hummingbird Helix 5 DI GPS / Pirranta max 197 DI

[dgio67]

Not sure where to post this so I thought i would try here.  Thinking about the Pirranta max for the front of the boat and the Helix for driving.  Reviews were fairly decent but some were horrid.  I Bass fish a lot all over and i do some trolling in Lake O.   Just wondering if anyone has them and what your thought were.  Thanks

[Todd in NY]

I bought a new Helix 5 DI GPS this summer. I like the unit overall. I use it on my 16ft v-hull row boat that I have set up for every type of fishing except Lake O. I used the Helix 5 once on my 19ft Lake O boat just to try it out, and my only conplaint about it for Lake O is the small screen size. I now use a Humminbird 859 DI GPS on my Lake O boat. The Helix 5 is pretty easy to use and it packs a lot of features into a reasonably priced unit, just my opinion...

[fieromx3]

i just bought a helix 5 sonar/gps with the nav chip a couple weeks ago, seems like a nice little unit for the money. i was wanting to go with the helix 7 but impule buy on the smaller helix 5 lol. have not used it so cannot give a review but am excited to try it out come summer

[dgio67]

I have a 16.25 Rebel Lund i plan on using it on.  It seems like for the money it should due the job.  I am sure anything compared to the 20 year old black and white Lowrance i was using will be incredible.  It seemed pretty easy to use. Thanks for those that have responded. 

[Shawn.Furness]

I have been looking at reviews of the Helix 5 on here and I see people have the same complaints about the small screen. I am leaning towards getting the Helix 7 after the holidays. I am in the same situation as you. I am using a old black and white lowrance right now. I mostly use it just for depth. It keeps just randomly turning off on me at the end of the season. I will definitely have a new one before spring. There was a charter captain on here the posted the optimal settings for the hummingbirds. If you look for it on this site I am sure you will find it!

[dgio67]

My graph actually died on me this weekend.  I guess the cold weather was the last straw.  I am going to take another look at the 5 and 7 again.  Not sure if i want to to spend the extra cash on the 7 if the 5 will work.  I will let you know the end result. 

[Todd in NY]

I like my Helix 5 for the inland lakes and rivers. It didn't do well for me on Lake O in 3-4ft swells because of the small screen, deep water (150ft) and the wave action (small screen, so detail was too hard to see clearly).

 

On the smaller, shallower lakes with smaller wave action it works great. I use it on a lake that is 90ft deep and it works just fine, and that makes it well worth the money.

 

Bottom line for me, I don't recommend it for Lake O. I haven't used it on the Finger Lakes, so I can't speak for those waters.