Info on a lowrance elite 5 sonar/gps contours

[fish N ski]

I just purchased a lowrance sonar/gps elite 5. I bought the navionics east mapping card and used it for the first time today. after fiddling with it for a few hours I got the sonar where I want all the settings. The only thing I can't figure out is how to get my lake contours. It says that it will show lake contours in 1 foot increments. Also - boat launches, hazards, etc. The whole lake I fished is just blue. 5 foot to 30 ft. just all blue. no lake contours. I read the book again and can't find where that setting would be. I bought it at gander mountain and they don't know anything except to hand it to you from behind the counter. Any info would be great. Thanks.

[Ivan]

First, I am not familiar with your unit, but I do use Lowance electronics. I run a 111. All the Lowance menus are the same for all the different units with the exception of the new HD's possibly. This is pretty simple and I don't mean to sound ignorant, but are you sure you had your map card active? Just because you have the card in your unit, doesn't mean that it is active. You need to go to "map data" on your menu. Then over on the top right corner, select or activate your map card. Down below that, there may be a spot to select the area you are fishing such as Lake Erie, as opposed to Lake Ontario, etc. If you map card is active, and you have the correct area selected, and you still don't get contours, then your map card must not have details on the body of water you are fishing. Those cards don't have detail on every single water body.
I hope that helps.

[Ivan]

Also forgot to mention...sorry if this is too basic, but I am not sure how familiar you are with Lowrance menus if this is a new unit for you. If you hit the menu button and all the selections are sonar features, exit from the menu. Hit pages twice to highlight the mapping side of the screen. This will give you the map menu selections when you hit menu. Also, there are usually 2 pages of selections under each menu. Hit menu twice to get to the second page of selections. I believe "map data" is on the first page of the map menu, though.

[fish N ski]

Thanks for the help Ivan. After I talked to a guy and your input, I figured out what I did wrong. When States came up for pennsylvania I just clicked it. I did not pay attention to penn. East or Penn. West. I was on east. Once I got back on west I can see the contours for just about all the lakes I fish. Pymatuming is in 10 foot contours, but lake arthur, chatauqua is in 1 foot contours. I am very pleased with this new gps/sonar so far. Again, Thanks for your input. Matt--

[Ivan]

Good, I am glad what I said helped some. I was wondering if you got things worked out. You should really like your new Lowrance. I don't know how I fished before I got a sonar/gps combo. Hopefully you have better luck with your gps pucks and transducers. I am on my 2nd puck and 3rd transducer for my new Lowrance in 3 seasons, but that's another story. Also, don't forget to look on the Lowrance website for software updates to download to your unit occassionally.

[Pescatore]

Man....I've had that same chip in my Lowrance for over a year and I thought it was a rip-off because it didn't change anything!! Who knew I would have to read the directions and activate it. Thanks Ivan.:D

[fish N ski]

was on lake arthur today and what was weird is that the western half of the lake (422 area) is in 5 ft. contours , but the eastern side (528 bridge) is in 1 ft. contours. I guess I still need to fine tune something there. Don't know where you live Ivan, or fished that lake with your lowrance, but that seemed weird. That 1/2 and 1/2 contour thing.
I can't believe I was so cheap all these years without a sonar/gps. I would have boated 10 more fish a year with one of these. (maybe) I LOVE IT !!!!

[Ivan]

None of the maps or chips I use have 1 ft contours, so I can't speak to your issue on Arthur. I wouldn't think you can change the countour detail though.

I may have seen you at Pyma two Sundays ago (4/11). I think we trolled past you on the east side of the south end. At least I trolled by a guy by himself in a fish and ski with an evinrude and a nissan kicker maybe. We have a big blue lund with a 250 merc and a honda kicker.

Was that you?

Adam A.

[fish N ski]

probably, I have a 50 johnson and nissan kicker. Ya, I know your boat. Its what we all dream of right? Gotcha now, Ivan = Adam...
The mapping card shows most lakes in 1 ft. contours. All except pymie. Either way I am still very pleased with it. Thanks for the help.