If you’re looking for a DEEP comparison of these two popular digital mapping charts, you’ve come to the right place.
In this post I’m going to personally review two popular lake mapping companies: LakeMaster and Navionics.
I dove deep into each mapping product that Lakemaster and Navionics has to offer and uncovered the good, the bad (and the ugly) and much more.
Within each mapping platform I evaluated:
- Available Products
- Fish finder compatibility
- Mapping details & accuracy
- Lake & water availability
- Pricing and value
- Unique features
- And lots more
So make sure to read this review until the end. That way you can find the right mapping system for you.
Let’s do this!
LakeMaster vs Navionics (Quick Overview)
Here is a quick comparison of the LakeMaster vs Navionics mapping platforms in case you are short on time. For a more in-depth comparison continue reading.
| Category | LakeMaster | Navionics |
| Price | X | |
| Value | Draw | Draw |
| Lake Availability | X | Draw |
| Mapping Details & Accuracy | X | |
| Updates | No updates | 1 year free |
| Fish Finder Compatibility | Hummingbird | Lowrance, Hummingbird, Garmin |
| Features | X | |
| Best Overall | X (If HD maps are available) |
Best Overall Lake Mapping Chip
In my analysis, the LakeMaster Digital Chart is the best mapping and boating option if you have a Hummingbird unit and if the lakes that you use are available in HD.
If your maps aren’t in HD or you use a competitor’s fish finder like Lowrance and Garmin, then the Navionics HotMaps Platinum Lake Maps is the best option for you.
Introducing The Two Competitors: LakeMaster vs Navionics
Before we start comparing the lake mapping chips of these two companies let’s first give some background on each company and discuss the different products and features each one has to offer.
LakeMaster (Hummingbird)
The LakeMaster brand’s parent company is Johnson Outdoors Inc. which has created several popular outdoor recreational watercraft brands such LakeMaster, Hummingbird, Minn Kota, and Cannon.
As you can imagine the LakeMaster chips work extremely well when paired with a Hummingbird fish finder and Minn Kota trolling motors as they all have the same parent company.
The LakeMaster brand is dedicated to providing boaters with the most up-to-date cartography of your favorite lakes across the US, keeping you safe and helping you catch more fish.
Their mapping chips are well known and respected for being the most accurate and detailed digital maps on the market and they are known for their innovation and unique features.
However, the LakeMaster maps are limited in their coverage of some lakes and are only compatible with Hummingbird units.
Available Hummingbird Mapping Products
- LakeMaster
- LakeMaster Plus
- SmartStrike
- ChartSelect
- Autochart (Built into some Hummingbird units)
- Basemap (Built into Hummingbird units)
Now that we’ve reviewed some basic information about the LakeMaster brand, let’s take a closer look at the different cards and products Hummingbird has to offer and how they the differ.
LakeMaster & LakeMaster Plus
Most popular Hummingbird lake mapping chips
The LakeMaster and Lake Master Plus are two of Hummingbird’s most popular lake mapping chips. Both come with shallow water highlights, accurate and easy to read contours, and many other features.
The main difference between the LakeMaster and LakeMaster Plus is that the LakeMaster Plus gives you that ability to choose and view high-quality aerial photography to help you better see creek channels, reefs, weed lines, and much more.
Here are the different features of both the LakeMaster & LakeMaster Plus:
LakeMaster & LakeMaster Plus Features
- i-Pilot Link Compatible
- Easy to read contours
- Depth Highlight Range
- Water Level Offset
- Shallow Water Highlight
- Scrollable Lake list
LakeMaster Plus Only Features
- +Satellite Only
- +Satelite Only + Land
- +Satellite + Contours
Now let’s take a look at the different regions that these chips offer
LakeMaster Region/Coverage
- Dakota-Nebraska Edition
- Great Lakes Edition
- Great Plains Edition
- Mid-Atlantic States Edition
- Minnesota Edition
- Northeast States Edition
- Ontario Edition
- Quebec Edition
- Southeast States
- Wisconsin Edition
- Woods Rainy Edition
LakeMaster vs LakeMasterPlus
A lot of boaters often ask what is the difference between LakeMaster and LakeMaster Plus? And is LakeMaster Plus worth the extra cost?
The main difference between these two chips is that the LakeMaster Plus allows you to use high-quality aerial photography to allow you to better see structure, creeks, steep drop-offs, and other irregularities.
Is LakeMaster Plus worth the extra cost over the LakeMaster? To be honest, I don’t it is.
The satellite maps tend to run slow and are not all that helpful in most cases. The aerial features are a nice to have but I don’t think it justifies the extra cost. I would stick with the basic LakeMaster lake chip.
You can always use Google Earth for free to get aerial coverage if you need it.
SmartStrike
Best for building your own lake maps
The SmartStrike mapping chips includes all of the features that the other LakeMaster chips have but also has the SmartStrike technology built in.
The SmartStrike technology allows you to search parameters like season, temperature, time of day, and target fish species. It will highlight areas of the lake map where your target species are most likely to be located or once you develop a pattern, you can search for similar areas on the lake with this technology.
Check out the SmartStrike features on the Hummingbird’s website here.
ChartSelect
Best option for selecting individual lakes without having to buy a whole region
ChartSelect is essentially a digital map store created by Hummingbird where you can purchase and download individual High Definition LakeMaster lake maps and international coastal charts.
This can be a great and affordable option if you are looking for a specific lake map and don’t want spend the extra money to get all of the lakes in a particular region.
For more info about ChartSelect check out this overview on the Hummingbird’s website here.
Autochart & Autochart Pro
Best for building your own lake maps
If you are looking for digital maps on lakes that Navionics or LakeMaster doesn’t cover, then this chip is for you.
There are thousands of lakes throughout the United States and it’s almost impossible to have the LakeMaster crew come out and map each lake. That is why they came out with the Autochart
The Autochart and Autochart Pro can be a game changer and allow you to build your own maps on your favorite bodies of water.
You can find out more info about these maps here. To learn more about how AutoChart works check out this video
Side note: If you have a Hummingbird unit with AutoChart Live then this technology is already built into your unit and this chip wouldn’t be beneficial.
Navionics
Navionics is an Italian based company that created the world’s first marine electronic chart plotter in 1984. They are an innovated company that specializes in creating marine mapping/content and have one of the world’s largest cartography database that includes oceans, seas, rivers, and more than 38,000 lakes.
In 2017 Navionics and Garmin came together and focused on being a global leader in marine content and location-based services. They are a well-respected company and their products are used by a wide variety of anglers and other boaters throughout the world.
Available Products
- Navionics HotMaps Platinum
- Navionics +
- Boating app
- Navionics updates
Now that we know a little more about the Navionics brand, let’s take a closer look at the different cards and products Navionics offers and how the differ from one another:
Navionics HotMaps Platinum Lake Maps
Best lake mapping chip for freshwater lakes in U.S & Canada
The HotMaps Platinum Lake Maps is Navionics premium fresh water lake mapping chip that is designed for the avid boater and serious anglers.
If you are a serious fishermen and boater that lives in the United States or Canada, and spend your time on freshwater lakes, then these lake maps were designed for you.
The Navionics HotMaps Platinum Lake Maps have all of the same lakes, content, and features of the Navionics+ but also includes 3D View, satellite overlay, and panoramic photos giving you more accurate and detailed information.
This chip includes over 21,000 lakes, high definition data, 1’ contour data within SonaChart, advanced mapping options and more, all designed to keep you safe and make you a better angler.
Here is a list of the features that are included in The HotMaps Platinum card:
Key Features
- SonarChart Shading
- Lake Charts
- One foot contours
- 21,000 lakes and growing
- Daily updates and advanced features for one year
- Preloaded with Nautical Chart and SonarChart
- Community edits are downloadable
- SonarChart Live
- Advanced Map Options
- Plotter Sync
- Enhance SonarChart with sonar logs you collect.
- Structures, reefs, drop-offs, vegetation, boat ramps, marinas, and safety depth contours
Now let’s take a look at the different regions and coverage you can expect with this lake mapping system.
Region/Coverage
The Navionics HotMaps Platinum Lake Maps are available in 5 different regions. Here is a list of the regions and what coverage you can expect with each one.
- Canada – BC, AB, SK, ON, QC, MB, NB, NT, NS, ME, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OH, VT, WA
- NORTH – IA, MI, MN, WI, ND, SD
- SOUTH – AL, AR, FL, GA, KS, LA, MO, MS, NE, NM, OK, TX
- EAST – CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV
- WEST – AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, ND, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
Keep in mind that although your state may be listed, some of the bodies of water that you fish in may not be included depending on the area.
Navionics + Regions (Marine & Lakes)
Best lake mapping chip for boaters that need both saltwater and freshwater maps
The Navionics + is a great mapping chip that covers both freshwater and salt water. It comes pre-loaded with maps for a certain region just like the HotMaps Platinum chip.
This mapping chip includes sonar and navical charts however it doesn’t include 3D and satellite options like the HotMaps Platinum does.
If you are looking for card that does both freshwater and saltware then the Navionics + regions is a great choice.
Key Features
- Marine and lake charts
- One-foot contours inshore and nearshore
- 21,000 lakes and growing
- Daily updates and advanced features for one year
- Preloaded with Nautical Chart; SonarChart & Community Edits are downloadable.
- Enjoy advanced features: SonarChart Live, Advanced Map Options and Plotter Sync.
- Enhance SonarChart with sonar logs you collect.
Region/Coverage
- South
- West
- North
- Canada
- Alaska
(You can view more details about the coverage here)
Navionics Platinum + (Marine)
Best lake mapping chip for saltwater
The Navionics Platinum is built for the marine boater and fishermen. It comes with all of the bells and whistles and other Navionics chips but is focused on marine bodies of water.
Here are some of the features and coverage that is included with this mapping chip:
Key Features
- Nautical Chart
- SonarChartTM
- Community Edits
- Daily Updates
- Dock-to-dock Auto routing
- SonarChartTM Live
- Advanced Map Options
- Plotter Sync
- Satellite Overlay with SonarChart Shading
- Panoramic Photos
Region/Coverage
- California & Oregon
- Lake Michigan
- Lake Superior
- Puget Sound
(You can view more details about the coverage here)
Navionics Updates
Best option if you already have a Navionics chip
The Navionics Updates card allows you to get access to the latest Navionics charts by using an old card or when switching from another manufacturer such as Garmin, LakeMaster and others.
The Navionics update is essentially the Navionices+, but at half of the price if you were to just buy the Navionics plus, and it comes preloaded with all of the detailed nautical charts and community edits. You also get a free year of updates as well.
To learn more about the Navionics update card click on this video.
Navionics vs LakeMaster: Bottom Line
Mapping Compatibility
Winner: Navionics
Navionics Mapping Compatibility
Navionics is compatible with most Hummingbird and Lowrance fish finder units; however, if you decide to purchase their mapping chips, it’s a good idea to first make sure your unit is compatible.
You can check the compatibility of the Navionics products by clicking on this link: Navionics Compatibility Guide.
LakeMaster Mapping Compatibility
The LakeMaster chips are only compatible with Hummingbird fish finder units and will not work with other brands.
You can find out which Hummingbird units are compatible with the LakeMaster chips here.
Which Lake Map Covers More Regions
Winner: Draw
The coverage and regions of these two companies is pretty comparable and in this article we won’t compare each region specifically.
After researching the two products, Navionics seems to have more lake mapping options than LakeMaster in certain regions.
Which Lake Maps Are More Accurate?
Winner: LakeMaster if HD maps are available, if not, Navionics is better choice
In my analysis I have questioned several experienced anglers that have tried both Navionics and LakeMaster maps and the majority of them have said LakeMaster cards are a lot more accurate than Navionics.
There were some anglers that did say they preferred Navionics over LakeMaster and that they were more accurate, but in most cases these were in areas that LakeMaster didn’t have an HD map available.
In my opinion both the Navionics and LakeMaster are solid mapping products and it really depends if they offer HD mapping options for the lakes that you boat and fish the most.
Bottom line: If LakeMaster has HD maps available for your home lakes then I would highly recommend going with them. If not, I would recommend going with Navionics.
Which is better – LakeMaster or Navionics?
What is the better lake mapping chip, LakeMaster or Navionics? In my opinion the LakeMaster is the overall better and more accurate mapping chip and is the obvious choice if you have a Hummingbird depth finder.
However, if you use other fish finder companies such as Lowrance, Garmin, or the lakes you boat and fish at aren’t available in HD in LakeMaster, then my recommendation would be to go with a Navionics chips that best fits your situation.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are out on a lake or at sea, having a reliable mapping system is extremely important. It will not only help keep you and your boat safe, but will also make you a more efficient and productive angler.
I hope you have found this comparison of the Navionics vs LakeMaster products to be insightful and that it helps you select the right mapping system that best fits you and your needs.
Tight lines