Fishfinder/GPS or Down Speed & Temp?

[Play Penn]

Santa left me with some extra cash this winter (never enough) and I have a tough choice to make. When I bought my 1990 Penn Yan last December I vowed to spend all my fixerupper money on mechanical or safety items. Now with the boat ready for next spring I'm ready to add some fish getting stuff.

When I bought the boat it came with an old Eagle GPS and an Eagle Fishfinder, very low end. However they both worked and I was able to get onto fish using the fishfinder and had a pretty good first season with the boat as it was. Never really used the GPS, I used a handheld for speed and getting back to hotspots and ports.

What should I add, a new combo GPS/Fishfinder or a downspeed & temp? The speed and temp at the ball is info I've not been able to put to use, I rely on surface speed and downrigger cable angle and directional results to hone in on fish now.

What would be more use at this stage of the game? I have about $500 - $700 to spend.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[IRISH56]

PP - If you're content with the sonar and GPS you have then I would say go for the speed & temp unit & you'll have left over $$$ for some other gear. With the down currents it's sometimes really hard to get a good guesstimate on your down speed, even by watching your cables.

There's a lot of value in all three items - i've upgraded over the course of a few years. You've just got to figure out what your personal priorities are as far as the info. you get from your electronics. If you're content with the other two then add the SnT unit and look to upgrade the others down the road.

DAN

[Diversion]

Go for the downspeed & temp, my choice would be either a Moor or Depth Raider.

If I could only use one electronic tool on my boat, it would be my Moor.

[Fishtails]

Most will tell you you need both. I know that's not the position your in though. Temp is just so important. You can get by with a decent second hand ff for awhile and plenty of guys use a handheld gps also. It depends how serious you want to get.

Look at it like this. A fish finder will often times tell you where to fish by the marks you see on your graph. Fish on (or slightly below) the depth you see marks...right? Simple enough.

Some days though...you won't mark much in the way of fish. We have lots of days we catch plenty of fish, but mark very few. We fish temp though, so we know we are in "the zone" even if were not marking much.

Then again, you need a ff to mark bait, and finding bait is key to finding kings (especially early in the am and late pm). So...it's tough to say one or the other cause they are both important.

If I were you. I'd try to stretch my $$ to get both. Maybe a good quality second hand color ff, and a brand new depth raider or sub-troll and stick with the hand held gps for now. Then, when the money allows, go with the new ff/gps.

Just my .02

[LongLine]

On Big-O, Downspeed/temp. No question about it.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Legacy]

another vote for downspeed and temp!!!!!!

[Play Penn]

Thanks for the input guys,

My thoughts were to go with an Eagle SeaCharter 640c or the Depth Raider. I was leaning toward a Depth Raider and you helped push me over the edge. I think I'll get the most bang for the buck with it and by end of next season the GPS/FF units should be better for less.

I fish the Olcott/Wilson end of the lake in May. Do the 2nd weekend of the LOC out of the Lighthouse Motel in Olcott. I do Oswego and Mexico for Browns early and then Kings in July & August. If your going out next season shoot me an email. Love to share stories and beer.

Thanks again,

Greg

[jimski2]

My vote is a good GPS Plotter with the Lake Map chip. You need to know where you are going and the best fish finder is a fish on the line. I marked trillions of fish but the only ones that count are the ones that are actively feeding. A good plotter will put you back on the spot best. As in business, it is location, location, location that counts for success.

[cdelong]

You can get the Eagle Seacharter 602C (combo FF/GPS) for $543 w/free shipping and kick in another $300 for a new DR unit direct from Kell.

Eagle 640 FF/GPS combo (you may find another combo unit on the site that will fit you for less)- https://byownerelectronics.com/store/ca ... 0c85323b37

I have the Eagle 502c GPS (not combo), but here is the 502c Combo ($447 shipped)- http://www.byownerelectronics.com/store ... 580&page=1

If you get the 502c, you only need $200 for a DR unit. The 502c is a really nice GPS and the FF is 500W RMS on the combo unit.

DR ($444 shipped)- http://www.kelloutdoors.com/Depth%20Rai ... onitor.htm

For just under $900 you would have some nice new electronics for many years to come with the 502c combo and the DR unit.

[UpGrady]

You have a GPS and a fish finder that are working, albeit we always want something better... they can be upgraded later... go for the deep speed and temp unit... cable angle and feel will get you in the ball park, but so many times out there, the currents mess you up badly, the deep speed unit will better your chances of catching fish in a multidirectional troll, plus temp allows you watch what's going on down there and understand if fish are coming in or out of temp, esp... on those blank screen days...