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Sidescan sonar...worth the cost?

SetsTheOneSetsTheOne Posts: 23 Greenhorn
in Boating #1
I recently sold some rods/reels and have a few bucks to spend. I'm thinking of getting a structurescan HD add-on for my Lowrance HDS7 or a new grouper rod/reel (both around $600). I'm leaning toward the sonar but wanted to get some advice before making a decision I might regret. Anyone using the structure scan and how much more effective do they find it for finding fish/structure?
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Replies

  • kklimaskklimas Posts: 14 Greenhorn
    #2
    I have the structure scan on my boat and love it. Much better details.

    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
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  • South TackleSouth Tackle Posts: 64 Deckhand
    #3
    I have them on sale right now for $525.99 with transducer or $399.99 without transducer. Shoot me a pm if interested.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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  • Salty Dawg44Salty Dawg44 Homosassa, FLPosts: 1,057 Officer
    #4
    I have that set-up on my 17' Sea Hunt, and find it VERY useful. Good resolution and a clear image of the bottom. Great for finding rockpiles, and for trolling a pattern along a ledge. It takes a bit of tinkering to get it really good at first, so if you decide to get one, send me a PM and i'll send the settings that work well for me. That will save a lot of trial and error ajustments on the water.

    MY WORST FEAR......THAT WHEN I DIE MY WIFE WILL SELL ALL MY BOATS & FISHING GEAR FOR WHAT I TOLD HER I PAID FOR IT.......

    I may not always agree with what you say,
    but I will always respect your right to be wrong!
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  • HooksettHooksett Posts: 65 Greenhorn
    #5
    Yes it is. And If you got HDS7 Gen2 version you can overlay side scan on the chart page. A great way to view bottom in relation to where you are on the screen, you will see a history of pasted by structure and put a waypoint on the point. Great for drift fishing because you can view more bottom in one pass. Also you do not have to be dead on approaching to a waypoint anymore with side scan. You also get down scan image with 455 and 800kh frequencies for better target definition to 300ft. A lot of possibilities here.
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  • LOUNGELIZARDLOUNGELIZARD Posts: 84 Deckhand
    #6
    To what depths are you guys getting good signals from this feature
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  • Salty Dawg44Salty Dawg44 Homosassa, FLPosts: 1,057 Officer
    #7
    LOUNGELIZARD wrote: »
    To what depths are you guys getting good signals from this feature


    Can't really say. Here where I live it's a 25 mile run offshore just to get to 30' of water. That's about as far out as I go in my 17' boat. That's where the above screen shot was taken. No trouble at all at that depth on using the 800 frequency, and could easily go deeper. After that I could just drop town to the 455 frequency for deeper water yet.
    Maybe someone that has actually used it in deep water will jump in with some first hand information.

    MY WORST FEAR......THAT WHEN I DIE MY WIFE WILL SELL ALL MY BOATS & FISHING GEAR FOR WHAT I TOLD HER I PAID FOR IT.......

    I may not always agree with what you say,
    but I will always respect your right to be wrong!
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