TJones · 06-17-2015, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISH11

HDS 5, I also have a Raymarine chirp 4.7 and prefer everything about the HDS5 better in salt water.

What do you like or dislike between the two ? I have both units myself , maybe Bert will chime in ? As above mentioned , the simplicity of the dragon fly might be more user friendly for the inexperienced . I will mention the recent topic of the glitch in auto mode of the raymarine .This is definitely a short coming , possibly a fix in the future . Some users are still unaware of the problem or have suspected a faulty unit . I myself, was about to return the head unit but was fortunate to have stumbled across the solution of switching the transducer to manual mode .

TJones · 06-17-2015, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirborneYak

The helix 5 comes with their unimap and that does not have any topography. But the helix 5 has a better screen resolution than any other on your list.

I previously had a hummingbird 898 si , this unit was incredible , but probably not suited for a kayak . The transducer was huge , and mounting was an issue . It looks like the have come up with a downsized version , but I am curious on how you are mounting it ?

AirborneYak · 06-17-2015, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJones

I previously had a hummingbird 898 si , this unit was incredible , but probably not suited for a kayak . The transducer was huge , and mounting was an issue . It looks like the have come up with a downsized version , but I am curious on how you are mounting it ?

The transducer(XNT 9 SI 180 T) for the helix 5 si fit perfectly in the lowrance ready 2014 revo 13 hull. All I need was the humminbird adapter kit. I'll take some picture and post it up. I haven't been able to take it on the water yet, so I'm not sure how well the H5si will do on the water both fresh and salt. I figure, I'll be fishing in less than 60ish feet of water and the side imaging would be pretty cool to have.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

FISH11 · 06-17-2015, 06:01 PM

What I like about the HDS5 is all the controlls to be able to personalize the screen for (pallette) multiple color preferences on the display makes it easier to read and the way you can adjust the split screen for width of a prticular side when using split screen. The way the unit changes depth range automatically. All the manual adjustments for sensitivity, again makes it much easier to read or eliminate clutter. The navionix chart included in the unit. I am sure I don't remember all the features I like on it right now. The Raymarine has none of the variables on screen colors. The auto mode SUCKS as mentioned in other threads the unit thinks kelp under your kayak is the bottom of the ocean and by the time you set it to manual and reduce the sensitivity you don't get that much detail. Good thing I didn't buy that unit and it came with the HOW Cuda 14 my grandson won in 2014 with the raffle ticket I had bought. If I had bought it I would have returned it. Even the Elite 4 on my other kayak works better. I have Gear track mounted on all my kayaks and have used the Raymarine at the same time as the other units side by side so I could compare the readings. All it did was make me appreciate how the other units showed the same things under my kayak. I did learn how to interpret better what the screen was showing on the other units when comparing the info to the split screen on the Raymarine showing the sonar on one and the chirp on the other. The range displayed on the screen is also too much depth for the size of the screen. I don't know if that helps but I found it to be better on fresh water lakes but I just don't fish there hardly at all.

06-15-2015, 09:25 PM	#1
Sheephead Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 115	What's your Favorite Fish Finder? I'm looking to get a fish finder in the -$400 range and am struggling to choose between Elite 4x, 5x chirp and Humming bird Helix 5. I know I want a FF with gps and preferably some form of topography chart if its not super expensive. Will be mostly fishing the bays and the Kelp beds soon once I lose my fear of the waves. What's your Guy's Favorite FF that you use?

06-16-2015, 03:52 AM	#3
bigbarrels Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vista Posts: 1,111	HDs-5 __________________ The shorter you are, the bigger your fish appear

06-16-2015, 12:02 PM	#5
Bert Vega Tail Chaser! Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Murrieta Posts: 627	Cant go wrong with the HDS 5. I like the Lowrance over the Raymarine. But that is just my opinion. __________________ I hate seals!!!

06-16-2015, 12:39 PM	#6
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,642	HDS 5, I also have a Raymarine chirp 4.7 and prefer everything about the HDS5 better in salt water. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

06-16-2015, 02:45 PM	#8
Cadillyak Team Get $$ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 841	Had an HDS 5. Wouldn't of traded it for the world, then I got an HDS 7. Wish I could splurge on a Gen 3!! __________________ The "Y" is silent 2012 Olive PA 12 2011 Papaya Outback

06-15-2015, 09:26 PM	#2
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Wait for a sale. Got my hds 5 for $399

06-16-2015, 11:55 AM	#4
octico Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: The city of Orange Posts: 1,278	DragonFly if you want to something out of the box that just works. No fussing with the DragonFly.

06-16-2015, 03:49 PM	#9
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 656	Zed- best fish finder ever. PRICELESS.

06-17-2015, 10:04 AM	#10
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	One that finds the fish, tells you what it wants to eat, hooks it up for you, fillets and cooks it. __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...

06-17-2015, 06:01 PM	#14
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,642	What I like about the HDS5 is all the controlls to be able to personalize the screen for (pallette) multiple color preferences on the display makes it easier to read and the way you can adjust the split screen for width of a prticular side when using split screen. The way the unit changes depth range automatically. All the manual adjustments for sensitivity, again makes it much easier to read or eliminate clutter. The navionix chart included in the unit. I am sure I don't remember all the features I like on it right now. The Raymarine has none of the variables on screen colors. The auto mode SUCKS as mentioned in other threads the unit thinks kelp under your kayak is the bottom of the ocean and by the time you set it to manual and reduce the sensitivity you don't get that much detail. Good thing I didn't buy that unit and it came with the HOW Cuda 14 my grandson won in 2014 with the raffle ticket I had bought. If I had bought it I would have returned it. Even the Elite 4 on my other kayak works better. I have Gear track mounted on all my kayaks and have used the Raymarine at the same time as the other units side by side so I could compare the readings. All it did was make me appreciate how the other units showed the same things under my kayak. I did learn how to interpret better what the screen was showing on the other units when comparing the info to the split screen on the Raymarine showing the sonar on one and the chirp on the other. The range displayed on the screen is also too much depth for the size of the screen. I don't know if that helps but I found it to be better on fresh water lakes but I just don't fish there hardly at all. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )