Coloured Sounders

[blue_rogue]

There have probably been a post or two before, so if you know where they are it would be appreciated.

Anyway, I have been looking at the Furuno FCL-600L colour sounder. aprx $1,300. Any advise or knowledge would be great.

Thanks men

Dominic

[banshee]

G'day Dominic,I know a few people with these units and they work quite well out to 48 fathoms,one person in particular has no dramas picking up pearlies in this depth.I don't know if other manufactures fudge their stats or not but I use to have an X 85 and in 48 fathoms it could barley pick up the bottom,it was rated at 375 watts,I went out with a mate using a 600L and in the same depth it showed the bottom,weed and fish and it was rated at 350 watts,I ended up upgrading to a 582L,nice bit of kit if you can find another $500,but if not,600L is a great unit.

[finding_time]

Dominic

The best bit of advice i can give is if you know someone a colour sounder get that one. I run a jrc ff50 and after a long time have really got to know it. when my friend was looking at sounders i suggested he get the same because i would be able to save him a lot of time with set up and getting to know the unit. He ended up getting the furuno 582L and to be honest i don't think there is a lot between the two units but he is still trying to use his sounder effectively and i'm bugger all help to him. he has now said the ff50 would have been a better idea for this reason. Just a bit of food for thought.
Ian

[damons33]

dom,
just because he's unfamiliar with that unit he's putting the mockers on it. thats not a good enough basis to right off the furuno! one of the older sounder manufacturers around(furuno,lowrance and koden). but i'm glad he doesn't own one because that means more fish for me!
i wouldn't get the 582 for what your doing because of the 1kw transducer has to much power and it scares fish in shallower water. thats why there isn't a lot of really big bait shows around anymore!(i mean schools that are over 1 acre in size.....no what i mean! i have seen shows that show a bottom of 20m in 40m of water that is like that for over 5 acres, now thats good fishing grounds! hey rob!)
the 600l is perfect out to 110m to 150m, it has won the best in price range award in the usa since it went on the market. sure there is a learning curve but the 600l is pretty easy to operate and has the capability to be tuned to a very fine definition, the sounders that are superior to this sounder are 3 times the price- things like the lowrance x19, stealth bomber,lol.
if you do buy one i can give you guidance in its use, but you'll have to take me out fishing ;o)
damon

[StevenM]

blue_rouge.

Sent you a PM

Steven

[finding_time]

Damon
he's not righting the sounder off( It's a great unit) just going through a long learning process,one that could have been shortened if he had gone with the same sounder as a regular fishing buddy. The point i'm trying to make is that there is not a great deal of differance between the top line of colour sounders lowrance,furunu. jrc and that the rec fisherman will be well served by all but if he has access to a person with long term use of a certain type of sounder it might be wise to get that one and save himself alot of time learning all the systems of a new unit.

Ian

[blue_rogue]

Whats the best price you blokes have seen the JRC and the Furuno for....

Thanks for the comments

[DR]

FCL or FCV
http://www.threeriversmarine.com/TRMF-600.htm
add approx $50aust for shipping & insurance, delivered in 5-7days
total approx. aust. $940

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Have been using the Furuno is my rig since Feb this. Still learning but has improved catch rates ten fold. I am starting to be able to identify species.

[bignick]

Had one in my Allison. Great unit. Sounded well at speed in shallow or deep water. Held bottom well in 100m on 200khz no problems. They are fairly priced, they go forever and are dead simple to use. It even looks as though they have come down a bit in price. All in all, a very good unit. Grab one.

Cheers,
NICK.

[vertico]

how about a raymarine ds500 or ds600 got one in my boat and its a great unit

[-spiro-]

i use he furuno 600l and love it. easy use and no problems over 2 years 8)

[Smithy]

Like Vertico said don't discount the Raytheons. Another personal favourite in that price range is the Koden as well. The Koden is bloody easy to drive but if you can stretch the dollars a bit further and are pretty good with technology go the FF50 slightly in front of the 582.

Damo,

everything I am hearing is that this year is threatening to explode on the bait grounds. Hasn't looked this good since that year. All they need to do is come in and find it and they should be there for a while. Actually you missed the big bite at the 8 mile only a couple of years ago. Not as much bait as the 21 mile that time but just as many fish. 150 tagged in one week by one club, one boat got 51 for the week.