If you’re looking for a fish finder for your boat then chances are you have taken a look at the Lowrance Elite Ti series of fish finders. The Lowrance elite ti fish finders come in a range of models from the Ti 5 to the Ti 12.
They are all excellent fish finders for lake and inshore fishing but their features vary across the range. Today we are going to focus on the Lowrance Elite 9 Ti, which is on the higher end of the series, is perfect for a medium-sized boat, and is very similar to the Lowrance Elite 7 ti.
Join me as we run through all the settings and features in this Lowrance Elite 9 Ti review so you can decide if the Elite 9 Ti is the right fish finder for you.
The Lowrance Elite 9 Ti
The Lowrance Elite 9 Ti fish finder comes with everything you need from a fish finder for lake, inshore and offshore fishing. It is considered as one of the best fish finders in the market today.
The balanced sonar abilities of these fish finders will leave no stone unturned and will have you finding more fish than ever. The unit comes with CHIRP imaging, downscan, and sidescan imaging meaning you have every angle covered.
You can use CHIRP to find fish while cruising at speed, switch to downscan to check out bottom structure and drop-offs, and then scour huge areas with side imaging. Combine these sonar features with Fish ID, Fish Reveal, and the ability to record and review sonar, you have all the data you need and in more detail than ever.
The Lowrance elite ti 9 also comes with an accurate GPS that allows for easy navigation, marking fishing spots, and knowing your speed and heading. This is all overlayed on your choice of charts and you can choose to have either C Maps or Navionics preloaded for free, or add other charts that you prefer.
These fish finders also come with Insight Genesis, a self-mapping software that will build you custom charts of the areas you fish, to 1 ft accuracy. You’ll be able to see depth changes and ID good fishing spots with ease.
To top it all off, the Lowrance Elite Ti 9 also comes with awesome networking options including NMEA for engine data, Bluetooth for trolling motor control and anchor control, plus wifi for easy updates and linking to your smartphone.
All this amazing data will be displayed on a sun-light readable screen which splits into up to 4 views so you can see multiple sonar and navigation screens at once. The unit also comes with your choice of a single transducer included, but more on that later.
You might be wondering if there is anything wrong with the Lowrance Elite Ti 9, and yes there is. It’s not the easiest fish finder to understand how to use, so it might take some time to work out all the features.
Pros
- Solid screen size for sonar viewing
- You can read the screen in direct sunlight
- The touchscreen makes the fish finder easy to use
- Quick access control bar makes switching views easy
- Includes excellent sonar imaging features
- Comes with CHIRP, downscan imaging, and side imaging
- FishReveal Smart Target View combines sonar technologies for clearer fish targets
- The trackback feature lets you record and review sonar history
- Super accurate broadband sonar data with great target separation
- Includes preloaded maps – C Map genesis live or Navionics
- Also works with fishing hotspots pro mapping data and lake insight
- Very accurate GPS for navigation and marking
- Create custom maps with Insight genesis
- Wireless connectivity & Bluetooth connectivity for easy software updates and syncing to your smartphone
- Wireless networking connects to trolling motor and power pole shallow water anchors
- Comes with a number of transducer options
- Affordable price for the quality
- Perfect for medium-sized boats
Cons
- Not the easiest fish finder to learn to use
- Doesn’t have the largest maximum depth for offshore fishing
Specs
- Size Display: 9 inch
- Display: Color
- Touch Display: Yes
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W
- Frequency: 83/200, 455/800kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP sonar, DownScan, Side imaging
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: Micro SD
- Transducer: Included
- Depth: 1000 ft
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Water Temperature: Yes
For an in-depth analysis, be sure to check out the video review here.
Features & Benefits
Is the display any good?
The display on this fish finder is larger than other models and with a size of 9 inches, the screen is more than larger enough to view things clearly. You can split it into 4 screens and the excellent screen resolution allows you to read the display no matter the weather or the glare.
The display is also a touchscreen and features a quick access bar. This makes navigating through the options as easy as possible since you don’t have to mess around with a keypad.
What sonar features does it come with?
CHIRP
As already mentioned, this unit comes with CHIRP technology, the most accurate searching sonar around. CHIRP uses multiple frequencies to scan every part of the water column and provide the maximum detail possible, and it works at high speeds too.
You can cruise at 10 knots while seeing if there is a fishing spot worth stopping at, making finding fishy areas super-efficient.
CHIRP on this Elite Ti unit has a maximum depth penetration of 1000 ft, which is around 330 meters. This is perfect for freshwater fishing in lakes and rivers as well as being sufficient for inshore and fishing the drop off around reefs in the Ocean. It’s not quite deep enough for going offshore for example when looking for marlin in 4000 feet of water.
DownScan
The unit also comes with DownScan which uses higher sonar wave frequencies to provide you with incredible detail. It’s the perfect feature to use once you have found a fishy spot with CHIRP and want to take a closer look. You’ll be able to see picture-like images, if fish are holding there, and where they are sitting.
SideScan
SideScan takes things to the next level and is referred to as Structure scan within Lowrance’s active imaging suite. SideScan on this unit will scan up to 140 feet on either side of your boat. This allows you to search large areas with 280 feet of coverage on every pass you make.
Let’s say you’re fishing in a new bass lake for the first time and you’re trying to track down some fish holding brush piles. With a single pass with SideScan, you’ll view an area of 280 feet in one go, can home in on brush piles, and even see if bass are holding on them too.
FishReveal Smart Target View
FishReveal is quite incredible as it combines both CHIRP and DownScan images in an overlay. This means you can see the incredible detail of DownScan with CHIRP fish arches laid on top giving you all the detail possible in a sonar image.
Trackback
Trackback is another awesome feature that records your sonar readings while you fish. This means you can review all your sonar readings at home and mark waypoints on any good fishing spots you might have missed while busy catching fish.
What are my transducer options?
You have a choice of 4 transducer options with these units which you will find listed below.
- TotalScan transducer: 3 in 1 solution, combining CHIRP, DownScan, and StructureScan HD
- Skimmer transducer: single transducer, uses mid/high-frequency CHIRP for 2D sonar readings
- HDI transducer: 2 in 1 solution, combining CHIRP and DownScan
- LSS-HD transducer: 2 in 1 solution, combining DownScan, and StructureScan HD
As you can see there is only one “all in one transducer” and that is the Totalscan transducer. The Totalscan transducer allows you to use all the imaging features that the Elite 9 Ti is capable of. But it is more expensive, so you can choose one of the others if you want to save some cash or don’t have use for all the features.
What are my chart options?
These units are compatible with pretty much any charts you want and you have the choice of having C-Maps of Navionics preloaded. Having charts makes life about as easy as it gets as they provide all the depth and navigation data you could ever want. You’ll be able to avoid hazards, find marinas and boat ramps, navigate to depth changes that might hold fish, and more.
This unit also comes with Insight Genesis which takes your sonar data and turns it into a custom chart or your fishing areas for you.
How’s the networking?
This fish finder has excellent networking capabilities that allow you to link them to other devices such as Lowrance HDS units, control trolling motors, lift and drop a power pole shallow water anchor, and even link it to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth.
The unit also includes NMEA 2000 connections so you can monitor engine performance and even link the unit to SmartSteer trolling motor controls.
Is the Lowrance Elite 9 Ti right for me?
Thanks very much for reading my Elite 9 Ti review, I hope you enjoyed it and now know everything about the unit and its capabilities.
The Elite 9 Ti really does have it all, and it is the right fish finder for anyone who is not fishing offshore in depths deeper than 1000ft often. Otherwise it truly does do it all!
