In Market for New Handheld GPS & Chip for Fishing.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Howdy,

My Wife gave me a nice-sized gift card to Gander Mtn and could really use a Handheld GPS unit with an excellent Lakemaster/Hummingbird Chip for 99% Ice Fishing use.

I have an X-15 w/Lakemaster Chip in my boat & love it.

Can you recommend me a not too expensive GPS unit & Chip to go with it so I can get one this week??

Thanks!

FFaL

[MN Mike]

Unfortunately your not going to find a current Lakemaster / Humminbird card for any handheld device since Humminbird doesn't make handhelds.

Take a look at Gamin's Upper Midwest Fishing Guide, just go to Garmins site and do a search, you can 'test drive' ( interactive map ) their mapping chip and see if it's something that will fit your needs, it's just a taste of what the chip covers, the actual chip is MUCH better than what you see on their test drive. You get a TON of coverage compared to the Lakemaster cards.

If you think that might work for you then you can look at the Garmin Etrex 20 or 30 ( $150 - 300 ), Oregon 450 ( $250 - $350 depending if it's on sale ), GPSMap 62 or 78 ( 78 Floats ), prices could be somewhere around $399 or so on those units.

Garmin Montanas are more money yet but you said you wanted a cheaper GPS so you're probably not looking for one of those.

I don't know if I've ever seen the UMWFG chip in any of my 'local' Gander stores, you might want to call and see if they have it or can get it.

Good luck!

Mike

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

Thank you.......

I went to Gander this morning. What a... er, nevermind.

I'll pass. Screen too small as well.

I bought an Ice Armor Suit on sale for 20% off, used the gift card & paid for the rest instead.

[MN Mike]

When you said you were going to Gander to shop for a GPS, I bit my tongue, I think you made a wise choice in spending your money on what you did, Ganders' alright for stuff, just not the greatest for GPS devices from what I've seen.

Mike

[delcecchi]

A handheld with a lakemap or a topo map is pretty small for my geezer eyes. On the other hand, for the price of a handheld you can buy a boat oriented combo depthfinder/GPS, mount it on a box with a little 12 v battery and you are good to go.

[Mike Wallace]

If you have a smartphone take a look at the Navionics app.

[vikingmeatwad]

Talking to the Lakemaster reps at the ice show. It sounds like they will have an app coming out very soon.

I have the Oregon and it works better than my cell phone but that is a very small screen.