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Are you in need of a fish finder? Are you looking for the best fish finders? Do you want to find fish and mark the spots where they are located and go back to fish them? Fishing in a boat is easier with a fish finder that not only locates fish but also finds the structures where they are hanging out and gives you the ability to mark those spots so you can return to fish there.

In this article, we review some of the best fish finders on the market today to help you find the right one for your fishing trips.

Top Product
Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder
  • Clear Images
  • Waypoint Map
  • Easy To Use
  • Chirp Sonar
  • Portable
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1. Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder

Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder
  • Clear Images
  • Waypoint Map
  • Easy To Use
  • Chirp Sonar
  • Portable
Check Price On Amazon

The Garmin Striker 4 fish finder makes it easy to mark your favorite fishing spots and return to them whenever you want to fish there. This saves you time and money. The Garmin Striker 4 fish finder features ClearVu technology provides photographic images that give you the ability to see the structures, objects, and fish that are around your boat thanks to its high-frequency sonar.

Additionally, the Striker 4 fish finder is easy to install and use. It has a water rating of IPX7. This fish finder is portable and can be used in a kayak, a canoe, and for ice fishing. It comes with a built-in flasher that is ideal for ice fishing and vertical jigging.

What We Like:

Clear Images

Waypoint Map

Easy To Use

CHIRP Sonar

Portable

2. ReelSonar Smart Fish Finder

ReelSonar Smart Fish Finder
  • Fish Finder & Attractor
  • Strike Alert
  • Portable
  • 10+ Hours of Battery Life
  • Bluetooth Smart Sync
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The ReelSonar smart fish finder not only locates where fish are congregated but also attracts fish with pulses. This fish finder and attractor has a depth range of 135 feet and a rechargeable battery life of more than 10 hours. This fish finder alerts you when it locates fish that are congregated under docks and piers. It also informs you when fish are biting. With the ReelSonar, it will be easier to find fish and hook them when they are biting.

Whether you are a beginner angler or have some experience, this fish finder and attractor will make fishing easier for you. You can map depth contours and underwater structures, mark and call fish, and GPS map tags with interactive maps. It can be used for fishing from the shore, docks, piers, kayak fishing, ice, and night fishing. The ReelSonar fish finder is one of the best fish finders for the money with its features.

What We Like:

Fish Finder & Attractor

Strike Alert

Portable

10+ Hours of Battery Life

Bluetooth Smart Sync

3. Lowrance HOOK2 Fish Finder

Lowrance HOOK2 Fish Finder
  • Built-In Mapping
  • Easy Setup
  • Easy To Use
  • Wide Sonar Coverage
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The Lowrance HOOK2 fish finder allows you to spend more time fishing than adjusting settings with its autotuning sonar feature. This fish finder easily finds depth changes, roadbeds, or other fishing spots with its built-in mapping feature. It is easy to use and easy to set up. The Lowrance HOOK2 fish finder sonar covers a wider range than traditional fish finders as it doubles the coverage range.

What We Like:

Built-In Mapping

Easy Setup

Easy To Use

Wide Sonar Coverage

4. Garmin Striker Plus 4

Garmin Striker Plus 4
  • Garmin Quickdraw Contours
  • CHIRP Sonar Clarity
  • GPS Fishfinder
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The Garmin Striker Plus 4 makes it easier for you to locate fish with its CHIRP sonar that provides clear images and Quickdraw contour maps. You can easily mark and navigate waypoints thanks to its built-in GPS system.

What We Like:

Garmin Quickdraw Contours

CHIRP Sonar Clarity

GPS Fishfinder

5. Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Fish Finder

Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Fish Finder
  • GPS Onshore Mapping
  • Built-in GPS
  • Real-Time Data
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The Deeper PRO+ fish finder is a unique fish finder as it allows you to cast it to collect depth, temperature readings, and contours of the bottom area. This fish finder allows you to find depressions, stumps, humps, marginal shelves, and other features that fish use as cover. Additionally, this fish finder gives you an idea if the bottom is hard or soft, and has gravel or silt. It is ideal for boat and kayak fishing.

What We Like:

GPS Onshore Mapping

Built-in GPS

Real-Time Data

6. Garmin Striker Vivid 7 Fishfinder

Garmin Striker Vivid 7 Fishfinder
  • Crystal Clear Images
  • High-Sensitivity GPS
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The Garmin Striker Vivid 7 makes fishing easier by scanning and locating where fish are holding out. You benefit from a crystal clear view of the fish and the structures thanks to its Clearvu and CHIRP sonars. With this fish finder, you can mark fish spots and return to them later to fish. Additionally, with its high-sensitivity GPS, you can mark spots, plan your routes, and return to fish the spots.

What We Like:

Crystal Clear Images

High-Sensitivity GPS

7. Deeper Smart Sonar Pro Bundle

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The Lowrance hook reveal 5 makes it easy to locate fish thanks to its target separation feature and high-resolution image capability. It gives you the ability to clearly see and identify underwater structures that are sanctuaries for fish. With its autotuning feature, you benefit from automatic adjustments when the fishing conditions change.

What We Like:

High-Resolution Images

Autotuning Capability

9. Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder

Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder
  • Clear Images
  • Autotuning Capability
  • GPS Plotter
  • SplitShot Feature
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The Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 makes finding and identifying fish an easy task. This is another fish finder in the Lowrance Hook Reveal series. It combines its target separation feature with its DownScan imaging for you to clearly see the fish and structures. Additionally, this fish finder has autotuning which automatically adjusts its sonar settings.

What We Like:

Clear Images

Autotuning Capability

GPS Plotter

SplitShot Feature

10. Venterior Fish Finder

Venterior Fish Finder
  • Castable
  • Fish Alarm
  • Easy To Use
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The Venterior is a castable and rechargeable fish finder that can be used for boat or kayak fishing, and shore and ice fishing. It gives you the capability to know the depth, temperature, and bottom contours. Additionally, it features a fish alarm that alerts you when a group of fish is detected. This fish finder is easy to use and also gives you a rough estimate of the size of the fish.

What We Like:

Castable

Fish Alarm

Easy To Use

Types of Fish Finders

1. Standard (2D Sonar) Fish Finder

Standard (2D sonar) is the oldest fish finder technology. It sends a cone-shaped sound wave into the water which widens as it goes through the water. Since standard goes deeper into the water, it is the choice of deep water anglers who fish in depths over 150 feet deep.

2. Side Imaging Fish Finder

A side imaging fish finder uses two sonar cones on each side of the boat. It uses short frequencies to generate images; however, these frequencies do not go into deep waters. As a result, a side imaging fish finder when you fish in heavy weeds, rock piles, and ledges. Additionally, it can be used to scan large areas of water while moving at high speeds.

3. Down Imaging Fish Finder

A down-imaging fish finder is ideal when you are fishing right on top of a structure since you will see a crystal clear and detailed image in high resolution. A down-imaging fish finder sends a narrow sonar beam straight down into the water that doesn’t widen as it travels through the water. Hence, it shows a narrow area of the water.

4. Live Sonar Fish Finder

Live sonar technology provides real-time updates. You will see where the fish is located in real-time and how it is reacting to your bait. However, live sonar imaging isn’t great for scanning large areas.

5. 360 Imaging Fish Finder

360 imaging sonar scans every direction around the boat with a transducer that rotates 360 degrees. It is ideal for fishing in shallow waters since you can see structures and fish in every direction.

6. CHIRP Fish Finder

CHIRP sonar uses a combination of multiple frequencies to produce an accurate picture. Modern fish finders are equipped with CHIRP technology.

What To Look For In A Fish Finder

  1. Transducer

    The transducer is an important part of the fish finder. It sends out and receives the sound waves that carry the information about the structures and fish found at the bottom. There are transducers that emit single, dual, or multiple frequencies. Transducers that emit dual or multiple sound waves have more accurate readings.

2. Power

The power of the fish finder indicates the strength of the sound waves it will send out. How much power the fish finder has will determine the reach of the “pings” sent from the transducer. The amount of power will also determine how much information it gathers from the returning sound waves. The power is rated in watts and ranges from 100 to 1000 watts.

3. Screen Size

The screen size may not seem to be an important factor to consider when choosing a fish finder, but it is. You can find screen sizes ranging from 3.5 inches up to 12 inches. Choose a screen size that will work well for you.

4. Resolution

The resolution of the screen is also very important. It will determine how clear the images will be. Most modern fish finder screens are high resolution which provides crystal clear images.

5. Portability

When choosing a fish finder, the issue of portability will come up. You will have to decide if you want a portable fish finder or a fixed one. Most modern fish finders are portable and they allow you to use them in kayaks, boats, small boats, canoes, and for ice fishing. You can read a review of the best ice fishing fish finders if you need one.

How To Read A Fish Finder

More anglers who fish using a boat rely on fish finders to gather information about the water structures and fish locations underneath their boats. With this information, anglers can identify schools of fish, and structures, and understand the topography. Learning how to read a fish finder will make you a more skilled and successful angler.

There are two major types of fish finders: 2D and downscan fish finders. Fish will appear as arches with their middle pointing upwards on the screen on the 2D finders. It will appear like that on the screen because it is in motion moving through the sonar cone casting a slightly different signal depending on where the sonar hit its body. With the 2D fish finder, the fish will be sharply displayed on the
screen.

Fish will appear on the screen as dots on fish finders that feature down imaging technology. Down imaging sonar uses a narrower sonar cone and will only show a small section of what is underneath the boat thereby displaying it as dots rather than arches.


Downscan fish finders display a sharper overall image and this allows you to clearly distinguish fish from structures and the bottom. Therefore depending on the technology that your fish finder has, the fish may appear as arches, dots, or both.

Some fish finders feature 2D sonar imaging and down imaging technology and can be run at the same time. This capability provides the most information. Identifying arches or dots on your fish finder is the first step to reading the fish finder and locating schools of fish to target. The arches can be displayed as full or half arches depending on whether the fish swims through the entire cone.

How To Determine The Size of The Fish

The size of the fish can be determined by the length and the thickness of the arch. As a result, a large fish will be displayed as a longer and thicker arch. And smaller fish will be displayed as smaller arches that are not thick and feature a less defined curve.

The depth of the water also influences how the fish is displayed on the screen with regard to its size. The deeper the water, the smaller the signal that is returned to the fish finder and displayed on the screen. Therefore a big and long arch in deep the water implies that it is a big fish.

Similarly, a school of small fish will only be displayed as dots or short lines, not arches. Schools of small fish will be displayed as a “cloud” hanging on the water. Therefore if you are fishing for a fish that preys on schools of baitfish, and you see “clouds” on the water, you then know that you are in the right area as the fish will be looking for schools of baitfish.

Moreover, some fish finders feature a technology called Fish Id which converts sonar arches that represent fish into fish icons on the screen. These fish icons will be displayed in different sizes relating to the size of the fish signal.

Some fish icon programs also have other icons for plants, rocks, and schools of fish. This technology has some issues as it can incorrectly interpret sonar signals, labeling structures other than fish as fish. It can also miss fish signals due to incomplete arches.

How To Read Bottom Structure & Depth

With more practice, you will learn to detect the representation of the bottom displayed on the screen. A strong and thicker line will represent a hard and less porous bottom while a mud or clay bottom will be displayed as a thin and lighter line.

The depth will be displayed in the top left-hand corner of most displays. The temperature of the water is usually shown beneath the depth reading that is in feet or meters. The depth, water temperature, and bottom structure can help you determine which fish you are seeing on your screen as some fish will go further to the bottom when the water temperature gets colder and come closer to the surface when it gets warmer.

Additionally, the depth will also help you find fish that reside further towards the bottom to prey on baitfish. The speed sensor also displays the speed you are moving to give you an idea of how fast you are moving to decide whether to adjust it or not.

Best Fish Finders

Walmart Fish Finder

Walmart has a wide variety of fish finders that you can check if you are searching for one.

Click this link to see the fish finders that are available at Walmart.
Is a good fish finder worth it?
A fish finder will save you time and money as it will identify structures and locate where fish are congregated. Additionally most fish finders allows you to mark spots so you can return there and fish when you want to. Some fish finders also alert you to strikes.
What does CHIRP mean on fish finders?
CHIRP stands for Compressed High Intensity Radar Pulse. CHIRP means the fish finder can show fish that other 2D Sonars can’t show.
How deep do fish finders go?
A fish finder will show depth readings of up to 400 feet for every 100 watts of power at 50 hkHz.
How shallow can you use side imaging?
Side imaging will work in two feet of water to reveal details of objects 50-75 feet from the boat.
At what speed will a fish finder work?
Fish finders can work up to 40 mph. However, the slower the boat speed, the better the on-screen images.
Do fish finders use a lot of battery?
Usually, a fish finder will use about 1 amp per hour with a 12 volt battery.

The Bottom Line

Fish finders make fishing a lot easier for the angler as they can identify structures and fish with clear images. Most fish finders today have more advanced features that save you time and money when you are fishing. Most fish finders allow you to mark spots where you located fish so you can return there and fish anytime. In this article, we reviewed some of the best fish finders on the market today to help you find the right one for your fishing trips.

If you fish for walleye and bass, then read walleye fishing tips and bass fishing tips for more fishing tips to help you catch more walleye and bass.

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