I use side imaging on Erie a lot. It is especially useful to help find any form of structure especially around the islands when fishing for small mouth. The one I use shows 180 ft. on each side from top to bottom. I takes some time to figure out how to read it but it finds contours, bait fish, and fish. It probably is not to helpful if you mainly plan on trolling or perch fishing, but I like casting, mayfly rigs, crank baits, and dropshotting mostly.

Kent