Screen Time
Directing your angling masterpiece is a lot easier with the help of these innovative new fishfinding electronics.
by Ryan McNally
April 1, 2006
You've spent the last hour busting through the chop, and your boat now idles 20 miles offshore.
With great excitement, you let the fishing lines fly and eagerly anticipate the first catch of the
day. But then a funny thing happens. The minutes, then hours, tick by, and before you know it the
day is slipping away without a single fish caught.
We've all been there. Sometimes, the only things you can do are to soak in the sights and
sounds of nature and enjoy the company of those you're with. And hey, that's a lot of fun in and of
itself. But for those times when having some cutting-edge electronics on board could make the
difference between talking shop and reeling 'em in, check out these six new products.
Humminbird 787c2
Even if your fishing skills haven't yet reached expert level, you can still feel like a
professional with Humminbird's 787c2 Combo GPS Fishing System + Chartplotter. The unit boasts a
color, ultra-high-resolution (640 vertical pixels by 480 horizontal pixels) 5-inch diagonal display
to allow you a better view of the bottom composition and to see fish in structure with greater
clarity. The wide-coverage DualBeam Plus technology allows anglers to see even more detail with a
selectable 60-degree beam and precision 20-degree beam. When you're ready to plot a course home or
mark your favorite fishing hot spot, the precision 16-channel GPS/WAAS receiver will come in handy.
The 787c2 also boasts a built-in, four-nautical-mile-resolution UniMap of U.S. inland lakes, rivers
and coastal areas. It offers a tilt-and-swivel quick-disconnect mounting system, and can also be
in-dash mounted on many boats. $699,
www.humminbird.com.
Garmin Fishfinder 340C
Night fishing? No problem - Garmin's Fishfinder 340C features an ultra-dim backlight mode for
improved nighttime viewing when the prime fishing is happening under the stars. For those other
times when you're fishing with the full sun overhead, 12 square inches of color (320 pixels by 234
pixels) are at your service. The 340C is also armed with Garmin's new CANet, a one-megabit
Controller Area Network that allows users to connect their unit with plug 'n' play ease to a GPSMAP
chartplotter and read sonar displays from chartplotters located elsewhere on the boat. Water
temperature log and graph, a round flasher-style display, and an A-scope display also come
standard. The 340C is available in either a dual-frequency configuration or a dual-beam model
that's ideal for inland anglers who need a wider fish-finding cone. $472,
www.garmin.com.
Furuno FCV585
Enter the digital age with Furuno's new FCV585, a dual-frequency fishfinder that
uses digital filtering for enhanced detail and accuracy. The technology, which Furuno calls DSP
(Digital Signal Processing), adapts to your fishing environment by adjusting gain, STC and output
power. According to Furuno, this makes it clearer and easier to decipher between baitfish and
larger species. In addition, the DSP filter adjusts to the depth of water to provide optimum
viewing. In deeper water, the pulse length is wider and the reception band narrower, allowing for
better and clearer detection when looking for bottom fish close to the seabed. In shallow water,
DSP technology helps suppress surface clutter caused by the boat's propeller, and a fast
transmission rate aids in identifying bait pods and individual fish targets right under the boat.
The 8.4-inch, 256-color LCD display is built to withstand harsh conditions. $1,495,
www.furuno.com.
Raymarine A65
If you like your chartplotting and fishfinding technology in one compact package,
Raymarine's A65 HD Digital Dual Function Display may be just the ticket. This model, which the
company says is ideal for fishing below the 30-foot range, features a 6.5-inch VGA Sunlight
viewable color display and patented HD Digital™ fishfinder technology. On the chartplotting side,
it includes a CompactFlash card with Navionics Silver cartography for the entire coastal United
States. Details include tides, currents, shaded depth contours, navigation aids and spot soundings.
When it's time to find some fish, the A65 uses digital technology that adapts to changing water and
seabed conditions. According to Raymarine, the result is a dramatically clearer picture than
ordinary analog fishfinders. As an added bonus, the light-enhancing display gives users a wide
viewing angle. $1,649 (with RS12 GPS and Navionics Silver Chart Card) or $2,059 (with RS12 GPS,
DSM25, P58 transom mount transducer, and Navionics Silver Chart Card),
www.raymarine.com.
Navman 8120
You think you're serious about fishing? Then check out the 8120, Navman's seriously loaded
large-screen, multifunction navigation system complete with chartplotter, sonar and video
capabilities. And the fishing features? Try a 200/50 KHz dual frequency transducer (with mixed or
side-by-side viewing capabilities), up to 100 times zoom, 3,000-foot depth capabilities, auto range
and gain, and alarms for temp rate, temp value, fish, "too shallow," "too deep," and low battery.
You can see it all on the 8120's super-bright 12-inch display with 170-degree viewing angles for
all lighting conditions. As an added bonus, the four-way split screen allows users to define and
set window size based on visual preference. The 8120 also includes a satellite differential GPS,
sounder, SmartCraft™ capabilities and digital fuel computer for gasoline engines. An adjustable
mounting bracket and flush mount kit is included, along with a protective cover to safeguard the
8120's display. $2,499.95,
www.navman.com.
Lowrance X86 DS
Solid fishfinding technology doesn't have to come at a steep price. Exhibit A is the new
Lowrance X86 DS, which delivers up to 120 degrees of fish-finding sonar coverage. It's designed to
provide excellent target detail and separation in both shallow water and deeper water up to 1,000
feet. The dual-beam Skimmer® 83/200 kHz transom-mount transducer produces coverage that you view in
black and white via the 4.5-inch diagonal Film SuperTwist display, which boasts a 240- by 240-pixel
resolution. Features include hands-free ASP™ (Advanced Signal Processing) operation; patented
Grayline®, which helps separate fish and structure near the bottom from the actual bottom;
FishTrack, which displays target depth above each fish symbol to help guide quick and precise lure
presentations; Advanced FishSymbol I.D.™, which displays targets in different sizes of fish
symbols; and split-screen zoom. $159,
www.lowrance.com.