The Dragonfly 7 Pro represents the latest step forward in fish finder tech. It employs the familiar Spectrum CHIRP technology where sonar signals are transmitted through the water, but Dragonfly 7 Pro can interpret the return signals better than ever, structuring images on display with greater detail and clarity.
Features
The display is the latest optical-bonding LCD technology featuring brighter colors, sharper contrasts, and all-weather performance guaranteed not to fog up on cold mornings. You’ll find yourself looking at near-photo quality images of what’s beneath your boat in fresh or salt water, to a depth of 600 feet (180 meters).
High-speed bottom tracking helps you avoid obstacles in shallower water, while the Dragonfly 7 Pro has built in GPS for mapping along with US Navionics charting. It also boasts built-in Wi-Fi (via the Raymarine Wi-Fish mobile app) so you can stream data to friends or your own tablet or smartphone to save it for later reference. Im addition to mounting it on your boat, it’s also compact at less than 9 pounds and 14 inches per side.
Raymarine’s Dragonfly 7 Pro looks and feels like a quality product as soon as you pick it up in your hands, but is very easy to operate. You might never need the user manual that comes with it, as the display settings and navigation are intuitively clear and easy to follow. Basically, you can turn it on and start looking for fish as soon as you get it.
Complaints
It does have a few drawbacks which it seems like could have been addressed during the design stage. The major issue is that the controls aren’t backlit, so you need to have a light handy if you’re fishing in the dark. Another is that the software is not upgradeable; at least, the manual strongly advises against it. Also, it takes a few seconds to both power up and power down. Nor can you turn off the Wi-Fi. The manual suggests unplugging the unit to conserve battery power when you’re done with it.
Setup
But those seem like minor complaints considering all that the Raymarine Dragonfly can do. The display is very bright, and the down images it can produce really are amazing for their clarity, and considering this is one of the few quality CHIRP imagers that is affordable. There is no special set up required to make it functional; it has the one down transducer that uses a ratchet connection to mount easily and securely. Then you just plug the unit in, power it up, and you’re good to go.
When comparing models, there are some that boast having CHIRP sonar but don’t deliver with any kind of quality. The Dragonfly 7 Pro is the real deal. Yet it’s a deceptively simple unit with one plug in and just a few buttons for navigating the screen. In contrast to night fishing, the glare from the display can be blinding in the bright sun. You can purchase a separate sun cover, or mount it on your boat under an awning so you can get the best images.
Performance
What matters though, is what the Dragonfly 7 does, which is help you catch more fish. With its range and superior imaging, that won’t be a problem. The bottom-tracking and image update is fast and smooth. You can spot a small school of rockfish in a bottom ravine 100 feet below. Even in the dark and fog, the Navionics charting helps to keep you from getting lost. You can continually track your position relative to the coastline. The charting systems are very functional and simple to use. You can easily set up waypoints and find them again.
If you’ve been searching for the best fish finder, you may want to stop here. The Dragonfly 7 Pro, apart from the few minor gripes cited above, is everything you want in a fish finder. Easy to use, excellent images, and accurate bottom and depth tracking combine into a unit that provides the same functionality, and better imaging, as models costing much more.
You’ll not only catch more fish, but have fun just looking for them. You can get a great deal on Raymarine Dragonfly 7 PRO here.
| Lowrance Elite-7 CHIRP | Garmin echoMap 73dv | Raymarine Dragonfly 7PRO | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Screen Size | 7 in | 7 in | 7 in |
| Screen Resolution | 480 x 800 pixels | 480 x 800 pixels | 800 x 480 pixels |
| Display Type | 16-bit color, Full VGA SolarMax PlusTFT | WVGA | WVGA |
| Imaging | 2D and Down Imaging | 2D and Down Imaging | 2D and Down Imaging |
| Transducer Type | Transom Mount/Trolling Motor | Transom Mount/Trolling Motor | Transom Mount |
| Transmit Power | Max 250W RMS 30,000W Peak to Peak analog equivalent | 500 W (RMS) 4,000 W (peak to peak) | 500W RMS 4000W Peak-To-Peak |
| Sonar Frequency | 455/800 kHz Down Imaging, Low, Med, High (CHIRP), 50 kHz/83kHz/200kHz (Narrow Band) | 77/200 kHz 50/200 kHz with an optional dual frequency tranducer | 200 kHz Sonar/350 kHz Down Vision |
| Maximum Depth | Down Imaging: 300 ft CHIRP Sonar High Range/200 kHz: 1,000 ft CHIRP Sonar Med Range/83 kHz: 1000 ft CHIRP Sonar Low Range/50 kHz: 3,000 ft | 2,300 ft at 77 kHz freshwater 1,100 ft at 77 kHz, saltwater | 600' (DownVision); 900' (CHIRP Sonar) |
| GPS Antenna Type | Internal, high-sensitivity GPS+WAAS | Internal | Internal |
| Waypoint Storage | 3000 | 5000 | 3000 |
| Routes | 100 | 100 | 150 |
| MSRP | $699 | $699 | $599 |
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