Humminbird 798ci HD SI

The 798ci is the flagship model in the 700 series of fishfinders. It shares a Best in Class 5 inch full color LCD monitor with several other Humminbird models. It has all of the bells and whistles that Humminbird has to offer in its wide arsenal. Some of the notable features are Down Imaging, Dual Beam Plus, and Switchfire which lets the user decide what level of detail is displayed on the monitor.

Of course it also has a built in GPS which eliminates the need for an external unit. This navigation capability is enhanced by the Humminbird Contour XD cartography software that is pre-installed on the unit. This software is a mapping package that contains over 3,000 detailed lake maps across the nation. It even displays depth contour lines which make it easy to locate drops and channels where fish are commonly found.

The feature set continues with invaluable tools such as Fish ID which clearly identifies fish and even color codes them according to which sonar beam they are being tracked by. Freeze Frame allows the user to freeze the scrolling frame for closer inspection of submerged structures detected by the sonar while the boat is still moving. Sonar Recording is a function that allows for recording any sonar information digitally for playback at any time in case the user missed something the first time around or simply wanted more time to review the findings. The units setting can even be adjusted during playback as a means of revealing new detail.

But what distinguishes the 798ci from the rest of the pack is its Side Imaging ability. In addition to its Down Imaging scanning, the unit can produce a side to side image of up to 480 feet. The 798ci is one of only four models in Humminbird's product line to offer this feature. With the ability to look left, right and straight down below the boat in high definition, there really doesn't appear to be much of anything that an angler outfitted with the 798ci can miss.