Fish finder

I'm thinking of purchasing a fish finder for my kayak. Does anyone have positive or negative things to say about any certain brands of fish finder. What works best on a 12ft yak? Will be fresh water mostly but looking to dip my toes in the salt. Any help Is appreciated.

Don't open that floodgate of opinions 

   Lot's of good deals to be found this time of year.  Find what you feel works best for your needs & budget.  Consider a unit with GPS if you are planning on hitting saltwater anytime.  Even if not, GPS can be very helpful in marking great points of structure for fishing again the next time.

Wow I am surprised only one opinion? Well I guess nobody runs fish finders. Also gps for sure.

Wow I am surprised only one opinion? Well I guess nobody runs fish finders. Also gps for sure.

It's one of those questions that's been asked over and over so people get tired of answering. Did you try using the search?

I think folks are just being nice. It's like asking for recommendations on kayaks. It's going to come down to what fits your personal preferences and comfort.

Folks like the Raymarines for the larger screens and simplicity of controls while others prefer Lowrance for the different options and pricepoints available.

An easier option might be to narrow down your selections to a couple models you're interested in first.  There are a number of reviews people have posted on the different units. There's a lot to choose from, and I don't really think you can go wrong with any of the popular brands.

Try the search function. Technology changes so fast and units are updated so quickly, but there are good opinions on here about the functions and features that you need to look for.

A unit with a GPS is a double edged sword. Its great to kill two very important functions with one unit for space and practicality same, but unless you have a backup GPS, you loose navigation if your fishfinder malfunctions on the water.

Screen size and technology and brand ... its personal preference. I personally use Lowrance Elite 5 CHIRP and am very happy with it.

Youtube helps a lot.  If it makes you feel better I spent the better part of 2 days trying to learn about fishfinders, then another day or two trying to understand how all the wiring works in a kayak.  If you're like me who has no experience with electronics, wiring, or fishfinders, it can be quite an intimidating task and not many install vids or tutorials really explain the whole wiring process to the extent I needed.  With that said, I like the DSI ff's by Lowrance, but my understanding is that they require a through hull [not an in-hull] application.

The dual view ffs are also nice.  I suppose it really depends on what you want to do with it.  It seems like traditional ffs are good for finding schools and bait, but not so much structure, which would probably be more important to bass guys.  Some ffs do both which then becomes a question of budget.

If you have any questions PM me, I'll try and share my newfound knowledge with you and maybe I can help shorten your learning curve.  Good luck!

If you have ANY specific questions, I can help in answering most questions pertaining to the Lowrance line of units; operation, unit selection, installation, wiring, transducer selection/install, etc...

go cheap......go blk&wht......they all see the same thing = structure, bait and fish.


v below is a baitball,,,,,with a couple of fish breaking into the ball. I have had this on my yak for 9yrs. It has done its job many of time.
It is a Eagle Fish ez 240......it cost under $100 w/batt. There are many out there, but this one has been BOMB PROOF!

Here's a few things to help you out, as far as it pertains to Lowrance line of units:
1.  Price ... consider your budget vs. expectations.  Don't forget to consider the cost to install; battery, battery holder, wiring, connectors, charger, etc...  Color vs. B&W.  You can get more features for the $ spent in B&W unit BUT fewer B&W units are being produced these days so options are starting to become less & less as the years roll on.
2.  Screen Size ... 4" was the standard.  Most people are in the 5" size for ability to easily see & split screens (FF & GPS).  Both the 4" & 5" models use the same mounting bracket so install is equally as easy.  All the current Lowrance models (with the exception of the 3" units) use the same transducer so the differences are typically screen size (when looking at the Elite CHIRP series of units).
3.  Operation & Installation ... Operation of all the Elite CHIRP series is pretty darn uniform across the series & VERY similar across their entire line of products.  Learn 1 & you can operate most any of the Lowrance units.  Same holds true for install.  The basic is:
   a.  How do I want to mount the display.  I suggest a RAM mount
   b.  How do I want to mount the transducer?  They can be mounted as a shoot thru the hull via waterbath, over the side on a RAM (or similar) arm, thru a scupper (doesn't fit ideally on some kayaks) or select kayaks are 'Lowrance Ready'.

With this in mind, I'd look at the Elite 4 or 5 CHIRP unit with the 83/200 HDI transducer.  This will give you the most current technology on the market:
   1.  CHIRP
   2.  GPS & FF
   3.  DownScan (structure image) -  Yes, a regular FF can see SOME structure, but DownScan is ideal for identifying structure in HIGH detail AND separate fish from structure.  This is done via multiple, high frequency signals and specific beam angles.  I can go into more detail and provide images as needed.

Highly consider a unit with GPS:  Safety to find your way back in fog, etc..  Repeat-ability to find a favorite spot.  Ability to scan the lake for specific structure.  Ability to make you own maps/charts of a lake!  TrackBack ... look it up!  Freaking great!

I could go on & on.  Best at this step is to hit us with specific questions.

Wow I am surprised only one opinion? Well I guess nobody runs fish finders. Also gps for sure.

Damn, you caught us! All of us cool guys just know where the fish are. Clearly you're not cool or you wouldn't be asking about fish finders in the middle of work hours on humpday. Channel your inner Zaphod Beeblebrox and the fish will tell you where they are.

Now that I got that out of my system, I agree with the majority of the above; http://www.hodgesmarine.com/ has some good prices on Raymarine Dragonfly units which seem to in general have a good combination of features.

If you have ANY specific questions, I can help in answering most questions pertaining to the Lowrance line of units; operation, unit selection, installation, wiring, transducer selection/install, etc...

Sounds good on paper (land)...what about OTW? 

I think folks are just being nice. It's like asking for recommendations on kayaks. It's going to come down to what fits your personal preferences and comfort.

Folks like the Raymarines for the larger screens and simplicity of controls while others prefer Lowrance for the different options and pricepoints available.

An easier option might be to narrow down your selections to a couple models you're interested in first.  There are a number of reviews people have posted on the different units. There's a lot to choose from, and I don't really think you can go wrong with any of the popular brands.

It's safe to say this is correct,narrow it down to at least 3 units /brands then people will be more informative.on this site it seems to be 3 popular brands . lowrance seems to be on top followed by hummingbird and raymarine seems to have a strong following also.

It's like if you join a forum and ask for opinions on a car/vehicle .

If you have ANY specific questions, I can help in answering most questions pertaining to the Lowrance line of units; operation, unit selection, installation, wiring, transducer selection/install, etc...

Sounds good on paper (land)...what about OTW? 

Yeah, they work OTW too ... I HAVE been on the water more than you are made aware of this year for special product testing