Humminbird 598 HD SI - Anyone have any feedback

[BillyH]

Boat problem solved, ended up going with the pontoon. That being said, i am planning to pick up a fish finder and one that has caught me attention is the 589 SI due to the side scanning. Has anyone used this one or have any feedback on the side scanning?
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[wolfs4evr]

If I was buying a unit with Side Imaging being the (a) huge priority it would be the 1100 series (I know 3-4 times more expensive... Thus I don't have one). Small screen/hard to see "stuff" is the 5" screens downfall. It is there but small. A huge downside.

Other than that the unit is the same as my 798ci HD SI other than no networking architecture/hardware or quick view pre-set buttons. Mine works fine and I can see stuff to the sides just that it is small. I typically only use a 50 foot left/right setting with my 798 verse say a 100 foot left/right view on my 898. LED backlit screen is the bomb. Nice and bright. The quick detach base/unit set-up is a huge bonus, especially for rigs that are not stored in doors. Takes a second to remove the unit for storage. (It doesn't come with a screen cover if I remember correctly, so something I consider very important to buy also.) The 800 and up series comes with a screen cover in the box. GPS is ~ok. I reallllly don't care for the internal GPS on my 798. Speed is jumpy, position can be jumpy, etc. Not like miles or anything like that... My 898 on the console that utilizes a external GPS puck is in a completely different world compared to the internal GPS of the 500-700 series units. Smooth speed readings, position accuracy, etc. (Being nitty gritty here but if you ever hop on some Humminbird forums you will see I am not the only one that has a issue with units with internal GPS.)

Now with all that said... I don't use any of the cool features on either of my units on Lake Mead to catch fish (generally speaking). Just a unusual lake. IMO the amount of water we have verse the amount of Bass is astronomical (not in the fishermans favor). I just can't see myself seeing one cool boulder or bush off to the left or right and wanting to fish it hard, if at all. Lake Mead is nothing but one huge boulder or bush here or there and there isn't fish behind them all/hardly any of them.

Now... Purely Striper fishing then SI is usefull. But only using 50 feet left/right is a huge hinderance. Not a whole big swath to take in. On my console set at 100 left/right I can see Stripers on my sides along with bait balls, etc. I just don't Striper fish much so most of this post is in reference to a Large/Small Mouth Bass fisherman.

Great for other fisheries/lakes just not the one in our own backyard.

I love and use all the features on other bodies of water...
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