360 or Livescope

[AustinV]

I'll primarily be using whatever I get for finding/fishing brushpiles more efficiently, but also for suspended fish in the winter months. It will also be used for boulder fishing when I go up north, but that's usually only once a year.

Some of my concerns about livescope..
Is it a pain to pan the TM back and forth to find objects?
If you're using it out deep say main lake points and you have spot lock on is it basically useless if the TM is constantly shifting direction?
Do you find yourself more distracted by constantly looking at the screen trying to "video game" fish the whole time instead of just casting/panning for cover?
How are the images in wavy water?

Concerns about 360..
Is it durable? I feel like I've read a lot about the transducer bulb breaking or leaking some sort of fluid..I also fish very rough water and drive sensible, but it needs to be able to withstand that.
Is the GPS heading sensor required? I currently have Lowrance units and would primarily sidescan and then go back with 360 to target it
How are the images, and does it produce good images into say 30-40'? I'm not looking for crystal clear, but I want to be able to identify brush piles etc.

Thanks guys

[Fishysam]

LS won't help you find open water suspenders unless you know where to look via side image or lots of experience as panning and scanning would suck with no base line. But if you know it's very easy.

on spot lock it's very useful still. And if need be randomly scanning and re engage spot lock.

waves are no issue at all.

I have missed a handful of fish this year because I was distracted but have caught hundreds more to make up for it.

[Sbassin22]

On the 360, the clarity of the objects on the picture is reduced once you get over 40, but you can still pick objects up easily 40 and under. Brush piles and lay-downs stand out pretty obvious. It does require a GPS heading sensor, but it comes with it. I believe it's durable as heck. In my experience anyway. I drive rough water frequently on Champlain and Oneida, but I do try and take it easy where possible. Still has taken it's fair share of bumps and stuffed waves. If you're really worried about it, guys will replace the bolts that hold it on with knobbed bolts and just take the 360 off and strap it to their deck. Those are the serious guys who go wide open in 4-5 footers though.

[Wayne P.]

On the 360, the clarity of the objects on the picture is reduced once you get over 40, but you can still pick objects up easily 40 and under. Brush piles and lay-downs stand out pretty obvious. It does require a GPS heading sensor, but it comes with it. I believe it's durable as heck. In my experience anyway. I drive rough water frequently on Champlain and Oneida, but I do try and take it easy where possible. Still has taken it's fair share of bumps and stuffed waves. If you're really worried about it, guys will replace the bolts that hold it on with knobbed bolts and just take the 360 off and strap it to their deck. Those are the serious guys who go wide open in 4-5 footers though.

The 360 does not "require" a heading sensor to function. A heading sensor just adds the capability to mark and view waypoints on the 360 view.
The new MEGA 360 will not come with a GPS/Heading sensor antenna.

[GEEBASS2000]

If you go with 360 wait for MEGA!! I have run several Humming bird units over the last 20 years and the 360 is by far the worst resolution. The only way I can get any kind of Image that is of any use is to do what the post above says to do you have to cut the range down to way less then casting distance. On side image for example you can find good structure with range at 80 to 85 feet both sides of the boat. With 360 at 80 feet it is a blur at best. I agree with the above post above 40 foot is about all of it and by then you have spooked the fish.

[CHECrappie]

I'll primarily be using whatever I get for finding/fishing brushpiles more efficiently, but also for suspended fish in the winter months. best tool ever for suspended fish. Watching them react to the bait enhances your chances. It will also be used for boulder fishing when I go up north, but that's usually only once a year.

Some of my concerns about livescope..
Is it a pain to pan the TM back and forth to find objects? not once you’ve learned how to use it.
If you're using it out deep say main lake points and you have spot lock on is it basically useless if the TM is constantly shifting direction? it depends on the wind. IN high wind spot lock on my Xi5 keeps the motor from going left and right to much. Light wind, yes
Do you find yourself more distracted by constantly looking at the screen trying to "video game" fish the whole time instead of just casting/panning for cover. yes but you can eliminate so much dead water and be more efficient.
How are the images in wavy water? no problems. I’ve had water come over deck on spot lock and still catching them.

Concerns about 360..
Is it durable? I feel like I've read a lot about the transducer bulb breaking or leaking some sort of fluid..I also fish very rough water and drive sensible, but it needs to be able to withstand that.
Is the GPS heading sensor required? I currently have Lowrance units and would primarily sidescan and then go back with 360 to target it
How are the images, and does it produce good images into say 30-40'? I'm not looking for crystal clear, but I want to be able to identify brush piles etc.

Thanks guys

See above

[kjenckes]

I've had 360 for 2 years now and love it. Oh, there's a rock over there.... Durability? I have trailered from NH to the Potomac and countless trips to NY. I have bumped into docks and pontoon boats, no problems. I am not super good at finding fish with it yet but structure? Love it. Waiting for something better to me is like needing a tack driver rifle. The equipment is better than I am so it's good to have now.

[GetReel]

Finding structure - 360
fishing structure - LiveScope
finding fish - LiveScope
Suspended fish - LiveScope

watching a school of fish and how they react to your bait cadence in real time to make the right adjustments on the fly and see the fish crush your bait.... 100% LiveScope!

Now dont one get me wrong, if I had an extra $2,000 sitting around for more electronics, I'd rock both. But if only having 1, the choice for me is easy!

What I like to do, I'll scan till I find something that intrigues me, create a structure map and overlay it on the map screen (Lowrance Live Units), this way I know exactly what's where already, then I'll use my LiveScope to fish it. You can see rock, boulders, brush, weeds and the fish moving around them.

[G4bama]

A lot of people have mounted the Livescope transducer on a seperate rotating mount. They can point and control what they see verses having to rely on trolling motor to point the transducer. There is always one more gadget to buy to make it all work. Another example is the 360 Mega not coming with a GPS/Heading sensor.

[Great Scott]

Just hang on until the end of this yr. Cornfield Crappie
is going to introduce a mount thats electric that attaches to
your TM shaft for the LIVE SCOPE. It will move independent of your TM.
The prototype had a small head that resembled a TM with
a pointer arrow. It should be the cats ME-OW. LDS

[TOUCH OF CLASS]

Live scope has no equal ,I would give up my side scan to just have livescope.I can scan twice the area with scope than with my side scan and catch fish a lot more with it than with any other sonar.
I know guys will say no way but with my trolling motor or partner idling I can scan with with my livescope 100 plus feet on all sides and when I see fish in front of the boat Iam casting before the boat ever gets there.So no need to have to turn around and go find the fish that may of just got spooked by the boat running over or close to them.Its real time not a history

[Brownmaniac]

Just hang on until the end of this yr. Cornfield Crappie
is going to introduce a mount thats electric that attaches to
your TM shaft for the LIVE SCOPE. It will move independent of your TM.
The prototype had a small head that resembled a TM with
a pointer arrow. It should be the cats ME-OW. LDS

I was working on one too.... always a day late and a dollar short..

[Great Scott]

There is always room for competition. LDS

[woppercatcher]

I use my 360 to find structure, cover as well as fish! Can I make out the specific fish shapes, not exactly but I can see the dots or marks suspended in the trees or water column. While trolling along I have found many types of structure or cover that I didn't know were there and then actually caught fish at that point or later on. What I hate is more and more people are finding out about the 360. So please, go and buy the Live Scope and leave the 360 to us!

[Wayne P.]

A lot of people have mounted the Livescope transducer on a seperate rotating mount. They can point and control what they see verses having to rely on trolling motor to point the transducer. There is always one more gadget to buy to make it all work. Another example is the 360 Mega not coming with a GPS/Heading sensor.

If you have a Humminbird and Minnkota trolling motor with iPilot LINK you don't need to purchase the Humminbird Heading Sensor/GPS antenna to mark and view waypoints on the 360 view. You can get Heading/GPS from the trolling motor via Ethernet.

[akaslyguy]

This isn't the best image in the world, and WayneP can show some that are much better.... but I just wanted to show that you can be scanning out at a longer range than 40ft and still get good info. I use my 360 all the time and can't wait for the new Mega 360 to come out.

S00049c.PNG

[WVBullet]

The livescope is really cool, but I’m going to look hard at the mega 360. It’s made some improvements and I’m sure if I wait just a little while another model or upgrade will surface. For where and how I fish, the 360 is more up my alley. The mega sure does look good and I’m sure they will even improve it. Then I’ll buy. I have Lowrance on the bow and 2 Birds on the console. DI and SI. So I can wait them out.

[Keoweefishing]

What is the expected availability date of the Mega 360?

[jasonG]

This isn't the best image in the world, and WayneP can show some that are much better.... but I just wanted to show that you can be scanning out at a longer range than 40ft and still get good info. I use my 360 all the time and can't wait for the new Mega 360 to come out.

S00049c.PNG

thats better than any image I ever got from my 360. I can only imagine you were sitting perfectly still

[woppercatcher]

thats better than any image I ever got from my 360. I can only imagine you were sitting perfectly still

I set mine up using the same settings as in this video and I get images like the above even when moving. I'm sure the mega version will be better but at this time I see no reason to upgrade as I can see very clearly any cover or structure using my current 360.