A fish finder is a device that provides anglers the opportunity to make their fishing experience more enjoyable and satisfying. That feeling of spending plenty of hours waiting for a great catch can be bothersome for some folks, and this often leads to disappointment and at times getting tired the hobby.
Now you can avoid that hopeless feeling and make your angling experiences are more positive with the help of a fish finder. Plenty of fishermen and fishing hobbyists have taken advantage of this device and the feedback has been positive.
If you are considering getting one, you should keep reading this article because we are going to discuss Humminbird’s Helix 5 GPS model.
Features
- Has precise internal GPS feature
- Has chart plotting functions
- Has built-in UniMap cartography
- Has a microSD card for saving maps and waypoints
- Has a backlit 800 HV by 480 V 5-inch 256-color monitor
- Has side imaging and down imaging functions
- Has a Dual Beam Plus sonar (4000 watts PTP power)
Advantages
Humminbird is a brand that is depended on by many anglers because of their reliable lineup of efficient fishing units at easily affordable prices.
The Helix 5 model makes use of a bright color display with superb features in a more accessible style. The resolution is the best you can get for such a budget price. The unit’s landscape layout was improved and now features forthright viewing in better detail.
The unit has a Chart Plotting feature plus GPS functions too. Again, for such an affordable price, users will get to use the Down Imaging feature which is typically only found on more expensive units.
Due to its beneficial navigational features, plenty of fishermen and anglers depend on its abilities. The LED backlight makes readings clear even under harsh glaring sunlight.
It has a standard transom-type transducer with 500 watts of power and it also includes a microSD card so users can save maps and waypoints on it anywhere they travel. It can store around 2500 waypoints, 50 tracks, and 45 routes.
The unit can also support Hotmaps through the card slot even though it already has the UniMap feature. The Helix 5 has a total of 3 sonars; Down Imaging, Side Imaging, and the Dual Beam Plus. The Dual Beam can be utilized at 200 kHz at 28-degree coverage or 83 kHz at 60 degrees.
Coverage at 455 kHz can be done both through Side Imaging and Down Imaging. The Side Imaging meanwhile offers an overall 180-degree side to side viewpoint with 250 feet coverage from any side of the water vessel.
Other sonar attributes include the Selective Fish ID, the Ice Flasher, and the Switchfire. The Selective Fish ID changes standard fish arcs on the screen with the fish icons while the Switchfire offers a view of Clear mode and Max Mode broadband sonar, which can be viewed separately or simultaneously.
The unit also includes a built-in temperature sensor which is used for temperature functions and alarms and it also contains a Sonar Recording function which enables users to record the sonar yield in certain sections of the water for reviewing later.
Disadvantages
The Helix 5 has its drawbacks and several customers were not satisfied with it. There were some who complained that the device did not really offer a vivid and comprehensible display of the landscape underwater.
Others did not appreciate the apparent slowness of the GPS reception. There were also complaints about its fish alarm. For several users, the mapping feature of the device was of mediocre quality.
Verdict
The Helix 5 by Humminbird comes with contemporary features that will prove to be an advantage to anglers and fishermen who are serious about their catch. It provides them with the opportunity to verify fishing quality regardless of the water location, be it saltwater or freshwater.
The device did have some flaws though, and if you are concerned with those setbacks, you may have to settle with other models. While it has its share of problems, its customer service was excellent. The Humminbird Helix 5 GPS Fish Finder is still a good purchase though for an affordable model.