# Depth Finder



## D_Hage (Nov 10, 2004)

What is a good depth finder for a reasonable price?


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## smalls (Sep 9, 2003)

For around $300 you can get the Lowrance X-125, a very solid unit. I believe it is 480X480 with 2400 peak to peak watts of power, which compared to models even 5 years ago is very very good. I personally favor the lowrance electronics over other brands. When you look at the 125 in the Lowrance line the next step up is the 135 which upgrades to backlighting and 4000 watts of power...personally not worth it for a hundred more bones.

Of course, I don't know what you are looking for in "reasonable".

my .02


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## farmerj (Jun 19, 2004)

Having tried to figure out depth finders for several years now...and working with those that say they know how to use them....

What I have noticed.

Those that claim to know how to use them...I think they know fish habits and patterns better. I started to listen to them on ...Here it is showing rock, gravel, mud, whatever type of bottom. Even with the $400 depth finder, it didn't make sense to me and when I asked them how they could tell, they couldn't explain the difference. One buddy actually admitted it was because he could feel the difference in how the lure was dragging across the bottom.

With all that in mind, I watch some of the Al linder shows and some of the others when I flip through the channels and I listen for what they are fishing over, Gravel, rock bars, whatever.

I look for patterns, and habits of what the fish are doing.

It proved itself again this year in Canada for Walleye. Look for that 9-13 feet of water for walleye and at the beginning or end of the day...Try to find the down wind side of the water as that is where the food has been blown to....That is where you will find the fish.

Once you find that area, watch you locator for rises and drop-offs, as these will be more then likely your rock bars or else a hole. Find these and you will find big fish...Watch your presentation as you drop into the hole or of the rock bar. It is then you will get hit.

For these, I have been getting by with an inexpensive Eagle Strata 128. The only reason I sent it on with my boat, I wanta bigger screen on the next locator. I forget which one it was I was looking at, but it was under $200 bones at Sportsman's Warehouse.

Save the money on the locator and learn the habits and patterns in books or videos. What colors work, which ones don't, when do they work, which bait...


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

A good locator is worth every penny spent. "You get what you paid for." I will start by saying Lowrance units are top of the line and keep getting better. Garmin is starting to come out with some excellent units also. Dont buy a depthfinder just to see the depth, get one that you can distinguish what kind of bottom you are working with, and also if there are any fish present....that is why you are out there of course. A great depthfinder is a Lowrance Lcx15mt. A bigger display, and now that they are becomming the "backup" units to all the bigger boys, they are becomming more and more affordable.(cabelas had them on sale in the spring for $549)

Farmer J, You can tell the difference in bottom on a locator by the differences in color(dark color=hard bottom and better signal return, light color=soft bottom), if the bottom is jagged(rocks). When covering water to look for active schools of fish and baitfish a good locator will make it easy to show you where fish are, and where to continue looking. A unit with gps/sonar is definetely nice, especially with the new map cards that are out(lakemaster is awesome).

Bottom line, get what you can afford, but get what you want, not just something that will get by and show you the depth, because in the long run you wont be happy when you tell yourself that you "shoulda" bought something else.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

> Save the money on the locator and learn the habits and patterns in books or videos. What colors work, which ones don't, when do they work, which bait...


FarmerJ is correct that KNOWING what the fish are doing and what their reaction to the environment is will be your most useful tool, however, especially during THIS part of the year, a depthfinder is invaluable.

I have a Humminbird 300TX. I like it a lot, my boat is pretty bare-bones as most people know by now, and I use it a lot for river fishing, where the depthfinder doesn't do more than help me avoid bridge piliings and shallows.

However, when trolling, I find it almost necessary to keep an eye on depth and bottom contour as well. The Humminbird displays rock bottom with a traditional "double echo" on the monitor, so I know for certain where the rock and sand is, as opposed to mud. It's a good model for the price, but if you can shell out the extra $150, I would recommend Lowrance's line.

Bar none they are some of the sexiest models I have seen outside of the Victoria's Secret catalog. Especially the color display units and the ones with the built-in GPS. I had two buddies pick them up this spring for their boats, and they don't know how they trolled without them in the past.

As for me, well, the Humminbird does just fine, and I may have to save some pennies to get the new Lowrance next season, but I have the feeling I probably won't get one until later on in life. But if I could, I definitely would!


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