GPS for ice

[DH]

Looking into getting a GPS for ice fishing. What do you guys recommend? Garmin GPSMap 64s is what Scheels recommendended. Thoughts? 

 

[Mitch K]

look up the Navionics "Boating USA" app if you have a smart phone. It's only 10$

[mikeymike]

I agree with Mitch on that as well. It's what I use ice fishing. It's incredible for $10. I use it a lot on lakes up north I'm not familiar with too. It's great. 

[Richj]

Me to.... And you don't bother your data after you download the sections you want. Just goes to plain old free gps mode. 

[Grainbelter]

I needed another flasher this year as my kids seem to have stolen mine when we go, so I ended up buying a hummingbird helix 5 with the gps for $300 that I can use in the boat as well. They have an ice fishing package as well for around $450 I believe but I just fashioned my own. So far I've loved it but I also bought the lakemaster chip as well. Navionics has worked good for me but it's not dead on all the time, granted the lakemaster chip will only be accurate on lakes that have been scanned which is most of the more popular lakes around the Faribo area.

[Mike Dumas]

I will be eventually upgrading my helix 5 with a lakemaster chip as well,  I've  been using the navionics  app on my phone for about 3 years now and it works great to give you a pretty good idea on structure and approximate depth. Some lakes it is a bit off, but for the money you have a pretty powerful tool at your finger tips.  One thing I've read about the lakemaster chip is it updates your maps with the data you get from your transducer in the water. 

[mikeymike]

Otherwise too, on the Navionics app, you can adjust the water levels of lakes if they are up or down. Probably not as accurate as the Helix 5, but it is a nice way to make that adjustment to get better ideas of lake depths when they are up or down.

It's under "Map Options" and then "Water Level". It's pretty slick.

[Villa5]

I have the Helix 5 DI-GPS with Lakemaster chip as well, got it new this year and have been out 4 times already. I like it but have not used it on any major lakes yet.

[DH]

Thanks guys! I downloaded that app and went out today! It was off about 4 ft. I'm gonna have to play with the water leve. I might have to check into getting a helix. I have lots of questions about the helix so sorry a head of time!! do those run off a 12v battery? How do you get power? Dont think a helix and a big batter can fit into my bibs.  how do you walk around with it?  Seems like a lot to carry while running and gunning. 

[Grainbelter]

You can get the helix with the ice pack, just like using a vex or marcum. I just made my own box because I had a battery laying around and I'll be mounting it to my boat once spring comes around. For now I just use the boat transducer down my hole and next year I'll purchase the ice ducer.

[DH]

I don't wanna change flashers just for the GPS tho