# Fish finder/GPS question **URL:** \ **Category:** Fishing Gear, Gadgets, Techinques, Tactics &Tips\ **Created:** [October 6, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/fish-finder-gps-question/194068 "2011-10-06T22:36:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HATH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7cd45c/32.png) [@HATH](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/HATH)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/fish-finder-gps-question/194068/1 "2011-10-06T22:36:57Z")
So I’m having a hard time justifying ~$1200 for a sonar/GPS fish finder once I get a boat, but I got thinking that maybe I could get away with just getting a mid-grade sonar unit, and buy a normal Garmin GPS unit to mark coordinates of good fishing holes. What do you think? I figure I could get all of that for ~$600, seems like a win win to me. ---
**Author:** ![idahoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4da419/32.png) [@idahoron](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/idahoron)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/fish-finder-gps-question/194068/2 "2011-10-06T22:53:17Z")
I am using a Eagle fishmark 480 fish finder on my float tube and pontoon. I started off using it with fish icons. I wasn’t happy with it at all. I started to use it in raw mode and now I love it. I have been using a hand held GPS for a couple of years. When I hit fish like crappie, perch, walleye or Catfish I mark each fish caught. After a while I see a pattern and I focus on the hot spot. I also use the GPS to give me speed for trolling. A guy does not need a 1200 dollar fish finder. I would like to get down and side imaging and I am having a hard time justifying it. Ron ---
**Author:** ![bigfish22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7993a0/32.png) [@bigfish22](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/bigfish22)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/fish-finder-gps-question/194068/3 "2011-10-06T22:56:06Z")
For 600.00 bucks you could get a real nice GPS/fishfinder unit. Lowrance HDS 5, Humminbird 587c hd Combo(469.99), on up to the Humminbirds 597ci HD Down Imaging combo(649.99). Those are very similar to the two units I run on my boat and they perform great. Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Coot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@Old\_Coot](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Old_Coot)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/fish-finder-gps-question/194068/4 "2011-10-07T01:10:17Z")
+1