recommendations on fish locater i should buy

[pat701]

It is time for me to purchase a new fish locater. I need some recommendations as to what i should look at. I have a 17' aluminum boat,and will be fishing for musky, walleye and pan fish. The lakes will be 3000 acres or less and the water depth will be 40' or less. I can't troll as there are muskie's in the lakes i fish.
I am looking to spend $700 or less on the unit, i would like a 5" screen and color display. I see no need for GPS as i won't be fishing the great-lakes or any large lakes. But a buddy of mine recommended to buy one with a built in GPS because you never no where i may be fishing one day. I also would like an easy unit to use. And to not have to go to collage to learn how to use the GPSS. I have seen that with GPS units you can get built in antenna or external antenna. I am lost, i was eye balling a Humming Bird 787c2 combo. please give me some advise as to what i should be looking at.

[m.t.hands]

welcome to the forum, for that kind of money i would think you could get a decent unit, but like you i'm not sure you need GPS, 3k acres is small enough you could trinagulate all your spots, but the newer GPS units sure make it nice, i don't have any (not much anyway) experience with hummingbird, i used to use there flashers eons ago[:-], i mainly use lowrance and eagle line of electronics..

but i have heard good stuff about the new hummingbird line-up

you might post this question at bassfishinghomepage or bassboatcentral, some of those guys my be able to give you the lowdown on the unit your looking at

[Pat Curtis]

Hummingbird fish finders have the top notch unit out right now..with the side imagine capabilities. You don't really need that though. I picked up a 383c a couple years ago as an "open product" for a little over $200 when they were going $400+. It rocks.

[Phil from Maine]

I have an old hummingbird that has worked good for years.. I am not sure but I think it is about 14 years old and the only problem I have with it is the beeper doesn't work very good. But, then again the only thing the beeper seems to do is drive ya nuts anyways..