re: First gps/fishfinder purchase

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Looking specifically at Garmin EchoMap 54CV for $439 or 54cv or get the 53CV for $359 and pay $100 for the Louisiana Maps

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This is what I did after researching and looking at them close at BassPro. The Garmin plus the $100 LA Bayou card was the best value for me. And yes you can overlay satellite images like other brands. Just buy the right one. The ones that end with an odd number such as the 53cv are preloaded with LakeVu maps which focus more on freshwater north of I-10. The even number models (54) are preloaded with US bluechart which is mainly for offshore. I bought the 53cv earlier this year along with the LA Bayou card since I mainly fish freshwater north of I-10 and an occasional trip down to the coast. I suggest going somewhere like BassPro or Academy and comparing the features of all the brands before buying. I ended up saving some $ and buying on Amazon.