Topic: SI and Salmon fishing

[Saint]

Couple questions: First off, I live in WA State, fishing in the San Juan Islands (salt water) at depths of 80-150 ft using a 22 ft ProLine outboard walk-around.  I am currently using a year 2000 Furuno GP 1650 that we don't like.  It's too dim for daylight, hard to navigate, and the sonar is questionable. I am looking at buying the 898C SI.  I've been reading everything I can find the last 3 days but have not found solid answers to these questions.

1) Does anyone have any experience salmon fishing with the new SI technology at these depths?  I've read past 100 ft the technology loses the bottom, so it would not work for depths beyond that point.

2) Does seaweed confuse the unit?  We have a lot of drifting seaweed in our area.

3) In water too deep for the SI, how well does the standard sonar work?

4) Are the basic maps for the San Juan Islands good enough?

5) Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations for this type of fishing with this unit?

Thanks in advance

[Wayne P.]

This may help answer some of your questions. Go to this site and scroll down the page to the post dated 10:00 PM   3/5/2010
note the depth

http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=227957&page=7

Down Imaging is the Side Imaging frequency.