2006 High Lake Water Level

The most exciting is a new high-definition GPS map of Lake Powell. This new map has contours at 10-20’ intervals. This is a huge increase in detail over previous GPS contour maps of Lake Powell. In addition it shows the correct location of each of the channel buoys, the location of the new Bullfrog Bay buoys, and location of many more on-the-lake objects including each of the light buoys surrounding all of the houseboat fields.

The other new Lake Powell GPS map includes 3-Dimensional bathymetric views, aerial photography, panoramic photos, port information and pilot books.

The Garmin, Lowrance, and C-Map Lake Powell GPS maps are based on the same data – USGS 7.5 minute 1:24000 topo maps. Unfortunately this topo map only has contours at 80’ spacing. The bottom contours for all of the maps are at elevations of 3700’, 3680’, 3600’, 3520’, 3440’, 3360’, 3280’, and 3200’. The maps typically label these contours as the depth below 3700’ elevation, which is the Lake Powell full level – the labels are 20’, 100’, 180’, 260’, 340’, 420’, and 500’.

The Lake Powell GPS map from Navionics, Garmin, Lowrance, and C-Map contain Fishing Hot Spots – detailed location, species, and lure information telling you how to catch fish in numerous locations around the lake. All major canyons have multiple hot spots and there are hot spots scattered in cuts and along the main channel. This Fishing Hot Spots information is an excellent resource for those new to fishing Lake Powell.

All of the Fishing Hot Spots information comes from a company of the same name. They do sell paper versions of their Fishing Hot Spots maps. Unfortunately there is no paper FHS map Lake Powell.

The new Navionics high-definition map of Lake Powell can be read by any Lowrance unit that is compatible with Navionics Premium maps. This is generally all of the units released after the X-15 (i.e. LCX-17MT, LCX-25c, LCX-100c, etc). Only 2007 and later compatible Lowrance units can view the new Navionics 3-D map of Lake Powell. This includes the LCX-27c, LCX-112c, LMS-520c, GlobalMap 5200c, etc). You can find a list of compatible units on the Navionics web site.

Lowrance sells Fishing Hot Spots PRO. Lake Powell is included as part of the South or West region. If you want a card with Arizona lakes, then get the Fishing Hot Spots PRO South. If you want a card with Utah lakes, then get the Fishing Hot Spots PRO West. Either of these cards also includes the Fishing Hot Spots maps of Lake Powell.

Lowrance provides some Enhanced Lake Maps for free from their web site. These maps are compatible with all their newer units. Simply download the map, copy it to a SD Card, and insert the card in your unit. It will be automatically detected and can be selected for display in the Map Data dialog. Note that these free maps cannot be viewed in MapCreate.

In order to manage your GPS data on a PC you can purchase the Lowrance MapCreate program. There are free programs, and cheaper, more technical solutions, for reading and viewing recorded sonar, trails, and waypoints. Lowrance provides a number of free utilities for your GPS unit.

MapCreate will read and display Lowrance maps on your PC along with any trails and waypoints.

Minor revision updates (6.1, 6.2, etc) of MapCreate are free to current owners from the Lowrance web site. Major version upgrades (7.0) must be purchased.

Note that MapCreate is not included and cannot be used with the maps on the new hard disk units LCX-26C and LCX-111C. The maps on the hard disk can only be viewed on the unit and not on the PC.

Navionics sells the HotMaps line of lake maps for GPS units. HotMaps for GPS units are sold only on SD cards or CF cartridges depending on your unit. These maps can be used in units sold by Lowrance/Eagle, Humminbird, Raymarine, Furuno, and others. Go to Navionics webs site for a current list of compatible units.

Beginning in 2008, Navionics released a HotMaps DVD containing 10,000 lake maps for viewing on a PC. Unfortunately this DVD does not contain Lake Powell (and in fact contains no lakes in Utah).

Beginning in 2007, Navionics SD card or CF cartridge maps can now be viewed on the PC. Navionics sells a new program called NavPlanner which includes a special card reader so that you can view Navionics maps on your PC, create routes, view and manage tracks and waypoints. In addition, Fugawi Marine Enc is now compatible with Navionics working with the same card reader.

The older version of HotMaps is called HotMaps Classic. HotMaps Classic is sold by region – north, south, east, west. Lake Powell is on the HotMaps Classic West. HotMaps Classic works with all Lowrance units.

The newer version of HotMaps is called HotMaps Premium and is also sold by region - north, south, east, west, Canada. HotMaps Premium works with all newer Lowrance and Humminbird units.

The 2008 HotMaps Premium West includes a new high-definition map of Lake Powell. The new map appears to have been surveyed at a lake level just above 3600’ and calibrated to a lake level of about 3602’.

Over a period of two weekends I observed the difference between my bottom reading and the new high-definition map at a variety of locations. The difference was consistently about 12’. Since the lake level was about 3590’ at the time of the experiment I am guessing that the lake level of the map translates to about 3602’ above sea level.

The new map has 20’ contours to 100’ depth, and 10’ contours above that. Therefore, the new map has 20’ contours from the bottom to an elevation of about 3500’, and 10’ contours to an elevation of 3600’.

Navionics resurveyed all of the channel buoy locations, and surveyed the location of the new Bullfrog Bay buoys plus all of the light buoys surrounding all of the covered and uncovered houseboat fields.

HotMaps Platinum is Navionics new line of 3-D lake maps. Features include satellite and aerial photo overlays, 3-D bathymetric views, plus satellite overlays of 2-D and 3-D charts. The 2008 HotMaps Platinum Region 8 now includes Lake Powell. Unfortunately the 2-D and 3-D maps are based on the older, coarser contour data. We can only hope that the new high-definition survey data will be used in the Platinum Lake Powell map for the 2009 edition.

HotMaps USA is still being sold but no longer listed on the Navionics web site. Considering the new high-definition Premium map this is probably not a good choice.

This product is new for 2008. It is a DVD with 10,000 lake maps for viewing on a PC. The DVD includes some kind of viewer which allows you to view, print, and create waypoints. Since Fugawi is also selling this DVD, and Marine Enc is expected to be compatible, I would guess that the “viewer” is a version of Marine Enc limited to only the maps on the DVD.

The price for all this is only $19.95. Unfortunately the DVD does not contain Lake Powell (and in fact contains no lakes in Utah).

High-definition maps are not included and must be purchased separately for $19.95 each. One free high-definition map purchase is included with the purchase of the DVD.

In 2007, Navionics released a PC based map program called NavPlanner. This program allows you to view your Navionics SD cards or CF cartridges on a PC using a special card reader.

I have not used this program so do not have any real information. Navionics tried to release this product some years ago but removed it because it was so bad. Reviews so far have been guarded but positive. it is probably a useful program for the money spent. Until now it has not been possible to view Navionics maps on the PC. This is a welcome addition.

Not to take anything away from NavPlanner, I bought the Fugawi Marine Enc which has much more capability. Read the section below for more information.

Garmin sells their own line of maps for all of their units. As far as I can tell Garmin maps will only work in Garmin units and Garmin units can only use Garmin maps.

In 2008, Fugawi added compatibility with Garmin maps to their Marine Enc program. The program will catalog and display any Garmin maps. Looks as good as MapSource but MapSource is easier to use.

This appears to be the successor to Recreational Lakes with Fishing Hot Spots. But, since FHS is not mentioned and a list of lakes is not available we are only guessing.

This is equivalent to the Navionics HotMaps Classic since there are Fishing Hot Spot lake maps but no high definition maps. Garmin’s Inland Lakes DVD contains lake maps for the entire country. This DVD is a great value if you have a Garmin GPS and not too bad a choice if you want to look at lake maps on the PC.

MapSource is Garmin’s PC mapping program. This program comes with all of the map products. Program updates are free from the Garmin web site. One of the nice features of Garmin is that you can purchase maps on CD where they are installed and viewed on your PC. The maps can then be uploaded to the GPS unit or copied to a data card, which can be inserted into a unit – the particular method is dependent on your unit.

There are free programs, and cheaper, more technical solutions, for reading and viewing recorded sonar, trails, and waypoints. But, since MapSource comes with all the maps and has free updates, there is very little reason to use any other program.

Previously Lake Powell was purchased on a card that contained only Lake Powell. This map has the same contour detail as Garmin and Navionics, but does not contain fishing hot spots information.

The Lake Powell map can now be found on the Inland Lakes Region 4 (West). This series is sold by region and contains numerous lake maps throughout the region along with a number of fishing hot spots (FHS) maps.

PC Planner is a Windows program that can read and display C-Map charts on Compact Flash or SDCard. PC Planner comes with software on CD and a CF/SDCard reader/writer.

PC Planner is essential for managing your own collection of waypoints, viewing and saving trails, and creating routes to be viewed and used on your unit. It’s also pretty cool to play with the lake map on your PC.

Magellan is probably not a choice for GPS at Lake Powell. Magellan units probably require Magellan maps and they do not have a map of Lake Powell.

MapSend Lakes USA is Magellan’s version of Fishing Hot Spots lake maps. These map sets are sold by region – west, north, south. Unless you live in North or South Dakota, the list of maps in the western region is very limited. There are no lake maps in Arizona, only 3 lake maps in Utah, and Lake Powell is not on the list.

This is Magellan’s PC software. MapSend is supplied on the CD with all of Magellan’s map products. I could not find any information about the current version or updates to MapSend.

Many of the newer Humminbird units can use Navionics HotMaps Premium or HotMaps Platinum. None of the Humminbird units is listed as compatible with the older HotMaps Classic.

It appears that all of the Navman fish finder/GPS units use C-Map NT and NT+ charts on SDCard.

All newer Raymarine units can use Navionics HotMaps Premium. Some can use Navionics HotMaps Platinum.

Beginning in 2007, the Fugawi Marine Enc PC mapping program is compatible with Navionics maps using their special card reader. This program can detect, read, and display Navionics Premium maps. In addition Marine Enc can also display the Navionics maps in 3-D with zoom, pan, and fly-overs. Marine Enc is a bit pricey if you just want to look at Navionics maps on the PC. But, Marine Enc is probably worth the price considering its considerable capabilities.

In 2008, Fugawi plans to release another upgrade making Marine Enc compatible with Navionics HotMaps Platinum.

Marine Enc will also be compatible with the new Navionics HotMaps Explorer DVD. The upgrade for this compatibility is announced for April 1, 2008.

There are a variety of resources and a lot of information on the web about GPS and GPS units. But one in particular bears special mention. Almost anything you could ever want to know about units, maps, software, technology, translation, etc, etc can be found amongst the vast list of links found at www.gpsinformation.net. Be sure to set aside a large block of time before visiting this site…