Lowrance Lake or nautic insight???

[LanceL]

I'm going get a lowrance HDS, just not sure whether to get the lake or nautic insight. I go to Toledo bend on occasions, but i fish the marshes also. I'm looking for some input before I go spend that chunk of change. Also, what's the best card to get for down here for the rivers and bayous, if there's any. Thanks in advance

[Thefisherman64]

I got the lake insite maps and have not found it too distressing to run the marshes. It does show the waterway well enough. Just no depths to speak of in the marshes.

On the good side, I have looked at lakes that were the size of the LSU Lakes and it will have topographic information. And it covers all of the US. Not just regions.

[dirtdemon]

jeremy will be along shortly and maybe he can help ya out

[fishin couillon]

Sounds like you are looking at the HDS 5....from my research it looks as though Nautic Insight has the costal cover along with some inland lakes at those states that are along the coast unlike Lake Insight only covers inland waters. Now if you get a 7, 8 or 10 you can get the Insight USA and it includes the lakes and coastal areas....you cant get Insight on the 5....of course you could get lake insight and then get the nautic card but that's $200.....FYI-i have a new nautic card that im trying to sale cause i have no use for it and it should work with the HDS units....it's not the Nautic Insight card...it was before they came out. http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=739343

[LanceL]

I'm new to the gps. Will the card work with the HDS module?

[fishin couillon]

Yes...the HDS units have card readers...the 5 and 7 have one slot and the 8 and 10 has 2 slots. Even though it's an older card it still should work. I could double check with my hds units....

[timojohn]

I have Lake Insight USA that came with my unit, it sucks in the marsh (but you can turn it off and just use the basemap which is better). I also purchased a Nautic Platinum Plus card for it. After seeing the Nautic Platinum plus on Toledo compared to the Lake Insight it came with, I was very disappointed I paid the extra money for the Lake Insight. I recommend just getting the basemap and then upgrading with a card. The platinum plus is no better in the marsh then the Lake Insight, like I said, I just use the basemap in the marsh.

[Thefisherman64]

I have never seen the platinum Plus, now you have doneit !!!!!

I'll have to go and look at one, then I'll want it

[90xpress]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by timojohn &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">I have Lake Insight USA that came with my unit, it sucks in the marsh (but you can turn it off and just use the basemap which is better). I also purchased a Nautic Platinum Plus card for it. After seeing the Nautic Platinum plus on Toledo compared to the Lake Insight it came with, I was very disappointed I paid the extra money for the Lake Insight. I recommend just getting the basemap and then upgrading with a card. The platinum plus is no better in the marsh then the Lake Insight, like I said, I just use the basemap in the marsh. </td></tr></table>

platinum plus cards are for use in a very specific area. I use to sell them at west marine. I know first hand that if you tried using a card for toledo and then use that same card in SE Louisiana marsh, then it will not work. I dont know what area card your have but the one that is for the marsh down here which is the central gulf coast, it is great!

I recommend the platinum plus cards all the time over the insights, but its only for very specific areas. For instance, the central gulf coast card is for use from about lafayette, to panama city FL, thats the east west, the north south bounday is about venice LA to just south of baton rouge

If anyone has any questions about these cards, Feel free to call me or IM me. I used to look at them maps EVERYDAY while working at west marine, just to pass the time and learn as much as i could.

[LanceL]

Well my wife bought me the HDS 5 with lake insight because she got it for $499!!! They match academy add at cabelas so she couldn't pass it up. Now, here the question, should I bring it back and get the regular HDS or HDS with nautic insight? Or should I keep the the one I got with lake insight an get a card for marsh? I hate to keep bugging you guys but I just want to get best bang for my buck. Also, I heard te guy at front to back trolling motor shop has the cards for bayous and such around here, is that true? Once again I appreciate yalls help. I'd be lost without BBC!!!!!

[timojohn]

Being that bottom contours and 3d bottom views aren't of as much use in the marsh I got the inland southeast region card of platinum plus. Of course there are other platinum plus features that I don't use as much that could be of value in the marsh.
The base map works for me in the marsh. The inland card I have covers all of the southeast US. From Texas to the Atlantic coast, and from LA and Florida up to Tennessee.

Does the coastal version allow you to overlay the Google satellite map over the basemap like the inland version? (on the inland version there is no google map overlay option for the coastal areas)

[timojohn]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by LanceL &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Well my wife bought me the HDS 5 with lake insight because she got it for $499!!! They match academy add at cabelas so she couldn't pass it up. Now, here the question, should I bring it back and get the regular HDS or HDS with nautic insight? Or should I keep the the one I got with lake insight an get a card for marsh? I hate to keep bugging you guys but I just want to get best bang for my buck. Also, I heard te guy at front to back trolling motor shop has the cards for bayous and such around here, is that true? Once again I appreciate yalls help. I'd be lost without BBC!!!!! </td></tr></table>

If you got a HDS5 for $500 bucks I wouldn't worry about bringing it back unless you can get one for even cheaper. What I recommend is getting the cheapest stock HDS you can find and then picking a card based on your needs (coastal or inland).

If you go with inland platinum plus you will not be disappointed with it on Toledo Bend. It has 1' graduations on bottom contours aka. topographical lines on the bend in addition to bottom contour shading and 3-d views of the bottom. Not everywhere on the bend has that kind detail though, only places where they could scan with their equipment and avoid the standing timber/hazards. But, with the amount of area on the bend with that kind of detail you can spend years fishing those areas without even touching the rest of the lake where the information is not available.