New Here! Need advice on garmin sv gt52 and mounting

[Shan]

**for clarification** the unit I’m currently looking to purchase is a Garmin Striker Plus 7sv with GT52HW-TM

Hi guys! I’m new to the forums and have scoured them for info already. There’s a lot to take in! I originally thought the CV transducers would be better for me personally since I’ll be fishing in under 100ft but realistically it’ll be between 15-50ft. I recently found a great deal on a garmin 7sv with gt52 under $450. Im about to pull the trigger but am now torn between the same unit and a cv52 for $50 less, or is there another unit you would recommend for fishing a moderately murky lake (3-4ft visibility)? I am looking at some echomaps but know even less about them. I know their gps is better but that’s not a priority for me. Not sure how much better sonar they are with same ducers. Again, I’m on a lake in Texas so don’t necessarily need the best gps. Sonar is more important with down imaging being at the forefront of my needs. My budget is under $450. Frankly I started looking at the striker plus 4cv with a cv21 ducer, but when I went to pick up the unit I realized it came with a gt21 and from there I fell into the rabbit hole of varying elements between ct and gt models. I’ve since doubled my budget after realizing I’ll have this unit for a while and might as well upgrade so I can minimize the potential for buyers remorse lol. Vids I’ve seen show little to no difference. So if anyone can shed some definitive light on this matter I’d be greatly appreciative. I’m probably going to pull the trigger on the 7sv with gt52 unless someone’s has a better opinion for my situation. Again I’ll be in shallow water majority of the time under 50’ never going over 100’. I’ve looked at lowrance and hummingbird but don’t know much about them. I know they’re good but for under $450 is it better than the 7sv?

im also confused on what the difference in 7sv and 7dv is despite my best research efforts. It’s all been overwhelming to say the least.

Thank you in advance! From my brief experience on this forum I can already tell this community is amazing and full of knowledgeable folks eager to help! Sorry for the long post I just wanted to make sure I gave ample info. If you need anything further, just let me know!

FWIW I’m in a 14’ aluminum tri hull with a new 9.9 merc on the back. I’d like to also build a custom mount for the transducer so I can rotate/swivel/aim it instead of having it on the back of the boat. Custom trolling motor mount would be less ideal as my TM is mounted on the back. Or if y’all know of a better mounting location on the boat, I’m receptive to any and all ideas. Any insight into this is also greatly appreciated. I’ve seen some vids for making the mount out of a Scotty mount and pvc so if anyone’s done something like this and has advice I’d love to hear it. I can’t wait to get back on the lake and try my new unit and catch some fish!
Thanks y’all!

[Dropdeadfred]

The 93 sv plus is discontinued with the Ultra out. Has good map and GPS features and some good deals out there. Honestly I dont get much out of sideview. My hobby is fishing not playing video games and fiddle farting with electronics. Id just mount it on your transom and be done with it.

[pdxfisher]

I use SV a lot when scouting new water. You can find rockpiles, humps, weedbeds and the like much more quickly and efficiently. I had an HB DV only unit prior to getting SV and there is a big difference. I strongly recommend getting SV if it fits in your budget.

If you ever watch any pro anglers they are always running SV when doing detailed scouting of new water. They use it to look for structure and bait balls. It is extremely effective for that since you can scope out a large area quickly.

If you are already familiar with the structure and waters you fish it may not have as much value, but I still find it useful for positioning myself correctly when fishing offshore structure.

I am fishing out of a kayak so the fact that you are in a 14' boat would not change my answer.

[fishin couillon]

7sv would be the 7" unit with side vu while the 7cv(dv) is the 7" unit with clear vu (down vu) only. Also the differece with transducers that have CV52 and GT52 is that the CV did not have the down scanning element built in. It got the down image from combining the sidevu images. The GT has the down scanning element. Other than the down scanning element the CV52 and GT52 is the same. Also, earlier Garmin models that have DV means "down vu". They have since changed DV to CV (Clear Vu).

I dont see nothing wrong with the Striker Plus 7sv. Although it does not have the mapping, it does have Quickdraw Contour program where you can make your own maps while fishing.

As for mounting the ducer, if a pole will work for you then do it that way. Wouldnt hurt anything.

[Shan]

Thanks for the in-depth reply, partner. I’m going to pull the trigger on the 7sv since I get the gt52 and a discount. I had analysis paralysis with so many brands, new and older models, transducers, etc. Its a lot to consider. Thanks again for taking the time to help

[LWINCHESTER2]

No problem with your analysis, the comments or your decision. Didn't quiet get the "aiming" part of putting it on a sick but you could add LiveScope or Panoptix. You could do some aiming with the rotating the SideVu but I have no experience with that sort of thing. With some practice, possibly it could be productive. You'll be happy with the sonar.