wihil
Well-known member
So I've got 200 bucks burning a hole in my pocket that's got to be spent by Christmas. I love my HDS-7 (even though it seems like now it's outdated #-o with all the new Lowrance units out), and wanted to pick up either a downscan or the LSS unit for it for side scan.
So I've got a couple options:
There's the LSS-2 module for my HDS that can give me everything for around $600. The problem is that they changed the design of the transducer to 10" long - which while ridiculous on it's own, would look REALLY ridiculous on my 12' tiller boat provided I could find a place to mount it where it won't be blinded.
If I can make do without sidescan, I could get an Elite 5x DSI from Cabelas (who's selling them on sale right now for $270) and just run it along side my HDS. That'll give me an extra screen to look at, and the transducer's small enough I can put it with my 2D transducer. Personally I don't think the image is as sharp as the HDS's LSS unit, but supposedly it is...
-or-
Just skip the whole mess and continue being happy with my HDS and it's 2D.
I am a sucker for technology, and this crap is changing faster than I can keep up with. I love the pretty pictures that downscan can make, and sidescan would really cut down my "search pattern" with a small motor and boat. If I would have known there was an Elite 7 HDI in the works, I'd never have got the HDS7. I have no doubt that they'll release some other wizzbang doo-dad this summer that'll render me even more useless than I am now.
For those of you that have Sidescan or Downscan as well as traditional 2D sonar, do you find yourself using the Downscan/sidescan often? Do you feel it helps you fish? Is it worth picking up a module or unit to add it? My fishing style is usually trolling, fishing transitional reefs, weed lines, and occational river structure.
Let me have it, gang.
So I've got a couple options:
There's the LSS-2 module for my HDS that can give me everything for around $600. The problem is that they changed the design of the transducer to 10" long - which while ridiculous on it's own, would look REALLY ridiculous on my 12' tiller boat provided I could find a place to mount it where it won't be blinded.
If I can make do without sidescan, I could get an Elite 5x DSI from Cabelas (who's selling them on sale right now for $270) and just run it along side my HDS. That'll give me an extra screen to look at, and the transducer's small enough I can put it with my 2D transducer. Personally I don't think the image is as sharp as the HDS's LSS unit, but supposedly it is...
-or-
Just skip the whole mess and continue being happy with my HDS and it's 2D.
I am a sucker for technology, and this crap is changing faster than I can keep up with. I love the pretty pictures that downscan can make, and sidescan would really cut down my "search pattern" with a small motor and boat. If I would have known there was an Elite 7 HDI in the works, I'd never have got the HDS7. I have no doubt that they'll release some other wizzbang doo-dad this summer that'll render me even more useless than I am now.
For those of you that have Sidescan or Downscan as well as traditional 2D sonar, do you find yourself using the Downscan/sidescan often? Do you feel it helps you fish? Is it worth picking up a module or unit to add it? My fishing style is usually trolling, fishing transitional reefs, weed lines, and occational river structure.
Let me have it, gang.