I am considering buying a Humminbird finder. Either a 997 sideimaging or 957 quadrabeam. Are there are there advantages or disadvantages between these two features? Is there a specific method of fishing these features lend themselves to? Any other items I should consider when making my decision?

Thanks in advance.

Renn

You could buy a 997 and put a quadra transducer and a switch on it and have both.

read this thread...

http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145048

when I had a 997c si ( I sold it) I did updates though an SD card, no cable was needed.
as far as the gps it seemed to work fine foir me but then I did not own it that long...

actually I thought it was an excellent unit, I just decided that I did not need the side imaging for my style of fishing, thats why I sold it.

this page shows how you update with an mmc (or SD) card

http://www.humminbird.com/support/FAQ.aspx?faqid=35

I only did one update with my 1197 (I used a card also) and it works perfect.
I fish at night on lake Erie on shoals going 100% by GPS all night to keep on the shoals, works perfect.

Here's my tracks from one night of fishing (and I got a 6 fish limit)...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/20005931/331639233.jpg

I have a 797cSI NVB It has been flawless. Updates have been incrediably easy and work great each time. My GPS has been spot on weather marking cribs structure or routes. I personnelly would never be with out side imaging again.

I have 2 Humminbirds, a 1157 and a 997SI, love em both, gps works awsome. SI is really cool on the river on the wingies, just have to watch out for the prop:banghead:

Getting the Interlink also

Like I said, if you troll open water, the gps works fine -
but if you fish individual boulders, stumps, brushpiles, whatever -
try a day of positioning on top of them to drop a vertical presentation
- then tell me how awesome it works ;)

Too much to ask from gps? Garmin, Lowrance, practically anybody
else's stuff works well, much better than this.

Since you were totally wrong on the update issue and did not address it in this reply your creditability went totally down the tubes as far as I am concerned.

My gps worked fine on my 997c si.

Thanks for the responses. Can the side imaging units pick up weed growth? For example if we fish on top of the flat and cabbage beds are present would the side imaging be able to identify where the thicker cabbage is located?

Also, with the larger transducers how are they with depth readings at higher speeds?

Thanks again.

Renn

Absolutely. Weed growth is easy to pick up, and experience with the unit will aid in identifying areas precisely. The depth readings at speed work very well at hi-speed (2D). However, the SI is not designed for anything over 10mph (if memory serves correctly), mine reads well at crawl speed to about 6mph.
My unit is a 797.......wished I gotten the larger screen (997).

I forgot that there was an alternative way of doing the updates -
looks like you pointed that out. Didn't know I had to respond to
you on that. I'm happy yours works to your satisfaction.
As for your perception of my "creditability", I'm no more worried
over that than I am over your spelling. :rotfl:

maybe u shoulde git yur facits straite nexct time den befour rippin on sumthin

the idea here is to get people the right information so they can make an informed decision.

whatever man LOL

all I can say is it did not need a cable like you said, and thats about it. Once people make a false statement it puts everything else they say in a suspect state.

if you want to nitpick over my spelling go right ahead it makes no difference at all in the issue at hand

Im not going to sit here and argue with you, I did not use a cable, my unit worked just fine like others on this thread have stated.

I have a first generation 981c SI- that is the first of the side imaging wide screen models that is only capable of trackplotting.

JWinMS- to imply that a manufacturer should have it perfect the first time when it is released??- ?? that updates show a weakness in the product??

Thank god Humminbird does regular updates. Their updates have enabled many new features for my 981c SI and the ability to update my older 981c SI shows me that it is a huge STRENGTH in the product line- NOT a weakness.

I couldn't be happier with this product. I have installed a switch to go between the SI puck (for slow speed running although I can get a capture on the bottom to about 26 mph) and a high speed puck. It works for everything I do and I know I can see more structure and catch more walleye as a result.

Cables for updates???? Most computers built now have the ability to read and write to a SD card. I just save the update to the card, then plop it into the 981c SI. When I power up, it automatically does the update. How could you possibly screw that up? Extremely simple- easier than any other device I have worked with.

I use my 981c SI networked with an OLD Magellan MAP 330M GPS using a NMEA 0183 interface cable and am able to trackplot, set waypoints, etc. I have never had an issue parking over a hole or structure or using it for any track related navigation of waypoint. Yes, even in a river...

I agree- your credibility is suspect....

My 997 works flawlessly. Navagating back to a single rock, tree, or submerged object is easy. The gps is fabulous for finding individual objects with side imaging, then going back and vertically jigging the object.

Finding denser weedgrowth or clumps of weeds on side imaging is very easy. The weedgrowth is displayed as a white object because the weeds are denser then the surrounding water. Weedlines are very defined on side imaging and you can accurately find turns and divots in the weedline and mark waypoints. Finding thicker clumps is very easy with experience on the water. The searching ability of the side imaging at distance is quite amazing and keeps you away from the fish so the spooking factor is negligible. I commonly look for weed clumps scattered over shallow flats to find walleyes which I target with casted crankbaits often as shallow as 1-3 feet. The side imaging works best from 3-5 mph but I have it externally mounted and can obtain readings as fast as 35 mph, although not as accurate and clear as the slower readings. I can however see bottom hardness, changes in composition, and weeds at that speed.