Fish Hawk X4

[Shade]

Anybody seen or heard of this unit? I understand it reads top water speed and temp as well as speed and temp at the ball.

We are upgrading all our electronics, just wondering if anyone has any feed back on this unit?

Howie

[chinook]

Shade, I purchased the X-4 probe for my FishHawk. From what I have read, it is top notch according to reports I have seen. Battery life is far superior to the old probe, temp readings down to 300' and about half the size as the old.Thus creating less drag. Readings are very constant as well. I have yet to use mine, but am convinced it will perform to my expectations-Best of luck if you chose to purchase--Duane

[Shade]

I have a Fish Hawk on my 21' Thompson and I did not know you could use the newer model probe. Thanks for the info. I like the idea of seeing both the top water speed/Temp along with the speed/temp at the ball. You can view the speed on GPS to the Probe.

Thanks,

Howie

[CBish]

Shade,

It is the best fishhawk yet, and since the old fishhawk was better than any other down temp unit on the market that says alot. Nice display, rock solid readout, great battery life (mine have been going since April 6). Yesterday I had a solid readout all day from 80' to 180'. The best thing is that it is less expensive than the old fish hawk.

This unit is down temp at a whole different level than the others on the market.

CC

[Missdemeanor]

I have an X-4....awesome unit........

[landingzone]

Are you guys using the new probe with the old readout? Does it work fine? Any downside compared to a complete new system?

[FLXTroutman]

The new X-4 was designed to work with the old displays, in case you lose your probe you will just buy the X-4.

I needed some new o rings and a new cap for the old probe last year, very nice CSR's and cheap, quick service.

[Tim Bromund]

Shade,

It is the best fishhawk yet, and since the old fishhawk was better than any other down temp unit on the market that says alot. Nice display, rock solid readout, great battery life (mine have been going since April 6). Yesterday I had a solid readout all day from 80' to 180'. The best thing is that it is less expensive than the old fish hawk.

This unit is down temp at a whole different level than the others on the market.

CC

Carl,

with all due respect, that statement is just ludicrous. The old fishhawk was a piece of crap compared to ALL the other down temp units on the market. I don't miss mine one bit, the Depth Raider and Subtroll are both vastly superior to the old 840. I haven't used the new one, but quite honestly, I really don't see the superiority you keep speaking about.

Tim

[L&M]

Well said Tim

[CBish]

Tim,

It is just my opinion. I have used many different types of systems dating back to the pro-combinator days. In my opinion any unit with a coated cable is not worth my time or money. If you feel differently that is fine, the question was about the fish-hawk and I answered it to the best of my ability within my limited frame of reference.

To elaborate (IMO) –

Digital display is better than dial, meter or mercury

The fish-hawk is easy allowing me time to concentrate on fishing

Surface temp and speed is a plus that you don’t have to pay for

Non-coated cable systems have less blow back

Coated cable counts out differently than uncoated cable

No antenna needed to mount on rigger (to catch net, fleas, weeds and shirt sleeves in/on, or fall off)

I like that I can take the probe off and bounce the bottom for staging kings and not worry about my probe (lakers too -- but I heard this from another guy as I would never target them )

You can run any type of release on your cable (including roamer stackers)

You never get a false temp readout because of stripping of coating on cable

All the Charter Captains that I know that run 100+ trips a year and paid full price with their own money for a temp sensor use the fish-hawk. (see disclaimer below)

I have owed the two previous models without any problems that could not be fixed by a call to the company and I have never paid for replacement parts. I have had to buy a few probes that were lost due to cable failure. Furthermore, fishermen’s complaints of leaky probes and battery life has now been addressed and fixed. I see no down side to the fish hawk….plus it works and looks great. Oh and by the way, my display showed me a "low batt" message today indicating that my batteries have finally lost their juice that would be 12 full days of fishing and 2 nights that I forgot to turn the probe off, not bad---IMO.

CC

PS. Disclaimer….Salmo Charters and Capt. Carl (CC) Bish are not on the pro-staff of any electronics, downrigger, rod, reel, line or marine services company, neither is ANY profit derived from the sale of any brand of such items or services therewith. MOONSHINE lures is the only company that I am on the pro-staff of and may have a conflict of interest with.

[goingagain2]

all I can say is its the best investment i made in a long time. consistant readings and

no coated cable. have to agree the old probe drove me nuts, but the x-4 is in my

opinion a very good unit. try it before knocking it.

john

[Tim Bromund]

.

[goingagain2]

Tim, i did not mean my statement to be crude or arrogant, just that i was giving up on

fishhawk and got one of there new probes and its night and day over what they used

to be. have about 40 hours on this spring and bats are still good.

john

[Shade]

Thanks for your opinions. I have a fish hawk which is on my Thompson and we have a larger boat so I purchased the Cannon that i am very disapointed in. I came accross the X4 and I liked my Fish Hawk and I did not want to take it off the Thompson. I am using the Thompson for Erie fishing.

Everyone has their favorite equipment and I hope my question did not cause bad feeling gentlemen.

Fish safe.................Have fun

Shade

[Tim Bromund]

John,

actually my post below yours was a line by line response to some of Carl's points that are quite honestly IMO, inaccurate or downright incorrect, but after reading it back after posting, they came off to me as being fairly antagonistic, which was not my intent. Since I couldn't delete the post outright, I deleted all of the content.

It's all good. I had a fish hawk for 10 years and was never really happy with the reliability or performance, so after losing yet another probe several years ago, I scrapped it and bought a Depth Raider, which was IMO, a much superior unit in every way to one I had just removed.

The coated cable is absolutely no big deal, it has an easy to see, rock solid and stable digital display, I remove the probe at the end of every trip, Having had it for 10 years I see absolutely no benefit to the surface speed and temp, my lures arent running there and if I really want to know, it's on my graph. I put a battery in the probe at the start of the season in May and take the same battery out at the end of the season in October. There's no antenna with the fish hawk, but you have to drill 3 more holes in your transom to mount another transducer.

To each his own, but having owned both, I just don't see the indisputable superiority of the FH. Even if the X4 is everything it's cracked up to be, it's still quite a bit more expensive than the others on the market.

Can't we all just get along

Tim

[Iceman]

Tim;

What maximum depth is your speed & temp unit supposed to work to by it's factory specification? How many feet deep can you go with your down speed & temp unit in your actual experience using it?

Thanks;

John

[CBish]

Tim,

You can post a line to line reply. At the end of the day --- and all the banter each guys goes with what works for them. I can only speak to my experience. The worst year fishing down temp and speed was last year when I had no unit on my boat -- long story. I fish 60 - 100 days a year and if I spend the money on something I want it to work. I am very frustrated when I spend top dollar and then have to nurse the equipment after 10 - 15 days of use. I am very demanding of my equipment, I use it hard and put it away wet and if it lasts on my boat it is good stuff. I require consistency in my control of downrigger depth. Having one cable of larger diameter that another does not allow for that consistency. I don't want to have to adjust my fishfinder to see the cables and I do not want to add or subtract feet to my counter. With the fish hawk I have very little blow back and I can move it from rigger to rigger or .......... why rehash the same stuff.

If your experiences are different please share, the open discussion on the topic is exactly what the guys buying a new unit need to read to make up their mind. You can insult my fish hawk all you want and I will not be offended!!!! I can handle it if someone else has a different set of experiencs and a different opinion then I. No need to tiptoe around me!!

You all have a good day now,

CC

PS. Back to the subject of the units themselves, I did put a new duracell in my fish hawk every day in order for it to work right. I couted it a cost of doing business. I don't know about you guys but it costs me >$100 each time I leave the dock so the cost of one battery was not the most expensive thing for me. I am glad that the new units have a longer battery life.

[Tim Bromund]

Tim;

What maximum depth is your speed & temp unit supposed to work to by it's factory specification? How many feet deep can you go with your down speed & temp unit in your actual experience using it?

Thanks;

John

John, I think Kell Labs claims the Depth Raider will work down to 200'. I had it down 140-150 several times last summer and it worked flawlessly. I don't really care to run a rigger deeper than that, though I did pick up a 15' shark over the winter, so I might have to play with it this summer and see how far down I can go and still get a signal.

Tim

[maverick]

gentleman, with all due respect most of todays equipment is highly advanced and all units are equal in performance to a point as far as im concerned and it really comes down to personal preferance and what one likes and dislikes 1 is not better than the other its just designed differently but serves the same purpose in a different fassion. I have owned several different speed and temp units. i have been fishing with them just as long or longer than any other pro on this lake. I have my oppinions but lets be real. no one can tell you what to buy or what not to buy. Carl is just giving his oppinion on the unit since that was the question asked. and only his oppinion. and i certianly understand the other boys point of view. but there is no need to say one is crap and the others are far superior.I currently switched from a fish hawk to a sub troll 900. absolutley love my unit. blow back is really not that much different and depth is quite accurate. surprisingly.i know this because i have taken the time to find out all of this info on the water myself personally. I used the fish hawk for 18 plus yrs with complete faith in it and it never let me down. not once but after 18 yrs i thought i would try a subtroll 900 for a while. it works great at all depths and speed is right on and temp is close as well. Blow back does exist but not as much as one would think. atleast not for me. and the coated cable is nothing to worry about at all it melts off with a lighter.. easier than drilling wholes in the transom of your boat..I have been happy with both and both are very good units. like i said earlier its personal preferance not performance issues.

MAVERICK

[Iceman]

Thanks for the response Tim. I put a set of BigJon Brutes on the back of my boat with two 20lb sharks, & picked a number of kings down 180 to 200' during the Spring LOC out of Olcott. My X-4 worked well at this depth & the big sharks kept the blow back to a minimum. Am looking forward to chasing the way deep kings in Mexio bay this summer with this set up, as I have 400' feet of cable on the Brutes. Good luck to all!

[Shade]

Chris,

Thanks for your comments. Like I said previous I have a Fish Hawk on my Thompson and when the probe broke last year the supplier told me that they did not make this model any longer. With out doing my homework I went a purchased the Cannon and I am sorry. I am sure there are boats out there that like the unit but I have had nothing but issues with it. I have yet to go out and have it stay running for more that an hour at a time, so I decided to cut my losses and this time look into a unit that is reliable and I came accross the X4. I thought I would get some professional opinions from you Charter Captains. My only concern is has a transducer but so did my old one it I never had issues until the probe quit working. I have looked into all the other units out ther and I am leaning toward the Fish Hawk and GLOutdoors is giving me a great deal on it as well.

Once again thanks maverick and say HI to your Dad.

Howie

[KOPPERKLAD]

A-TOM-MIK has the Fishawk for $588

[Valinote]

Just took my new Fish Hawk X-4 out for a trial run last Saturday. I was an 840 owner for 15 years, and WOW what a difference! Probe was rock steady down to 120' with a 13# torpedo weight. Didn't try any deeper than that. Display is a huge improvement too. After all those years of frustration, I'm finally a happy FishHawk owner! Now to find out how long the batteries last...

-Steve D