Fish Finder Recommendation - Lowrance HDS 3-in-1 Vs Garmin Products

[The Skeptic]

We are looking to retire our Humminbird 598ci with a current-generation unit as the 598ci hasn't worked nicely since we moved to the coast. We have had the Lowrance HDS with a 3-in-1 transducer highly recommended to us by the staff at Sherwood Marine. We have more money put away for this than the cost of the Lowrance system, so we are exploring other options. I want to know if anyone has experience with the Garmin range of products, including the LiveScope and Panoptix systems, and if they can give any reviews.

Mostly we want to increase the efficacy of our salmon trolling, but we also spend a huge amount of time jigging for all species, which I think could be helped by the Live functions. Especially jigging salmon over flat, sandy bottoms.
Does anyone have experience with these products?
- Livescope/panoptix claims to have a functional depth of 200'
- I have read Live view products can be angled back to watch your trolling gear in real-time, does anyone have experience with this?
-Are there dealers and installers for these products in the Victoria area?

 

[Sir Reel]

I really like my Garmin gear. Use a B175HW 1KW Chirp transducer and have excellent imaging.

These guys are good to deal with.

https://www.radioworld.ca/

This is at the Hump off Kitty Coleman in August last year. Lots of fish all through the water column

 

[Whole in the Water]

We are looking to retire our Humminbird 598ci with a current-generation unit as the 598ci hasn't worked nicely since we moved to the coast. We have had the Lowrance HDS with a 3-in-1 transducer highly recommended to us by the staff at Sherwood Marine. We have more money put away for this than the cost of the Lowrance system, so we are exploring other options. I want to know if anyone has experience with the Garmin range of products, including the LiveScope and Panoptix systems, and if they can give any reviews.

Mostly we want to increase the efficacy of our salmon trolling, but we also spend a huge amount of time jigging for all species, which I think could be helped by the Live functions. Especially jigging salmon over flat, sandy bottoms.
Does anyone have experience with these products?
- Livescope/panoptix claims to have a functional depth of 200'
- I have read Live view products can be angled back to watch your trolling gear in real-time, does anyone have experience with this?
-Are there dealers and installers for these products in the Victoria area?

Check out SIMRAD. They are a higher quality Pro version of Lowrance.

 

[The Skeptic]

I really like my Garmin gear. Use a B175HW 1KW Chirp transducer and have excellent imaging.

These guys are good to deal with.

https://www.radioworld.ca/

This is at the Hump off Kitty Coleman in August last year. Lots of fish all through the water column

View attachment 76595

Hi, Thanks for your input.
Do you use any of the live functions? How does a 1KW transducer affect your battery?
Does the 1KW transducer handle depths less than 100'? We hand around a lot of kelp beds.

 

[Sir Reel]

Hi, Thanks for your input.
Do you use any of the live functions? How does a 1KW transducer affect your battery?
Does the 1KW transducer handle depths less than 100'? We hand around a lot of kelp beds.

The 175HW would be great for around kelp beds as is a wide beam and does not penetrate as deep as a narrow beam. I dont use any of the live functions. I have a large house battery bank so don't notice anything with power. Overall it uses quite a bit less power than my older Raymarine gear. You can change the transducer setting from chirp to anywhere between 150khz to 250khz. I quite often use the 150khz for deeper water.
If you get a chartplotter with wireless then you can replicate the image on an iPad or iPhone.


Couple more screen shots. The 1122 ft is in Toba Inlet

 

[Hot-Streak]

The 3-in-1 Transducer does not have the live scope or 3d built in. that is quite the extra add on. As I have read those functions aren't great for salt water salmon trolling.

I do use a 3-in-1 Lowrance transducer and I find the Fish Reveal function handy for both salmon fishing and for bottom fishing. 3-in-1 gives you down vision and side scan which I use to hunt structure when bottom fishing.

 

[The Skeptic]

The 3-in-1 Transducer does not have the live scope or 3d built in. that is quite the extra add on. As I have read those functions aren't great for salt water salmon trolling.

I do use a 3-in-1 Lowrance transducer and I find the Fish Reveal function handy for both salmon fishing and for bottom fishing. 3-in-1 gives you down vision and side scan which I use to hunt structure when bottom fishing.

Hi,
Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware the Lowrance even had live functions on the HDS unit, even as an add-on.