KVD Whips a 360 at ICAST
OutdoorHub Reporters 07.10.12
Since anglers first glimpsed Humminbird’s 360 Imaging at this year’s BASSMASTER Classic, the buzz has been electric. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the biggest name in bass fishing, KVD, took the podium and said fishing with 360 Imaging is like having “Superman X-ray vision.”
This endorsement, preliminary product data and some truly amazing screen captures from real-life fishing situations have had anglers around the world chomping at the bit. Humminbird and its dealers have been inundated with impassioned calls and e-mails. Fishing forums and social media sites have been ablaze with speculation about shipping dates.
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Fact: Anglers are psyched.
Those who’ve fished 360 say it’s destined to go down in the annals of fishing history as a game changer like the first sonar, first LCD graph and Humminbird’s Side Imaging.
Put on your party pants, the wait is over.
This Wednesday, July 11th, in the town that Walt Disney built – Orlando, Florida – Humminbird is officially launching what may be the biggest advance in fish-finding marine sonar technology ever at this year’s ICAST.
Help us welcome Humminbird’s New 360 Imaging, the first technology to offer anglers complete around-the-boat underwater imaging. In a single sweep around the boat, 360 reveals high resolution images of structure, bait and FISH long before anglers get anywhere within casting range. Whether you’re a pro or a weekend angler, 360 puts your fishing into warp drive. Now you can eliminate unproductive water and find fish easier and faster, giving you a home lake advantage wherever you fish. And the stealth advantage is unreal. Spot and stalk fishing up to 300 feet away is now within reach.
“Think of the advantage a tournament angler will have being able to see what’s in front of the boat without spooking the fish,” said Jeff Kolodzinski, Brand Manager, Humminbird. “Also, for the first time ever, an angler can have their boat in a stationary position and receive updated underwater images from around the entire boat. They could even see bait balls or fish swimming by.”
Anglers have numerous options when viewing 360 Imaging. They can view the entire circle or break it down in segments. For instance, they can select just to see what’s in front, back or either side. Split screen viewing is also available so the image can be displayed with a chart or traditional SwitchFire™ Sonar. Like the angling equivalent of NORAD for your boat!
“We are taking a giant leap forward with the most state-of-the-art sonar technology on the market,” said Kolodzinski. “For competitive anglers especially, getting the best image possible of fish location is critical. With 360 Imaging, anglers now have a whole new world opened up for them. Anglers have been asking for this kind of technology for years and now they finally have it.”
The 360 Imaging accessory includes a Transducer Deployment System (TDS) that attaches to the boat transom or jackplate. TDS lowers the transducer below the bottom of the boat and outboard to ensure an unobstructed underwater view. For the sharpest images, 360 Imaging can be used when stationary or trolling up to 7 miles per hour.
This sonar accessory is exclusively compatible with current Humminbird Side Imaging-equipped models that are Ethernet-capable. The suggested retail price of Humminbird’s 360 Imaging is $1,999. Product will begin shipping this September.
Here are some other key features of Humminbird’s 360 Imaging accessory:
- Ability to mark waypoints anywhere on the 360 Imaging screen
- An audio alert is given when the boat nears a waypoint within casting range
- Capable of recording and screen captures
- Eight color palettes Four sonar speed settings
- Specific area can be selected and zoomed in on
