Fish Finder Choices: Striker 4/Hook 4/echoMAP 43dv

Hi all,

I'm looking at a few fish finders and I was about to pull the trigger on the Garmin echoMAP 43dv, and then saw the Striker 4 and Hook 4 on West Marine too.  The main advantage I see to the 43dv is the ability to build my own depth charts.  Both the 43dv and Hook 4 are $199, and the Striker 4 is $119.  Other than the chart making ability, I don't really understand what the functional differences are between all of them, or whether those differences are worth it to me.  Could someone enlighten me?


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I'm trying to make the same choice right now myself. Following.

Inuse a 44 dv on my boat and kayak and love it, super easy to use

Inuse a 44 dv on my boat and kayak and love it, super easy to use

Would you say that the custom bathymetry map feature is worth the extra expense?

The ability to make your own charts is possible with the Lowrance Hook4 too. The newer software coming out now is pretty sweet. And it's on an sd card instead of built into the unit (which is preferrable IMO). Google C-Maps Insight and Insight Genesis. The only drawback with those systems is the subscription fee...but most offer promotional benefits like first year free, etc. And I think you m/b able to save all your maps & data offline, so you keep it after cancelling your subscription (you just won't have access to additional community maps or maps uploaded after you cancel the subscription).
Hopefully someone with more knowledge chimes in. Because I haven't been staying up to date with some of the recent developments at C-maps. And there's been a lot of movement there lately.

The ability to make your own charts is possible with the Lowrance Hook4 too. The newer software coming out now is pretty sweet. And it's on an sd card instead of built into the unit (which is preferrable IMO). Google C-Maps Insight and Insight Genesis. The only drawback with those systems is the subscription fee...but most offer promotional benefits like first year free, etc. And I think you m/b able to save all your maps & data offline, so you keep it after cancelling your subscription (you just won't have access to additional community maps or maps uploaded after you cancel the subscription).
Hopefully someone with more knowledge chimes in. Because I haven't been staying up to date with some of the recent developments at C-maps. And there's been a lot of movement there lately.

From my understanding, with Lowrance, when it's gone, it's gone.  Or, it goes public.  Either way, when the subscription runs out you lose control.  Someone with actual experience would be helpful, though.

Inuse a 44 dv on my boat and kayak and love it, super easy to use

The 44dv has the ocean charts, right?  The 43dv that I'm looking at has the lake charts.  I'm only a diver, so the lake charts don't mean much to me, it's just cheaper to buy that model than the model with the standard charts.  Have the BlueChart g2 charts been significantly better than the plain jane charts?

Garmin Striker 4/5/7 units don't come with built-in charts nor any SD slots so you won't be able to load any maps or transfer waypoints to other units should you need to in the future.

To me, having no charts is not a major drawback since we're limited to short distances at slow speeds, especially in the salt and often don't need to see landmarks, maps etc... in relation to where we're at, like you would need to when traveling great distances at fast speeds on a boat. Maps/charts are very useful in lakes for bottom fishing but you're a diver and fish the salt so you would be fine with ability to mark your hotspots in the shallows.

Having no SD slot could be a pain, as you cannot transfer your waypoints to other units easily. That would be a big drawback.

It's really important to learn to interpret the sonar to read the bottom contours and mark them for future. These units come with CHIRP sonar technology and do it really well with built in GPS.

For the money, Strikers are great. Last I checked, Striker 7DV was on sale for $250, 5DV was less than $200. Striker 4 would be too small IMO, go with a 5" minimum, 7" if you can manage it, so you can view map and sonar screens better.

Another one you might come across is Striker 5 or 7 SV, which include side view. IMO, DV (down view) is more useful in the salt than SV.

Another option is Lowrance Hook 5, currently on sale for $299, check that out too.

I like the charts, very easy to read,
And when fishing. Ites in the delta, makes getting home in the dark a breeze. Also helps a ton in the fog on the ocean, keeps me away from wash rocks. And gets me back to the right beach.

Thanks for the info guys!  I ended up getting the 43dv, and bought the ocean charts for $10 on eBay.  From what I've seen so far the ocean charts are a huge bonus compared with the standard maps.  The lack of an SD slot killer the Stiker for me, and the pay-to-play model for the Lowrance custom maps killed the Hook 4.


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12:05am, must've done something right!

Thanks for the info guys!  I ended up getting the 43dv, and bought the ocean charts for $10 on eBay.  From what I've seen so far the ocean charts are a huge bonus compared with the standard maps.  The lack of an SD slot killer the Stiker for me, and the pay-to-play model for the Lowrance custom maps killed the Hook 4.


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I've got the Hook 4, never participated in the data exchange, bought the Naviance map card (pretty much the standard) and have been totally happy with it. Since I mainly fish the salt, updating seems pointless. The Hook 4 has been a great unit, particularly since I ride a Revo-16, which has a tight cockpit.  I'm not seeing the benefit in a bigger unit because I'm interested in the structure and the bait balls, plus nav.

I've had a number of terrestrial Garmin products thru the years and while they were functional, I hated every moment of every use of my Garmin GPS units. Sadly they sucked bad but were better than the most of the competition — now I avoid Garmin because I find their internal software navigation to be limited & brain damaging,  their maps suck and are freakin' expensive for suck.


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Thanks for the info guys!  I ended up getting the 43dv, and bought the ocean charts for $10 on eBay.  From what I've seen so far the ocean charts are a huge bonus compared with the standard maps.  The lack of an SD slot killer the Stiker for me, and the pay-to-play model for the Lowrance custom maps killed the Hook 4.


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I've got the Hook 4, never participated in the data exchange, bought the Naviance map card (pretty much the standard) and have been totally happy with it. Since I mainly fish the salt, updating seems pointless. The Hook 4 has been a great unit, particularly since I ride a Revo-16, which has a tight cockpit.  I'm not seeing the benefit in a bigger unit because I'm interested in the structure and the bait balls, plus nav.

I've had a number of terrestrial Garmin products thru the years and while they were functional, I hated every moment of every use of my Garmin GPS units. Sadly they sucked bad but were better than the most of the competition — now I avoid Garmin because I find their internal software navigation to be limited & brain damaging,  their maps suck and are freakin' expensive for suck.


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I will say, my Garmin terrestrial gear can make me pound my head sometimes


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I'm also looking at fish finders, and have been considering the Hook4 and Garmin 43dv.  So Jeremy, how do you like your Garmin so far?  Any gripes?