Garmin Announces echo Series Fishfinders for Inland Anglers

Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the echo series – a new line of standalone fishfinders that raise the standard for freshwater sonar performance and ease of use.  From economical 8-level grayscale units to a full array of super-bright color models, these new Garmin systems sport an updated look, and with Garmin HD-ID™ target tracking technology, they deliver the separation and definition fisherman need and expect.   “The new echo generation is Garmin’s return to the freshwater market,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales.  “We’ve significantly increased the power and improved the performance so that with every echo, you can count on clear, concise fish targeting and bottom tracking.” 

Nine time F.L.W. Tour Championship qualifier, and long-time Garmin-sponsored pro, Scott Martin, will be the face of the new “I’ll echo that” campaign that will kick off in 2011.

“Whether I’m fishing a tournament or just for fun, my Garmin is always leading the way,” said tournament fisherman, TV host and pro bass guide Scott Martin.  “For me, just like every fisherman out there, it’s all about catching more fish – and I’m confident that these powerful new fishfinders will help get even better results.”

The premier high resolution echo 550C features an ultra-sharp video-quality 640x480 pixel 5-inch VGA screen, a powerful 500-watt sonar transmitter, and offers excellent fish arch display and bottom tracking as deep as 1,900 feet.  The echo 550c is dual beam (200/77 kHz) capable and gives optimum deep or shallow water performance with up to 120 degrees of effective fish scanning area.  Garmin’s echo 500C boasts the same aforementioned premium features, and offers a crisp 256-color QVGA display which gives 320x234-pixel resolution for extra-sharp detail on fish returns, structure and bottom soundings.

For the fisherman on a budget, the echo 300c is a great color sonar option and uses Garmin’s exclusive HD-ID target tracking technology to give you a crystal-clear picture of fish returns and bottom features on its 3.5-inch TFT display.  The echo 300c is the first in its class to offer dual-frequency compatibility that lets you optimize performance for deep or shallow water.  The 300-watt RMS sounder can scan as deep as 1,500 feet with up to 120 degrees of viewing angle to see targets fish well beyond the sides of your boat.

Garmin’s echo series also features three fishfinder models with grayscale displays.  The echo 200 is a 5-inch, versatile fishfinder that combines easy operation with a powerful 300-watt RMS sounder.  This fishfinder has a high resolution grayscale display, and is dual-beam capable. With the echo 200, you can scan deep water to a maximum depth of 1,500 feet.  In a compact, space-saving design, Garmin’s echo 150 dual-beam fishfinder features an ultra-crisp 4-inch, 8-level grayscale display.  With 200 watts RMS of sonar power output, the echo 150 lets you scan depths down to 1,300 feet.  And completing the echo series family of fishfinders, the echo 100 is a single-beam (200 kHz) sonar that features fast screen updates on its 4-inch grayscale display.  The echo 100 transmits with 100 watts RMS of power output, which gives you depth down to 600 feet. 

Each model in the echo series features Garmin’s new HD-ID target tracking technology, which gives you an amazing level of detail on fish returns, structure and bottom contours.  For an uninterrupted view of the sonar image, the echo 200, 300c, 500c and 550c also boast Garmin Smooth Scaling™ technology, which means you won’t lose sight of the sonar history as the unit changes depth ranges.  And the 5-inch models (echo 200, 500c and 550c) also feature the ability to rewind your sonar history, to ensure that you don’t miss a thing.

These new systems come with everything you need – including a trolling motor transducer mount – to make getting on the water even faster and easier.  All six new models also come standard with a quick-release mount with tilt and swivel included, and the 5-inch units also include a quick-disconnect cable management system.  An optional flush-mount kit is also available for each model.