View Full Version : Bottomline Tournament Master HR
Looking for experiences and suggestion for this fish finder. I am thinking about buying one but wanted to check here first for everyone's thoughts that has one. I heard that this unit will not pick up downrigger balls, is that true? Thanks in advance.
Jose`
Starfish
01-16-2002, 11:32 PM
I have a Tournament Champion HR and it's a great finder. The Master is similar, but has two sidefinder beams instead of four. Mine picks up my downriggers. (A ten pound lead ball is pretty easy to see compared to a 1/16 oz. jig.) I suppose the fish ID feature might screen them out, but I've never used the ID feature.
To be honest, I've had some problems with the display on the unit (fading and problems with temperature compensation) but it's been fine since I sent it back to the factory a couple of years ago.
wiggle
01-17-2002, 04:45 AM
Hey, I have one of those for sale right now. 2 years old this spring, Tournament Master HR w/GPS and manuals. Catalogs have it for $850. I will sell mine for 1/2 that. $425 Let me know if your interested...
Ditto on the display problems, but we haven't sent it back. It is just sitting collecting dust as we enjoy our Lowrance.
Not just the display problems, but even when it was new it is just plain hard to see in various sunlight conditions. And if you can't see it, you can't adjust it to see it - catch 22. Other than that, it was a great unit. We could pick up jigs on it no problem, so downrigger balls should not be a problem, i wouldn't think.
Good luck,
-Box
I love mine. I've been using BottomLine for about 6 years now. My last boat had a Tournament Champion and my current boat has a Tournament Master HR on the bow and Tournament Master NCC5300 on the console. No problem seeing a 1/16 ounce jig on either unit.
Best Regards,
FJH
Walteye
01-21-2002, 11:16 PM
I mounted a Tournament Master HR on my Crestliner in 2000, and have never been satisfied with it. It has been returned to the factory 2 times for darkening on the left side of the screen and for not picking up jigs(1/2 to 3/4 oz crippled herring) and live bait, suspended off the bottom with 3/4 oz egg sinkers, anchored for lake trout. Prior to the HR, I had an Eagle ultra Classic, which I was very pleased with, comparing the two. I was looking for a large screen, with high pixels,and high power, and got all three , but don't mark fish. I have adjusted the transducer every way til Sunday, without much luck. The factory says that the pick up minnows in their test tank with my unit, but they must be talking about the SS Minnow!!(Gilligan's Island, of course!!)
Purchase what you want, but I would never have a Bottomline unit again, and soon my boat won't have one on it either. Don't forget, you don't have dual beam transducers with the Bottomline, you have to mount 2, just like I have. Lots of luck...
Walteye
Firetiger
01-22-2002, 05:51 AM
Have you tried setting the detail to max setting? I know that I was experiencing the same thing on certain lakes and when I started playing with the detail setting it all became clear (tsk), I can now pick up 1/8 oz jigs. I now love my BL HR.
McFish
01-22-2002, 06:38 AM
I've had experience with bottom line for years and owned a Tournament Master HR. Great company when I needed work, but I now own Lowrance, X-15 and a 350. I'm no expert at any of them, but as far as I'm concerned the Lowrance is much better, I won't go back. I have used both in shallow for Walleye, and deep fishing for Lake Trout. I know there are a lot of great units out there.