Lakemaster Promaps

[SKUNK]

I just bought a chip for my GPS that I was hoping to use while fishing the bay. Have any of you had succes with this chip on Saginaw Bay? I'm finding differances between the Lakemaster chip and the coordinates I get of my Hotspots map. I hope the Hotspots is wrong because I don't have $100 invested in that. THANX!
Chuck

[UNCLE AL]

I saw this thread when you first posted it, and it's bothered me since. I have a very simple garmin etrex gps that takes me out on the bay and back to my truck. It doesn't have any software in it to locate land marks of anykind or type. I have to program icons and info into it to know where I've been, and where I'm going.
I also have a garmin GPS60C map that has everything that a map of michigan has on it including what gas stations are at what exits along I 75. Now this is loaded with the entire eastern half of the United States from the Mississippi river to the Atlantic Ocean. The thing is real nice when I'm driving along highways and byways, but when I get out into Saginaw Bay all I see is Blue, no highway signs no topo information, no rest stops. I guess the thing I'm getting at is why do we need such an expensive device with all the bells and whistles on Saginaw Bay when all you need is one that costs $100.00 or less. I know I've probably opened a can of worms here, but don't take anything by it. I'll get posts about what this gps and that gps can and can't do, It'll end up like the baiting issues in the Deer Forums has gotten. Use your gps a lot and you'll enjoy it more and more, but my $100.00 etrex is the one that goes on the bay with me.

[sfw1960]

........ Use your gps a lot and you'll enjoy it more and more, but my $100.00 etrex is the one that goes on the bay with me.
Some folks are completely satsified with "good enough" or the "cheapest you have"......
There is simply NOTHING wrong with wanting more out of life....
:evilsmile

I have a Navionics HotMaps USA chip in my Humminbird 787c2 and it works fantastic - my Eagle AccuNav sport has only a grid - NO MAPPING at all and I was considering a LakeMaster Pro for my Lowrance LMS332c.... all three GPS's will take you to a coordinate with failry decent accuracy ; much in the same way a Chevy Aveo will get you to the Canadian Border - but not as nicely as a something like a $90,000 Saab....
I've got $1500 worth of electronics on a 16' boat ~
I'm a cheap b@$t@rd , but I certainly enjoy viewing and using my electronics .
Much in the same way that some folks "need" a 52" bigscreen - I can watch the news on a 19" or 27" TV fine.
:p
Chuck ,
The LakeMaster is probabaly the more accurate of the two.
(I played with one IN an LMS332c , courtesy of a friend @ Gander - nice chip!)

ENJOY IT.
R

[LlipRipper]

I have 2 unmapped GPSs and an Ifinder pro with map chip. For me if I know the body of water I'm on and already have coordinates available then it would not matter which I use. But most of the time I don't and the map chip shows all the depth contours and I can go right to a dropoff or hump and drill my hole knowing I am exactly on the spot. This saves me a lot of time and effort drilling holes and making extra noise. That is why I use the upper end units with maps. If I were to start across Sag. Bay looking for a particular spot I would be a long time looking without it and very tired.

[SKUNK]

Al, thanx for responding. You are very right about what is needed for fishing out there. I've been using an Eagle Expedition out there for about 10 years, and it has gotten me back to my truck and back to pressure cracks and even back to a hot hole showing me the same blue screen as your etrx. The GPS I bought really isn't much more than yours, another 50 bucks, and it is waterproof, which is something I needed. The xtra $100 for the chip was well worth the money for me because being from this side of the state I don't get the chances to fish there as often as I like and hope with this chip will be able to find the slight contours and sunken humps etc. that might make my time there more productive. I used this unit in the U.P. this week on some lakes I've never been on and walked right to some reefs, big timesaver for those of us that don't live in an area we're fishing. Good Luck out there this year,if we ever get some ice I'll go out to River Light #1 and see which one is right. Thanx

[UNCLE AL]

I did a search on some of the models of GPS/SONAR/PLOTTERS that have been listed in the above posts, and I find it hard to believe that people are taking these units out on the ice with them. Seems that my hand held is a lot easier to take and use. Just my 2 cents.

[LlipRipper]

My ifinderPro is a handheld unit and I have a mount for it on my atv. I doubt it is much different in size than your etrex. The lakemaps chip just makes navigation on unknown lakes much easier even if you have a paper lake map.

I do have a vex fl8 that I use and I also take an underwater camera. It really doesn't require any effort to take them, they fit right on my atv and it doesn't complain one bit.

If you want to use an unmapped gps or none at all, it's really okay with me. I do what I do because it makes me happy. If I see something better then I change. :idea:

[SKUNK]

Easy to use is one of the main reasons I bought this unit. I was doing things with this unit right out of the package that took me weeks to figure out with my other one. Like I said before, this handheld I just biught is $150 and is waterproof, I can't think of anything better to have on the ice. Al, if we ever get some ice I would love to come over and show you how simple and small this GPS is. By the way seeing that you are from that area you don't by chance have the coordinates for Saginaw River light #1 do you? That is where I'm finding the differance between my Hotspots map and my GPS. Thanx,
Chuck

[UNCLE AL]

Skunk,

I have them on the gps in the boat, but it's buryed in the barn right now. I'll see if i can get them somewhere else.