There are many different types of fish finders on the market today, but some of the best are those that use a combination of technology and intuition. The best fish finder is the one that is simple to use and can help you to find fish under all conditions. Different brands and variants are available, but you must choose the only fish finder that fits your needs. In the below article, we have chosen the best available so. The below best fish finder reviews and buying guide will help you to choose the one you are looking for.
Our Top Picks
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
|
EDITORS CHOICE
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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 94SV
|
9.9
|
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|
BUDGET PICK
 |
Simrad Cruise 7-7-inch GPS Chartplotter
|
9.5
|
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|
TOP CHOICE
 |
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
|
9.0
|
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|
STANDARD PICK
 |
Lowrance HDS-7 Live
|
8.8
|
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|
STANDARD PICK
 |
Simrad GO9 XSE
|
8.5
|
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|
VALUE PICK
 |
Garmin Striker 7SV with Transducer
|
8.4
|
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|
LATEST PICK
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Garmin Echomap Plus 73SV
|
8.2
|
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|
STANDARD PICK
 |
Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP MSI GPS G3
|
8.1
|
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|
STANDARD PICK
 |
Deeper PRO+ Wifi
|
8.0
|
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|
STANDARD PICK
 |
Raymarine Dragonfly Pro
|
7.9
|
Check on Amazon |
Top 10 Best Fish Finder Reviews
1. Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 94SV – Overall Best Fish Finder
Money spent on good items is well spent. I advise you to spend a few additional dollars on a boat sounder rather than settling for a less expensive one. Its accuracy and Precision are amazing. The GT56 transducer is the key to this product. The Ultra high-definition scanning sonar makes the accuracy extreme. The range of the sonar is also satisfactory for me. Now no fish can hide from me.
The second thing I like the most about this product is the Touch screen with a keyed assist. The results are very clear. It plots the charts accurately and shows high-quality results on the screen, which can be zoomable. Targets and structure are simpler to discern because of high-contrast vivid scanning sonar colour palettes.
Moreover, the device is easy to install. I installed it on a Bass boat, and it resulted amazingly. It worked accurately for both deep water and shallowed water. So overall device is very good from packaging to installation and results.
The price is a bit higher, but the few additional dollars can give you hundreds of extra fish. This device is very much time-saving for me. Normally fishing takes more time to find and less time to catch, but after this device, I spend less time finding the fish and less time catching fish. The product is highly recommended. Now I am going because I must catch many fishes.
2. Simrad Cruise 7-7-inch GPS Chartplotter – Best Fish Finder For Money
There are many to select from, but honestly, you can’t find anything simpler and more comprehensive than this. This plotter is incredibly simple, and the sounder delivers a crisp image.
A high-definition display of charts and navigation. The best thing about the display is the Split-screen feature. It is Easy to drop route points and always have all relevant facts on the screen.
I have a 7-inch display, and it is reasonable to me. You can go with 5 or 9. The split-screen option is also helpful when viewing charts and sonar data in parallel.
The interface is user-friendly as it provides smooth navigation between the menus. Rotary dial and keypad controls make navigation easy. Very easy for me to find the information I needed.
The preloaded coastal maps and a worldwide base map are very useful for me for navigation. It has all the charts I needed to navigate the fish. C Maps are very useful for Easy routing and a true navigation experience.
83/200 transducer is excellent and shows depth tracking. It is accurate when you are fishing in 100′. My Lake is not much shallow, so it is best for me. For me, it is giving accurate results. It has saved much time for me. Sirmad is up to his slogan, “We find the fish; you catch the fish.”
Overall, the product is good in less shallowed water. Doesn’t matter if the water is clear or muddy; it will work accurately.
3. Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 – Best Fish Finder For Small Boats
The Helix 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2 is a great portable unit with lots of capability to show and record depth and contours on Lakes without existing contour maps.
The 2-D Sonar Technology will help you to find the fish, Whether you’re fishing in freshwater lakes, coastal waters, or the ice. The 5-Inch widescreen LED-backlit display is a very amazing feature of this device. The best thing about the screen is that it is bright and shows amazing results in bright sunlight.
Another advantage of Helix 5 is that I provide Imaging that filters out the noise and shows a clear view of the below world. Its coverage range is awesome. Dual-beam and sonar make the coverage wide, and CHIRP digital Sonar is responsible for depth imaging.
It has two features, Side Imaging and Down Imaging. Below Imaging is a good feature. I am amazed by the picture quality of the very below things. Mega Side imaging provides side-by-side Imaging around the boat, which was especially helpful for me because my Lake was not much shallowed.
Overall, the product is good, especially if you are an intermediate fisher, because it has a built-in Humminbird Base map for more than 10,000 Lakes, plus a coastal coverage of the U.S. Also, it has a live auto chart feature that will create real-time maps of your fishing spots. This feature will help if you usually od fishing at the same Lake.
4. Lowrance HDS-7 Live – Best Depth Finder For Boat
The HDS7 live touch is better than many other competitive models in the same price range because HDS7 has Lowrance Touch. Another great addition to the HDS touch units is the built-in Structure Scan module, and the transducer is not included; no additional black box is needed.
These are the things that I found superb about the HDS7 touch:
- The touch screen is far more user-friendly to use than the keypad models.
- The screen imagery is very visible in sunlight.
- The resolution is great. I recommend Lowrance over Hummingbirds.
- GPS accuracy has been fantastic.
- It has structure scan hardware. So there is no need to buy a separate Structure scan module if you want to upgrade later. Lowrance’s customer service was very good at explaining the truth: you only need the structure scan transducer and nothing else but the fish finder itself.
- This model also worked with the lower Lowrance models.
- It is also durable, and the product’s casing is very strong and watertight.
- Its Touch screen model includes the LSS-2 transducer.
- This fish finder is also very lightweight.
- You can also upgrade the maps by purchasing the upgraded Navionics map.
5. Simrad GO9 XSE – Best Fish Finder For Pontoon Boats
The Sirmad GO9 XSE is the finest Chartplotter as compared to others. 9-inch Multi-touch Display that is easy for smartphone and tablet users. Pinch to zoom, Tap and drag to pan smoothly across the charts, and tap to create or select waypoints; these features are just awesome. Very attractive and user-friendly layout. The menu provides access to every function quickly. 
Go9 XSE provides the widest range as compared to other devices. You can navigate comfortably to locations close and far, with the freedom to pick charts that best meet your requirements and location.
Its best feature is a Fully Customizable Interface. You can add shortcuts to the things you use most often to your home screen and customize it with your favourite wallpaper. Split-screen views that can be adjusted and panel layouts that can be customized enable you to see everything you need on one screen simultaneously.
Automatic routing is one of its amazing features. Choose a location, and your GO XSE display will provide the quickest, safest path possible, considering your vessel’s draught and size.
StructureScan Imaging combines DownScan and SideScan sonar to provide a picture-like image of the bottom beneath your vessel. At the same time, a scrollable depth history display allows you to travel back and place waypoints for good anchorages.
Forward scan property in advance in this device. Forward-looking sonar technology creates a crisp two-dimensional picture of the bottom in front of your boat, enabling you to confidently traverse shallow or uncharted areas.
So seeing all the features, I recommend every professional fisher to use this product, save your time and catch more fish.
6. Garmin Striker 7SV with Transducer – Best Budget Fish Finder
I bought this user-friendly product, and I loved it. It is very easy to install on the trolling motor. I received the product a few days ago, which is well packaged, and I will be ordering a few more for the Kayak boat.
The product has multiple features, which I like the most.
- The product includes the transducer for built-in Garmin CHIRP traditional sonar plus CHIRP ClearVu and CHIRP SideVu scanning sonars. No other fish finder provides side imaging that is closer to this price.
- The Garmin Striker 7SV has a Built-in Quickdraw Contours mapping software which lets you create and store maps with 1′ contours for up to 2 million acres.
- The resolution is 800 x 480
- It has Built-in Wi-Fi for access to the Active Captain app so that you can receive smart notifications and access.
- It also has transfer waypoints and software update notifications.
- It has a built-in GPS that lets you mark waypoints, create routes and view the boat’s speed. So, if the fish are biting in 1 spot, you can mark it and return to it on your next trip.
- The Bright, sunlight-readable 7″ display gives you a clear view of what is below your boat even on the brightest days, and the large screen 7″ display gives you a better view of what is happening below the boat is very helpful.
- The Garmin Striker 7SV has a beautiful clear screen, good options, easy navigation, good price. The contour recording works well and keeps recording even if you leave the screen while fishing.
- The product is also lightweight. The total item weight is 1.7 pounds.
- The fish finder has increased my catch rate by a large percentage.
- GPS also allows STRIKER Plus 7sv to show your speed on screen, so you can be sure you’re trolling at the right speed for the lure you’re using or in wake-controlled areas.
Overall, the product is good and super simple to set up, so I recommend everyone to use this product.
7. Garmin Echomap Plus 73SV – Best Depth Finders For Boats
The product is good and user-friendly, and the screen quality of the product is also very good. It is the best product I found in this price range compared to the other products.
These are the things which I found superb about the Garmin:
- The Bright, sunlight-readable 7″ display gives you a better view of what is happening below the boat, which is very helpful. It is a keyed-assist touchscreen combo and also an additional feature of Garmin.
- The Garmin Includes a transducer with the wide CHIRP traditional sonar plus CHIRP ClearVu and CHIRP SideVu scanning sonars and is compatible with Panoptix all-seeing sonar. No other fish finder provides side imaging which is closer to this price.
- The product has preloaded LakeVu HD maps.
- The preloaded maps cover 17,000+ full lakes, 13,000 with 1′ contours.
- Additionally, the product includes the Quickdraw Contours mapping software to instantly create personalized fishing maps on-screen with 1′ contours as you wish.
- It has built-in Wi-Fi to pair with the free Active Captain app. An active captain can give you access to smart notifications.
- The product Shares sonar, waypoints, and routes with other ECHOMAP Plus 7″ and 9″ units and ECHOMAP Ultra 10″ and 12″ units.
- The product is also lightweight. The total item weight is 1.12 pounds.
Overall, the product is good, and it is super simple to set up you can attach Garmin with the trolling motor. You can also attach a panoptic with this product, which works very well. Overall, I recommend you buy this product in this price range and with these features.
8. Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP MSI GPS G3 – Best GPS Fish Finder
It is the finest Humminbird offer you’ll get for the money. The 7″ screen is very responsive and has share colours. It is very clear and gives a nice image of the underwater things.
Its MSI (Mega Side Imaging) feature is fabulous. It shows clear images of both sides below the boat and helps get some extra fish. Its 125ft range is quite good; it makes catching fish easy. The Mega Down Imaging feature is very excellent.
It gives a clear image of down water and is better than other devices from other manufacturers. Its 125ft range is quite helpful for finding the fish deep in the water.
The sonar technology of this device is at another level, and it finds the things that I don’t accept from it. It guides me to the actual target rather than randomly trying to hit on the right target. Sometimes I think it is the fisherman than me.
The auto chart plotting feature is also amazing. It automatically plots the chart of all the areas; in the chart very, information is very nicely presented, and it helps me to compare my current findings with my past ones.
The device’s GPS is also very accurate. It guides toward the right and optimal paths to get good fish. It completes all my desires and ticks all the boxes on my wish list. I am quite content with this device, and it is also very economical and valuable to money if we keep in mind its features.
9. Deeper PRO+ – Best Portable Fish Finder
Since he was a small child trying to envision what the bottom looked like, every shore fisherman has hoped for this.
This gadget from deeper fulfills the desire to see underwater. Its cast-out range of 330ft and the downrange of 260ft are awesome. You can rest on the shore or boat, and it will do its work.
Its Wi-Fi feature is also good. It syncs with your iPhone or iPad, and you will get all the results on your screen. It doesn’t require mobile data or an internet connection; its Wi-Fi works like a hotspot.
The GPS of Deeper PRO+ is very accurate; it gives all the maps and scans in the device app. Now, you can compare your previous scans with your current ones and plot the graph of the scans in the app; this is quite helpful.
The data you will get from the device is real-time; it gives the scans and all other necessary aspects from deep inside the water. You can easily spot a fish or vegetation in the water and get the one for your dinner.
It is also an amazing addition to your boat gear. You can easily spot things while cruising or waiting for a target on the boat. The results you will get from it are quite clear and precise.
Charging the device is not a problem; you can easily charge it with the USB Type-B cable in the box, and it takes very less time for the device to get fully charged. It is strongly recommended for every fisherman who wants to get a lot from his every trip.
10. Raymarine Dragonfly Pro – Best Budget Fish Finder
It is my first Raymarine purchase, and they appear to be of excellent quality. These fish finders have a nice fit and finish. This product makes fishing quite easy for me. In the past, I had to carry a lot of gear with me for fishing, and it also took a lot to find fish, but it solved the problem.
Dragonfly 7 Pro’s sonar system is very good and accurate, it finds the fishes and other things inside the water, and I look at the screen to get my desired thing. Its 600ft range of sonar is quite helpful for looking deep inside the water.
The image quality of the product is also very good. The colours of the screen are quite sharp. The GPS is amazing; I have a product before this from another company; it had a lot of issues with the stuff like GPS and its sonar, then I bought this, and it solved half of the problems.
The IPX6 and IPX7 rating is a plus feature of the DragonFly 7 pro, I accidentally dropped it in the water, but nothing happened to it.
The Wi-Fi feature of the device is very good. I stream all the data from the device on the smartphone in the app for the device. The streaming feature is convenient as I am comfortable viewing the result on my phone. Lastly, it fills all my needs, and I am very impressed with it; I strongly recommend this.
Things To Look For When Choosing The Best Fish Finder – Buying Guide
The fish finder acts like an extra crew member, alerting fellow anglers to any potential fish below your boat. A powerful ally is an essential fishing accessory. How do you determine which one is right for you? Check it out here. Regardless of how long you’ve fished, someone you know is catching more fish because they’re using the best fish finder.
It hurts more to have a crappy fish finder than if you have no fish finder, as I’ve been fishing with and without them for decades.
By all means, if you enjoy watching tailing fish all day, go ahead. When choosing a fish finder, look for these features. You may narrow your search based on the items on this list, so it will be easy to pick the fish finder that best fits your needs.
TRANSDUCER:
Every fish finder needs a transducer. Sonar waves are sent and received by them. The waves are reflected off different objects in the water once they have been emitted. The transducer then picks them up. The central unit receives the data when it comes back. Signals are processed into pictures on the display that can be seen and understood.
Different types of transducers come with different mounts. Transom mounts are the easiest to install. You can, however, choose another type if you have a bigger boat or need something more serious, such as a thru-hull mount.
Choose the suitable transducer material for your boat based on its type. Transom mounts made of plastic will work well for enthusiasts and casual fishermen. Almost all types of boats can be fitted with them.
Plastic housings are required for transducers mounted in or through fiberglass or metal hulls. Aluminum or steel hulls require stainless steel housings. Using bronze housings for boats with fiberglass hulls or wood hulls is recommended.
Transducers with transom mounts and trolling motor transducers are recreational users’ most popular fish finders. Installing these works with almost any boat; follow the installation instructions. You can choose between plastic and bronze transducers if you like the idea of a thru-hull transducer.
FREQUENCY:
Most dual-frequency transducers have cones with a 60-degree angle and a 20-degree angle. The frequency of a transducer is one of its most important factors. There are usually four frequency options with transducers – 200 kHz, 192 kHz, 83 kHz, and 50 kHz. They are directly related to cone angles.
High frequencies like 192 and 200 kHz are best for shallow water. Using 50 kHz transducers in deep water is recommended for professional and commercial purposes. Having a high frequency on your display gives you more detail. The higher the frequency, the more your transducer can transmit and receive sonar waves.
Some fish finders are capable of reaching higher frequencies than 400 kHz. Views can be switched between broader and narrower, which allows incredible detail to be seen.
POWER:
Wattage is the measure of the power of a fish finder. It determines how loud your device will send out the sound waves. A fish finder may have a wattage of 100 watts for a small device or over 1000 watts for a complex deep-sea system. Depending on your device’s power, you can get more detail from the returning sound waves.
It means that shallow waters or inland lakes will have enough light for you to see the bottom and fish with just 200 or 300 watts. If you don’t venture too deep, 600-watt fish finders provide plenty of power for nearshore fishing. You may want to use 1000 watts or more if you plan to fish offshore to get the best results.
For those who wish to do the math themselves, here are some general guidelines:
The depth you get from a 50 Hz frequency will increase by 400 feet for every 100 watts.
Every 100 watts of power will add 100 feet of depth at a 200 Hz frequency.
WATER-RESISTANT:
The water resistance of your unit is crucial if it’s going to be mounted on a small, open vessel. It is always an excellent thought to check the JIS or IPX ratings. A unit’s water resistance level is determined by these factors, which are mostly the same.
For instance, a device with a rating of four will not fare well when splashed by water on a kayak. A fish finder with a JIS/IPX rating of five or six will be able to withstand low to high-pressure jets of water. If your unit has a seven-star rating, you can submerge it for 30 minutes at a depth of 10 feet.
A rating of 8 can also be submerged for a long time. A fish finder’s rating makes all the difference and determines how and where it is used.
SCREEN DISPLAY SIZE:
Display sizes for fish finders range from 3.5 inches for portable devices to 12 inches, which is almost as large as a Macbook. You should buy the largest portable unit that fits within your budget if you plan to buy a portable unit. A fish finder with a screen smaller than 7 inches will probably prove insufficient if you plan on mounting it on your boat.
Your fish finder’s resolution will ultimately determine how good a picture you’ll get, along with its screen size. The displays of affordable devices tend to be smaller. A backup or second unit may be a good option. Buying the most significant and best quality fish finder display you can afford should be your top priority when choosing your leading fish finder.
A bigger screen will let you see all the numbers and data in greater detail. In some units, a lot of readings are displayed on the screen so that a smaller screen can become cluttered.
SCREEN RESOLUTION:
The resolution and number of pixels of your fish finder’s display should also be considered when choosing a display. Pixels are essentially single dots on a screen. You can display more detail if you have more pixels.
In 320 x 320 resolution, each column has 320 dots running left to right, and each row has 320 dots running top to bottom.
The resolution should be at least 240 x 160 pixels. However, finding fish might feel like playing Tetris even with this resolution. A higher-resolution display is worth the extra money if you can afford it. Images will be crisper and have more detail.
SIDE IMAGING:
A fish finder’s primary purpose is to show you what’s beneath your boat. When it comes to seeing what’s happening around you, what’s the best way? If you get yourself in this situation, you may want to consider a fish finder with side imaging capabilities.
You’ll see everything moving along your boat’s sides with side imaging. Shallow waters, where fish may not necessarily be lurking underneath, are beneficial for this.
A Chartplotter is often included with modern fish finders. This device will assist you in navigating and avoiding reefs and underwater hazards that may damage your boat. You can use it to record your fishing spots and save your routes. You can’t get around without a Chartplotter unless you already know the lakes or waters by heart.
A fish finder with buttons is another thing to look for. The majority of modern ones come with touchscreens.
Using them is similar to using your smartphone, making them very easy. However, it is recommended that you get a device with buttons. Why? When you’re driving the boat or when the waters are a little unsteady, it’s just easier to use buttons.
MOUNTING:
Your choice of fish finder may have already been made by now. The transducer part will have to be mounted on your boat unless it’s portable. Several ways can be used to accomplish this:
Transom mount: Fish finders are typically mounted on the transom of boats so that they hang under and behind the hull. Installation is relatively straightforward and offers great results for boats under 30 feet. There is a drawback, however, in that bubbles from the propeller can interfere with the signal.
Thru-hull mount: If your boat has a displacement hull or is more extensive, you may want to consider a thru-hull mount. It provides the best performance for fish finders. Your boat’s hull must be drilled through, however. Consider using bronze housing with aluminum hulls if your boat is wooden. Don’t use plastic housing if your boat is wooden.
An in-hull mount allows you to attach the transducer to the inside of the boat’s hull. Thin-hulled boats are the best candidates for this. A thicker hull will have a more challenging time passing through the signal. Choose a transducer designed explicitly for in-hull mounting if you decide to go this route. Signals are bypassed by the boat hull thanks to their sensitivity.
Lastly, you can mount transducers directly on a trolling motor if you have one. Most trolling motors have them attached to their propeller hubs. With this technique, you can control the trolling motor to change the signal’s direction. Just make sure the trolling motor mount is compatible with yours. The installation itself should then be pretty straightforward.
CONE ANGLE:
The cone angle is an important consideration when choosing a transducer. You can think of the cone angle as the width of the beam emitted by your boat into the water. The wider the cone, the larger the area that will be covered. In deeper water, the cone angle increases as the beam go down, but at the expense of sensitivity.
Transducers have cones ranging in angle from 9 degrees to more than 60 degrees. Most devices you will encounter have a 16 to 20-degree angle. Choosing a 20-degree cone is excellent if you start and want to fish at different water depths.
Transducers have the exciting feature of emitting multiple cones from one point. With a conventional transducer, you can only get one beam, but with more advanced units, you can get multiple beams.
Depending on the model, some have dual beams, some have triple beams; some even have side beams. The area you can cover increases with each new beam. Lakes, for example, are ideal for having more beams.
Other units only have single beams, while others come with many options. Depending on the device’s number of beams, it will cost more or less.
It would be best to use dual beams rather than single beams when fishing in shallow water. The reason for this is that they cover a larger area.
GPS CAPABILITIES:
The final consideration is significant. Modern fish finders incorporate GPS navigation, marine radar, and compasses to help you locate fish and navigate in low visibility. GPS fish finders are essential because you won’t realize you need them until you need them. You would be unable to find your way if you’re on the water and a dense fog rolls in.
Multiple times, I’ve drifted too far down the river that I can’t tell how far it is back to the launch site. The GPS will tell me if that happens, and I can keep my peace of mind.
You can also use a GPS fish finder to create waypoints and record your favorite fishing spots for future use with a Chartplotter. A GPS fish finder combo’s only downside is its price. You can’t sacrifice the security of always knowing where you are, even if they are more expensive and sometimes bulkier.
Conclusion:
Take your time, click through each option on the display screen, or read about them in your fishfinder’s manual. You will need to devote time to the water, experiment, and learn how to read the information once you’ve mastered the basics. It won’t take long for those beautiful red arches to appear on display, indicating that there is a prized catch right beneath you.
The Best Fish finders are not easy to choose. You hope that it will last you a long time since it’s an expensive purchase. These decisions are based on many factors, and a lot of the technology behind them isn’t easy to understand. I hope the above guide has clarified some of your confusion and pointed you in the right direction.
