With so many fish finders on the market, it can be challenging to know which one should be your next go-to. Luckily, we’ve reviewed enough of them to tell you which ones are worth investing in, and the Garmin Panoptix LiveScope unit is definitely on the list.
We’d be lying if we said Garmin wasn’t one of the most well-known names in the fish-finding industry. They’ve continuously pumped out quality units for anglers, including ice fishing enthusiasts, and we’re happy to say that the Panoptix LiveScope is an exceptional piece of tech.
If you’re looking to get the most out of real-time imaging with an array of jaw-dropping features for your display unit, this Garmin fish finder doesn’t disappoint. It’s the closest you’ll get to playing a real-life fishing game in your boat or out on the ice.
You can easily find more pros than cons when you play around with this device, which is what you want to hear before dropping a good chunk of change on it.
In this Garmin Panoptix LiveScope review, we’ll break down the top key features that are loaded in this fish finder unit.
| Frequency | 530-1100 kHz |
|---|---|
| Transducer | LVS32 Transducer |
| Transmit Power | N/A |
| Backlit | N/A |
| Imaging | N/A |
| GPS | N/A |
| Maps Included | N/A |
| Max Waypoints | N/A |
| Memory Card Slots | N/A |
Garmin’s sonar scanning device easily hooks up to a display unit, which means the quality will be as good as your existing display, and the Panoptix LiveScope fish finder can produce crisp and vivid real-time underwater images directly to your screen.
It’s almost as if you’re watching an actual underwater video. You can clearly see the schools of fish, their movements, and the direction they’re heading. In addition, this device provides a clear view of underwater structure and heavy cover areas where fish are likely to hide. A bonus is that you can see where your bait has landed in the water, which can’t be said about all fish finder units.
We consider the ability to watch your own bait or lure in real-time one of the coolest features of this Garmin product. All you have to do is watch your display screen as you suspend your jig over a school of fish and wait for that bite. Anglers everywhere will see exactly how their bait works underwater in front of a fish.
If you’re hoping for customizable viewing potential, this beast of a unit will provide it. The Garmin LiveScope offers numerous options to choose from. Want to adjust the main user interface layout and grid angle on your transducer? You can do it. You also have the option to display/hide features that are most/least useful to you on your next fishing trip.
You can also split the display screen to show you multiple scans at the same time. This way, you get the entire picture at one convenient glance and find exactly where the fish are hiding. While you may need to acquire a specific Garmin monitor or adapter cable to utilize all of the unit’s customization features, the upside is that it’s widely versatile and can work with many display models and other pieces of tech.
If we had to pick the standout feature of this device, it would have to be its amazing sonar technology. The scanning sonar capabilities within this fish finder unit are remarkable! It provides nearly photographic images of what’s happening beneath the water’s surface. What’s even more outstanding is that it can produce these incredible sonar images, all on one transducer, with one power cable, in one GPSMAP!
The Garmin Panoptix LiveScope fish finder is designed with high-quality sonar imaging in mind. This device offers a constant feed from real-time scanning sonar pings. The constant sonar feed shows detailed views of fish movement without a lapse in time, all from the convenient display of your monitor.
With many other fish finder units, “real-time” isn’t always so accurate but with Garmin’s new sonar scanning fish finder, the visual feed is so consistent on your display that it almost looks like an underwater camera, rather than a fish finding unit.
While conventional down imaging sonars and fish finders are limited by range, the LiveScope allows you to see up to 200 feet in any direction. The transducer can be mounted on your trolling motor, and the image will rotate in the direction the motor turns.
Even with most fish finder sonar systems requiring movement to work, the Panoptix LiveScope can function while completely stationary. If you happen to be anchored over a rock pile, you’ll still receive a constant feed of what’s going on around your boat.
The LiveScope fish finder offers a range of viewing options that can pair well with your specific fishing location or the type of fish you’re targeting.
The unit offers a detailed side view that shows you everything happening around your boat in vivid sonar images. This feature is extremely helpful when fishing on murky water or ice, as it can determine where the fish are holding below.
Additionally, you can also get a high-depth down-view scan that shows you what’s happening under the boat or sheet of ice. It’s the more traditional fish-finding view and is a solid option for staying on course while following different contours at the bottom of the lake.
This fish finder also provides perspective mode, which combines both the side and down scan views to give you better all-around imaging. However, the perspective mode is best used in water that’s less than 20 feet deep. It will provide you with beautiful sonar images of fish, along with the exact species, all on your display screen.
When we say this device has range, we mean it has real range. This beauty of a fish finder has a highly detailed range of up to 200 feet. You may experience some slight distortion when you pass the 100-foot mark, but the image quality of the LiveScope is still as good as most other fish finders on the market.
Many anglers (including us) have complained about image stabilization on various fish finders on the market. Garmin has addressed that issue with its Panoptix LiveScopte device. This unit features a well-built AHRS system (Attitude Heading Reference System) that has created a new meaning for image stabilization. The AHRS is fully capable of stabilizing the view on the unit without being affected by the trolling motor vibrations from your boat. Amazing, right?
With so many other fish finders, heavy vegetation, murky water, weather conditions, a trolling motor, and other boat vibrations can all negatively impact the quality of the sonar image displayed on your monitor. These conditions can also alter your chart plotting accuracy and make staying on course more difficult with various fish finder transducer models.
The implementation of the attitude heading reference system is Garmin’s way of combating low-quality imaging. Instead, you can plan the next fishing trip and enjoy only clear and accurate views of fish, lakebed contours, underwater structures, and more.
The mapping potential will depend on what unit you connect it to. Various Garmin ECHOMAP models are compatible with LiveScope. Connecting the two will allow you to craft better maps and mark promising fishing points using Quickdraw. Again, it all depends on whether you decide to connect it with Garmin’s other mapping tech, but it could prove useful while you’re fishing in specific areas.
With the LiveScope, you have the potential to configure or connect more than one system to a chart plotter. However, the only issue is that not all chart plotters have access to Garmin’s Marine Network or Panoptix ports. To configure your LiveScope system, you may need a GMS 10 Network Port Expander. Why? To take advantage of mapping potential.
The GPSMAP 8610xsv, 8612xsv, and 8616xsv have built-in LiveScope sonar modules. Users may connect their transducers and a separate LiveScope unit at the same time.
Another notable feature is the vivid color palettes. There’s nothing less appealing than the various shades of gray that other fish finders have. Having bright colors can help you determine what you’re looking at and speed up the process of finding fish. You’ll be able to differentiate between different color contrasts on the Garmin LiveScope, making viewing and understanding the water conditions much simpler.
If you’re worried about finding the right display for this fish finder, you can rest easy knowing that it’s compatible with many of Garmin’s fish-finding displays. Thanks to its versatility, it pairs well with almost every version of the ECHOMAP Plus, UHD, and Ultra. It also works well with many of the GPSMAP Plus and Touch displays.
The least expensive display option would be the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 93sv. It works well with LiveScope, and it’s available with a 9-inch touchscreen. Some models have bigger screens, but 9 inches is probably the smallest option you’d want to go with. The Ultra 106sv is the “middle of the road” option with a lovely 10-inch display and touchscreen. The most expensive option would be the 126sv, which hosts a variety of sweet additions, such as Wi-Fi connectivity, touchscreen performance, and a whopping 12-inch display screen.
In conclusion, the Garmin Panoptix LiveScope fish finder is a worthwhile piece of technology. If you’re serious about fishing and don’t mind spending some money on a dependable unit, this may be the one for you. Yes, the price tag is a little high for those new to the world of fish finders, but the amount of fish you’ll catch will make the investment feel worth it. Take your fishing to the next level with this top-of-the-line fish finder from Garmin. You won’t be sorry.
For more reviews, fishing tips, or buyer’s guides, visit us at Fish Finder Tech.
