Magellan MapSend Lakes USA mapping software offers a great way to locate and enjoy the nation's popular fishing spots, recreational lakes, reservoirs and waterways. Each of the three different regional mapping systems (North, South and West) is pre-loaded on an SD memory card, ready for use in your Magellan SD-card compatible GPS receiver.
MapSend Lakes USA for eXplorist is compatible with the following SD-card compatible Magellan GPS handheld receivers: eXplorist 400, 500, and 600.
Each card features four integrated map databases to offer a seamless and comprehensive navigational directory for your boating, fishing, diving, watersports and other outdoor adventures. The Fishing Hot Spots maps provide locations of the top U.S. fisheries with detailed fishing information, amenities, ramps, services, tips on fishing the area, underwater structures and more. The Lakemaster maps offer additional lake areas with depth contours and details about surrounding towns and rural areas. The integrated Basemap offers basic mapping for thousands more lakes, waterways and highways.
Click here for a complete list of the FHS and LM detailed lakes in the West Region
Overview of MapSend Lakes USA Map Content
MapSend Lakes USA SD cards include the following information:
- Detailed Fishing Hot Spots maps of selected lakes
- Basic Lakemaster contour maps (North region & Dakotas only in West region)
- Surface mapping of many additional lakes and reservoirs
- Basic roads information
- Searchable points of interest (POIs) from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), including lake names, landforms, locales, etc.
About Fishing Hot Spots Maps
All 3 regions have Fishing Hot Spots (FHS) maps of some of the top US fisheries. Fishing Hot Spots maps have more detailed fishing information. All the FHS maps have profiles of the lake characteristics and many have marked fishing areas with tips on how to fish the area. Fishing Hot Spots makes an effort to include features like boat ramps, facilities, camp areas, etc. - the basics you need for a weekend on the water. Clicking on the facilities POIs will reveal a list of the types of amenities available there - groceries, bait & tackle, fuel, parking, fish cleaning stations, etc.
The FHS lake contour maps emphasize underwater fish-holding structure and aquatic vegetation. FHS underwater structure may include ledges, rock reefs, shoals, river channels, building foundations, roadbeds, bridges, man-made fish attractors and rock piles, among other things. This underwater structure detail information can help you find great places to fish, as well as snorkel or scuba dive.
FHS maps also include lake profile and facilities information, and fishing tips and techniques detail for the fishing area POIs in the maps. The lake profile detail is shown when you select an FHS map from the Detailed Lakes POI category. The facilities and fishing area information can be displayed by selecting these features in the map view.
About Lakemaster Maps
MapSend Lakes USA has Lakemaster (LM) depth contour maps for over 1000 additional lakes, in the North region and the Dakotas portion of the West region. In these areas, we use LM maps if we do not have FHS maps for the same lakes. Lakemaster coverage is concentrated in the upper Midwest and Northeast. All LM maps show depth contours and shorelines and some include boat ramps, bottom composition and aquatic vegetation as well. Some folks just like the simpler, Lakemaster maps better. The LM maps add more choices of fishing destinations with useful depth contour coverage, including information for lots of mid-sized and smaller lakes, so you can choose to spend a quiet day fishing in rural surroundings or a quick trip close to town - and plenty of fun.
About the Base Waterways, Roads, and Other Map Features
MapSend Lakes USA SD cards also include basic surface mapping for thousands more lakes and major rivers in the lower 48 states. Most of these are searchable by name. The product generally includes more road detail inside the FHS and LM map areas, but it shows highways elsewhere.
Working with Searchable Features, Points of Interest, and Other Map Features
MapSend Lakes USA maps include many geographic features and points of interest that are searchable. On the Magellan GPS handheld, just press MENU, select Database, select the Detailed Map, and you will see the search categories. Search alphabetically by name or you can search for the nearest examples of a type of feature you want to find. Here's a list of the searchable POIs and what they're about:
| MAP FEATURE |
DESCRIPTION |
USAGE TIPS |
| Searchable Features in the Base Layer of MapSend Lakes SD cards |
| Roads |
All highways and streets on the SD card can be found here. There is more street detail in the FHS and LM mapped areas. |
Can be helpful to find an access road to a lake or to a boat ramp. Some FHS Access POIs include directions, too. |
| Base Waterways |
All named waters are here, including FHS, LM, and USGS. |
Search alphabetically here to find lakes with only surface mapping. |
| Parks |
Many named local parks, large and small, in the base layer and the detailed FHS/LM maps. It doesn't include parks in the detailed maps. |
Search alphabetically when looking for a city or county park. |
| Primary Point of Interest Features in the FHS or LM Detailed Maps |
| Detailed Lakes |
This category has only the FHS and LM mapped areas. Easy way to zoom to a detailed lake map of interest. The FHS lake POIs in this category often include useful lake profile information. |
Search and locate detailed FHS & LM lakes by name here. |
| Facilities |
Includes detailed text for POI locations in FHS maps that may have fuel, groceries, marine supplies, bait & tackle, fish cleaning stations, etc. |
Use "Nearest" search to find the closest facilities POIs, or find a facility by name if you know the name used in FHS. |
| Fishing Area |
Recommended fishing locations. The FHS maps give suggestions on how to fish many of these locations. |
Searching "Nearest" while on the water can help you quickly navigate to a new fishing spot. These are numbered to match the FHS paper maps. |
| Lake Access |
Locate Boat Ramps and some Shore Fishing access locations from the detailed maps. |
Use "Nearest" search to find the closest lake access POIs. |
| Lake Campsite |
Locate Campsites and picnic areas in the FHS detailed maps. |
Use "Nearest" search - many of these aren't named. |
| Named Places (FHS) |
Includes wide variety of named places such as islands, bays, bends, coves, found in FHS maps. |
Search by name - for example it is very helpful if you want to locate that creek inlet that the tackle shop told you to fish! |
| Other Searchable Features in MapSend Lakes USA |
| Bar |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Beach |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Crossing |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Dam |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Falls |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Flat |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Forest |
USGS features, e.g. state forests & preserves |
Search by name or nearest |
| Gut |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Harbor |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Locale |
USGS named features - a wide variety of things |
Search by name or nearest |
|
Marinas
|
Includes only FHS marinas |
Added Marinas in Locale |
| Mine |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Reserve |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Spring |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Stream |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Summit |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Swamp |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
| Tower |
USGS named features |
Search by name or nearest |
Non-searchable Features in MapSend Lakes USA
In addition to all of the searchable map features there are non-searchable features and POIs in MapSend Lakes USA. Some of the most important non-searchable features or POIs are the Aquatic Vegetation areas and Navigation Aids such as buoys and hazards to navigation. Please note: MapSend Lakes USA does not have extensive navaid detail, and the product is not intended for marine navigation.
Non-searchable features will typically show the type of feature or POI in the quick info at the bottom of the map screen on the GPS. Not all features are found in all lakes or regions. Click here to see the legend of the features in MapSend Lakes USA.
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