Exactly what the two of them said. I made the mistake of buying both a
Lowrance handheld and a fixed mount unit. When I got to the 2003 Mid-Tenn
Classic and saw how much detail the Garmin software provided versus the
Lowrance, I returned home afterwards and sold both of those units and bought
2 Garmins, and I've never been disappointed with either.As Charlie said in
his post, the peace of mind knowing that you can go and return in the worst
weather, or conditions, is well worth the price no matter which brand you
choose. As Kevin posted, it's nice being able to carry the handheld with you
on another boat, especially when you're picked as a non-boater, then you can
take along your own waypoints.

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
I did the same thing. The nice thing is you can take handheld unit when
you
fish in other guys boats.
"Charles B. Summers" wrote in message
t...
Advantage? Yes. Especially when using Fishing Hotspots software, or any
other that shows the contours of the bottom of the lake.

Piece of Mind? Yes. Know that you can run anywhere, on any lake and get
back
is a great feeling.

I used a handheld for about a year before buying a larger unit. The
larger
one (Garmin 162) gives me a larger screen and connects to the batteries
in
the boat so I don't have to carry around a bunch of AA's onboard.


"William Barger" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a used handheld GPS unit. Before I buy a bigger
onboard
model I want to make sure I will use it often enough to justify the
purchase, and that it will improve my fishing prospects. Would also
appreciate hearing from anglers who use them on a regular basis. Do
you
feel it gives you a distinct advantage? Thanks.
Bill