Electronics

I know sky is the limit but what is the must haves as far as electronics go. How big of screen what model, live scope, and what to stay away from. Would like to spend around 2k and I am ok not having the latest and greatest. Is my budget to much or way to low. Trying to get into fishing and would like to have decent success but don't want to break the bank either.

For most user friendly, I don't believe you can beat garmin. Their maps are pretty good without a card also. I just have 2 Echomap uhd 73sv's, but they do what I want.

IMO you side imaging is a must for easily finding brush piles , cover etc. If crappie fishing i mark with side imaging and then circle back around close and find it with my livescope and spotlock

you could get 2 garmin 93 uhds and the first gen livescope and be right around 3k. Buy used and probably under 2k

Live scope with a 9" screen.

You won't be sorry.

To stay under $2k and have everything you need I would try to find a used Livescope 32 with a 9" Echomap Plus 93sv for the bow and another 93sv for the console. I bet you can do it for $2k. The units will communicate, share waypoints, the unit at the console will provide side imaging, you can use the unit up front for livescoping, down imaging, or sonar. There is newer generation stuff out and I'm seeing the stuff I mentioned for sale used a lot. Bluball will chime in I'm sure. He's the electronics guru here.

stay away from lowrance hook, period.

garmin has their fall sales going on.

this is probably going to be your best deal on a brand new garmin 9". i used to order quite a bit from this company when i couldnt get a better deal from dealer pricing.


the gt54 works fine, not as much distance(power) than the 56 but still usable in water 50 ft deep or less. 455khz mode is killer for fish returns on sidevu.

for 300 bucks more to your budget you can add lvs32 at the bow unit.


ifin i wasnt gonna invest in livescope right now id put a 106 at the console and a 93 at the bow. that would be in your $2k budget, maybe a hundred more with on sale price now. the 106 head is much better at the console.

nothing wrong with humminbird or lowrance but youll get more bang for the buck right now with garmin sales price.

a note on installs. if you do it yourself, invest in marine grade wire and heat shrink connectors. if you run new wire to a terminal/fuse block up front make sure you fuse/breaker it at the battery terminal also BEFORE the disconnect switch for livescope. if not that section of wire between the battery terminal and the far end terminal/fuse block wont be protected. ive seen this mistake a lot or folks rely on the bms of a lithium battery for short circuit protection.

Spurhunter said:

To stay under $2k and have everything you need I would try to find a used Livescope 32 with a 9" Echomap Plus 93sv for the bow and another 93sv for the console. I bet you can do it for $2k. The units will communicate, share waypoints, the unit at the console will provide side imaging, you can use the unit up front for livescoping, down imaging, or sonar. There is newer generation stuff out and I'm seeing the stuff I mentioned for sale used a lot. Bluball will chime in I'm sure. He's the electronics guru here

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Think yall are giving great advice on getting the 93sv or 93uhd.Buddy cant get the 93uhd''s cheap like the bigger box stores so we arnt much help.Not sure if my buddy has any used 32 livescopes,but he can get the new 32's at a good deal

You could buy 2 of the 93 UHD units WTM posted and add a used Livescope 32 for just over $2K. I'm seeing used LVS 32 with the black box selling for $850. There's a couple on Bass Boat Central right now.

i might add those units wont last long at those prices so id make my mind up quick and order them or theyll be gone. used to theyd last about a month but now they are usually sold out in a week.

I would give Performance Fishing Products first chance being local to you and the customer service side of things.
If that does not work Russell Marine has used LVS 32 units posted for $850.
FB market place will have used as well but they seem to be running the same price.

My advice.....if you're planning on getting pretty in depth and commited I would save and "buy once, cry once"!
You have a nice rig that is capable and will serve you well but you will invest more in addons than what it is worth....is that a bad thing, absolutely not!!
Ask to go with friends with different equipment and test it for yourself to see what fits you the best.
Sounds like Ruger has a 9" LS setup, I have your same boat with 10" birds and 12" LS.
Blueball has us all beat with the 8616 cats meow!!
Your welcome to come with or check mine out whenever I am down, it stays at Brittonford Campground.

X-Tennessean said:

I would give Performance Fishing Products first chance being local to you and the customer service side of things.
If that does not work Russell Marine has used LVS 32 units posted for $850.
FB market place will have used as well but they seem to be running the same price.

My advice.....if you're planning on getting pretty in depth and commited I would save and "buy once, cry once"!
You have a nice rig that is capable and will serve you well but you will invest more in addons than what it is worth....is that a bad thing, absolutely not!!
Ask to go with friends with different equipment and test it for yourself to see what fits you the best.
Sounds like Ruger has a 9" LS setup, I have your same boat with 10" birds and 12" LS.
Blueball has us all beat with the 8616 cats meow!!
Your welcome to come with or check mine out whenever I am down, it stays at Brittonford Campground.

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i only have a 1222,but thinking about selling it.I wish i had a 8616if i sell my 1222 i will probally get a 8612.Danny has the 8616,its sweet.

X-Tennessean said:

I would give Performance Fishing Products first chance being local to you and the customer service side of things.
If that does not work Russell Marine has used LVS 32 units posted for $850.
FB market place will have used as well but they seem to be running the same price.

My advice.....if you're planning on getting pretty in depth and commited I would save and "buy once, cry once"!
You have a nice rig that is capable and will serve you well but you will invest more in addons than what it is worth....is that a bad thing, absolutely not!!
Ask to go with friends with different equipment and test it for yourself to see what fits you the best.
Sounds like Ruger has a 9" LS setup, I have your same boat with 10" birds and 12" LS.
Blueball has us all beat with the 8616 cats meow!!
Your welcome to come with or check mine out whenever I am down, it stays at Brittonford Campground.

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Just listedmy 1222 in the classifieds if you know anyone looking,thanks

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and offers. Just really starting to look and try and decide what I need/want. Keep the suggestions coming.

WTM said:

i might add those units wont last long at those prices so id make my mind up quick and order them or theyll be gone. used to theyd last about a month but now they are usually sold out in a week.

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How is the mapping and side view on those two units? Can they be linked from the console to the bow?

No need for livescope. Garmin 93sv for down image and Hummingbird Helix 9 for side imaging. Hummingbirds SI is far superior to Garmins SI and Garmins down image is far superior to Hummingbirds. JMO

Spurhunter said:

To stay under $2k and have everything you need I would try to find a used Livescope 32 with a 9" Echomap Plus 93sv for the bow and another 93sv for the console. I bet you can do it for $2k. The units will communicate, share waypoints, the unit at the console will provide side imaging, you can use the unit up front for livescoping, down imaging, or sonar. There is newer generation stuff out and I'm seeing the stuff I mentioned for sale used a lot. Bluball will chime in I'm sure. He's the electronics guru here.

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there was a used 93 and livescope on here for 1200 i believe. Thats been about 3 or 4 months ago

gasman said:

No need for livescope. Garmin 93sv for down image and Hummingbird Helix 9 for side imaging. Hummingbirds SI is far superior to Garmins SI and Garmins down image is far superior to Hummingbirds. JMO

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Dont know about that they say the si on garmin is great when using the gt56.I havent saw it first hand but have saw pics online and its really good.

gasman said:

Hummingbirds SI is far superior to Garmins SI and Garmins down image is far superior to Hummingbirds

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I have seen some killer SI from the birds. As far as Garmin's DI, I have been very disappointed in the DI on my Echomap Plus 93sv units. Maybe I don't have my settings right. I get so much more information from traditional sonar.

TN Larry said:

How is the mapping and side view on those two units? Can they be linked from the console to the bow?

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the included mapping is the same as their paid version minus the dynamic lake offsets and some of the sat and sonar images they took during their survey. theyve basically combined their survey maps and navionics together using garmins survey data and some of navionics data where they havent surveyed. you can check out their mapping at their site and see if they surveyes a particular lake. its comparable to c-map and lakemaster.

they can be networked with an ethernet cable between two 93sv's. in order to network 3 unit combinations you would need a gms10 port expander, ie networking panoptix with two heads. they can share sonar, way points, etc while networked.

as far as SI youre only going to be as good as the resolution as those units which is 800x480. the gt54 included with those units are not as good as the new gt56 but with a 93uhd it doesnt really matter because of the resolution limitation of the display.

this is about as good as it gets with a gt54 and a 93uhd. hope this helps.