"RogerN" wrote in message
link.net...
Any recommendations for fish finders in the $200 range? Bottom Line,
Eagle,
HummingBird, Lowrance, Garmin, ????
I'm wanting to use it to find underwater structure holding fish.

I've been interested in the Eagle Fish Mark 480.
I currently have an Eagle Cuda 168 (or something like that, ~$75 at
WalMart)
and would like a little better detail and higher resolution. I'm not
stuck
on the $200 range but the $2500 units are out of the question :-) I could
spend $350, or maybe even $500 if it would make that much difference in
the
ability to locate fish & structure.

Thanks!



Having spent the past few years wondering exactly what LCD finder I'd want
when I grow up (I am grown, therein lies the joke) and I'd have to say right
now, my choices for brand in order would be 1 Lowrance 2 Lowrance 3
Lowrance. Been there and done that with Humminbird (currently have a 3 y/o
3D/Wide Side model), Garmin and Bottom Line. And I fish on a friend's boat
who uses Eagle, quite often.

And, I spent all day New Years Eve in the Atlantic off our NC coast here in
a boat equipped with a color Lowrance (LCX-18 IIRC) that was a combo LCD
graph/GPS, and something akin to that is what I plan on getting once I can
find that fine line between functionality and cost that can help decide on a
model for me.

That said, I base the above on your comment about "higher detail and
resolution". All the brands listed make passable units, but IMHO, Lowrance
just happens to be the leader in detail and resolution at this time. Of
course, I haven't seen or used any of the brand new 3D "SideScan" units from
Humminbird, but I believe they're out of your stated price range at the
moment.

Best to go to a store where they have them all beside each other, powered
up, and in some sort of demo mode. Take out all the many "fish echos" and
that is what you'll be seeing in the field, and you can likely decide
yourself which one you would feel most comfortable with.