03-06-2011, 04:53 PM
[cool][#0000ff]Count me as a fan. I bought (and returned) one of the older models. Just did not perform well. But I have been following the upgrades in technology and quality and decided to try one of the new ones this year. Glad I did.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There will always be diehards who would never give up their Vex or Marcum. No problem. A matter of personal preference and what you are used to. All systems take some learning and getting used to.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Showdown is arguably one of the easiest to use and understand from the first use. No circular dials to translate from...a vertical display, just like real life. No flashing colors to make your eyes go wacko or give you a headache. Some folks DO suffer from those things after watching the other models all day. The Showdown is simple black and white...with varying thicknesses of lines to help indicate size or proximity of fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the things I took advantage of this year was being able to "shoot through the ice". The transducer works great to shoot down through clear ice...and with a little water dribbled on the ice to make a good connection it will give a pretty good reading of both the bottom and any fish that are down there. Used that at Starvation to more quickly find a channel and the quick rise to a productive shelf I was looking for, without GPS.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The zoom feature works great, but is not needed in shallower waters. And it is good to watch the whole water column to see fish going through at different depths. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Easy adjustments for sensitivity and to eliminate noise if there are other sonars nearby. You can quickly fine tune your unit to show even the smallest jigs without having to endure a bunch of garbage on the display.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One downside...if it is one...is that when a lot of fish come through at the same time your depth reading will change to read the top of the fish school rather than the bottom. Had that happening in a school of Utah Lake white bass and again several times with hordes of perch at Starvation. But that's a GOOD problem to have.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There will always be diehards who would never give up their Vex or Marcum. No problem. A matter of personal preference and what you are used to. All systems take some learning and getting used to.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The Showdown is arguably one of the easiest to use and understand from the first use. No circular dials to translate from...a vertical display, just like real life. No flashing colors to make your eyes go wacko or give you a headache. Some folks DO suffer from those things after watching the other models all day. The Showdown is simple black and white...with varying thicknesses of lines to help indicate size or proximity of fish.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the things I took advantage of this year was being able to "shoot through the ice". The transducer works great to shoot down through clear ice...and with a little water dribbled on the ice to make a good connection it will give a pretty good reading of both the bottom and any fish that are down there. Used that at Starvation to more quickly find a channel and the quick rise to a productive shelf I was looking for, without GPS.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The zoom feature works great, but is not needed in shallower waters. And it is good to watch the whole water column to see fish going through at different depths. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Easy adjustments for sensitivity and to eliminate noise if there are other sonars nearby. You can quickly fine tune your unit to show even the smallest jigs without having to endure a bunch of garbage on the display.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One downside...if it is one...is that when a lot of fish come through at the same time your depth reading will change to read the top of the fish school rather than the bottom. Had that happening in a school of Utah Lake white bass and again several times with hordes of perch at Starvation. But that's a GOOD problem to have.[/#0000ff]
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