Whether it is summer or winter, nothing can stop passionate anglers from fishing. But a dedicated fish finder can be the best companion for ice fishing. It allows you to shoot sonar thoroughly and find your favorite fish in the water.
Recently, I had the chance to try the Garmin Echomap UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle. This ice fish finder has impressed me with its many attractive features. But I figured out some cons too. If you are considering buying this device, don’t miss out on this article to get a better overview.
Features of Garmin Echomap UHD 73cv Ice Fishing Bundle
You must have enough reasons to buy a Garmin fish finder, right? Precise fish tracking, better graphical representation, and consistent performance are essential for any fish-tracking device. Here are a few impressive features of this Garmin Echomap 73cv.
- Powerful Transducer
Do you prefer a super-clear definition below the ice with excellent target separation?
The GT10HN-IF ice fishing transducer appears to be the right choice.
This powerful transducer features a slim, 7-16 degree beam angle to provide better details about the location under you and a clear picture of what is happening.
Furthermore, it provides additional protection from frozen water. Fishermen or anglers can expect to achieve accurate fishing and jig detection.
Also Read: Differences Between Helix 9 And Helix 10 Fishfinder Transducers.
- Handy flasher
Isn’t it necessary to see what is happening below the ice during ice fishing? It surely does! This Garmin fish finder comes with a handy flasher.
You just need to know the correct way to read the flasher. Then, it will be easygoing to figure out the exact location of the jig.
Also, the flasher lets you know better how much you have lifted the fishing rod in the water. You can tell the distance between your fishing rod and the fish.
- Better Coverage
The Garmin Echomap UHD 73cv comes with LakeVü g3 maps. It has massive coverage of 18,000+ lakes, rivers, and ponds in the USA.
Anglers can see up to 1-foot depth contours with exceptional clarity and detail. Enclosed areas of water, campsite, boat launches, marinas, Designated Fishing locations, etc., will be easily visible.
You can also see updated inland maps, full navigation charts, and full fishing (bathymetric) charts. LakeVü g3 maps also have auto Guidance technology to scan the chart data quickly. Getting a clear picture of the close-by obstacles and water depth is simple.
- Impressive Customizing Options
Doesn’t it look convenient to have a clear idea about the fishing locations you have already visited?
Garmin Echomap fish finder gives you customized options.
You can choose sonar, flasher, and map on the digital display and combine them on a page.
When you revisit the same location, just go to the customized page.
It gives extra convenience as you don’t need to waste time setting up and adjusting all data.
- Bright Display
This Garmin fish finder comes with a 7-inch display. It is bright enough to read even in direct sunlight or bright environments. Plus, the WVGA display gives you a better user experience as you can graph and text comfortably. It comes with a few buttons on the right side.
You can use them to set up and program various functions. Additionally, the touchscreen allows you to command the device directly from the screen.
- IPX7 Waterproof Rating
The primary device of the fish finder has an IPX7 waterproof rating. You can submerge the unit in water up to 40-inches or 1-meter for half an hour.
Heavy rain and shallow water will not affect the functionality of the Garmin fish finder. It is durable enough to handle such water conditions.
- Two Types of Battery Options
Ever wondered how long an ice fish finder battery can last? It usually depends on the volts of the battery. Garmin offers two types of battery for this unit: Lead Acid and Lithium-Ion.
Lead Acid batteries were the most widely used in the past. But I have chosen a Lithium-ion battery due to its increased reliability, safety, and fast-charging capability.
Furthermore, this lightweight and compact battery doesn’t increase the overall weight of the fish finder. A 12V Lithium-ion will easily run the device for 10 hours with consistent output.
Also Read: Differences Between Humminbird CHIRP And MEGA Imaging.
What Could’ve Been Better With Garmin Echomap 73cv?
Just because Garmin Echomap 73cv comes with many beneficial features, does this mean it is flawless? Absolutely not! The following are the cons of this fish finder device.
- A Significant Lag Time
Though most of the dials work conveniently, I was unsatisfied with the flasher-dial mode. It has a significant lag time. You have a high chance of getting bites before the fish mark overlaps your jig mark. The lag duration could be a minimum of an eighth of a second.
- Small Carrying Case
The carry case doesn’t have enough space to place all the accessories comfortably, especially the transducer. You need to jam everything inch by inch to fit everything. This could put additional pressure on the transducer and even damage it.
- Occasional Nonresponse Touchscreen
Avoid touching the display with dirty fingers. It may not work sometimes. Adjusting the setting with dirty fingers will be tricky. Plus, avoid splashing water on the digital display.
Otherwise, water may freeze and prevent you from conveniently using different functions. Here is an in-depth review of it for you.
Also Read: Comparison of Garmin And Furuno Fish Finders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Garmin Echomap is suitable for both open water and ice fishing. Freezing water will not disrupt anglers from seeing what is going on under the ice.
Garmin Echomap Plus 73cv is compatible with the Panoptix LiveScope system for live, actual-time scanning sonar pictures of the structure, fish, and bait underwater.
Garmin 73cv offers both side imaging for trolling anglers and down imaging for detailed picture-like images under the boat.
Garmin 73cv features a GT24 transducer. It has incredibly high-Definition ClearVü scanning sonar to show super-quality images under the boat.
Final Thought
So, what’s your turning point after going through the entire Garmin Echomap UHD 73cv ice fishing bundle review? Though it has a few negative points, all incredible features easily surpass these flaws.
This modern fish finder can scan water areas efficiently, making your fishing more enjoyable. You can use it for a variety of different situations.
