GPS Fish Finders
For the success of any angler, which is catching more fish, the use of the best GPS chart plotters for smaller boats is always necessary. A multi-function chart plotter is a perfect tool to use if you intent to use your boat for fishing purposes.
This multipurpose electronic device combines both the core marine electronic technologies into one integrated system that is easy to use. The fish finder is a very reliable electronic device used for locating fish beneath or to the side of your boat in real time.
There are many fish finders in the market to choose from depending on their features and their associated brands.
The top five ranked GPS fish finders based on user reviews are as follows:
1. Lowrance Elite 7 Ti
This fish finder by Lowrance is a multi-function electronic touchscreen device that combines both the chart plotter and the fish finder. Its great design matches features and functions with very powerful performance.
It sports a high-resolution, seven-inch, back-lit touch screen display that provides access to all its features. The Elite 7 Ti comes with high-performance sonar that gives you a view of the features beneath your boat.
Structure Scan HD compatibility covers the sonar needs while providing support for the sonar CHIRP and various frequencies. Its GPS antenna is highly accurate, and the proven technology provides easy navigation and reliability.
Elite 7 Ti also has other unique feature which includes a Bluetooth/wireless connectivity which presents an opportunity to carry out data and software uploads to the unit. It also provides a capability of downloading custom maps to the premises.
2. Garmin Striker 7sv
The Garmin Striker 7sv comes with a high-quality 7” color screen that is well back-lit that even on an ordinary sunny day, it can still be read clearly.
It is incorporated with a CHIRP transducer that provides very detailed results by sending a range of several frequencies simultaneously, and the sonar results are all read, this makes this fish finder device to be in its league.
Moreover, the fish locator comes with a swivel which enables flexibility as it can be oriented for optimum usability.
Another great feature of the Garmin Striker 7sv is its capability to capture every angle beneath your boat. Its scanning DownVu and SideVu sonar technology are integrated into a single transducer allow a 750” view both below and beside your boat with impressive clarity. Any ordinary fish finder can not match this extensive experience.
Also, this finder has a built-in GPS, which allows a user to be aware of his surroundings with precision including position and location. This means a great fishing location can be marked, and you can still come and find it again on in the future.
3. Humminbird Helix 10 SI GPS
The Humminbird Helix 10 SI GPS with the side imaging sonar by Humminbird is the most recent fish finders in the Helix family.
Its brilliant 10.1-inch display screen comes with a stunning 1024×600 Pixels matrix resolution with an almost customizable display with a 65,000 color grayscale to choose from.
By using a back-lit display, it enables reading visible even in harsh sunlight, and its broad view gives more room for split-screen viewing.
It is also equipped with a standard, down-imaging and side-imaging sonar innovative technology. This allows for a depth range of 150-feet with the down and the side-imaging with a standard sonar range of 1500-feet in salt water.
The interface of the hummingbird Helix 10 SI GPS includes well-labelled control buttons which include the directional, power, go to, view charger, the zoom in and out as well as the waypoint button.
This user-friendly user interface makes the fish finder easy to operate beside it having a plug and play design. Another feature of this unit is it’s onboard SD storage; this can enable users to upload maps, save screen shots, waypoint markings and for updating software.
4. Dragonfly 5PRO Raymarine
Dragonfly 5PRO by Raymarine utilizes dual channel CHIRP sonar. This technology allows the transducer to emit simultaneous signals into the water resulting in better details being sent back into the monitoring system.
As a result, clearer images are generated that are easy to identify. A full spectrum channel gives the advantage of having a better imaging of the terrain beneath, and the combined conical channel is optimized for the identification of the fish.
The use of superior sonar technology makes 5PRO an exception; multiple frequencies are used for its down imaging. As a result, it generates photo-like images with high accuracy up to a depth of 160 ft.
The fish finder has an integrated Wi-Fi mobile application which enables you to connect to your smartphone or tablet. By just establishing a connection, you can quickly view your fish finder’s screen right on the screen of your hand-held device. This application can also enable you to rewind as well as capturing images.
5. Garmin Striker 4dv
Garmin Striker 4dv is a 3.5-inch screen that is vertically oriented; its small and compact design makes it suitable for small boats such as a kayak or a canoe. Its back-lit screen is bright enough to allow the use of split-screen without diminishing the size of your images.
It generates its sonar signals by utilizes 300W of power while connected by its power cord. It has a swivel mount which allows the devices to be oriented in any direction hence positioning it for maximum access.
The broadcasting signal of the Garmin Striker 4dv provides you will very detailed images of the features beneath your boat. It doesn’t only give you a general view of the location where the fish are but can also pinpoint an individual location with high precision.
To achieve this, it uses multiple sonar frequencies with lower frequencies such as 77 kHz which can reach deeper into the water but compromises on the quality of the images. At higher frequencies such as 200 kHz, finer details are created but within a shorter distance.
Other than the sonar readings, the Garmin Striker 4dv is capable of providing a waypoint map display. Landmarks or locations such as favorite fishing spots can be can be labeled on the screen
In general, choosing the best fish finder for your boat will depend on your budget and the specific requirements that you need. A fish finder with more fancy features means you have to dig deeper into your pockets.