Fantastic Fishing

Fishing can be a lot more fun and rewarding when you’re actually catching the fish instead of just looking for them. Thanks to technology, finding the fish has gotten a heck of a lot easier.

Sonar GPS Systems, or Fish Finders if you will, are very easy to operate for both the avid and the amateur fisherman. There are so many makes and models to choose from though, so it can be very confusing.

Here I am offering a review and information on two of the best selling name brand GPS systems on the market today – the Garmin 400C and the Humminbird 788c.

The Garmin 400C Fish Finder with Dual Frequency Transducer  is an excellent choice in fish finding equipment for serious freshwater and saltwater fishermen. It’s a little more expensive than the basic models, but well worth the extra investment.

The Garmin 400C Fish Finder with Dual Beam Transducer combines high performance with a simple interface that makes it easy to locate fish wherever you go.

The Garmin 400C fish finder utilizes a crisp, ultra-bright, 4-inch, full-color QVGA display with 320 x 240 pixels of resolution that lets you easily distinguish bottom detail and fish from background structure. This unit features easy, one-touch navigation through different functions via front panel control buttons, as well as UltraScroll for screen updates at live-action speeds. The 400C also features a backlit keypad for easier operation at night, and a new night mode function that provides optimum readability in low-light conditions.

The 400C is designed to be easily adaptable to both freshwater and saltwater conditions, with a choice of dual-beam or dual-frequency transducers. This unit comes with a 500-watt (RMS), dual-frequency transducer with a narrow beam that pierces the depths below your boat down to 1,500 feet. There is also a 400-watt (RMS), dual-beam transducer available that provides you with a wider fish-finding cone for better surrounding visibility down to a depth of 900 feet.

The Garmin 400C does not come with any extras beyond the standard power cable, mounting bracket and protective cover. The Garmin instruction manual leaves quite a bit to be desired however, and may leave buyers initially confused about the full potential of the fish finder.

The Garmin 400C is pricey enough to warrant consideration only by serious fishermen (although you can find it for $100 less than list price at Amazon.com.

Fishermen who regularly fish both freshwater and saltwater fish may also find the Garmin 400C worth their investment. Amateur or weekend fishermen can find less expensive fish finders which may be more suitable to their needs.
Made to be upgradeable and expandable, the Garmin 400C is compatible with a number of other Garmin fishing accessories. Serious fishermen may find this useful if their boat is well-equipped with Garmin products. The compatibility with other Garmin products suggests that Garmin enthusiasts will probably be the most satisfied with this product.

This unit weighs 1.5 pounds, and measures just 5.72 x 5 x 2.73 inches (W x H x D) allowing it to be placed virtually anywhere.

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The Humminbird 788c Combo 5-Inch Waterproof Marine GPS and Chartplotter with Sounder is a great investment for any serious fisherman. The availability of features for the price largely outweighs some minor operational difficulties.

The Humminbird 788c boasts a five inch screen providing 640×640 pixels of crystal-clear clarity. A screen this size makes it easy to see from any angle or while moving around on the boat and it  provides unbelievable color and contrast.

The wide variety of readout screens available can give you tons of fishing information, ranging from the industry standard depth and fish, to latitude and longitude or compass heading. Programmable preset buttons make switching between your favorite views a relatively easy task.

This unit can be mounted in-dash, or you can use the Tilt and Swivel Quick Disconnect Mounting System. I do prefer mounting over portable units though, as you take the risk of them falling onto the deck or worse, in the water. The 788ci Combo includes internal GPS and DualBeam PLUS sonar.

You may want to upgrade to the Navionics Gold and HotMaps, you’ll be much happier. The pre-loaded maps are a few years old at this point. This is a disappointment as one would think they could do better than old obsolete maps.

Navigating the software readouts is also unnecessarily difficult. A number of steps are needed to access some common features although the programmable button presets help to alleviate some of the software difficulties.

Even though there are some software obstacles, the Humminbird 788ci still comes highly recommended. The unit is packed with features found in much more expensive fish finding equipment, while still maintaining a reasonable price range (under $600 at Amazon.com). For serious fishermen, or as an awesome gift to a weekend warrior, the Humminbird 788ci should be on your list to consider.

If you buy it, take the time to learn how to use as many of the features as you can. Go out in the boat with the owner’s manual and just play with it and you will be amazed at what a great tool this is.

The Product Dimensions: 12 x 4.4 x 9.2 inches ; 5.3 pounds

For more information about Fish Finders please check one of my articles: Tips For Using Fish Finders  and more under my category: Electronic Fishing

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