# GPS Plotter vs Chartplotter



## hct4all (Jan 10, 2018)

Hi. I am looking at the new Lowrance Hook2 7 Trippleshot. It has a GPS Plotter vs a chart plotter. I searched for videos but came up empty. Does it have any maps at all? I am having a hard time deciding between the Hook2 7 Trippleshot and the Garmin Stryker 7. I want to stay around $399. Western PA lake and River Fishing. Sea Nymph 16' Fishing Machine. Stepping up from an X85. 

Thank you


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## duckman11 (Jan 10, 2018)

I have the Garmin striker4 and absolutely love it. I think the 7 is the same just a bigger screen. the chirp sonar lets me see things that I've never seen before and the ease of use is awesome


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## .Mike (Jan 10, 2018)

I have virtually no experience, but just did a ton of research before ordering my unit.

The Hook2-7 doesn't have any built-in maps. The description doesn't mention any mapping, and there are no variations of the same unit available with different mapping. It will basically track where you went, and allow you to add waypoints, but there will be no reference to land or any navigational markers. It also lacks wifi, which is important to me, so I crossed it off my list.

The Striker Plus 7 (CV is the $399 model, SV is $100 more) doesn't have maps either, and no option to add them. What it does have, however, is Quickdraw Contours. That feature would sway me towards the Striker Plus 7 over the Hook2-7. You can create your own maps with 1-foot contours, and store up to 2 million acres on the device. Check out some Youtube videos. It is really cool. For my use, I wanted mapping options, so the Striker series was out. The closest unit from Garmin with mapping is the Echomap Plus 74 CV or SV, and at $799 or $899, they were more than I wanted to spend.

I ended up going with a Simrad Go7 XSE, made by the same company that owns Lowrance. Built-in Insight mapping w/ the ability to create your own maps, side/down/traditional/chirp sonar, multi-touch touchscreen control (no buttons), wifi/apps. It is totally customizable. It supports Navionics mapping, which has Sonarchart Live, which is, basically the equivalent of... Garmin Quickdraw Contours. It just arrived yesterday, so I haven't installed it yet. It looks really nice, though.


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## hct4all (Jan 11, 2018)

Mike,

Thanks for the insight!


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## PharmD (Jan 14, 2018)

It depends how you fish. If you just want to mark waypoints, then the gps finders will work. 

If you want to see where drop-offs are or follow contours then i think a chart-plotter is the way to go.

You can map out now with almost all brands. Be sure to see how much it costs you to save or convert your maps. A lot of companies are charging you for that. Garmin does not. Most of ypur lower end gps finders do not have an sd slot so once your unit is full, you cant store any more.

If you only fish one lake it probably is not a problem as you probably will never fill it up anyway. It will take a while to draw your own maps out though. If ypu are lucky someone else has done some or all of your lake already.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## hct4all (Jan 14, 2018)

Thank you.

so much to learn. Is there a place to get caught up on all the technology. I am struggling with sidescan. I want it... Not sure I need it. LOL Plus there is all the wifi and bluetooth on the fishfinders. Not sure how or why to use that. How can you tell if someone "mapped" a lake already?


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## PharmD (Jan 14, 2018)

hct4all said:


> Thank you.
> 
> so much to learn. Is there a place to get caught up on all the technology. I am struggling with sidescan. I want it... Not sure I need it. LOL Plus there is all the wifi and bluetooth on the fishfinders. Not sure how or why to use that. How can you tell if someone "mapped" a lake already?



Sonarwars.com has some info. Sidescan is most useful for finding structure in my opinion. I use mine all the time. You need to go slow, only a few MPH to get a good image.

I’m no expert, but i think the wifi and bluetooth at this point is mainly going to give you a way to update the finder via your phone. Also, so you can see who calls/texted you on your screen. So not that useful to me.

If they would make it work with the teolling motor and share waypoints across a “wifi network” then that would be useful. The manufactures like selling their hardwired cables/cords/switches and such to us at high cost. So I don’t think they want to do that at this point. They obviously could have connected finders, and even the transducers, years ago as the wifi technology is plenty fast to carry all that data.

If i can stream a 1080p high def movie via wifi while streaming music and surfing the net at home, Im pretty sure they could use wifi on the boat to do everything and saves us all that wire fishing.


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## hipster dufus (Feb 6, 2018)

way i understand it, the plotter just shows a trail on an empty screen, the chartplotter has an overlayed map. have used both. the chartplotter is the way to go. they usually have a very basic map. that was how my elite 5 worked. iam looking at a 7 w tripleshot and a chartplotter. if i cant get it in a 7 i will go down to a 5


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## richg99 (Feb 6, 2018)

Assuming you have either a smart phone or better yet, a pad of some sort, look into the Navionics App. Works with either Apple or Android. Same data that you get when you buy the chip and put it into your FF unit.

Negatives are ...smaller screen...harder to read screen. 
Positives are ...very low cost $15.00 or $10.00 per year. 

You can get a trial for 30 days for free. You can also dial up their web site and try it out. See if they cover your local lakes/bays. On the web site, you CANNOT mark waypoints, but you can on the App., I have been told.

Incidentally, the App is available with a number of configurations. I believe that the one that I use is called Navionics Boating.

https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#[email protected]&key=cpotDvy%7BgQ


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## Scott F (Feb 6, 2018)

Garmin has units with GPS with 17,000 built in maps, a 4" screen (EchoMap 44cv) and down imaging for around $350. It also has the Quick Draw feature to create your own high def maps. They also offer a 5 inch screen version.


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## Skunked again (Feb 12, 2018)

I recently purchased two Garmin echomap 73 sv plus units. Put a 32 gig micro SD card in it, I can map more lakes than I have the time for.
Another thing active Captain app (via WiFi) does is makes updating a breeze. Put the update on your phone, connect to the unit, download to unit, done.
Look at older echomap units also, either chirp or non chirp. New ones, just not touch screen. Can get them for close to same price as a 7 triple shot. Youll have a microsd card slot, and alot of lakes pre loaded. 
I've heard of some real good prices on them. Either basspro or Cabela's is running a special on them.


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