This is a detailed guide to the best fish finders out there on the market today, with quick recommendations for each criteria so you can choose the fish finders that best suits what you’re looking for.
Its important to think about what type of sonar you are going to need.
- Traditional Sonar – Known as 2D sonar this is your basica sonar that will ping in a cone and show anything that appears on the screen. It usually scrolls left to right and anything on the right is new data.
- Imaging Sonar – Imaging sonar is used for creating down imaging or side imaging which can stack ontop of each other to provide a realistic image of the bottom of the lake.
- 360 Sonar – This one is a huge sweeping side image that roates and creates a full circle image of whats all around your boat.
They’re summed up in this table below. If you want to skip all the other talk and you just want to know which specific fish finders are currently the best to go for, then they’re all right here in one place for you.
| Scroll | ||
|---|---|---|
| Best Fish Finder | Humminbird Helix 7 Chirp MSI GPS G3 NAV Fish Finder | Read More |
| Best Budget Fish Finder | Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Fish Finder | Read More |
| Best Chirp Fish Finder | Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder | Read More |
| Best Kayak Fish Finder | Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv with GT56UHD-TM Transducer | Read More |
| Best Portable Fish Finder | LUCKY Portable Fish Finder Wired Fish Depth Finder Sonar Sensor Transducer | Read More |
| Best Fish Finder for Ice Fishing | Humminbird ICE H5 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 | Read More |
| Best Down Imaging Fish Finder | Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder | Read More |
Click to jump straight to each topic.
The Best Fish Finders Reviewed
Best Fish Finder: Humminbird Helix 7 Chirp MSI GPS G3 NAV Fish Finder
Best Fish Finder
Humminbird Helix 7 Chirp MSI GPS G3 NAV Fish Finder
Everyone knows a good fisherman would rather spend his time fishing than looking for fish. The Helix 7 is a device completely engineered to shorten the amount of time it takes you to find the closest school of fish.
Featuring a TFT 7-Inch screen with 800H x 480V resolution it’s easy to see the huge collection of 21, 000 maps of lakes.
The Helix 7 has built-in GPS, side imaging, dual spectrum chirp, down imaging, and transducer.
What We Like:
- All in One Package – The Hummingbird Helix 7 is pretty much the complete package for all types of fishing. The Helix will feel at home in pretty much any fishermans kit due to its large range of features and reasonable pricing.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Budget Fish Finder: Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Fish Finder
Best Budget Fish Finder
Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Fish Finder
Fishing like most sports can quickly become expensive when purchasing or renting a ton of gear in order to give yourself the maximum edge.
The Lowrence 5 is a great budget fish finders available if your looking to make use of Chirp sonar or down imaging but without the premium price tag usually attached to these features.
What We Like:
- Autotuning Sonar – The auto tuning sonar is a welcome treat at this price range which means you spend less time fiddling with settings and more time catching fish.
- Down Imaging – For this price point down imaging is a welcome feature on a budget device.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Chirp Fish Finder: Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder
Best Chirp Fish Finder
Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder
Lowrances Hook Reveal 7 is the bigger badder brother of the 5. Upgraded with a larger 7 Inch display, along with splitshot transducer, gps plotter and upgraded auto tuning sonar. its perfect for any fisherman who prefers chirp sonar.
Its important to note that the 7x version of this device doesnt feature gps and plotting so make sure you check which model your purchasing.
What We Like:
- Autotuning Sonar – I can stress enough how good auto tuning sonar is! It saves you tons of time every trip by automatically adjusting settings as conditions change.
- Spitshot Sonar – The split shot allows for wide angle high chirp sonar to help you locate fish.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Kayak Fish Finder: Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv with GT56UHD-TM Transducer
Best Kayak Fish Finder
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv with GT56UHD-TM Transducer
Available with sunlight-reable screens in 7,9,10,12 inchs the Garmin is a forced to be reckoned with in kayak fishing.
Built in Ultra High-Definition ClearVü scanning sonar and Garmin chirp the GT56 provides a nice vivid colour palette to help distinguish any fish or structures in the water.
Full GPS capabilitys with the ability to share user data along with three scanning sonar frequencies the garmins pretty much a no brainer.
What We Like:
- High Wide CHIRP – remarkably clear target separation and definition up to 800’ below your boat
- Sonar Colour Palettes – Vivid scanning sonar color palettes make it easy to distinguish targets and structure
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Portable Fish Finder: LUCKY Portable Fish Finder Wired Fish Depth Finder Sonar Sensor Transducer
Best Portable Fish Finder
LUCKY Portable Fish Finder Wired Fish Depth Finder Sonar Sensor Transducer
Sometimes you just need something small portable and leightweight that you can take when going cross country to fish, or something to keep in the truck.
USB charable the Luckyfish finder has a 2.4inch screen and can has 26FT wired operating distance and 328FT depth detection.
What We Like:
- Portability – With USB charging and the small size its extremely compact and portable meaning you can take it just about anywhere.
- Simulation Mode – Allows you to try our all the features before your out on the water.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Fish Finder for Ice Fishing: Humminbird ICE H5 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
Best Fish Finder for Ice Fishing
Humminbird ICE H5 HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
Ice fishing is awesome but its even better with the Helix 5 Ice.
Using Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar the Helix 5 is designed to penetrate the layers of snow and ice below you to provide a clear picture of the the schools of fish.
With a wide array of viewing options made specifically for the ice angler including the flasher and 2D sonar combo the Ice Helix even allows you to see fish history helping you find out what’s turning the fish bites on or off.
What We Like:
- Jig Charge Mode: The Ice Helix can charge up your glow-painted spoons and jigs and get back down to the hot bite quickly
- CHIRP Interference Rejection –
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Down Imaging Fish Finder: Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder
Best Down Imaging Fish Finder
Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder
The Lowrence has the best chirp and best down imaging going at the moment.
We reccomend going for the Tripleshot Transducer version if you can it features wide-angle high CHIRP sonar and the high-resolution images of fish-holding structure from SideScan and DownScan Imaging.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Look for When Buying a Fish Finder?
In order to make sure you purchase the correct fishfinder its important to think about what type of fishing you will be doing and what requirements you would like. Does the fish finder need to survive cold temps (Ice Fishing) or maybe mount to a kayak? Does it need gps? Once you have decided these variables you can find the right fish finder for you.
How Do You Use a Fish Finder Effectively?
This is going to depend on what type of imaging you are using to find the fish which can vary from device to device. The different types of sonar are CHIRP, Traditional Sonar, Imaging Sonar, 360 Sonar and “Live” Sonar. Each require different ways to use them efficiently so its important to research your device and find the best way.
We hope this list of the best fish finders has been helpful.
If there’s anything good that you think we’ve missed, or if you have any questions about anything, then let us know down in the comments below.
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