Hummingbird Helix

[Deleted User]

First let me say hummingbird is awesome! The whole product, customer service etc. From what I’ve seen so is Lowrance, Garmin, Rayman and then some even higher end companies. (I’m Helix 12 SI, DI, Chirp, 360 user). So I write this to tell you what to expect. I don’t think any of these are really plug and play. Getting transducers mounted right tested and then adjusted then rewiring and new dedicated batteries to deal with different types of interference from trolling motors and other things…adding ferret rings etc….this is hours upon hours …days on Lake realizing its not right and you still dont have it tweaked…lost fishing time…just to get up and running with this sensitive equipment. Reading, studying, listening, on the phone…so here’s the deal. If you are a bass fisherman and you like to troll the banks and lay downs and sight fish spawning beds and coves and docks etc. You don’t need this electronics. If you like to use your instincts and study the free Navionics sonar maps to locate the best visual shore points to fish for bass then the electronics are of no significant help. If you fish bluff walls along the shore for bass this again is of no help. So in order to learn how to really fish off shore you have to get those methods out of your system for awhile until you spend the hours upon hours and time on the lake learning your equipment off shore. This represents days and days of seemingly not really fishing hoping for the big pay off some day when you find that school of bass of shore only to realize you need different rods or gear ratio reels etc. So if you are ready to dedicate that kind of time and additional money and time not really fishing hoping that in the future you will become a good off shore fisherman…then it’s for you. If not…spend the money on fishing gear. I’m a weekend warrior 52 weeks in a year I’m lucky to get my boat out 50 times in a year. So be ready to lose some 30 days of that just to learn…

[nobass]

Great reply

[rolltide]

Thanks for the info Bruce..

[volfan]

For what it’s worth, Phoenix is seeing a big increase in demand for hummingbird machines lately.
It’s mainly from the more efficient transducer setup and Not losing bottom at higher speeds.
Personally, I’m a Lowrance man. I don’t have any experience with HB.
My $.02.

[jdno7]

I have a Helix 10 and a Helix 9 and they are incredible. Their software is the best I think as far as being user friendly and are crystal clear for side imaging. Also their lake master hummingbird chip is by a mile the best with detail and depth range highlight options. You won’t be sorry.

[rolltide]

Thanks for the info guy’s…

[blockel]

quote bruceclayton:

First let me say hummingbird is awesome! The whole product, customer service etc. From what I’ve seen so is Lowrance, Garmin, Rayman and then some even higher end companies. (I’m Helix 12 SI, DI, Chirp, 360 user). So I write this to tell you what to expect. I don’t think any of these are really plug and play. Getting transducers mounted right tested and then adjusted then rewiring and new dedicated batteries to deal with different types of interference from trolling motors and other things…adding ferret rings etc….this is hours upon hours …days on Lake realizing its not right and you still dont have it tweaked…lost fishing time…just to get up and running with this sensitive equipment. Reading, studying, listening, on the phone…so here’s the deal. If you are a bass fisherman and you like to troll the banks and lay downs and sight fish spawning beds and coves and docks etc. You don’t need this electronics. If you like to use your instincts and study the free Navionics sonar maps to locate the best visual shore points to fish for bass then the electronics are of no significant help. If you fish bluff walls along the shore for bass this again is of no help. So in order to learn how to really fish off shore you have to get those methods out of your system for awhile until you spend the hours upon hours and time on the lake learning your equipment off shore. This represents days and days of seemingly not really fishing hoping for the big pay off some day when you find that school of bass of shore only to realize you need different rods or gear ratio reels etc. So if you are ready to dedicate that kind of time and additional money and time not really fishing hoping that in the future you will become a good off shore fisherman…then it’s for you. If not…spend the money on fishing gear. I’m a weekend warrior 52 weeks in a year I’m lucky to get my boat out 50 times in a year. So be ready to lose some 30 days of that just to learn…

Great response! I’m relatively new to DI, SI and graphing offshore and honestly haven’t had much success but as mentioned in the post above, I’m a weekend warrior as well and it’s tough for me to “waste” a day graphing. If I get out, it’s hard not making casts at things that look good! Having said that, I definitely think there is a time and place for spending some time on your units and I have room to improve in that facet of the game. If nothing else, they can help find the shad quickly and sometimes that can be the ticket!

As for Hummingbird units, I currently have Lowrance but there are a lot of good options out there these days. I don’t really think you can go wrong with any of the main manufacturers (HB, Lowrance, Garmin, Raymarine). I did see some images on instagram from HB’s new MEGA technology for down and side imagining and it was pretty impressive!

[Brian]

I’m Lowrance guy, but I know more and more people that are getting the Hummingbird for their mapping. I also heard most of the Phoenix boats are coming out with Hummingbirds now.