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Im new to Garmin gps set up, always had lowrance units. I recently bought the 73DV Garmin later to find out it is the inshore model. The 74DV in the offshore models, my luck. I have done some research with buying the blue water g2 cards to go in the unit to give contour lines in the gulf. anyone done this? and which card did you buy/use? I will be doing mostly trolling and staying in state waters. Appreciate any input.
Can I repost this in the general fishing discussion forum? Or is that a nono to double post something?
I don't know anything about those specific cards, but there is generally not much detail for near shore (State Waters) on any of the maps I have seen, the bottom changes too fast with storms and all.
I'd want to see some example data before I spent too much.
Google Earth has pretty good detail especially out at the edge where there are serious breaks, but I don't think you can't count on the coordinates being too precise if you pick them off.
The State has lots of depths on the artificial reefs which gives you a pretty good basis for general contours.
This is true bud. I thought of the same myself. I really wish I knew more about the close to shore stuff. Like which rigs are best to fish closet to shore and which reefs they placed out there (like cluster just out from the pier). I guess it's trial and error but living 7 hours from there makes it tough for me to exactly stay on top of them.
Reef coordinates are here:
Artificial Reefs | Outdoor Alabama
GPS Babel is free online (donations appreciated) and will translate for you, although your Garmin may take the GPX files like they are (some models will, at least). You have to set your unit to recognize GPX files and it will take them in and translate them.
I had not looked at these in a couple of months. Based on the file dates they may include additional reefs placed off the pier this Fall.
Edit: I just checked and the new reefs are included in the file. I cannot get it to download by their instructions, but if I left click on the .kmz file it opens on Google Earth.