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Posted

Hi guys,<BR>I'm saving my dimes and quarters and looking to buy a quality GPS. I want to be able to download maps onto it...mark spots on a lake...and get me out of the woods. Does anyone have any knowledge on these units? <BR>Thanks,<BR>Mitch

Posted

Look at the Lowrance I-Finder Pro. Accepts MMC cards which will allow you to use Navionics, and Lakemaster software.<P>Relatively inexpensive.<P><BR>Frank Walsh

Posted

I have the Lawrance IFinder. Go with the Garmin!! They seem to work alot better. Much easier to find accessories. You can get other brands accessories locally but have to order from LEI or Cabelas for most Lowrance accessories. <P>Also look into the map programs that work with that brand and unit before buying. Most only work with one brand name. <P>It seems that some of the Lawrance maps that work with every other current unit don't work with the Ifinders. The Reelbottom and Lakemaster maps do not list the Ifinders.<P>Also, I have problems on LOW with my Ifinder. Won't zoom in closer than 60-80 miles and will not let me zoom in on the lake at all. Everywhere else in the state is fine. Will let me mark a spot though.<P>Garmins are waterproof(some even float). Make sure you unit is waterproof before you buy. Mine will fog up and I have to dry it out if it rains or gets wet on the boat. <P>Should have followed my research and bought the Garmin I wanted and not let the salesman change my mind to Lowrance.

Posted

Walleyehawk,<P>Looks like you need to go to GPS School.<BR>I'm not seeing the problems you mentioned with mine. Can't speak to the water issues.<BR>They say it is only water resistant, and I have no plans to leave it out in a boat.<P>Garmin make I fine product. I have some. But I like the flexibility of the MMC card.

Posted

Well,<BR>I'm still not sure which unit to go with. Garmin seems to be the brand of choice for various reasons for various people. I want something I can use Lakemasters Map with. I'm not sure if Magellan is compatible with that or not....don't think so. Lowrance makes great sonar units but they don't have much to choose from as far as GPS's. I would like to keep the price at or under $300.

Posted

GPS school?<P>Sorry Frank, but I would rather fish. smile.gif <P>See, I have read the manual a few times and have the video on how to use the unit. What I was looking for was a unit that allowed me to fish and not have a PH D in computer programing to run the thing. I think I got the wrong brand!!<P>I have had a few people look it over and they think my unit is defective. Not owner stupidity but a defective product. Going to take it back. I have nothing against Lowrance, I have other Lawrance products in my boat. Just don't like this one.<P>I think Garmin has better accessory availability, as does Magellan. <P>A unit that is not waterproof is fine for inland tracking but common sense tells one on water it may get wet. It may be raining when it needs to be used. My unit fogs up when it gets even slightly wet. Heck, some of the Garmin's even float if you drop them down the icehole. <P>Doop, my suggestion is to look at friends GPS units in action or attend FM Ice events (or other outdoor events) and see sponsors talking about their product in the field. Look at all the major brands. And talk to the people at the mapping program you want to use. Make sure the exact unit will work with their maps. From what I hear there are major differences in quality between the mapping programs.<P>The price of the GPS is one part of the investment. The accessories can add up quickly with power and computer connections.<P>

Posted

Walleyehawk,<P>Looks like you have all kinds of issues as well as a defective GPS. My advice...Take it back, get a Garmin, then go fishing.<P>Maybe then you'll know what you are talking about.<P><BR>Frank Walsh

Posted

Just bought a Garmin GPSMAP 76S - handheld. You can download maps from anywhere in the world onto this thing. They also offer a "Fishing Hot Spots" CD for about 15 regions in the US. Minnesota is one of those regions. They have 1' and 5' depth maps for most of the large lakes in MN. LOW is one of them. I'm heading up the first weekend in March, and I'm bringing the GPS with me.<P>Great GPS - you can find it on the web for under $300.<P>Timmer

Posted

Frank Walsh:<P>What did I ever say to you to get on your bad side? I just offered advise, one user to another, to a third party. Never did I site expert statistics. Just advise on some things to look at in purchasing a GPS based on personal experience.<P>"A few policies we hold important here:<BR>1. No Personal attacks on other members."<P>Please review the above posting guidelines. I found the following remarks outside of these guidelines.<P>"Looks like you have all kinds of issues as well as a defective GPS." <BR>"Maybe then you'll know what you are talking about."<P>This is supposed to be a friendly forum. Fisherman helping fisherman. Let's keep it that way.<P>

Posted

WalleyeHawk,<BR>I agree with you 100%. Mr.Walsh needs to have a night out on the town to lighten up a little bit. He took some very unfair jabs at you. Not cool. My mother told me if you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all. smile.gif Thank you greatly for the advice you gave!<P>Walsh, don't ever use one of my posts to put someone else down. If you have nothing better to do but to do but to put people down, you should find another hobby.<P>Thanks for the advice everyone gave! <BR>Lets all get along and just fish.

Posted

Hey Walleyehawk - agree with you concerning the Lowrance. Bought one a couple of years ago and you do need to go to a GPS school to be able to use the darn thing. I don't use the thing everyday, all day, and it has so many different modes, etc. that it is not "user friendly". Maybe someone would like to buy this thing. Going to get me something that is a lot easier to use smile.gif

Posted

My wife went to sportsmen Warehouse and asked them which gps would be good for hunting and fishing. I got it for my birthday 2 years ago. Garmin venture. It work great 4 me.

Posted

Ya, too bad they have to make them so complicated. You can't just lend it to a friend without an hour of how to us it. Maybe it's not so bad on the Easy Mode.<P>Those Garmin GPS76's are what I wanted originally. My mistake. <P>I am waiting for when I can get a GPS, load a lake map in, and be able to tell where I am exactly on a structure. I hear you may be able to do it on a laptop tied into a GPS or something. Maybe someday soon.

Posted

Saw the post and thought I would add that I just bought a Magellan Merridean (stock) version. Paid under $200 for it and thought I would give it a try. Has anyone used the Merridean or heard form others that have one? As long as I can punch in coordinates and fish the hot spots I'm cool. Just a matter of getting out on the ice now. Anyone have a plow and wanna open a road for us on LOW pine this weekend? Thanks. <P>Cross their eyes.

Posted

Not that you don't have enough advice on this thread already but I can swear by the Garmin GPSMAP76 and have never had a problem with it. I have tons of spots on LOW marked and it gets me to my spot every time. I have also used it deer hunting with great success. very user friendly. can even use it while running will tell you how far and fast you ran, they are cool little units for sure. Cheers.<P>Reel

Posted

I have the Garmin legend, under $300, works great and it doesn't require a PHD. I have the mapsource hot spots map software, it is unbelievable. I would recommend the legend to everyone and i'll put it up against any GPS that you can load maps on. You won't regret it. Good luck

Posted

I also have a Garmin Legend and it is an awesome little machine and you can pick them up for under $200 now.

Posted

Doop,<BR>I use Garmins only! I have tried the rest,and<BR>now stick to the best! (GARMIN)<BR>P.S. Walleyehawk you were right!<P>FISH ON!

Posted

I have both the E-trex and the Magellan Meridian Gold and have used the E-trex Legend. All these units have good points. One thing I noticed about the Legend was that It could'nt lock into WAAS on LOW like the Meridian. To me that is important. With WAAS you get a much more accurate waypoint (within 3 ft in most cases) and if your marking structure like a big rock or a small hole getting within 3 meters instead of 20 to 30ft is a huge difference. The Magellans have a much more sensitive antenna the Quadrifiler helix verses the Patch antenna for the Garmin. I also like the big screen on the Magellan which is much easier to see especially on the dash of the pick-up. The Garmin is really nice because it is so small and fits in your pocket and is a user friendly unit. Great for in the woods. My choice is Magellan for fishing and Garmin for hunting.

Posted

I have a Garmin GPS 72 and absolutely love the thing!! When I had it up at Long Point back in Dec I was using WAAS differential data and it worked great. It has a built-in quad helix antenna too. wink.gif

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • smurfy
      🙄 oh yea.....like your a picnic on the beach!!!!!!! 🤣
    • leech~~
      Hey, he seems to like starting pissing matches, everywhere!  😒 😉
    • Wanderer
      Hey now, that one is all you!  Haha!  Don’t make another thread septic. 😉      Yup, the Looper Bug.  I couldn’t remember that catchy name for it.  2lb test is a little crazy, especially for the line quality back then but I can see that being a thing too.  Such clear water.  Looking down the hole watching the fish swim around and them looking back at you.  The further out I got, the easier it was for them to see me.   My one looper charged in when my jig was just below the ice while I was laying face down like you said.  It hit basically right in front of my face.  The fight was me rolling over and pulling it out of the hole.  That was shortly before the guys in the shallows packed up their little black shelters and left with their fish.     So, by the end of the day I learned: black looper bug; light line; conceal movement; and/or fish shallow.  And then never went back.
    • leech~~
      Cuz like I said, he was breaking off a lot and they were like gold at the time.  Guys an't giving up anything when combat fishing, I'm sure he pissed off some folks running around jumping in and out of open holes. 😉
    • smurfy
      🤔why didnt ya "leech" some of them black flies from the guy!!!!!🤗😂   awe come on....wanderer would of said it too!!!!😉
    • leech~~
      Au, yes the black fly, aka the looper bug.  I remember the first time I was introduced to it.  There must have been 20-30 guys out in front of the French on the ice. This one guy was running from hole to hole and pulling fish, but he was also breaking off a lot.  When I finally got close to him, he said he had 2lb line and just the bug on the end and jigging.  I think I had about 6lb line and some jig with waxies.  I jumped in my Suv and buzzed up to the bait store in Two harbors "which is closed now" to get new line and bugs.  By the time I got back and fishing again the bite must have been over!  Spent the rest of the day laying on the ice staring down the hole, ton's of fish went by but not bite!! ☹️    I used to get up at like 3:00am to drive up from Brooklyn Center, fish until dark and drive home.  When I had more of the wander spirit.  Heck I remember when I had no brains or money in the spring, getting up at like 2:30am, driving up and fishing every stream for about an hour that I could get to from Duluth to Grand Marais.  Then driving all the way home the same day.  🤪
    • Kettle
      Last day of myself hunting before I help my friend with new clients. Back on the bigger marsh, mainly teal but 5 fulvous whistling ducks. A medium size duck but they fly and decoy like Canada geese, big circles and glide in. They are noisey birds
    • Hookmaster
      Kettle, sounds like an awesome trip. Never see drake bluewings in MN during the season. For the bridge my pucker factor would've been 11, and that's walking across both ways!!
    • Wanderer
      Gotta love META, right????  Naw, they ain’t tracking’…   
    • Wanderer
      I did the looper steelhead thing in front of the French River once.  It was fun. I got one looper but the sight fishing aspect of it was the most fun.   We saw a couple guys limit on steelhead up close to shore and learned the black fly was the way to catch ‘em.  We didn’t have any.   My first 40+ hour day that I can remember.  Went to work Friday morning, Van Halen concert Friday night, too jacked up on the way home to call it a day so we loaded up for the North Shore.  Fished all day, drove home Saturday night.     Those crazy kids…   Chequamegon Bay and the Apostle Islands have always been a want but an undone deed.  The wander spirit has faded from my old traveling buds.  They like to stick to what they know now.
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