GPS fish finder recommendations

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Looking for recommendations for a decent gps fish finder.

Reason for GPS:
Will be used in the marsh and Atchafalya basin. Maybe a couple trips a year to Toledo Bend, but mostly running bayous.

Been 20 years since I have been out on the water because life just got in the way. I now have a 18’ center console aluminum boat and need a depth finder. Figure with GPS so affordable now, I just as well get it too.

I was looking at the:

Lowrance Hook2 5. Both the split and triple shot

Garmin Striker 5dv

Hummingbird helix 5 chirp 2 gps

Looks like the Garmin has discontinued the listed model and not sure I want to go that path.

Any experience with these models?

Thanks in advance.

[GH41]

Garmin has taken over the marine electronics market. At least here (SE coast). If you have the budget and room I would look at 8 inch screens instead of 5". 5" gets small when you start splitting screens. They are OK just putting around but on a plane you have to spend too much time looking for the information you need.

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Garmin has taken over the marine electronics market. At least here (SE coast). If you have the budget and room I would look at 8 inch screens instead of 5". 5" gets small when you start splitting screens. They are OK just putting around but on a plane you have to spend too much time looking for the information you need.

Good advice on going up in screen size. I always had a Piranha or other cheap LCD junk. It was a big deal to get back lighting or indigo lighting back then.

Guess if I am doing it, cry once.....

I like how some of these models will build their own maps of the lake while sounding it.

I was leaning toward Garmin for GPS functions and Lowrance for nautical functions.

I like the idea of garmin and getting maps updated due to the coastal erosion and hurricanes moving the coast around.

Do you have experience with any Garmin models?

Thanks

[GH41]

Good advice on going up in screen size. I always had a Piranha or other cheap LCD junk. It was a big deal to get back lighting or indigo lighting back then.

Guess if I am doing it, cry once.....

I like how some of these models will build their own maps of the lake while sounding it.

I was leaning toward Garmin for GPS functions and Lowrance for nautical functions.

I like the idea of garmin and getting maps updated due to the coastal erosion and hurricanes moving the coast around.

Do you have experience with any Garmin models?

Thanks

Look at this one >> https://g.factoryoutletstore.com/details/423706/garmin-7cv-us-with-transducer.html?category_id=1667&catalogitemid=389592 It's one of their best sellers. It looks like it will do everything you want.

[GH41]

Look at this one >> https://g.factoryoutletstore.com/details/423706/garmin-7cv-us-with-transducer.html?category_id=1667&catalogitemid=389592 It's one of their best sellers. It looks like it will do everything you want.

Here is the owner's manual >> https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/strikerplus/EN-US/GUID-47E52D25-D897-42B4-84D0-3DD9281727C0-homepage.html

[pinzgauer]

Historically I've always preferred Garmin. have had multiple generations of their marine sounders/GPS's.

Humminbird is junk focused for bass fisherman. Won't survive salt water and historically did not survive even bass boat water exposure very well. Not a fan.

Lowrance seems pretty good but is very expensive for what you get and I believe the garmin's are better made and better engineered. I have freshwater buddies who swear by them, but for Flats / salt water usage 10 to 1 you'll see Garmin.

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What do you all think about the side view option? Worth the extra coin?

Guess this would be used for finding perch under docks?

[Ryno12]

I have a Garmin 53cv echoMAP. I’m pretty happy with it so far but admittedly, I’m still learning it. I did upgrade the map to the LakeVü HD Ultra for the extra detail.
The sonar is decent but it depends on the bottom surface.

I do agree with GH41 that I’d opt for the 7” screen if I was to do it over. The 5” is too small once you start splitting views.

[bjxds]

What do you all think about the side view option? Worth the extra coin?

Guess this would be used for finding perch under docks?

If you can afford it get it, if you don’t have it you can’t use it

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Lowrance: I like the charts but is limited on showing bayous and slews where I will be running the most.

Garmin, seems to have better maps for the back waterways plus mapping your own. Step up to the echomap and you get the charts and can map the lakes to your own SD card.

Hummingbird: I stopped looking at those.

Think it is between the Garmin STRIKER plus 7SV and the Garmin Echomap plus 73SV.

I don’t really need the charts, hell it is just a 19’ center console Jon boat.

So that brings me back to the striker plus 7SV. It will map 2 million acres in 1’ increments. Won’t have the charts, but everyone I talk to says they are nice, but not to be trusted. So guess I will just map my own.

Thanks for all the info and talking me into the bigger screen.

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Update: Purchased the Striker plus 7SV. Works well. I was 3 days out of the one year warranty and the transducer shorted out on the clearview. I noticed there was a tag on the transducer when I installed it that said “replace with XYZ part number” I thought it was strange that the part number on the tag didn’t match the transducer number moulded into it.

I called Garmin and they honored the warranty and sent me a new transducer with the part number on the tag. So I had to do some research on this.

Turns out Garmin got into trouble with their original Down Vu or whatever they called it by infringing on Navionics down view technology by having a down facing transducer to get the clearvu image. So they had to sell the packaged unit with a transducer without a down facing transducer and they digitally stitched the side images together from the side vu transducers.

However the new part number transducer has the down facing transducer in it and a legal loop hole allows them to sell the original packaged unit components separately and not a kit.

I don’t see a huge difference in the images, but it does pick up some items I could see on the traditional sonar I was missing on the clearvu. not worth the extra $200-$300 if you have the original transducer.

I think I would be 100% happy with it if I could load maps into the unit so I could pre-load some waypoints in unfamiliar waterways without having to use my phone to drop pins to get the cords to set them up on a blank yellow screen. Once I map it while I run it, I have some useful images for reference.

So knowing I would get the original designed transducer I would get this unit again. If I was stuck with the original transducer, I may look at the Lowrance harder.