Lowrance continues to offer new views

I recently spent several days testing a line of new products from Lowrance and I want to tell you about them.

I recently spent several days testing a line of new products from Lowrance and I want to tell you about them. It’s Lowrance’s latest line of Elite-5x DSI Fishfinders with DownScan Imaging™ Sonar (DSI). They will be available in early 2011 in three models: DSI monochrome, DSI Color and DSI Color with DHS. The color units even allow anglers expanded sonar imaging display color palette choices for optimum viewing for personal preference and water/light conditions.

The price range is from $400-$600, so it’s affordable to many anglers.

I guess it should be no surprise that Lowrance has come up with something new that will rock the boats of anglers everywhere. They have that kind of history. I’ve been associated with the company and the family that started it for over 45 years. Founder Carl Lowrance gave me one of those “little green boxes,” also known as a Fish Lo-K-Tor. I’ve literally watched the Lowrance family revolutionize the fishing industry and watched them transform their company (as well as their sister company Eagle) into a world leader in this business.

Yes, these DSI Lowrance units should continue to keep an industry leader well out front for years to come.

These electronics are great because they remove all the guesswork. When you watch these units there is no, “Is that a tree?” “Is that a stump?” or “Are those baitfish?”

With these electronics, you see what it really looks like beneath the surface. Really, it’s like looking through a skin diver’s mask. When I first turned a unit on and looked, I was amazed — in fact, I’m still amazed at the images these units can offer bottom structure such as brush, rocks, vegetation, dropoffs and more — as well as predator fish and baitfish.

I fished with a Lowrance engineer and product manager Luke Steward for three days and I was constantly telling him, “That picture is so good we ought to frame it.” Of course, I was preaching to the choir by telling this to Luke, but he was nice enough to listen, and hey, I really was that impressed!

The detail is unbelievable and crystal clear, be it fish or forage, cover or whatever.

Ease-of-use is also a plus with these units. Basically, if you can turn it on, you can work it. It’s a matter of one or two buttons, and you’re on your way.

I’ve seen a lot of products come and go. And the secret to success with those that are around a long time are the qualities these units possess: (1) affordability; (2) ease of use; and (3) it REALLY works!

After several days of fishing and running out of words like “awesome,” “amazing” and “wow,” I finally simply asked my engineer friend, “How many of these did you make?” He told me a figure, and I simply said, “Well, you’d better double that number. People are going to love it.”

You can visit www.lowrance.com to learn more about these electronics.

 

For more words of wit and wisdom from one of our sport’s greatest legends, check out www.billdanceoutdoors.com.