Best Small Boat Fish Finder

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

I need some help selecting a fish finder to take along in my canoe and also Ice Fishing. It needs to be pretty portable and easy to set up in a canoe (on top of a cooler or something) And also needs to be tough in cold conditions while ice fishing.
Anybody got any ideas???
Thanks,
Hookjaw
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool]I just finished posting a review of the Humminbird 565 on the Tubing board. They have been on special at Cabelas for $179.

[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=514351;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"][#63626b]Humminbird 565 Review[/#63626b][/url]
[signature]

[Majja]

I would 2nd the 565 I have been using it for about 2 years and I love it.
[signature]

[muskyhunter]

I have used the Eagle fishmark 320 for a long time for both. Same features as the Lowerance just less money.Good unit for the money! 150 Bucks.

EAGLE FISHMARK 320 111-70$142.80
The new FishMark® 320 is the absolute best buy in LCD fishfinders today, comparing features to price. Superior 320x320 pixel resolution, target separation and power. The all-new choice of tournament pros!

Display:

[ul][li]5" (12.7 cm) diagonal screen
[li]Film SuperTwist LCD
[li]320x320 resolution
[li]Backlit screen and keypad
[li]16-level grayscale [/li][/ul]

Sonar:

[ul][li]Depth capability to 800 ft* (244 m) with 1500 watts of peak-to-peak power
[li]High-performance, low-profile 200 kHz Skimmer® transducer delivers a wider, more effective fish detection area of up to 60º with high sensitivity settings - Operates at boat speeds up to 70 mph (61 kts)
[li]Trolling speed and distance log readings available with purchase of an optional sensor
[li]FishReveal™ feature exposes fish targets hidden in surface clutter, weed beds, thermoclines, and other types of underwater cover
[li]HyperScroll™ feature locates and displays fish targets at higher boat speeds
[li]Advanced Signal Processing (ASP™) automatically adjusts your settings for the best sonar picture
[li]Patented GRAYLINE separates fish from nearby structure and bottom
[li]Advanced Fish I.D.™ shows underwater targets in different sizes of fish symbols
[li]FishTrack™ displays target depth readings above fish symbols
[li]Surface water temperature readings come from a built-in temp sensor in the transducer
[li]Unique display feature lets you combine a panel of sonar data readings with your sonar graph in one easy-to-read display
[li]Zoom with zoom bottom tracking and easy zoom-in/out control
[li]Selective on/off sonar alarms: Shallow, Deep, Fish and Zone [/li][/ul]
Optional Portable Version:

[ul][li]Optional pack includes Port-Power Pack case and portable 200 kHz Skimmer® transducer with suction-cup mounting bracket (batteries not included)
[/li][/ul]
Performance:

[ul][li]High-speed screen updates during depth range changes for uninterrupted viewing
[li]Internal back-up memory for key sonar settings
[li]Completely sealed and waterproof, even for use in harsh saltwater environments
[li]Full one-year warranty [/li][/ul]Owner's Manual,Mounting Bracket,Power Cable,Single Frequency Transducer,Transom Mount Transducer Eagle FishMark 320
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I third the Hummingbird. Plus the mount is nice and small with no thumb screws to loose.
[signature]

[Fishhound]

[#008000]It will depend on the features you want and the price you want to pay. The Lowrance 67 and 68 ice machine are designed to handle low temps and be very portable. This is the one I have. [/#008000]
[#008000][/#008000]
[#008000][/#008000]
[inline 68c.JPG]

[inline 67c.bmp]

[url "http://www.lowrance.com/en/Products/Marine/IceMachine-Portable-Fishfinders/X67C-IceMachine/"]Lowrance link[/url]

[url "http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0020020016635a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&No=18&Ntk=Products&QueryText=lowrance&sort=all&Go.y=8&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&Go.x=16&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1"]Cabellas link[/url]
[signature]

[monstermasher]

I have the exact lowrance that fishhound has shown. I have only owned in two months but I love it and can't wait to use it ice fishing. It comes with a flasher mode for ice fishing. It did cost about $400.00, but well worth it so far.
[signature]

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

Thanks!
That looks like a great finder for a great price. I'll be looking into the 565 for sure. []
[signature]

[cadresults]

[#400080]I would stay away from the "Eagle". I decided to upgrade and buy one a few years back. I have it set up for ice fishing. I have never been able to get it to mark fish correctly. [/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]Now before anyone says there may have not been fish, there were fish. We caught them.[/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]I have tried running it in manual mode, auto mode and have replaced the battery as well. I guess I could try the transducer.[/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]Maybe my experience is just an isolated experience. Maybe I am doing something wrong??? If you haven't bought one by the time you are up here next time, you can try it out and see if you can get better results.[/#400080]
[signature]

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
I'll be purchasing one ASAP, as the kokes at Causey are starting to bunch up and I cant find the little buggers [mad].
[signature]

[RyanCreek]

I use the Humminbird Piranha Max 220. Not as good as the 565, but what I'm saying is you can't go wrong with Humminbird. It does everything I need, whether I'm ice fishing or out on the boat. Got it for $100 or maybe less at Cabela's a year ago. For being so cheap I was worried about the quality, but after doing some research and coming across a great deal I bought it. Turns out they were right, it is a solid, dependable fish finder with enough power (1600 watts peak to peak) to accurately mark those fish. I learned at Pineview that it is sensitive enough to see my jigs and little 4lb. downrigger ball at 60-70 feet. It also uses a dual beam for a wider coverage. All with a unit that was around $100. I could not have got a better small boat/ice fishing fishfinder for the price. Other similarly priced units only had half the power.

I use it along with my handheld Garmin E-Trex GPS that was also $100 to track my trolling speed, direction, etc.

I've had bad experiences with two Eagle units in the past. Some of the newer, more expensive ones ($150 and up) might be alright, but I will never ever touch one of those again.
[url "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000KYFIE4/ref=dp_image_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=172282&s=electronics"][/url]
[font "Times New Roman"]Humminbird Piranha Max 220 Product Features [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Offers incredible ease of use with true, grayscale images and a host of convenient features [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Dual-beam, with 20-, and 60-degree beam angles and operating frequencies of 200 kHz and 83 kHz [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Reliable down to a depth of 600 feet, and provides a target separation of only 2.5 inches [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]4-inch FSTN LCD display with 240 x 160 lines of resolution in 4-level grayscale [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Comes with XHS 9 20 T Transom Mount Transducer, and a 1-year limited warranty [/font][font "Times New Roman"]Technical Details [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Model Number: 4068701 [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Display: 4-inch high contrast FSTN LCD, 4-level grayscale, 240 x 160 [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Power output (RMS): 200 W [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Power output (peak-to-peak): 1600 W [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Operating frequency: 200 kHz / 83 kHz [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Sonar coverage: 20 degrees at -10 dB (200 kHz), 60 degrees at -10 dB (83 kHz) [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Depth capability: 600 feet [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Target separation: 2.5 inches [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Temperature sensor: Yes, included in transducer [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Speed sensor: No [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Power input: 10 to 20 V DC [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Standard transducer: Dual beam (XNT 9 20 T) [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Transducer mounting: Transom mount [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Unit mounting: Easy-on, easy-off tilting mount [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Dimensions: 4.375 x 6.125 x 3.25 inches (WxHxD) [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]Warranty: 1-year limited warranty [/font]· [font "Times New Roman"]What's in the Box: PirahnaMax 220 fishfinder, transducer, mounting hardware, product manual[/font][size 3][/size]
[signature]

[N.E.T.O.]

I have the same M68c that Fishhound has. I've had it for 5 years now. It has both sonar and GPS. I have a portable setup for ice fishing, a transducer on my small boat, and a transducer on my large boat, and it works great for all 3. I've never had a failure, and it has seen temps from -25 up to +110 and it keeps ticking. Very valuable for getting to your secret spots while ice fishing and boat fishing. Allows you to navigate back to the dock in the dark, etc. I've used 2 other fishfinders, but have settled on the M68c by Lowrance. It was $399 back when I bought it. Not sure how much it is now.
[signature]

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

So what can I do with a $400 fishfinder that I cant do with a $200 fish finder? And what can I do with a $200 finder that I cant do with a $100 finder?

I just need it to find fish and the depth of the water. I want one that will hold up in extreme temps too. Do I need to spend $200+ for that or not?
I'm considering the Hummingbird, but they also have lower end model for $100. What are going to be the main differences?
Thanks
[signature]

[N.E.T.O.]

It all depends on not necessarily WHAT you can or can't do with a $100 one compared to a $400, but how nice it is to do it with. For instance. The day I bought my fishfinder, I went down to Sportsmans, and had intentions of spending up to $200 for one.
I picked out an Eagle model (don't remember the exact model), that was on sale for $99.00. Took it home, pulled it out, fired it up (without attaching the transducer to the boat yet), and was immediately disappointed. Resolution sucked, and it was black and white and I couldn't even see it in the sunlight. I decided I'd rather spend a little more. So back it went and I then picked up the Lowrance 67c COLOR fishfinder. What a huge difference! Resolution was better, and the screen was much more visible. I was now in the $249 price range. I already owned a handheld GPS, and had planned on using that for my navigation. ONE TRIP OUT and I was convinced I needed less clutter and more convenience. So back that one went (they let me just swap the transducers, as they were the same) and I ponied up the extra $150 (now I was up to $399) and I had my high resolution, color, easy to see in daylight, powerful, and all that with a built in GPS that is very easy to use.

I have used 3 or 4 other brands and models on different boats. I liked some better, I liked some worse. The only thing I would like better...is a bigger screen. I MUST HAVE the resolution and the color. I'm a little spoiled that way now. Except that it wouldn't be able to be used for ice fishing at that point. So, for a good all arounder...I really really like my m68c. Yes, a $69 Eagle can be used if you want to squint your eyes, shade it in the sunlight to see it, and not know if you are looking at a boot on the bottom or a fish.

So, the bottom line is this: I would get as many nice features as possible, with whatever you can afford. When you amortize it out, even an expensive one is only pennies per trip over time.
The features you want are:
1. Resolution-the higher the better
2. Color-Easier to see on sunny days, and visible even in direct sunlight
3. Power-(m68c is not as powerful as others, but adequate). The more power, the better.
4. Navigational capabilities (GPS), if you want to conveniently use it to navigate with while on the water.

The m68c is the cheapest unit that I found that has all these features. Other brands offer similar features, but so far I have not seen one as cheap. I do not own stock in Lowrance, nor am I trying to be a salesman...I've used this product for 5 years (and I fish every weekend) and I've been extremely happy with it. Everyone that sees my unit likes it.

In the grand scheme of things...my little $400 unit is on the LOWER END of the good fishfinders out there!

Also, buy the aluminum portable transducer clamp so that you can conveniently move it from boat to boat. I ended up buying multiple transducers, and even a dedicated ice-ducer (floats straight up), but for the first 2 years I got away with one transducer used for everything.

Hope this helps!
Randy
[signature]

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

Very good points
Thanks []
[signature]

[Fishhound]

[#008000]Ditto on what Randy said. Additionally, for me, color is the only way to go. You get so much more info on the bottom structure and fish identification potential that it makes that feature worth it. I've also had several fish finders (still have most of them) Humminbird (2 of them), BottomLine, FishingBuddy, and Vexilar. Humminbirds are excellent; while my Humminbird was a higher end product with GPS and other great features that cost more than my Lowrance, it is also black and white - no comparison as far as info it gave me.

You don't need to spend $400 for a fish finder, just to see the bottom structure or find fish. But in the long run, if you can afford it (or save up till you can) you would probably be happier with your fish finder if you did.

Here is a photo of my sonar and the portable transducer that I use for moving it to other boats or my pontoon. It is like the aluminum unit that N.E.T.O mentioned but mine came from an old defunct trolling motor.[/#008000]
[#008000][/#008000]
[#008000][inline 2009_0605Image0009r.JPG]




[/#008000]
[signature]

[trophyboat]

[indent]lowrance hands down. that x67c is a good unit, m68c is better if you want GPS, which as you know gets you right back on a school of fish instead of a guess. I have the X67c and the only upgrade i would want is the M68c forGPS.
If you buy the the ice machine combo i would reccomend buying the cabelas version, the lowrance one has a short transducer holder which limits the the location of the unit to right next to your hole, in the way. just my tow cents
[/indent]
[signature]

[HookJaw_Brimhall]

So you think that would be the best bet for me Pat? Or do you think I should look into something else as well? I think I'm going to limit myself to $200 for now. If I want to upgrade in the next few years I will do that.
Thanks
[signature]

[carplips]

I don't know about GPS fishfinders, but I do know that regular GPS (I've had 4 different ones now over the past 10+ years) that they get tired after about 2 or 3 years of use.


I'm the kind of guy like likes all the bells and whistles if it makes sense and they are reliable together. I don't like, however, to buy something that if one of the bells but not the whistle dies that I have half or less of whatever it is and cant fix it or it doesn't make sense to fix it due to cost.

I guess bottom line is that you also need to consider if your the kind of person that likes to upgrade with the new technology every few years, no problem. If your the kind of person that likes to get your money's worth out of things and would keep it for several years....... IF the GPS gets tired after a few years you may be dissappointed.

As far as cost, it totally depending on what your using your unit for.
I know one guy that has the $1000 unit, that half the time forgets to turn it on, and another guy that has a $200 unit that uses it constantly for all kinds of things and should probably have the $1000 unit to do it better and probably more accurately.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Choosing a sonar is like choosing a rod, reel, line, lures, etc. There is a lot of subjectivity. What is important to you might not be important to someone else. And, as we all know, fishermen are an opinionated bunch.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you have done a bit of homework, you have some idea of the features available on the different units. Make a list and then decide: 1. Necessary 2. Nice for Nice 3. Nonessential [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Your personal list of things you want and need for the type of fishing you do is going to be different than mine might be...or anybody else. But, as a general rule...YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Along with that is the advice "It is better to pay a bit more than you wanted to...than not quite enough."[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I bought my 565 not just because it was on sale. I had been looking at several units in the same general range of power and price. My evaluation was that for all around features and benefits, it was one of the best sonars on the market. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Lowrance makes great systems too. And, since most of us tend to prefer systems we know about, we are more likely to be strong on the units we have owned and learned more about. Doesn't mean they are any better for someone else.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As far as upgrading, the market is usually good for "gently used" sonars with a good name and reputation. There are always newbies coming into the market who want to save a few bucks while they learn more about sonar. You can usually get back a good part of the initial price you paid if you buy a good unit to start with.[/#0000ff]
[signature]