Garmin Ice fishing bundles

[Off in the Bushes]

Any one with first hand experience with Garmin ice fishing bundles. I want to use my head unit from my boat. How is the transducer? Better or equal to the one on your boat. How log does the battery last is it worth it to go lithium? Pros? Cons?

[58thecat]

I don’t run the ice fishing bundle just the garmin striker 4 for ice fishing, kayak etc.
It’s a great little unit, you will get 3 days 6hrs of fishing out of the standard battery.
I never switched transducers as the suction cup one works fine just got to ensure it sits proper below the ice.
I fish for lakers in deep water down to 170 fow I’m which that is where the unit can’t separate bottom from fish like the hummingbirds can when you use the zoom feature but either way I am on year four with this little unit and very pleased overall.

[AlbertanGP]

I've run Livescope setups for a few hardwater seasons now. I occasionally use the GT10HN-IF transducer with mine and it works very well. The battery should last all day no problem with a non-Livescope setup. But the Lithium version is still worth it in my opinion. You may be able to pick up a lithium ion battery elsewhere for less and just swap it.

[bradvtown]

I've been doing some investigating on this also. From what I can see it's much cheaper to buy the ice fishing bundle and attach your head unit that it is to make your own. I had plans of building one using a pelican case but after looking at the cost of a transducer, power cord, mount, adaptor cable it was an easy decision. That said the pelican case version would hold up to way more abuse.

I should add this is for an echomap 75.

[Off in the Bushes]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

I've run Livescope setups for a few hardwater seasons now. I occasionally use the GT10HN-IF transducer with mine and it works very well. The battery should last all day no problem with a non-Livescope setup. But the Lithium version is still worth it in my opinion. You may be able to pick up a lithium ion battery elsewhere for less and just swap it.

Is live scope worth the cost of admission? Did you see a definite up swing in the volume of fish you were catching? Do you use it for targeting pike and walleye, or more for school fish like perch and trout.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

Is live scope worth the cost of admission? Did you see a definite up swing in the volume of fish you were catching? Do you use it for targeting pike and walleye, or more for school fish like perch and trout.

100%.

Live or forward facing sonar is truly a game changer, to the extent that it has forever altered fishing and will likely have a serious impact on our fisheries.

Once you figure it out, and it doesn't take long, it will increase your catch rate in ALL situations, and change when, where, and how you fish.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

Is live scope worth the cost of admission? Did you see a definite up swing in the volume of fish you were catching? Do you use it for targeting pike and walleye, or more for school fish like perch and trout.

1000%

I use it for everything from perch and whitefish in under 10 fow to lakers down to 100'. I always say it makes a mediocre fisherman (me) look like a superstar. And hardwater is it's most reliable application as you aren't dealing with the boat/unit bobbing up and down. I agree with Walleyedude that if everyone had it, there would be a significant detrimental effect on our fisheries.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

100%.

Live or forward facing sonar is truly a game changer, to the extent that it has forever altered fishing and will likely have a serious impact on our fisheries.

Once you figure it out, and it doesn't take long, it will increase your catch rate in ALL situations, and change when, where, and how you fish.

Can hardly wait until the technology gets even better and the prices drop too.

[Lunkerhunter]

I think you just sold me on this unit those are some powerful testimonials.


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[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by Walleyedude

100%.

Live or forward facing sonar is truly a game changer, to the extent that it has forever altered fishing and will likely have a serious impact on our fisheries.

Once you figure it out, and it doesn't take long, it will increase your catch rate in ALL situations, and change when, where, and how you fish.

Your right it has changed the industry. So has side imaging 2d sonar and down imaging. I have seen were the fish are their and well just don't bit no matter what I tossed at them.

Gbuss

[Gbuss]

I need to pull mine off the kayak for the winter yet. But I plan on getting either a summit shuttle or a arclab shuttle a d their poll. I also want to run a 32amp NMC battery in the shuttle as it last longer then regular lithiums

Gbuss

[AlbertanGP]

I think personally the ArcLab shuttle is pricey for what it is. And it's a big chunk of aluminum to hold in the winter. Unless you have some setup where it helps you transition smoothly from winter to summer use, I'd avoid it myself. I've been happy with Summit shuttles, and their poles are the best/best bang for the buck by a long shot.

Amped Outdoors 32Amp NMC battery is the way to go for sure. If you need the Canadian distributor's contact info to order one let me know.

[mayuan]

I've been running the Garmin UHD 75sv on a genz box for several years and it works really well. The ice ducer GT10HN-IF gives great details on the lakes. Instead of the standard battery, I bought the Lithium. No way I can tell the battery usage, as the battery meter on the genz is for a lead battery. Longest I've gone is two days without charging and it still had power.

[Walleyedude]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

Your right it has changed the industry. So has side imaging 2d sonar and down imaging. I have seen were the fish are their and well just don't bit no matter what I tossed at them.

Gbuss

It's in a different league than side or down imaging in terms of its impact. Those are both useful tools, but there's no comparison to live sonar.

It's like going from not having sonar, to having good quality 2D sonar. It's that big of a jump in my opinion. It's the next step in "seeing" the underwater world. I've learned more in 1-2 years of fishing with it than I did in the previous 10-15, and I've had top of the line electronics all along.

[dave99]

I am light years behind some folks on here when it comes to sonar. I typically fish out of my canoe in Jasper. Lakes like Maligne, Medicine, Patricia and Pyramid.

Occasionally fish other lakes and even made a maiden voyage to Cold Lake this summer.

The portable Garmin Stryker 4 has improved my fishing incredibly. It’s an inexpensive tool that has helped me learn a ton in the past couple years. Highly recommended.

Now you jerks have me thinking about Live Imaging…

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by mayuan

I've been running the Garmin UHD 75sv on a genz box for several years and it works really well. The ice ducer GT10HN-IF gives great details on the lakes. Instead of the standard battery, I bought the Lithium. No way I can tell the battery usage, as the battery meter on the genz is for a lead battery. Longest I've gone is two days without charging and it still had power.

Your unit draws 0.8A. Divide the Ah rating of your battery by 0.8 and you should get a good estimation of how long your battery will last.

[Off in the Bushes]

So is panoptic and live scope two different things or do need one to get the other.
Also there are different carrying bags? I never knew. How is the garmin one compared to summits, for both quality and price.? Looking to make a Black Friday purchase on some of this stuff. Recommend any retailers?

[AlbertanGP]

Panoptix is Garmin's first generation of live imaging sonar. LiveScope is the second generation. LiveScope is quite a bit clearer, but Panoptix has slightly better range. It shouldn't be hard to see the differences in an online search once you understand they are two different technologies. I'd go straight to LiveScope if you're investing in the technology.

There are all sorts of carrying bags & shuttles for LiveScope units. Garmin has the best bag and the best kit in general, except for their janky plastic pole. Summit has the best pole IMO (I just looked at the ArcLabs pole at TFH today and shook my head...) So what I did around this time last year when I upgraded from LiveScope to LiveScope Plus was sell my original LiveScope bundle complete and then source all the Garmin stuff from Cabelas/GPS City/GPS Central for the best price and then get the pole from Summit.

FYI, I have had the complete Garmin ice bundle and also a fully built Summit kit for my Lowrance Active Target. So I have used both setups simultaneously side by side out on the ice.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Panoptix is Garmin's first generation of live imaging sonar. LiveScope is the second generation. LiveScope is quite a bit clearer, but Panoptix has slightly better range. It shouldn't be hard to see the differences in an online search once you understand they are two different technologies. I'd go straight to LiveScope if you're investing in the technology.

There are all sorts of carrying bags & shuttles for LiveScope units. Garmin has the best bag and the best kit in general, except for their janky plastic pole. Summit has the best pole IMO (I just looked at the ArcLabs pole at TFH today and shook my head...) So what I did around this time last year when I upgraded from LiveScope to LiveScope Plus was sell my original LiveScope bundle complete and then source all the Garmin stuff from Cabelas/GPS City/GPS Central for the best price and then get the pole from Summit.

FYI, I have had the complete Garmin ice bundle and also a fully built Summit kit for my Lowrance Active Target. So I have used both setups simultaneously side by side out on the ice.

There is no room in your ice tent for me due to your gear so I sit outside and freeze my arse off.




At athapapuskow right now planning a ice fishing trip and catching big fish….more to follow!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Esox]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Panoptix is Garmin's first generation of live imaging sonar. LiveScope is the second generation. LiveScope is quite a bit clearer, but Panoptix has slightly better range. It shouldn't be hard to see the differences in an online search once you understand they are two different technologies. I'd go straight to LiveScope if you're investing in the technology.

There are all sorts of carrying bags & shuttles for LiveScope units. Garmin has the best bag and the best kit in general, except for their janky plastic pole. Summit has the best pole IMO (I just looked at the ArcLabs pole at TFH today and shook my head...) So what I did around this time last year when I upgraded from LiveScope to LiveScope Plus was sell my original LiveScope bundle complete and then source all the Garmin stuff from Cabelas/GPS City/GPS Central for the best price and then get the pole from Summit.

FYI, I have had the complete Garmin ice bundle and also a fully built Summit kit for my Lowrance Active Target. So I have used both setups simultaneously side by side out on the ice.

So whats the big difference between the livescope and livescope plus? Just looking at livescope plus and its $4300

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

There is no room in your ice tent for me due to your gear so I sit outside and freeze my arse off.




At athapapuskow right now planning a ice fishing trip and catching big fish….more to follow!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by Esox

So whats the big difference between the livescope and livescope plus? Just looking at livescope plus and its $4300

According to Garmin marketing the Livescope Plus system has 35% better resolution. I would say it's more like 10% at best...many times I don't notice any difference. And the Plus system seems to be more tempermental than my old normal LiveScope system. If I could do it over again, I'd stay with normal Livescope and get LiveScope XR for laker fishing instead.

$4,000+ is the normal price for current-generation LiveScope setups. Up until LiveScope Plus was released, normal LiveScope systems were $4,000+ also.