7" FF/GPS screen OK or too small?

[SoCalAngler]

Those of you with fish finders and/or FF/GPS combos....

I am contemplating a Lowrance Elite 7 HDI. It has the 7" screen. Just wondering for those that have this screen size, how do you like the size? Is it too small? I was thinking if fishing at bow or stern areas, the screen may appear too small? Most of the time one is driving the boat while searching for fish, bait etc and screen size is not an issue.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[lakerunner]

I have the 5 and the screen is just fine. If looking from a few feet might be different.

[SoCalAngler]

Thanks Lloyd

How do you locate fish/bait balls and fish at the same time? What is your usual way of fishing and using the FF?

Thanks!

[steveiam]

I have a friend that has that same unit and he loves it--

I don't want to answer for Loyd but it should be similar to mine.

I don't fish and locate them at the same time, I spend the time to search with sonar, then when I see something interesting I switch over to structure scan and use the zoom feature to decide if its something I want to cast my line to. (brush pile with fish marking, shad balls or scattered, ledges or humps with fish marking)
I then throw out a marker buoy ( these are only a few bucks and well worth it!) and swing around back to that area. If you are a bass fisherman not sure how you would do it but that works for me with catfish crappie and sand bass.
I also like to use shad for bait so it is great for shad to cast net.

There are cheaper and more expensive ones here is what I am talking about.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-M ... uct/90246/

[redbeard]

I have the 7" and it works fine, of coarse bigger is always better.

[SoCalAngler]

steve....I fish in a deep lake for most of my fishing, 200'.

Do the markers have an anchor or do they just float?

Is your unit an HDS 5? Do you have side scan?

The Elite has DI but no side scanning. The reviews I have read are all a thumbs up!!

redbeard.....bigger is better, but twice or thrice the price, is no bueno for me

For $700 the Elite 7 HDI sounds like a pretty good buy. Lots of technology for the price.

[steveiam]

steve....I fish in a deep lake for most of my fishing, 200'.

Do the markers have an anchor or do they just float?

Is your unit an HDS 5? Do you have side scan?

The Elite has DI but no side scanning. The reviews I have read are all a thumbs up!!

redbeard.....bigger is better, but twice or thrice the price, is no bueno for me

For $700 the Elite 7 HDI sounds like a pretty good buy. Lots of technology for the price.

Wow--200 ft!
The markers I know of have from 50 - 100 ft of line, you can probably get some longer line and add to it or check some salt water sources.
They have a lead weight at the bottom of the line to anchor it down, when it hits bottom it just stops unwinding.
You can do the same thing using the way-point feature and I know some do use this, but I'm kinda old school and still use these.

My unit is an HDS 8 with sonar, chart plotting, (maps) and down and side imaging.
The down imaging is not good to me in water 5 ft or so and under, but you can use the side imaging for that shallow water if you had it, and I know that unit doesn't.
For the money I think that is an excellent unit with plenty of features.
But it still won't make the fish bite.
It's tough when you get good electronics and you KNOW they are there but just sometimes have the lockjaw.
But you won't waste you time fishing where there aren't any fish anymore.
Hope that helps.

[lakerunner]

I am a troller, I use the split screen GPS/ Fishfinder. If I find an interesting structure or break I make a waypoint. I do the same if we pull a few fish off a spot. I am still learning the unit but so far I love the color feature. I have never had a really good unit before because I new Tenkiller so well. Eufaula is so big I don't know if I will ever discover all to be found.

[steveiam]

I am a troller, I use the split screen GPS/ Fishfinder. If I find an interesting structure or break I make a waypoint. I do the same if we pull a few fish off a spot. I am still learning the unit but so far I love the color feature. I have never had a really good unit before because I new Tenkiller so well. Eufaula is so big I don't know if I will ever discover all to be found.

I use mine that way a lot too Loyd--
And this is my first good one also.
I'm spoiled now.

[redbeard]

I'm kind of from the old school buy the best that you can because its outdated as you walk out the door anyway but that way you can use it for quite some time without having to replace it with a newer unit. BTW I had to save for about a year before I got my HDS7 with all the bells and whistles. Glad that I did though like I said don't leave home without it.

[blackberg]

For $700 the Elite 7 HDI sounds like a pretty good buy. Lots of technology for the price.

Wow--200 ft!
[/quote]

Castaic and Pyramid lakes are deeper out here, they are pretty much canyons that have been turned into reservoirs, most of the "lakes" here in CA are man made

I have an 8", bigger is always better, I would have bought that one if I had not gotten a deal on the one I have now. Since that extra inch costs you plenty. IDK about that one, but the hummingbird I have supports an adapter to plug in an extra monitor. Bad thing is most affordable monitors are no good in the sun, but for night fishing, it would be nice to have say a 17"
Sun viewable monitors are an arm and both legs.

-bb

[SoCalAngler]

Thanks for the input. I decided on the Elite 7 HDI. Other than the side scan it pretty much has all that the HDS has. For $630, I can't go wrong. Has a ton of features for the price. I may get the new Lake Insight HDI mapping that is to be released in June. I guess it is like the Navionics charts only in HDI.
This will be my first nice FF. being that this model is less than one year old, it should be good for a few years.