Do you enjoy fishing as a hobby? Ever considered fishing as a job? Well, this is your day because we will help you choose your fishing buddy by sharing to you, what a fish finder must be of help to you. A fish finder is an equipment which uses the reflected pulses of sound energy to detect or locate underwater creatures, especially fishes. The information that these devices produce are products of sonar technology. Some of the fish finders produce a single beam which covers a smaller area, while on the other hand, more advanced models can send out 2 to 6 sonar beams which cover a larger area. Here are some guidelines that you need to know in choosing the best fishing gear for you:
Screen whereabouts
What matters is the screen size, pixels, and color capacity.
- Bigger screen is a great help in detecting fishes, but it makes it hard for you to visualize the picture because it tends to give off pixelated images
- The more pixels there are, the clearer and more detailed information you can get
- If you are in doubt on whether to buy a cheap grayscale or the latest color model, stop it now and go for the color model. Color models provide a picture-like image as against the grayscale which you must visualize it on your own.
GPS and weather
Up for an adventure? Like fishing in places far away from home? Worry no more if your device possesses a GPS capability which can bring you safely home. Plus, having a weather forecast straight from your device can save you from unforeseen natural phenomena.
Hull and transducer compatibility
There are a few things you need to consider when choosing a transducer:
- A plastic transducer is best fitted with hulls made of metal or fiberglass while wood hulls come in perfect combination with a bronze transducer.
- You must also consider the depth of the fishing spot area. If you are into shallow water, choose something that can capture a wider display. Meanwhile, if you are into deep water fishing, you need something which creates a narrow beam.
Frequency and power for image display
First, you need also know if you are into deep water fishing or shallow water. If you want to fish in swallow waters, you don’t need too much power, as opposite to deep waters. The logic in combining frequency and power is that: the higher the power, the clearer, the quicker and more efficient images can be produced, as well as teaming up with high frequency, the higher resolution such image can be displayed.
An interesting article gave information on some models and their specialized fields. Such models are as follow:
Garmin Striker 4
Striker 4 is hailed as best of the best because of its versatility and easy availability in the market. Its sonar performance had received praises because of its excellent performance. Aside from its performance, it brought satisfaction to its user because it is budget-friendly.
Deeper Smart Portable
It is considered as the best portable fish finder, given its capacity to fit for use on tablets and smartphones. All you need to operate is the transducer and can be used to scan up to the depth of 130 feet.
Marcum LX-7
This model is designed as a typical fish finder and an ice fishing finder as well. It is equipped with an 8-inch display, giving you effortless date visualization. It also comes with two cone angles which allow user to read data at any given depth. However, this model is not a budget-friendly as the previous ones.
Hummingbird 409610-11 Helix 5
Since the price of this model is a little too costly, so some might find it odd to buy this one if there are cheaper alternatives available, but, if deep waters are what you like the most, this is a must try. It is equipped with a color display in 5-inch, with the resolution of 480 by 800 pixels. It also comes with a GPS system.
There is no need to rush in finding the best finder that will suit your needs and wants. Every model offers a whole lot advantage. Before anything else, remember the following:
- Know what kind of fishing spot you want to explore
- Choose the model which is convenient for you in terms of budget and capacity
- Know what information are need based on the two criteria above
- Enjoy your fishing together with your fishing buddy. Happy fishing!