The essentials in 30 seconds
- SplitShot = vertical view (CHIRP + DownScan). You see what passes under the boat.
- TripleShot = the same + SideScan: a lateral scan over several tens of meters on each side. You see structures and posts around the boat.
- The choice only really matters for the 7-inch models: the 5" Eagle range is SplitShot; the 9" range is TripleShot.
- The Eagle fishfinder port accepts both sensors — but buying a second sensor later costs more than choosing the right one upfront.
- Workshop rule: stationary or vertical fishing over known depths → SplitShot is enough. Prospecting, posts, structures → TripleShot.
Table of contents
The two fishfinders in one sentence
The SplitShot combines two technologies in a single sensor: CHIRP sonar (the classic view — water column, fish arches, bottom hardness) and DownScan Imaging (a near-photographic image of what passes under the hull). Frequencies 455/800 kHz.
The TripleShot uses exactly these two technologies and adds SideScan: a lateral sweep that maps the bottom over several tens of meters to the left and right of the boat. Same display unit, same transom installation — only the sensor changes.
What each technology actually shows
This is the #1 source of post-purchase disappointment, so let’s be concrete:
- CHIRP — for fishing: fish arches in mid-water, schools, bottom hardness. This is the view you look at 80% of the time once underway.
- DownScan — for identifying what’s below: wreck, rock, seagrass, branch. Excellent for reading structure, less clear for isolated fish. Lowrance’s FishReveal function overlays CHIRP echoes on the DownScan image so you don’t have to switch between pages.
- SideScan (TripleShot only) — for prospecting: in one pass at moderate speed, you sweep a corridor of several tens of meters on each side and spot rock heads, wrecks, and posts without running over them. It’s the difference between searching for a post by crisscrossing for an hour and finding it in three passes.
The simple test: if your fishing consists of returning to spots you know and reading the water column, SideScan will rarely serve you. If you regularly prospect for new posts — or fish structure (bass on rock, pike on drop-offs) — this is the tool that changes the outing.
Decision grid
In the current Eagle lineup, the SplitShot/TripleShot choice only really matters for the 7-inch models — the 5" range is SplitShot; the 9" range is TripleShot. Current prices are on the product pages.
| Display | SplitShot (vertical) | TripleShot (+ SideScan) |
|---|---|---|
| Eagle 5 | Eagle 5 SplitShot | — (not in catalog) |
| Eagle 7 | Eagle 7 SplitShot | Eagle 7 TripleShot |
| Eagle 9 | — (not in catalog) | Eagle 9 TripleShot |
SplitShot is enough if: you fish stationary or vertically over known depths, in calm freshwater or simple coastal waters. You’ll have CHIRP + DownScan + FishReveal — the essentials for reading fish.
TripleShot is required if: you prospect (new posts, structures, wrecks), fish bass on rock or pike on drop-offs, or want to map the approaches to an anchorage. The lateral view is the only real difference between the two — and it changes how you fish.
Changing your mind later: the shared Eagle port
Eagle’s key feature: the fishfinder port accepts both sensors. An Eagle 7 SplitShot can later take a TripleShot sensor without changing the display. This is real flexibility — but not a buying strategy: display + second sensor bought later, the total exceeds the original TripleShot bundle, and you’re left with a SplitShot sensor in a drawer.
Bottom line: if SideScan is likely in your use case, choose TripleShot upfront. Delayed upgrades are for when your fishing actually evolves. (Going the other way, the SplitShot sensor alone is also available — useful for warranty replacements.)
The limits of SideScan (know before you choose)
Workshop honesty — SideScan isn’t magic:
- It reads best at slow to moderate speeds. At planing speed, the lateral image degrades — it’s a prospecting tool, not a transit tool.
- It’s a coastal and lake tool. The lateral sweep uses high frequencies (455/800 kHz): its lateral range is measured in tens of meters. In deep water, vertical CHIRP remains the primary tool.
- It requires a little learning. Reading a SideScan image (shadows, lateral distance) takes a few outings. DownScan, on the other hand, is immediately readable.
None of these points are dealbreakers — but if your program is 100% vertical fishing in deep water, SideScan won’t add value: look at depth-optimized sensor versions (see FAQ) or a chartplotter instead.
Workshop verdict
On the Eagle 7 — the format we sell the most — our position is simple: TripleShot is the right choice for most coastal anglers, because prospecting is part of the real fishing for almost everyone. We reserve SplitShot for strictly vertical programs — and that’s a perfectly honorable choice: it’s the same quality of reading under the boat.
Beyond that: if you want high-definition lateral imaging (distinguishing the branches of a submerged tree), that’s the next tier — Active Imaging HD sensor on the HDS Pro platform. We compare all this in the Lowrance fishfinder comparison.
FAQ
Can I upgrade from SplitShot to TripleShot later?
Yes — the Eagle fishfinder port accepts both sensors, and the TripleShot sensor is sold separately. But display + second sensor bought later, the total exceeds the original TripleShot bundle: if SideScan is likely in your use case, choose it upfront.
What about the 50/200 HDI and 83/200 HDI versions?
Same vertical family (CHIRP + DownScan) but with classic sonar frequencies: 50/200 kHz for deeper water with a narrow cone, 83/200 kHz for coastal use. The SplitShot (455/800 kHz) prioritizes fine detail in coastal waters. If you regularly fish beyond ~100 m depth, look at the HDI versions.
Does SideScan work in deep water?
Its lateral range (high frequencies 455/800 kHz) is measured in tens of meters: it’s a coastal and lake prospecting tool. In deep water, vertical reading (CHIRP) remains primary — this is also true for much more expensive fishfinders.
How is it different from Active Imaging HD on HDS Pro?
Same principle (CHIRP + DownScan + SideScan) but higher resolution — you can distinguish fine structural details. This is the sensor for HDS Pro platforms, another level of budget and ecosystem. See the fishfinder comparison.
Also read
- Lowrance Eagle & HDS Pro fishfinder comparison — the 5 current models, comparison table and calculator.
- Lowrance Eagle vs Hook Reveal: what changes, model by model
- Full Lowrance collection
About the author
Pol Conin, Digital Manager at Skysat. Software engineer and tech entrepreneur, Pol joined the adventure to bring Skysat into the digital age. Goal: transition from a classic engineering office to a global technology platform. See his author page for the full list of articles signed.
