Which GPS/Fishfinder if $$$ not an issue

[Chad]

Which fish finder would you choose if money was not an issue.
We all know verticle pixals are the key but how about easy use? Clarity on the screen? Durability?

Heard the LCX-16CI is the best with 480 Vertical Pixals?
has anyone used it? Is easy to navigate, etc?
Is the LCX-16CI the best? What else is there out there that compares.

[Keith Kavajecz]

I used an X-16ci last year and loved it. The worst part was I only had one and I wished I could have one on my bow and on my console (this year I will since I didn't sell my unit from last year).

As you said, the nice thing is that it has 480 vertical pixels, not only that but it has the computer power behind it to use all 480 at a very fast scroll speed. This makes it a great unit for seeing what I call "bumps". Fish lying right on the bottom that often show up as just a widening in the line that represents the bottom. Now the widening also has a change of color in it too - just easier to see bottom hugging walleyes.

The other great thing about the X16ci is that similar to the old LMS350A, you can turn it on, leave it in auto, and it will find fish. Also I noticed that even when I pulled the transducer out of the water on my trolling motor, ran to a new place and put it back in, it very quickly "finds" itself - no need to turn off and on the unit.

The color screen was easy to read - I don't even use the sun screen that comes with it, and I wear sunglasses all the time. The color is also nice, because unlike grayline where you have to interpret the amount of gray to determine signal strength, you get yellow under a mark for a moderate signal, red for a strong signal.

GPS works great, the unit takes the MMC cards. I even mounted the antenna under my drivers console and it locked in flawlessly.

More money than most units, but well worth it.

Good Walleye Fishing

Keith Kavajecz

[Chad]

Thanks Keith,

P.S. Everyone in Fargo thought your seminar was awsome. Also, thanks for the tapes. We will use them at meetings in the future.

Chad Maloy-Fargo

[narrows in mind]

I'm leaning towards a x15 w/ gps in dash and the huminbird 3000 in bow. I've noticed that my x85 doesn't pick up eyes as far as 1-1.5' off the bottom- I've seen it with the Aqua Vu! Will these units pick up the BUMPS? Are the bumps actually eyes NEAR the bottom? Using the Aqua vu this is how I learned to find eyes. I would see 1 pixel sticking up put the camara down and there they were! I want to mark the fish when the are tight to the bottom! Couple friends say the 3000 is unbelieveable. It's tough when they're not biting and you cvan't mark them -what do you do???

[KevinA]

If you're considering a combination unit I'm guessing you're not sure how loaded that question is?

>Furuno 1650F color display 3.5 x 4.7 inches, 600 watts rms, 320x240 resolution, $1900

>Simrad SRCE32C color display 4.6 x 3.5 inches 500 watts rms, 320 x 240 resolution, $2230

>Furuno 1850DF, color display 3.5 x 4.7 inches, 600 watts rms, 320x240 resolution, differential GPS, $2470

>Simrad SRCE40, color display 10.4 x 13.8 inches, 2 x 1000 watts rms, 640 x 480 resolution, $5230

>Simrad SRCE50, 14 inch color display, 2 x 1000 watts rms, 640 x 480 resolution, $8280

If you want to go with independent units then there's lots of things available between $2000-$7000 (each) :-)