Todays cost on electronics to compete

[GFM]

Ok, a few question for all....

1. How much do you need to spend on your electronics to compete at a high level? (High level examples; MLF Toyota, BASS Opens, Elites, Invitationals, BPT Etc,)

(I believe you do if you want to be in the check line for most of these tournaments.)

2. Why are we spending this amount for a little bass?

(I believe its a form of addiction. We have such a high drive to compete and electronics helps with that and is another tool in your tool box)

3. Is it going to get worse, if so, how?

(Yes, Just 7 years ago we only really had side and down imaging. 7 years from today, the sky is the limits!)

[bloodman]

I just paid $14 for a dam whole chicken. Its crazy

[champ223]

I just paid $14 for a dam whole chicken. Its crazy

I have to see this chicken

[wareagle24]

Question 2- because it's competition. If your competitor is beating you with something that you don't have then you have to do the same or get used to losing.

[Rick McFaul]

The best deal going are those Garmin Echomap Ultra UHD 126 units that frequently go on sale for $1600. You can get 4 of those and a Livescope LVS 34 for $8k. It's still a chunk of change but you'll have a very equipped boat at an acceptable price point.

[1ranger487vs]

Still have to learn how to use them

[Mark Perry]

You don't need all of that to compete on a local level in most areas.

[Bass Cat Boats]

Tour grade setups can range from $15,000 all the way to $30,000 on realistic setups. The variations run from turrets, networking, Mega 360, specialty graph mounts, Transducer Shield and Savers (TSS), Fish Obsessed mounts, dual and triple Live Scope units (overlapping cones), larger screens in the 16” range and more. This is not the craziness of NBT 22” monitors, higher power controllers, individual lithium batteries and more.

One 8616 XSV is $6100 alone, add the accessories and your above $8500. Ultra units are the most common for local anglers, though they don’t have HDMI ports the 8600 style does, and resolution is less.

Just for conversation, these are general numbers on most setups.
LVS 34 - $1700
Ultra 126 unit - $2600
Fish Obsessed - $175
TSS - $250
Side Imaging - $350
Mega 360 - $1600
Humminbird Solix 12” - $3200
HumminBird Helix 10” - $2100
5 port hub - $250
DD 26 turret - $1250
BBT/Precision Sonar style Mount - $350
Miscellaneous cabling, NMEA and network items - $250
MinnKota Ultrex Quest I Pilot with SI - $4200 (we like the cable steer for control)

Not dissing Lowrance and Active Target 2 in this, though most Lowrance anglers are core sponsorships and not building combos. The Lowrance combination we had on our last Jaguar STS and 500R rig was among the clearest I’ve ever experienced. From the 2 in 1 transducer to the Active Target 2 the images were pristine. They also have the cleanest Down Scan images. Most anglers with these also use Ghost motors.

yes, it gets expensive fast.

And… we haven’t added Power Poles or Raptors to it yet. They must have those to use the equipment effectively in most areas where shallower water exists, not offshore.

[Meleagris1]

Easy to dump 25K

[BMCD]

Compete by doing what you have confidence in.

[mike464]

Get an LVS34 setup for 1700, a sale priced garmin106 for 1000, 3 HDS 9s for graphing, 2d and SI for 3300, total 6k and you can compete with anyone.

[JohnnyK]

Get an LVS34 setup for 1700, a sale priced garmin106 for 1000, 3 HDS 9s for graphing, 2d and SI for 3300, total 6k and you can compete with anyone.

what about upgraded wiring and connectors, batteries, charger and graph mounts.

[woppercatcher]

Depends on what you mean by compete. On the "real" professional circuits just look at the above video and you have your answer. At the local levels I guess it depends on the amount of disposable income you have to spend on gambling, (yes gamble) to try and get a return on that investment. For myself, I just compete in small local club type tournaments and I've spent over $70,000 for my latest boat, over $12,000 on electronics and that's not counting all the electronics I've bought over the years and, tackle and much more. I could go on with the amount spent on gas and maintenance. I will say that the more I have spent on technology has made it better for myself to compete and win but now more and more people are able to get the same technology so it's harder. However, I don't expect to get a return on my investment other than the shear enjoyment of the competition and fun fishing. I have the disposable income to spend so I spend it. I do think it's crazy to spend tens of thousands of dollars because that is needed in order to compete at a local level but here we are. There is a solution, if people are willing to accept it.

And it should be noted that in the above video that most if not all of the pros interviewed, none of them actually paid for the electronics on their boat.

[Mark Perry]

what about upgraded wiring and connectors, batteries, charger and graph mounts.

You can run dedicated marine grade 10ga wiring and connectors for $50. Yiu don't have to upgrade good batteries unless you want to.you can get a mount for $100


You can get one of the best 12" Garmins on the market for a great price too.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/garm...E&gclsrc=aw.ds



You can gon the used route on it all and save big time.

[willwork4fish]

In the high level events you probably need all of that stuff to compete. For local/regional events (I'm talking stuff with a $150-$300 entry fee events) you generally don't "need" anything but a couple of regular graphs. It's probably regional too in terms of how much it helps, I don't find it particularly useful up shallow. I've got Livescope (LVS32) and it helps me some in places like Sturgeon Bay and other big deep clear bodies of water but at LaCrosse or really any where on the river (or water like it) it doesn't help a ton and can be kind of a pain in heavy grass.

There's a couple of older guys (father son team, the dad is in his 80's the son is about my age) that fish in a circuit I do and they will flat out take your money fishing out of an old Alumacraft Aggressor. They're more than competing against guys with all of the new technology. I fish out of my partners boat in this circuit and we've cashed our share of checks without FFS.

[bassfisher444]

You could do pretty well with just a 10-12" on the console, a 10-12" on the bow with livescope and another smaller unit up front for mapping if you want. I run a 9 and 10 up front and 2 9s on the console and I don't want anymore than that.

[Mahomee]

Ive had two scopes and 360 since the day it all became available. It took a while to get my second scope when they were all back ordered.

I dont compete just fun fish.

I always update to the newest stuff asap when it comes out so I can get some value out of my used stuff.

I got about 30k on my boat between 5 12s 2 scopes mega 360 15 foot talons lithiums etc.

[WVBullet]

The price of everything has gotten out of control, plain and simple. Consumer costs are flippin ridiculous and can’t be justified to the point they are. Yes, I understand that in order for people to have a decent wage that costs go up, but in the last couple years, everyone from manufacturers to local stores have taken advantages that are completely unfair and absolutely unacceptable. But not much will be done. Electronics, TM’s and boats have fallen in to the racket scheme. As long as things are bought, they will continue climbing. The word boycott is like a unicorn.

[Mcjenson]

You could do pretty well with just a 10-12" on the console, a 10-12" on the bow with livescope and another smaller unit up front for mapping if you want. I run a 9 and 10 up front and 2 9s on the console and I don't want anymore than that.

Totally agreed. You could have a 10 at the console, a 10 up front with livescope, maybe a 9 for mapping up front, and be totally competitive. The extra graphs / transducers are for slightly increased convenience / ease of use, and a little bit for redundancy in case one graph goes out.

[Bass_boat_boy]

I'm running an hds 12 live at the wheel and 2 hds 9 lives with AT at the front and I have no issues locating/catching fish. If I get beat it because I wasn't on the right fish. Having more units wouldn't have helped.