I recently purchased a Matrix 55. I had ordered a Matrix 25 from a retailer who was unable to provide it. There was a major jump in price because the Matrix 55 has an upgrade transducer, a WASS/EGNOS/MSAS, gps, and supports Navionics Hotmaps, and Gold Charts.
The downside is that Navionics only charts 400 US lakes. It is not worth the exrta cost to buy charts of the delta which I only fish a few days a year. I have my garmin legend gps which I can load maps for those trips. I would hope that Humminbird would offer upgraded software to allow the freshwater fisherman to load USGS MAPS to the Matrix.
The reception of the GPS unit is outstanding. My boat was parked along side the house when I installed the unit. The sky is blocked by my house, the two story aframe uphill from me, and heavy oak canopy. The reciver picked up six satellites and displayed a lat/long which was consistent with the one displayed by my Garmin Legend. The fishfinder/GPS displays a number of VIEWS. One of thoses is a grid pattern with the boat pointing the direction it is travelling. The operator can easly mark waypoints. I have returned to the same lake twice since installation and was able to return to the same waypoints. I checked this using the handheld gps. I was also able to create waypoints in the Matrix from stored waypoint information in my handheld unit.
I have encountered two problems with the Matrix. One was when the early morning sun came over the ridge and the reflection blacked out the screen. Not good. I had to change the direction of my troll. The second problem I had was seeing the "fish" that the finder was identifying. My boat is a 17-foot bowrider. The finder is mounted between the windshield and the steering wheel. I am normally seated on the stern operating a 9.9 or an electric trolling motor. With the old Humminbird LCR400 I could clearly see the fish indicators, and determind what depth they were. I am unable to do that with the Matrix.(Old Eyes) The Matrix does have large digits when displaying other information.(depth, temp, speed)
One of the nice things about the Matrix 55 is that it saves the users settings.
The Matrix 55 has two user modes, normal and advance. I recommend using the advance mode.
One question that I have is will the Matrix units display maps from other brand gps units when connected. I have Gamin topo maps installed on my Legend GPS. If the maps would display on the Matrix then the lower pricer Matrix models become a better deal for the freshwater fisherman.(10/10/03 I just learn that the Matrix units will not display cartography from other brand gps units attached to them.)
The lack of common fresh water lakes and river cartography from Navionics is a major downfall for the freshwater fisherman. Despite that downfall I was able to create numerous waypoints and return to them. I also carry a set of maps in my boat printed from the excellent National Geographic, USGS Topographic Maps on CD-ROM.
I started this topic because I could find no independent information on fishfinder/gps units that I could afford. I hope it helps the next guy.
The Matrix 55 is far more complex and offers many more options then my old LCR400. That is why I bought it. Two trips to the lake has gained me a little knowledge. Re-reading the manual combinded with those trips have helped me make adjustments that fit my fishing style. I suspect that another twenty fishing trips I will have a working knowledge of the Matrix.
I have a friend that calls me up before he goes fishing and ask me how to use his 365L fishfinder. I tell him to read the manual. The other thing that I tell him to do is go out and set in the boat with the fishfinder on, with the manual in hand. Follow the process in the manual. I spook the neighbors when I am setting in the boat out back with the cover pulled forward part way. I will be reading the manual and playing with the fishfinder, when I tell them good morning from my hidden location.
