For my 2 cents and only 2 cents, any of the three units mentioned will do what you need to for general Lake O fishing and are all quality units. Each has their own little feature to try to make them standout from the others in the bueaty pageant, basic functions they are all equal. Just need to figure out what your needs and budget allows.
Ditto on the reviews for Tony and his Great Lakes Planer product line. Adaptable to any set up you might have. Fast shipping also. Going 4 years now with his equipment and no complaints.
You might also want to consider one of the finger lakes. Not a pike fisherman myself but some of the past threads I've read indicate they are plentiful in a few of the lakes. Research some threads here for some good info.
I own about 30 of them and use them for everything from Browns to salmon. The few breaks I had were due to my own stupidty. For the price you cant beat them.
Gene's remarks are spot on. Just them looking at the number of members on this forum should get their attention. Every member has contacts with people outside of this forum. As you can see, those numbers grow exponentially.
Joe. I agree with you, but ones got to admit it is a good idea if one can really make it work. I was thinking to myself that maybe I can carry a few less set ups on the boat. Great thing about this site is that some one comes up with a brainstorm to make you think about what you are currently doing.