Humminbird Helix 10 Fish Finder Review

The Humminbird Helix 10 is one of the most popular mid-level fish finders the company has produced in recent years and it’s an excellent option for pleasure and competitive anglers. 

Humminbird has made great strides in recent years in targeting intermediate-level anglers who are not looking for the cheapest fish finder on the market but are also not willing to spend a small fortune.

I have been thoroughly impressed with the HELIX 10 during my field testing, especially some of its newest technological features.

In this article, I’ll look at the different features Humminbird added to this model and explain how each can make your time on the water more productive. 

Humminbird Helix 10 Overview 

I installed the Helix 10 on my offshore boat and headed out to test its capabilities. The Helix 10 provided exceptional sonar technology that delivered crisp and clear imaging at depths of up to 3,500 feet when using the CHIRP sonar.

Humminbird manufactures this fish finder in three different models including the Helix 10 CHIRP, Helix 10 DI+, and the Helix 10 SI+. The main differences between the three are that the DI+ and the SI+ offer increased imaging range and high operating frequencies. 

The Helix 10 comes with a 10.1-inch high-resolution screen that is fully waterproof. The screen was very easy to read and prominently displayed vital information that helped me make the best decision about where to fish on any given waterway. It also offered split-screen mode allowing me to view multiple views simultaneously. 

The GPS mapping technology allowed me to save up to 2,500 individual waypoints and gives detailed maps of more than 10,000 lakes in the United States and a map of all coastlines along the eastern and western U.S. coasts. 

The key features include:

• Mega Side Imaging
• Mega Down Imaging
• Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar
• Keypad Control
• Internal GPS
• AutoChartLive
• Bluetooth

CHIRP Sonar 

The Helix 10 operates using what’s known as CHIRP sonar (Compressed High-Intensity Radiated Pulse). This technology can deliver multiple frequency pulsations at once to help provide a more detailed image of what’s beneath your boat. The Helix 10’s CHIRP system offers a narrow, wide, and full mode that I can select just how much water below I want to target. 

The narrow mode provided a more detailed display of the water column below your position. This is ideal when I want to gain as much insight and get as much detail as possible using the CHIRP system.

Wide mode is more suitable for getting a broader view of what’s under the boat but doesn’t deliver as much intricate detail as the narrow mode.

Full mode is more of a combination of wide and narrow modes, giving you a much broader range of imaging. 

On-Screen Display 

One of the greatest things about the Helix 10 I noticed is the screen’s outstanding clarity and detail. The screen can be easily adjusted to give off just enough light so I could read the display on bright, sunny days, as well as night time. 

The Helix 10’s larger screen makes it perfect for using split-screen mode. I was able to easily run the device’s mapping feature alongside the CHIRP sonar to better understand what the bottom looks like along a creek channel or in other areas of a freshwater lake or coastal area.

You can use different combinations when it comes to split-screen mode. I prefer to use a combination of DownScan Imaging and mapping or SideScan Sonar to give a more complete view of my surroundings. 

Unfortunately, the Helix 10 doesn’t offer a touch-screen display, but the device is quite easy to use. I had no problem getting accustomed to the Helix 10’s many different modes and features in a short amount of time. 

GPS Mapping 

The Humminbird Helix 10 offers high-precision mapping capability that allowed me to create a huge number of waypoints and routes that can easily be saved. This is a very useful tool for tournament anglers who need to maximize their time on the water and fish along the most productive areas instead of wasting their time trying to figure out where they are on the lake. 

I prefer to operate the device in split-screen mode and use the CHIRP or the DownScan sonar capability alongside the mapping feature. This lets me better understand what the bottom looks like and makes it very easy to identify underwater structure and depth changes that will likely hold fish which I can return to at a later date. 

The Humminbird Basemap pack offers extremely detailed mapping on 10,000 United States lakes, as well as solid maps of every inch of coastline along the continental U.S. I didn’t purchase an upgraded Lakemaster series, which is regularly updated to show any recent changes such as new ramps and other features that are important to anglers. 

Connectivity 

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Helix 10 is the device’s ability to be paired with other devices through Bluetooth functions. This allowed me to view what’s on the screen of your fish finder display on your phone, tablet, or other Bluetooth capable device. This is very useful because my display is located in the cockpit of my boat and I want to take a quick look at the screen without having to move from the bow seat. 

The Helix 10’s connectivity features allow it to be paired with new smart trolling motors like the Minn Kota i-Pilot, which can take you along pre-programmed routes on a lake. This ability would allow me to focus on fishing while your boat motors along on its own using the predetermined GPS route designed to bring you to the points I want to hit. 

MEGA+ Imaging

Lastly, the MEGA+ Imaging feature uses much higher frequencies to provide you with what looks like a live video stream of what’s happening beneath the boat.

Anglers have reported that this feature is so sensitive and detailed that you can watch fish swim around underneath your position, but I didn’t observe this. The MEGA+ Imaging is only available in the DI+ and SI+ models of the Helix 10. 

Specifications

Item Number	104622
Series	HELIX
Display Size – Diagonal	10.1″
Display Pixel Matrix	1024H x 600V
Sonar-Standard	Dual Spectrum CHIRP, MEGA Down Imaging+, MEGA Side Imaging+
Sonar-Coverage	20°, 42°, 60°, (2) 86° & (2) 55° @ -10dB
Sonar-Optional	50 kHz, 50/Low Airmar CHIRP
CHIRP – Frequencies Supported	Full Mode (150-220 kHz), Narrow Mode (180-240 kHz), Wide Mode (140-200 kHz)
Sonar-Frequencies Supported	50/83/200/455/800 kHz & 1.2 MHz
Depth-Sonar	1,200 ft (standard transducer), 3,500 ft (optional 50 kHz)
CHIRP – Imaging-Frequencies Supported	455 kHz DI+ (435-535 kHz), 455 kHz SI+ (405-505 kHz), 800 kHz DI+ (800-860 kHz), 800 kHz SI+ (780-840 kHz), MEGA DI+ (1100-1200 kHz), MEGA SI+ (1050-1175 kHz)
Depth-Down Imaging	125 ft (800 kHz), 200 ft (MEGA), 400 ft (455 kHz)
Range-Side Imaging (Side-To-Side)	800 ft (455 kHz), 250 ft (800 kHz), 400 ft (MEGA)
Interface	Keypad Control
Features	Bluetooth, Built In GPS, Built In Mapping, CHIRP Digital Sonar, Down Imaging, Dual Spectrum CHIRP, MEGA Imaging+, Networking, Side Imaging, Wi-Fi
Memory Card Slot	Dual SD
Compatible With	AIS, AutoPilot, Minn Kota i-Pilot Link, Minn Kota Talon/Raptor, NMEA 2000, Radar, MEGA 360, One-Boat Network, Minn Kota Built-In MEGA DI, Minn Kota Built-In MEGA SI, Minn Kota US2 Sonar
Power Draw	1.2 Amps
Power Input	10.8-20 VDC
Power Output Peak-to-Peak	8000 Watts
Power Output RMS	1000 Watts
Screen Snap Shot	Included
Sonar Recording	Included
Mount-Standard	Gimbal
Mount-Standard Size	13.44″ W x 7.5″ H x 4.2″ D
Mount-Optional Size	13.44″ W x 7.12″ H x 1.32″ D
Transducer Mount Location	Transom
GPS Chartplotting	Included
GPS Trackplotting	Included
LakeMaster Compatibility	Yes
Coast Master Compatibility	Yes
Navionics Gold/HotMaps Compatibility	Yes
Navionics Platinum + Compatibility	Yes
Platinum Compatibility	Yes
Heading Sensor GPS Compatibility	Yes
Upgradable Software	Yes
View Preset Keys	Yes
X-Press Menu System	Yes
Custom Digital Readout	Yes
Custom View Selections	No
Display Colors Grayscale	16-Bit
Display Size	8″ – 10″
Speed	Included
Temperature	Built In
Temperature Alarm	Yes
Temperature Graph	Yes
Transducer Included	XM 9 HW MSI T
HDMI Compatible	No

Final Verdict 

If you’re looking to jump from low-level fish finder to mid-level quality, the Helix 10 is an excellent option packed with useful features. The display quality and the many different views and features impressed me during my testing, and explain why so many anglers choose this particular model over other brands.