One of the most valuable tools you can bring on Canada fishing adventure is a portable electronics sonar-mapping unit like the Humminbird Helix 7.
The Hummingbird 7 has a Basemap built-in and it accepts all sorts of mapping chips for specific areas all of North America; however, many lakes in Canada aren’t mapped.
Often before we start fishing an unmapped lake, we drive around and put coordinates in areas that look like high percentage spots for walleyes, pike, and lake trout. We also mark any shallow danger zones that could be problematic in low light or big waves.
The most significant advantage of packing a Helix 7 is for navigation and an option called Autochart Live. When you’re moving around scanning an area, you’re creating an accurate one-foot contour map of the lake, which is just fabulous. While I’m scanning and looking for fish, I’m simultaneously building a map of the area. So, as you fish a body of water over an extended period, you will create a great map of the underwater contours of this lake. It’s honestly an incredible tool when fishing waters that aren’t mapped. One of the first things I pack when coming up on these Canadian adventures—and don’t forget the Autochart Live card!
The Helix 7 bundle is an ice fishing unit with a carry case that is perfect for this type of portable application. With the all-season option, you can rig the transducer on a temporary transducer mount clamped onto the transom or side of the boat. Another option in a small aluminium camp boat is to put a little water in the back of the boat near the drain plug; then set the ice fishing transducer in the water inside the boat, which will often transmit right through the hull.
Portable Electronics: Helix 7 All Season (ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Season)
The ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All Season has more fish finding power than one season can handle. Take advantage of crystal-clear Dual Spectrum CHIRP Digital Sonar with 3/4″ target separation, CHIRP Interference Rejection, Adjustable Sonar Zoom, Jig Charge Mode and unprecedented viewing options specifically for the ice angler. And when you go to pull the boat out in the spring, your ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All Season has you covered with built-in Bluetooth(r) and Ethernet networking, along with everything you need to use it on a boat or in portable applications during the summer. Enjoy it all on a full color, 7″ HD LCD display.
Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar: View details that other forms of sonar won’t show you. Humminbird’s Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar is engineered to help you see individual fish, identify bait and structure clearly, and reach greater depths and range. Easily see fish, your lure and activity along the bottom, with high-resolution returns on both the 1024-segement flasher and traditional 2D sonar views, boasting target separation down to a 3/4-inch.
- CHIRP Interference Rejection: Six settings keep competing sonar signals from cluttering your screen, giving you a clear view all day long, in both sonar and flasher modes.
- Adjustable Sonar Zoom: Move your zoom range to where the fish are. Adjustable Sonar Zoom allows you to hone in on fish, whether they are tight to the bottom, or suspended high in the water column. Utilize 2X zoom on the flasher screen, or up to 8X zoom on 2D sonar view.
- Ethernet Networking: Connect multiple Humminbird fish finders, or connect with add-on technologies like a Minn Kota i-Pilot Linktrolling motor.
- Bluetooth Built-in: Connect your ICE HELIX G3N All Season fish finder to Bluetooth(r) accessories, including optional RC2 remote for wireless control. Additionally, use your smartphone with the free Humminbird FishSmart App to execute wireless software updates and transfer digital lake maps from a ChartSelect account.
- NEW Jig Charge Mode: Use your ICE HELIX to charge up your glow-painted spoons and jigs and get back down to the hot bite quickly.
- NEW AutoChart Live Ice: Create real-time 1-foot contour maps of your fishing spots to find fish faster. For the first time ever, create maps on ice to show humps and drop-offs or entire reefs, while utilizing Humminbird® LakeMaster® features, Depth Highlight, Shallow Water Highlight and Water Level Offset.
- Humminbird Basemap Built-in: Our enhanced standard Basemap provides you with a clear view of underwater terrain and surrounding points of interest so you can fish and navigate with total confidence. Identify buoys, daymarkers, hazards, marinas, contours, depth markers and much, much more. Includes charts of more than 10,000 lakes.
- Internal Precision GPS Built-in: Take the guesswork out of finding your fishing spot. Pinpoint your location by marking waypoints of your most productive areas and navigate out to your spot and back safely with GPS tracks.
MicroSD Card Reader: Single card reader slot used for premium mapping, software updates or to save screenshots, sonar recordings and waypoints from your ICE HELIX. - Ultra Bright and Detailed LCD Display: The ICE HELIX screen provides everything your need to know, on a crystal-clear display with adjustable brightness. Whether in a fish house or on open ice, you’ll easily be able to see digital depth display, sonar returns and more exclusive features, all shown in real-time.
- All-Season Ready: This ICE HELIX fish finder comes with everything you need to use on both ice and on your boat or portable applications in the summer.
- What’s Included: ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N fish finder, Dual Spectrum CHIRP Ice transducer, 9 Amp Hour battery and charger, ice shuttle, hardware, power cable, portable bag and all necessary accessories to use on a boat or in portable applications (transom mount CHIRP transducer with optional suction cup transducer mount, fish finder gimbal mount and power cord).