HUMMINBIRD VS LOWRANCE

Chris · August 14, 2005, 05:28:59 PM

Humminbird introduced the 900 series in 2005. I havent tried them but I have read quite abit about them. After years of using both Lowrance and Humminbird. I will not pay for another Humminbird. If some one would give me the new 987c I would try it but I wouldnt risk any of my own money on it at almost 2 grand. Lowrance has a quality product all the way down the line from their cheapest models to the most expensive. I agree with Okuma500 ,there is no comparison.

J10B · August 21, 2005, 11:37:09 AM

50+ MPH, not depth.
If the darn thing shows the bottom and gives some texture then its doing its job. I guess Im not good at using a fish finder to find fish. I use it to find places there MIGHT be fish.

nlareau · January 03, 2006, 05:01:20 PM

I've got a Humminbird Wide Paramount that is 8+ years old and still works like a champ.

Ouachita · January 03, 2006, 07:53:21 PM

I just noticed the comment about losing bottom at 50 mph. That's evidence the transducer is either out of the water at that speed or too many hull bubbles are racing over it from some hull irregularity. You can buy or make a mounting bracket that sets the unit lower in the water, as long as that doesn't interfere with trailering. A break-away mount is better. Another problem I've seen often is shoot thru hull transducers that fail to point to bottom at a certain speed due to the boat taking on a different plane angle, aiming the transducer wrong compared to a proper aiming at lower speed. Some fibergalass boats require two, one in the hull forward for lower speed, and one aft for high speed. If mounted in the bilge AND the hull below the bilge is under water on plane, it could work. But some boat bilge areas catch only air at high speed, only the bottom edge of the transom touching water. In that case an external transducer is required.

Jim

bassnva · January 03, 2006, 08:16:03 PM

Lowrance all the way...not even close....it is like comparing a Cadillac to a Hyundai.

As for being able to see fish at 50 mph...I have tried that and it is hard to keep the spinnerbait in the water at that speed...but I tried

.

Hummingbird was good in its day but they have not kept up with newer technologies. They are trying to make a comeback but it will take them 2 or 3 more years to do it I believe.

LMS-332C on my console and 125 on bow.

bassadict69 · January 03, 2006, 09:03:26 PM

Guys...We need to make sure we keep this as posting our good & bad experiences with both brands. It has been an excellent & informative thread so far but is beginning to take on a look of brand bashing.

I understand everyone has there preferences of one over the other & this thread is for exactly that...letting everyone know our experiences with each. Let's try to keep it at that rather than bad-mouthing them. We never know who is reading the board & don't want the site to put a bad taste in anyones mouth.

NOW...Back to our regularly scheduled program!

LoonyToon · January 04, 2006, 01:39:43 AM

Along time ago in the early 1960's when Tom Mann first utilized the navies sonar system for fishing and the Hummingbird sonar fish finding tool was born it was the greatest invention since sliced bread. But in over the 40 years since and new owners the research and development went away from the ping sonar to the digital outlays Hummingbird has placed a dismal third or even fourth in some areas well behind Lowrance, Eagle , and Vexlar.....Granted Now they are trying to make giant strides in their equipment according to reports recently read, but it may be a day late and a dollar short....Most of their equipment that is being offered is for the economically minded week-end fishing person and not the educated angler, who demands more pops and whistles for their buck, because you are not going to get it at Hummingbird unless the Price is Right, and most fishing people want more bang for the buck so BottomLine, Lowrance, Eagle and Vexlar will continue to grow.......................

silversalmon · January 04, 2006, 11:21:04 AM

Great information on these products. Thanks for sharing experiences, trials and tribulations. Some people perfer this one and that one, and will be the case with any product. With that said, lets try to minimize the product bashing and state the facts of what you have seen good or bad with either product. Your opinions are valuable in this matter, so lets keep with the facts, if you do not like the product, simply state reasons for which you do not like the product, there is no need to call either one junk, garbage, trash, etc....
Thanks for your opinions, and lets keep this a great thread of information not product trashing........

spetro · January 04, 2006, 04:58:30 PM

I've owned both....They both did what I bought them to do. No problems here

bassadict69 · January 04, 2006, 05:01:21 PM

I have owned both...I definately prefer the Lowrance over the Humminbird. The HB's I had never seemed to work right. 4-5ft of water & it would flash like I was too shallow. None of the HB I had were high end models but I could sit on top of a small brush pile in 12 ft of water & it would not pick it up at all. The Eagle Ultra Classic I had at the bow would show it every time.

This past Father's Day I was given permission

to get a new LMS-332C. I can definately now say that if you can afford it, to spend the extra money on a good depth finder. I went with the Lowrance but cannot comment on any of the HB high end models. When I was trying to decide, every salesman at BassPro recommended the Lowrance over the HB. One guy did recommend the HB but I found out after talking with him a few minutes that he was a HB rep that was in the store for a few days.

Warpath · January 04, 2006, 05:02:28 PM

My boat came with a Humminbird 100 Wide when I bought it. It worked just fine, it just didn't have GPS on it. I still have it in the basement, I'm sure it still works. BUt when I bought a GPS unit for the boat I did go with an Eagle S/Map 240. I wouldn't consider it a major upgrade, but it takes up less room on the console, and it has some nice features for a $200 unit.

I had one of those wrist watch fishfinders, but I gave it to a buddy of mine who fishes ponds way more than I do. He loves it. I got a lot of use out of it for the short time I had it.

Eric

OHbassaholic · January 04, 2006, 07:57:31 PM

We sell most of the non-GPS models y'all have been talking about. The most popular brand in sales has been Eagle. I recently picked up a 320C for the Champion this coming season. I have had way to many customers with glowing reports about the Eagle units.

I'll be sure to turn in a field report on this one as I get the chance to work with it.

CouchTater · January 04, 2006, 09:27:35 PM

Well, I have a Wide One Hundred on my dash and a Eagle Cuda up front. My HB' was on the boat when I got it, no telling how long it was on there before. But before the transducer got "chewed" up, it worked good.

The only complant I had was that the transom mounted transducer wasnt tight enough and it would point up. A few turns of the screws helped that

.

I will more than likely replace the HB in the coming weeks. I have been planing to do so.

I really like the Cuda, it works well when I need it.

Tater

LoonyToon · January 04, 2006, 10:51:03 PM

Hey Tater, If I might when you go to replace it look at the Eagle 502C if they have one and compare it to the Hummingbird in that price range......please......Eagle 502C is color monitor with internal GPS for around 450.00 and map loaded

Warpath · January 04, 2006, 11:54:05 PM

Tater,

do you want this HB wide 100 of mine? You can have it if you need a transducer. I'm not using it.

Eric

Ranger375 · January 05, 2006, 08:24:06 AM

I still own and use not only Humminbird but Lowrance and a Bottom Line trolling motor mounted side finder (secret weapon

).

This is a topic I have had a lot of conversation about..."Which is best of the products on the market?" I have come to believe that an interesting approach is to learn to use what you have. I mean really learn to use it. More importantly...once you learn to interpret what you are seeing learn how to apply different techniques for the conditions shown.

I am a big believer in technology...it has paid my bills for a long time...

However, there is no depth finder that is gonna cause fish to jump into your boat or your net if on the bank. It still comes down to interpretation and employment of skills. I have fished with people that had the latest and greatest device out there and the one thing I have heard a lot is..."I am still learning this thing." This said as they are pushing buttons kind of like they are flying the Space Shuttle.

I think it comes down to...not the device but the total package of skills one has. I know some have better screen resolution and now some have hard drives opposed to cards...and of course GPS. But when you get right down to it - it is the computer between our ears that really matters. Maybe we should ask...how is that performing?

I have a very good friend that I have known for years that out fishes me on a continual basis. I mean to the point that I just accept it, all in fun of course. You know what he uses...well...an old Humminbird flasher that looks like it was used for batting practice...and his eyes. He sight fishes more than anyone I have met. Trips to the lake in winter to take pictures, walks the shore, notes water temps, studies maps...stuff like that. A true tactician of the sport.

So which unit us best? It is simple...the one that we know how to use to the extent that it adds to the arsenal of information that gets processed through that other computer...our mind.

You know it is a good thing that fish haven't learned to employ technology against us...like bass boat acquistion and targeting devices...torpedo included!

derekj · January 05, 2006, 11:27:18 AM

Quote from: OHbassaholic on January 04, 2006, 07:57:31 PM
We sell most of the non-GPS models y'all have been talking about. The most popular brand in sales has been Eagle. I recently picked up a 320C for the Champion this coming season. I have had way to many customers with glowing reports about the Eagle units.

I'll be sure to turn in a field report on this one as I get the chance to work with it.

been hearing alot about the eagle 320 lately guess i need to pick one up

AJ · February 29, 2008, 02:45:16 PM

talk about ironic

i have a lowrance x22a that was givin to me from another forum and the cables were badly damaged tho unit in good working condition, i just bought a transducer cable from ebay and a buddy picked up the power cable from bps

I also have a hummingbird LCR 2000 that was cleaned out of a pawn shop for not selling within so many days and thrown away, got wind of it and dumpster dived for it, works, screen comes on and transducer clicks

ok the lowrance seems to be in better shape and several ppl i talk to mentioned it be the better of the two, my question is what bout mounting one on front to T.M. and the other on back so both people can see and interupt what they want to???

now back to the ironic part, i was looking online for a x22a owners manual or guide as i know absolutely nothing about fish finders and this thread was like in the top 10 yahoo search results WTG UB!!!!!!!!

any suggestions???

Plugger · February 29, 2008, 05:43:52 PM

Have had many models from humminbird and have had no real problems. Started with the tcr's up to the 500 series. Currently have the 565 series and it does everything I ask of it.

JEVSkeeter · March 01, 2008, 08:17:12 AM

Quote from: Plugger on February 29, 2008, 05:43:52 PM
Have had many models from humminbird and have had no real problems. Started with the tcr's up to the 500 series. Currently have the 565 series and it does everything I ask of it.

Most of the information, or should I say lack of information posted on this thread is old. Humminbird makes a great product today. Johnson Outdoors purchasing Humminbird provided the ability to place a product in the market that is not only durable, serviceable, and easy to use with customer service that is beyone anyone else in the industry.

Biased? You bet. I've used most of them from Lowrance, PinPoint, Garman, Eagle, and a couple saltwater products that are just to expensive for bass fishermen. Don't get caught up in the "Fords and Chevys" argument. Educate yourself and make an educated, value purchase regardless of what product you choose.

k² · March 01, 2008, 02:15:53 PM

From what a LOWRANCE rep told me a while ago at Bass Pro. The Eagle is made and designed by Lowrance. It's just made in Mexico. The Lowrance units are made in the states. Lowrance costs a little more than Eagles, but they work exactly the same.

coldfront · March 01, 2008, 03:06:42 PM

Quote from: JEVSkeeter on March 01, 2008, 08:17:12 AM

Most of the information, or should I say lack of information posted on this thread is old. Humminbird makes a great product today. Johnson Outdoors purchasing Humminbird provided the ability to place a product in the market that is not only durable, serviceable, and easy to use with customer service that is beyone anyone else in the industry.

Biased? You bet. I've used most of them from Lowrance, PinPoint, Garman, Eagle, and a couple saltwater products that are just to expensive for bass fishermen. Don't get caught up in the "Fords and Chevys" argument. Educate yourself and make an educated, value purchase regardless of what product you choose.

Info might be old...on the other hand, I have a real jones for that side imaging technology...can imagine a few lakes where that would be useful...but only in about 10% of my applications.

AJ · March 01, 2008, 07:49:43 PM

lol ordered cables for the lowrance as i was told it was better, need longer power cable for hummingbird so i got both for free so i will try them both

on the other hand anyone got a how to book on either model??? i cannot seem to find a downloadable book on the x22a anywhere online

coldfront · March 01, 2008, 09:32:50 PM

Quote from: COUNTRYBOY on March 01, 2008, 02:15:53 PM
From what a LOWRANCE rep told me a while ago at Bass Pro. The Eagle is made and designed by Lowrance. It's just made in Mexico. The Lowrance units are made in the states. Lowrance costs a little more than Eagles, but they work exactly the same.

Don't think that's quite right...they take different power cords...due to what appears to be reverse circuitry...at least my Lowrance LMS 480 and Eagle 240 were no compatible. And, my Eagle seemed to lock up on my a lot more than my Lowrance units do...

JEVSkeeter · March 01, 2008, 11:14:06 PM

Quote from: coldfront on March 01, 2008, 03:06:42 PM
Info might be old...on the other hand, I have a real jones for that side imaging technology...can imagine a few lakes where that would be useful...but only in about 10% of my applications.

If you make it down around Table Rock give me a shout. I'll take you out and show you how it works.....

HUMMINBIRD VS LOWRANCE

Ouachita