If you are looking for the best fish finder for the money then you have come to the right place as here we will give you a detailed break down on great fish finders at different price levels.

Take it from the fish finder experts: there are WAY too many choices out there when it comes to fish finders. Don’t we all wish it was just so much easier to make the right choice? A choice that would continuously net us fish after fish after fish, and give us the least amount of hiccups possible?

Ta-da!

It’s not too hard to choose the best fish finder for the money. In fact, here’s a dirty little secret: make the “money” part your deciding factor, and go from there!

Let me explain: If you are having to ask this question, you are probably a recreational angler that wants to catch more fish, right? As easy as that!

So first, you need to decide how much you are prepared to spend. You can find a fish finder for less than $100, and you can even find one for $2000!

To make things simpler, we’ve divided up all of our fish finders by budget range, and given you an overview of what you should expect to get out of however much you decide to spend.

Best Fish Finder For Less Than $100

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $100 Price Range:

• LUCKY Portable Handheld Kayak Fish Finder

For this price range, you are looking at a very basic fish finder that has a small screen and very likely has no GPS. This means that the readings you will get will be rather cramped and possible even a little tough to interpret.  But thanks to all the new technology that is bursting onto the scenes color screens are pretty common now on most all devices .

These guys will have a low power rating and a lower end transducer, which means you wont get readings at the super deep depths. The readings will be good, but not fantastic.

I’d recommend a fish finder in this range if you are just starting out as an angler and generally fish really shallow water from a small boat or kayak.

LUCKY Portable Handheld Kayak Fish Finder

If you are a kayak fisherman then a great fishfinder for under $100 is the LUCKY Portable Handheld Kayak Fish Finder. This thing has some pretty impressive technology baked in for such a low price. Just toss the transducer down the kayak scupper hole and you’re finding fish! Definitely worth a look.

Sale

LUCKY Portable Handheld Kayak Fish Finder

• ☀ The portable fish finder, with...
• ☀ Lucky fish finder portable...
• ☀ The fish finder portable is...

From Amazon

Here you can see how one customer mounted the transducer to their trolling motor.

The LUCKY fish finder sports a  2.4inch TFT color LCD screen display that easily allows you to interpret the underwater as well as makes seeing fish much easier. One thing that is pretty cool is you can tell on the screen how big the fish is.  It can also give a reading for temperature of the water which is great to make a note of when you are getting bites.

It is rechargeable via USB charger and lasts about 5 hours which is enough for most but you could always bring a separate battery bank charger if you want to stay out longer.  The wire to the transducer is 26 feet which is really long so it will fit most applications.  It has a 45 degree beam angle with 200Khz.

This fish finder is great for all types of fishing including kayak fishing, ice fishing, river fishing, saltwater fishing, or even fishing from shore.

Pros

• Basic fish finder, great one to start out with
• Really easy setup
• Great buy for checking depth
• Very helpful when mounted on trolling motor

Cons

• Only lasts 5 hours which could be better
• Sometimes gives wonky depth readings
• Temperature doesn’t always read correctly
• Not the best in shallow water

Best Fish Finder Under $300

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $300 Price Range:

• Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv

There’s quite a lot of choice in this range. Thanks to the fish finder scene getting more competitive and technology becoming more and more accessible, your dollar can go really far. The following models really stand out in this price range:

Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv

Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv

• Easy-to-use 4-inch color fishfinder...
• Includes a GT20 transducer for...
• High-sensitivity GPS to mark...

From Amazon

The all-new, rugged Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv fish finder has a highly sensitive GPS that is created to let you indicate your favorite fishing spots, so that you can find it easily the next day. It also has the CHIRP traditional sonar that displays sharp fish arches along with perfect target separation.  It has a GT20 transducer for built-in CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar as well. 

The 4 inch screen is fantastic where you will find seven different color options that allow you to see fish and underwater structures in super high contrast and visibility.

This unit comes with a tilt/swivel bailmount bracket that is great for securing it to your boat or kayak.

You can even use a split screen to show both the waypoint map and your sonar option, or even design a customized sonar view at the same time. The STRIKERS series come in a variety of different size displays but the 4 inch seems to be quite popular. It also has a built-in flasher with lets you see your sonar data in a classic flasher format, which is perfect for ice finishing, and for vertical jigging.

Pros

• Great quality and GPS and chirp features
• Great machine for the money
• Easy to use on a kayak and easy to see

Cons

• Has too small of a screen

Best Smartphone Fishfinders Under $300

Also, for between $100 to $300, there are a couple of really cool smartphone fish finders. These are devices that can mount to your boat or attach to your line, which you cast and the device will send the SONAR returns to your smartphone screen via an app(iOS and Android).

They have great battery life, and capitalize on your smartphone’s capabilities – so while they’ll work even if you don’t have a data connection, if you grab one of these you’ll see loads of real-time info, too.

Check them out! – our favorite smartphone fish finders are Deeper and Vexilar SP200

Deeper Smart Portable Fish Finder

Deeper Smart Portable Fish Finder

• THE ONLY CASTABLE CHIRP FISH...
• HIGHEST SPECS: Casts out to 330ft...
• FAST CHARGING BATTERY: Charge...

From Amazon

The Deeper Smart Portable Fish Finder is an echo sounder that is wireless and castable. You can use it easily in any spot as it just floats on top of the surface, and then sends all the information from the bottom and the water column to your smartphone or tablet.

It will tell you the depth, temperature, vegetation, bottom structure, fish location, and any other data points you need to know. It works up to an amazing 330 feet away with a secure Bluetooth connection, so it is ideal for short distance casting like ice or canal fishing as well as distances quite far away from you.

The Deeper app is easy to download and use. When used with the device, it creates a complete piece of underwater sonar technology. It is compatible with most iOS and Android devices.

You also do not need a Wi-Fi internet connection, or need to use any mobile data since the Deeper device only uses its internal Bluetooth access point that easily links to your phone or tablet.

Pros

• Easy to use and link to your device via Bluetooth
• Great investment if you are serious about fishing
• Fantastic product for ice fishing or open lake fishing

Cons

• Issues with connection sometimes
• Have to close out all your other apps for it to work the best

Vexilar SP-200

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Vexilar SP-200

• Carries a two year warranty
• One year battery warranty
• Pre-drilled holes for optional...

From Amazon

The Vexilar SP-200 is mounted permanently onto a boat, and can be run with a 12 volt power supply. It can turn your smart phone or table into a completely functioning sonar system, which can compete with all high end sonars that are on today’s market.

It uses a patented WiFi signal technology that lets it communicate directly to your smart phone or tablet. It works anywhere in the world, and does not require cell phone coverage to work.

It makes its own WiFi hotspot, which is shareable with as many people as you would like. You can download the app for free from the App store, and it can work with both Android and iOS systems.

The Vexilar is available in 17 languages with three different configurations. It also comes with a neoprene arm band, so your phone will remain safe with easy access while in use.

Pros

• Easy to install and very versatile
• Sonar chart features are awesome
• Great large screen, works great with your iPhone

Cons

• Draws a lot of data
• Resolution isn’t that great
• Make sure to have a lot of batteries on hand

Best Fish Finder Under $400

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $400 Price Range:

• Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 44cv

Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 44cv

Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 44cv

• Bright, sunlight-readable 4.3”...
• Includes GT20 transducer for Garmin...
• Preloaded BlueChart g3 charts with...

From Amazon

The unit comes with a brand new echoMAP CHIRP dv and sv series chartplotter/sonar combinations. You can purchase these series in display sizes between four and nine inches. The dv series gives you onboard regular CHIRP sonar, plus a CHIRP DownVu.

The sv series also offers onboard CHIRP sonar, plus CHIRP DownVu, and CHIRP SideVu scanning sonar abilities. It also has an internal 5 Hz GPS that renews the heading and the position each second five times.

Each of the display sizes for the echoMAP combos can come with either U.S. BlueChart g2 charts, Canada LakeVu HD maps, U.S. LakeVu HD maps, or a basemap that is worldwide.

The CHIRP Sonar provides a continuous sweep of frequencies that range from high to low, and it interprets the each of the frequencies individually when they return. It also includes new software like the new Garmin Quickdraw Contours that allows users to make their own maps that include up to 1-foot contour lines, anywhere you want.

Pros

• Easy to transfer routes and waypoints
• Great GPS and awesome sounder
• Easy to use with a simple install

Cons

• Takes a little work to figure out all the settings

Best Fish Finder Under $500

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $500 Price Range:

• Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv

Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv

Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv

• easy-to-use 7" color fishfinder...
• supports garmin chirp traditional...
• high-sensitivity gps to mark...

From Amazon

This model comes with a beautiful 7 inch display and is so simple to use. The color screen works great when you are out on the water in the sun.  With their new vivid scanning sonar color palettes you can easily distinguish underwater structures and any fish it might hold.

This has all the best technology including garmin chirp traditional sonar as well as chirp clearvü and chirp sidevü scanning sonars which really completes the package. It can track your current boat speed as well which is pretty nice.

The GPS on this unit is phenomenal as it allows you to add waypoints and create custom routes.

There is also an app called activecaptain that you can download from the App Store. Using this fishing app along with the fishfinders onboard wi-fi connectivity that allows you to connect to the activecaptain app you can transfer waypoints as well as receive smart notifications.

So to wrap up this model is incredible just look at the amazon reviews.

Pros

• Chirp clearvü and chirp sidevü scanning sonars
• Ability to add waypoints and create custom routes

Cons

• The land area on the GPS is not very detailed
• No charts

Best Fish Finder GPS Combo Under $500

Humminbird Helix 5 SI CHIRP

No products found.

The Humminbird Helix 5 SI CHIRP fish finder has to be one of the most powerful fish finder gps combos that you can buy for just under $500.

It has super accurate CHIRP SONAR, as well as side imaging SONAR, and includes a fully featured chartplotter that is compatible with a whole host of different mapping packages such as Navionics and Humminbird LakeMaster, to name a few.

In addition, this fish finder will let you see up to 1500 feet(on a good day in fresh water) using the traditional SONAR, and up to 240 feet on either side of your boat with Side Scan SONAR.

The real advantage of Side Scan SONAR is that you can map out an entire area of water with a single pass and immediately identify good areas of structure and cover, as well as find schools of baitfish!

The GPS functionality of this fish finder is also very good: you can store up to 2,500 waypoints, 45 routes, 50 tracks, and 20,000 track points – which is more than enough, really – who is going to need 2,500 waypoints anyway!

You can also use the Side Scan SONAR to overlay contours and depth data on to the map itself, effectively creating your own customized maps.

Fish Finders Between $300 to $600

This price range is the “premium” that combines all the best technology into small packages. If you have the budget, I highly recommend that you find a model from this price range.

Generally, these models will all have color screens, usually 5 inches, a high power rating(for more depth), internal GPS with decent maps(and the ability to expand), and some models will also have Down Imaging/DownScan SONAR. With all of these models, you are looking at depths of at least 500 feet.

Some of my favorites:

Lowrance Hook-5

From Amazon

The Lowrance Hook-5 Sonar/GPS Mid/High/Downscan Fishfinder has a 5 inch color display with high resolution. It comes with CHIRP sonar, and has the ability of today’s foremost

Fishfinder technology that can easily find anything under your boat. It has a high degree of accuracy with a built-in GPS antenna, and a precise U.S. Map that shows over 3,000 lakes, river and coastal contours up to 1,000 feet.

It comes with upgrade option on its America’s Chart, Navionics hotmaps, Jeppesen C-MAP max n, and global Charts. The Lowrance includes customizable maps that can be designed from sonar logs, and it uses technology that can overlay settings so you can see fish and bottom detail clearly. You can even look back on recorded sonar history to see what was previously under your boat at the same spot.

Pros

• Great product, easy to use
• Gives you a better feel for the bottom
• Image detail is very good

Cons

• It’s hard to hook up
• Screen changes a lot on its own

Raymarine Dragonfly 5 Pro

From Amazon

The Raymarine Dragonfly 5 Pro offers consumers a 5″ all-weather GPS navigation device. It has an anti-fog feature with a backlit, high-definition LED display, which is optically fused for crisp colors, and for viewing wide angles.

It has a dual-channel with a wide-spectrum CHIRP sonar, plus DownVision® technology that gives users photo quality images of everything under their boats. It also comes with a MicroSD card slot that gives you additional storage for maps.

The Raymarine Dragonfly also has built-in WiFi that lets you stream information straight to your phones through Raymarine’s WiFish mobile app. The Raymarine Dragonfly-5 Pro Fishfinder/GPS Chartplotter Navigation Combo also functions effortlessly with the optional Navionics and Raymarine Lighthouse format charts. It also includes a ball-and-socket swivel mount for easy display while in use.

Pros

• The WiFi is amazing
• Can connect multiple devices up to this unit at the same time
• Crystal clear imaging

Cons

• It cannot do simple trip/track information like distance or max speed or time
• It can only do a simple go-to in a straight line but it is not capable of plotting a trip

Garmin EchoMap 55DV

From Amazon

The Garmin EchoMap 55DV is an easy to install and easy to use device. It includes CHIRP Fishfinder and Chartplotter with Canada LakeVu HD Maps that lets you zoom in on the fish in your area. It has a 5″ color display with keypad control.

The high performance device has preinstalled LakeVu HD maps with over 13,500 Canadian lakes. It is created to give you a precise picture of what is under your boat by using the built-in multi-frequency CHIRP sonar, 77/200 kHz HD-IDâ„¢ sonar, and Garmin CHIRP DownVu, which is the best scanning sonar on the market.

It has an extremely accurate system of features that include an internal 5 Hz GPS position with heading updates five times a second. The Garmin EchoMap makes it a lot easier to mark your position so that you return to your waypoints fast the next time.

A single microSD card slot allows you to use the 55DV’s expandable memory to access accessory maps like LakeVu HD Ultra and BlueChart® g2 Vision® map cards. Quickdraw Contours custom map is also included, along with an Auto Guidance 3.0 capability, and NMEA 2000 for sensors, engine data, autopilots and more.

The device cord can plug right into the mount so that you can quickly install and remove the device, and it also comes with transom and trolling motor mounts.

Pros

• Gives clear and loud audible warnings before hitting a rock
• Easy to install
• Straightforward, comprehensive operation.

Cons

• Manual may not be specific to the unit so they may not apply to this unit

Best Fish Finder Under $700

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $700 Price Range:

• Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 – 7 Inch Fish Finder

Lowrance Hook Reveal 7

Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder 7 Inch Screen with Transducer and C-MAP Preloaded Map Options

• FISHREVEAL: Fish are easier to find...
• HIGH-DETAIL INLAND MAPS: Get...
• TRIPLESHOT TRANSDUCER: Perfect for...

From Amazon

At this price range, you will be paying for all of the features of the group before this one, and two more critical ones: screen size and expandability.

From here on, you are looking at really professional level models like the Lowrance HDS series and the Humminbird 700/800/900/1000 series, all of which have very powerful SONAR, high-definition screens, powerful mapping packages, and the ability to add more peripherals like radars, weather, satellite radio, and the ability to network 2 or more units together.

Something in this range is good for you if you are a professional(or aspiring professional) that wants something that can help monitor everything on your boat from SONAR to navigation to even monitoring fuel levels in your motor/engine.

Tournament anglers and professional charters all use units that are in this range. At $600-700, you will get a basic model, and as you go more expensive, you are looking at larger and larger screens with more advanced peripherals.

Best Fish Finder Under $800

The Best Fish Finder For The Money In The $800 Price Range:

• Humminbird Helix 8 Chirp

Humminbird Helix 8 Chirp

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Humminbird 411340-1CHO Helix 8 Chirp

• Control Head Only Model: This model...
• Keypad control: Master HELIX at the...
• MEGA Down Imaging: Get...

From Amazon

This is our runner up choice for a fishfinder around the $800 range. This Lowrance screams quality and has everything you’d expect for a machine in this price range.

Lowrance Elite FS 7

Lowrance Elite FS 7

• HDI TRANSDUCER: Perfect for anglers...
• ACTIVE IMAGING 3-IN-1 READY: See...
• ACTIVETARGET READY: See...

From Amazon

Best Fish Finder Under $900

Humminbird, Helix 7, CHIRP MSI GPS G3N

Humminbird, Helix 7, CHIRP MSI GPS G3N

• Display Size - Diagonal: 7"
• Sonar-Standard: Dual Spectrum...
• Sonar-Frequencies Supported:...

From Amazon

Lowrance Elite-7 TI

From Amazon

The Lowrance Elite-7Ti Mid/High/TotalScan Fishfinder/Chartplotter gives users a vast assortment of features and functions at a great price. It is compatible with both Bluetooth and wireless, and it has an intuitive touchscreen interface. It has a high performance sonar, that includes CHIRP, StructureScan®, DownScan Imaging, and SideScan Imaging for clear pictures, plus it has the recognized Lowrance navigation technology.

The Lowrance Elite has a 7inch touchscreen display with high-resolution, and StructureScan® HD compatibility. It includes a built-in GPS with the reliable Lowrance navigation technology that makes navigating easy. TrackBack allows users to go back through your sonar, SideScan, or DownScan history, so that you can mark them for future reference.

There are optional Americas chart upgrades that include Lake Insight and Nautic Insight PRO and HD, Navionics HotMaps® Premium and Fishing Hotspots® PRO. Optional Global chart upgrade includes Navionics+ and Jeppesen C-MAP MAX-N. If you have an Internet connection, you’ can access GoFree Cloud, where you can purchase Insight maps, and third-party maps from GoFree partners.

Pros

• Total scan all-in-one transducer
• Large amount of functions for the money
• Built in WiFi is great

Cons

• Can’t edit the navionics maps
• Chirp doesn’t work with the side scan
• Transducer bracket not drilled correctly and manual has poor instructions for connecting iPhone or iPad

Humminbird Helix-10 DI

From Amazon

The Humminbird® Helix 10 DI GPS Fishfinder/Chartplotter is one of the more sophisticated mixes of wayfinding technology and fish-detecting on the market today. It gives you remarkable Down Imaging at 455/800 kHz with picturesque images of everything going on underwater.

It also has Advanced SwitchFire sonar that allows you to determine your onscreen detail levels, plus account for temperature, water depth, and turbulence. You can even try out different lure presentation by just pushing one button. The DualBeam Plus sonar uses a mix of arrangements for highly accurate returns and search areas, which cover a wide area, all on the same display. The backlit LED display shows returns in vivid detail with an extra-bright 10 inch screen.

It has built-in GPS with the included ContourXD mapping, which makes finding your best course for the day easy and fun. It covers over 3,000 US lakes, and includes varying depth contours. The Humminbird Helix 10 DI GPS Fishfinder/Chartplotter is compatible with many of today’s popular mapping suites, which include Humminbird LakeMaster®/PLUS, Navionics® Gold, HotMaps and Platinum+, Humminbird AutoChart® and AutoChart PRO, and Minn Kota® i-Pilot Link.

Pros

• New screens look really good
• Metal mounting bracket is sturdy
• AutoChart Live is fun, you can create your own maps

Cons

• The controls don’t work very well
• It’s hard to the right menus
• Quick keys do not recall the chart settings after you turn if off

Best Fish Finder GPS Combo Under $1000

There are actually quite a few great choices for a fish finder GPS combo under $1000 – once we’ve got so much flexibility in our budget, it becomes a little harder to narrow down choices.

However, we’ve picked three that really caught our eye(and helped us catch fish!) – and each one has their own one important feature which may help you decide which way to go.

Simrad GO7 XSE

From Amazon

The Simrad GO7 XSE is well below our budget cap of $1000, but still sports a high resolution 7 inch display, an excellent mapping package(waypoints and tracks are all default options on gps fish finders, anyhow), as well as CHIRP SONAR, Down Scan, and Side Scanning SONAR.

The GO7 is also fully expandable using NMEA 2000, so you can hook up your audio system, your motor for fuel and monitoring, and effectively turn this unit into the control system for your boat. If you have a more complex boat setup that you’d like to manage from a single interface, then you really can’t go wrong with this fish finder.

Largest screen size – Humminbird Helix 9 DI

From Amazon

The Humminbird Helix 9 DI is much like the Humminbird Helix 7 we saw above, except on steroids! It can do everything the Helix 7 can do(though this model only supports Down Imaging with the default transducer) – plus a whole lot more. The larger screen models are meant to become control centers for your boat, so you can hook up other components on your boat using NMEA 2000 and manage them all from one screen.

You can even hook up your phone with Bluetooth and see missed calls and text messages! Though honestly, when you’re out fishing, you don’t want to be bothered with phone calls!

The mapping packages and charting options are solid, plus expandable using the memory card slot, so you can use any mapping package of your choice. Navionics+ has highly detailed charts, and is the chart of preference for many anglers – which you can use with the Helix 9 DI.

Finally, because Humminbird and Minn Kota have the same parent company, many Humminbird models integrate with Minn Kota motors – so if you have a Minn Kota motor that has their iPilot GPS, you can hook it up to the Humminbird Helix 9 and effective set courses on the screen and have your motor get you there!

Screen size is incredibly important! Even though the difference may seem like one or two inches, since it’s measured diagonally, the overall size is drastically different. To get an idea of how big fish finder screens are, check out our fish finder screen size comparison.

More reading:

• Best Fish Finder GPS Combo
• A look at fish finder apps
• Fish Finders For Kayaks And Small Boats

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If you’re making the investment for a fish finder, it may be worthwhile to get yourself a good GPS system while you’re at it. There are some really nice fish finders that have GPS and chartplotting built right into them.

Some GPS are limited to just showing your location on a detailed map, and some Garmin models can help you plot a course, too.  The advantage of this is that you can have chartplotting capabilities and fish finding, all in one.

If you’re looking for a really nice fish finder with GPS built in that doesn’t break the bank than definitely take a look at the Garmin Striker 4 series. I’m a big fan of these units and I think you will be too if you decide to pick one up.

Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer, 4inch GPS Fishfinder

• Includes transducer for built in...
• Built in Garmin Quickdraw Contours...
• Built in GPS lets you mark...

From Amazon

There is one disadvantage to having everything in one unit though. If you are dependent on just one unit for fish finding and chartplotting, you don’t have any redundancy. If the unit goes bad, you’re out of a chartplotter and a fish finder until you get everything back up.

That being said, don’t expect these units to stop working anytime soon. I’ve seen units that have been going strong for over 5 years – so your investment is more than safe.

Here are some of our favorite fish finder gps combos:

Entry Level GPS Fishfinders

Fish finder technology is progressing so fast! It is truly amazing to see GPS integrated so well with these color screen fish finders at such a low price.  This price point was unthinkable not too many years ago.

Best GPS Fish Finder Under $200

These Striker 3.5 and 4 inch models finders may be inexpensive, but don’t let that fool you, they are some powerful little machines.  Let the reviews speak for themselves but this is probably the best value for the money that you can get, they are definitely worth taking a look at.

Garmin Striker 4 with Transducer 3.5″ GPS Fishfinder

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Garmin Striker 4 with Transducer 3.5inch GPS Fishfinder

• Clear Vu scanning Sonar shows you...
• The power of simple offers a keyed...
• Waypoint map: Use the way point map...

From Amazon

The main difference between these two models is the half inch screen size. Both are held in high regard as great quality entry level GPS fish finders.

Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer, 4″ GPS Fishfinder

Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer, 4inch GPS Fishfinder

• Includes transducer for built in...
• Built in Garmin Quickdraw Contours...
• Built in GPS lets you mark...

From Amazon

There ae a few competitors in this price range but in terms of GPS technology integrated at such a low price point Garmin takes first place.

Middle Range GPS Fishfinders

This is where fishfinders start to get that larger size higher quality screen, In this price range our favorite has to be the Lowrance Hook Reveal 7. This 7 inch monster is a great buy at right around the $400 level.

Best GPS Fish Finder Under $400

Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 GPS Fish Finder 7″

Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 Fish Finder 7 Inch Screen with Transducer and C-MAP Preloaded Map Options

• FISHREVEAL: Fish are easier to find...
• GPS PLOTTER: Navigating to your...
• SPLITSHOT TRANSDUCER: Perfect for...

From Amazon

There are a lot of competitors in this price range with great quality gear but the tech that lowrance has been putting out has been really setting itself apart.

Best GPS Fish Finder Under $500

Garmin Striker 7SV with Transducer, 7″ GPS Fishfinder

Garmin Striker 7SV with Transducer, 7inch GPS Fishfinder

• Includes transducer for built-in...
• Built-in Quickdraw Contours mapping...
• Built-in Wi-Fi for access to...

From Amazon

The GPS in this unit is quite easy to use and even lets you mark waypoints, create routes and view your boat’s speed. It has a transducer that comes with it for built-in Garmin CHIRP traditional sonar plus CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonars.

One great feature of this unit is just how easy it is to read the crystal clear 7 inch screen in the bright sun.  Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to see your readings when you are out on the water.

Humminbird 959ci HD DI

Humminbird 959ci HD DI

• Uses the most innovative and...
• Get the most out of your day trips...
• The leader in fish finders, depth...

From Amazon

The Humminbird 959ci HD DI has a brilliant 8 inch display which is easily viewable even in direct sunlight. The very roomy screen lets you see SONAR returns with excellent clarity, and if you decide to see SONAR and maps side-by-side, both displays will still be big enough for you to comfortably interpret.

The SONAR in the 959ci HD DI is traditional SONAR as well as high-resolution Down Imaging SONAR, which will show you a near 3D image of the bottom and structure. This fish finder/chartplotter also has ethernet capabilities so you can hook it up to external modules and receivers on your boat, too.

The charts that this unit comes loaded with are Humminbird ContourXD charts, which are highly detailed, contoured charts of over 3,000 US lakes. The biggest advantage of these contoured charts are they enable you to quickly find drops and channels, where many species of fish usually lurk around. Then it’s just a matter of getting there, seeing SONAR returns, and casting.

Garmin echoMAP 73cv

From Amazon

The Garmin echoMap 73cv is a reliable and powerful fish finding/gps unit. You’ll get dual SONAR – traditional and 3D SONAR, both of which you can view side-by-side. Garmin’s DownVu technology will let you see a photographic image of up to 750 feet in fresh water.

Garmin GPS is the best on the market – and the echoMAP 73cv is no less. It refreshes its position 5 times every second, and shows you where you are on highly detailed LakeVu HD maps.

These maps contain data for 17,000 US lakes, reservoirs, and water bodies, with over 6,000 that have contour details accurate to just one foot deep near the shore, as well as markers for major roads, marinas, and safety information.

You can also upgrade the EchoMap with BlueChart g2 maps for even more chartplotting power.

Raymarine Dragonfly 7 Sonar GPS

From Amazon

The Raymarine Dragonfly 7 makes this list because of it’s large 7 inch screen, super powerful CHIRP SONAR and it’s compatibility with Navionics+ charts. In the charts business, Navionics can’t be beaten – the only thing that can compete is perhaps Garmin.

The charts that come with the US version of the DragonFly have Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Canadian 2XG coast, all the Great Lakes, plus 18,000 US Inland lakes. Most of these water bodies have contour data up to even in areas as shallow as just 1 feet deep!

The GPS sensor has 50 channels for a highly accurate reading and fast acquisition of satellites to see your position.

The Dragonfly is also very easy to use, with an intuitive menu system and the SONAR returns are super clear – and it uses just a single transducer to show regular SONAR as well as high-resolution DownVision SONAR.

The Lowrance Elite-7 Gold

From Amazon

The Lowrance Elite-7 Gold is an awesome fish finder for the price. You get a traditional SONAR/DownScan SONAR fish finder and a chartplotter with Navionics Gold maps built in. The Navionics Gold maps have over 3,000 lakes and rivers as well as coastal contours up to 1000 feet.

If the Navionics maps are insufficient for you, you can expand the chartplotting capabilities through the SD card reader – there are a number of other mapping packages available, such as Lake Insight and Nautic Insight HD and PRO cartography, Navionics HotMaps Premium, Fishing Hotspots® PRO and Jeppesen C-Map Max-N charts.

The coolest thing about Lowrance is the Insight Genesis software. Available for a yearly subscription, you can overlay your SONAR data onto charts and create your own custom charts with SONAR readings – so you can have the structure mapped out for any lake or water body one day, and just concentrate on fishing and going to targeted spots the next.

Conclusion

Well thanks for reading to the end of our writeup! Hopefully you have a better grasp on what some of the best GPS Fish Finders available on the market are, and maybe even which model you would like to get.

Still unsure what to buy? You’ll be happy with this Garmin Striker 4cv, It’s our favorite.

Our Pick For The Best GPS Fish Finder

• Garmin Striker 4cv

Garmin Striker 4cv with Transducer, 4inch GPS Fishfinder

• Includes transducer for built in...
• Built in Garmin Quickdraw Contours...
• Built in GPS lets you mark...

From Amazon

In conclusion our pick for the best fish finder that has gps built in that covers all the bases required of a GPS unit yet is still within a very affordable price range goes to the Garmin Striker 4cv.

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This post is about the workings and what you should look for in an ice fishing fish finder. You can find reviews of some ice fishing fish finders here:

• Humminbird ICE 35 Flasher Review
• Marcum LX-3TC Flasher Review

You’ll also want to pick up an ice auger. Check out our ice auger buying guide here.

There are a few important things you always want to remember when you buy a fish finder for ice fishing:

Portability

When choosing a fish finder for ice fishing(especially useful if you live up north in Canada or Northern Europe), portability is key – you don’t want to lug something inconveniently sized through snow and ice!

The next most important thing to think about is the battery. Your main unit could be moderately sized, but if you have to carry a huge battery just to power it, it destroys the point.

You need a battery that is both small but powerful enough to keep your ice fish finder going for an extended time, so you only have to worry about how many fish you catch, and nothing else!

The major manufacturers all offer special ice fishing packages, so they take care of most of the worrying for you. Humminbird offers a range of special fish finders meant specifically for ice fishing and ice fishing only, with a portable battery pack, transducer, all zipped up in a neat pouch that you can carry easily.

How Ice Fish Finders Work

There are two ways an ice fish finder can find out what’s underneath you. Unfortunately, no one device does both – you will have to choose between one or the other, depending on what is most convenient for you.  There are flasher units, which do not show a graph of the details below, but only show a real time look at what’s there.

Even though this is an older technology, it’s still an extremely reliable way to look at the bottom and everything in between. This is the best option if your only use for it is going to be ice fishing, but sometimes reading the display takes a little getting used to.

The other option is to go with 2D sonar. This is a great alternative to the flasher as many of these units can show a graph of what is happening below, or switch to a flasher mode with emulates the look of a flasher unit.

This is the best option as it gives you the best of both worlds, and allows you to compare what you see between both options. Additionally, it also allows you to use the unit for fish finding in the summertime.  With a little planning, it’s really easy for you to switch the unit from your boat to a portable packet in the wintertime.

You should be aware though that most compact 2D units will not have a flasher option, so you are stuck with only a normal graph.

Sonar Angle or Cone Size

Since you are stationary in ice fishing, the cone size of your sonar beam will play a huge role. A wider cone can show you much more detail, since it won’t be just of what is directly beneath you, but also of what is all around you. Use it to your advantage!

Cheap Ice Fishing Flashers

HawkEye FT1Pi FishTrax 1X IceShack Kit

While there has been an increase in cheap fish finders lately, they don’t have the quality that well known manufacturers pride themselves on delivering. Of the current offerings in ice flashers, the HawkEYe FT1Pi Ice kit is a solid choice for a very, very reasonable price.

It’s basically the FishTrax 1 bundled in a handy yet rugged carry case which makes it an excellent portable fish finder as well as ready to take out on to the ice.

From Amazon

This is the fish finder itself, which comes with a transducer you’ll have to lower into the hole you’ve cut into the ice. It works a little different than other proper flashers where you could just put the transducer on the ice before you cut the hole.

For the price, though, this is a steal, considering you’d have to spend 2-3 times more to get a proper ice fishing unit. If you’re held back by your budget, go for this.

Garmin Striker 4 Portable

From Amazon 

Since we’re looking at cheap options, the Garmin Striker 4 portable is a step above the Hawkeye, but still not a dedicated Ice flasher. It’s more of a fish finder adapted to an ice fishing flasher.

Still, by itself, the Striker 4 is an awesome unit, with dual frequency CHIRP sonar which will give clear returns whether you are fishing from a boat or on the ice.

For a better idea of ice fishing, you can use the flasher mode where the screen will change from a regular fish finder SONAR returns screen to a flasher screen for a more traditional ice fishing experience.

The advantage of this fish finder is that it will double as a regular portable fish finder during the summer months and as an ice fishing finder during the winter months.

High End Flashers

Humminbird ICE 55

From Amazon

Humminbird has gone above and beyond with their ICE series, taking the guess work out of finding the perfect spot to ice fish with their ICE 55 Ice Fishing Finder. The Humminbird ICE 55 ice fishing flasher incorporates a six-color, top of the line, flashing, fiber optic display that offers optimum performance that clearly defines the targets within the beam.

With the 6-color screen, you can adjust your color pallet so you can differentiate the depths and adjust the lighting to whichever works best for you. Taking the elements into consideration, the ICE 55 features an extreme temperature LCD with a built-in automatic depth scale that quickly identifies the bottom of the body of water, completing most of the guess work for you.

The ICE 55 features a 10-step interference rejection program so you can differentiate fish from other obstacles. The ICE 55 can isolate a particular part of a water column with precision detail with its fully adjustable zoom feature.

The ICE 55 features seven adjustable depth scales of 20′, 40′, 60′, 80′, 100′, 120′ and 200’; Dual beam transducers and two different transducer cone angles. The power source is a 9 amp hour battery and is included with the product. The ICE 55 system weighs in at 14 pounds, and a soft-sided carrying case comes included.

Vexilar FLX-28

From Amazon

The FLX-28 is the perfect ice fishing flasher for the avid ice fisherman. The features of the FLX-28 seem endless, with a built-in digital depth finder, two zoom zones, and an onscreen battery meter. The FLX-23 features five color palettes to choose for the best visibility in inclement weather, and day and night time display brightness settings; all rolled into a convenient, easy to read digital display.

Speaking of displays, the FLX-28 features one of the best digital displays at a huge 525 lines of resolution. The depth range adjustments are set up in five-foot increments and start at 10 feet in length and have a maximum range of 300 feet in length.

There is a low power setting for fishing in very shallow water and a specialized “Weed Mode†to increase your performance while fishing in weeded areas. The Vexilar’s source of energy is a 12 volt, 9-amp hour battery, all enclosed within the construction of the flasher. A battery charger is included with the flasher,

The FLX-28 also features Vexilar’s patented Ice Ducer system, which is a self-leveling transducer with a float incorporated to ensure the utmost accuracy every time. The Vexilar FLX-28 weighs in a staggeringly low 1.1 pounds so transporting your flasher to your ice shanty will be a breeze.

MarCum LX-3TCI

From Amazon

When it comes to ice fishing finders, MarCum is legendary for providing some of the best marine electronic products on the market today, the LLX-3TCI is no exception. Taking a timeless classic and adding modern features such as an updated physical design with a larger display, ergonomically increased viewing angles and contours to help reduce snow build up while being in the elements.

The MarCum LX-3TCI offers the highest output power for flashers in its class and managed to find the perfect wattage that works in with their acute, precision transducers and internal operating system to ensure flawless readings, every time. Combining all this innovation creates one top shelf grade ice flasher that utilizes real color technology to deliver crystal clear resolution and a crisp, detailed display.

The LX-3TCI offer features like fully adjustable zoom options, MarCums patented 10 level interference rejection system and boasts target separation, accurate to the inch. 2,000 watts of power are flowing through your machine, complete with a 12 Volt 9-amp battery with an automatic battery charger.

The Marcum LX-3TCI weighs in at 10.1 pounds, light enough to take this piece of living history with you to catch dozens of fish each time.

Lowrance Hook 4 Ice Machine

From Amazon

The Lowrance Hook 4 Ice Machine is an ice fish flasher with the tech savvy ice fisherman in mind. It features a 4 inch, high-resolution color display to make sure you get a clear picture of what lies beneath the ice.

Lowrance’s patented CHIRP sonar uses a built-in GPS antenna and state of the art navigation features; all rolled into a very user-friendly graphic interface. The CHIRP sonar gives a precise and definitive picture of environment underwater. The Hook 4 also features highly enhanced sonar sensitivity to detect fish within 200 feet.

The Hook 4’s target separation and superior noise rejection make it easier to see fish and game fish targets all around your hole in the ice to ensure you do not go home empty handed. Lowrance’s HDI Skimmer combined with the Hook 4 CHIRP sonar settings gives you a very clear picture of the environment under water all the way to 200 feet, so spotting fish has never been easier with superior target separation and excellent noise reduction. These features can be controlled solely with the use of your thumb.

The Hook 4 boasted a built-in GPS system, accurate within in 2 meters and proven navigation features of over 3300 lakes, rivers, and ponds. Finding the perfect fishing spot has never been easier when utilizing the Hook 4’s unique GPS technology. Lowrance also offers a variety of map kits that can be used for international fishing while abroad.

The Hook 4 uses advanced signal processing technology that automatically adjusts your settings to match the current conditions to increase visibility and spot fish much easier under the ice. The overall weight of the Hook 4 is a very manageable three pounds. The Hook 4 comes with a battery, a carrying case, and an ice transducer.

Marcum LX-6S

From Amazon

MarCum is back again with their incredible LX-6S Digital sonar system. The LX-6S features a 6 inch, full color, high-resolution LCD display so you can get a clear picture of what is going on underneath the ice. If you like the ability to change the colors of the screen, the LX-6S includes for customizable color palettes so you can choose which display colors work best for you.

The user-friendly, intuitive dashboard menu shows all relevant data needed to ensure you never leave the ice empty handed. Some of the information displayed on the dashboard is your current digital depth, how much voltage your battery is using, your range, interference reduction, desired target adjusts and so much more. You can choose to utilize MarCums multifaceted sonar display, which shows the water column vertical zoom, flasher-dial and full-screen graph displays.

The LX-6S uses MarCum’s patented, state of the art sonar footprint technology that shows areas of bottom coverage at any depth with either an eight degree or a twenty-degree transducer cone angle and 3/4 Target Separation. It’s awesome that this flasher features two sonar units in one.

If that’s not enough to make your head spin, the LX-6S also features a target adjust image magnifier and bottom locking zoom feature, patented twelve level interference rejection, adjustable sonar scroll and ping rate and adjustable night vision backlighting display features.

The sonar engine is run by an internal 4800-watt engine with a rechargeable 12 volt, 9 amp hour battery. The MarCum Lx-6S features an 8-foot transducer cable and a USB port for software and technology updates.

The MarCum LX-6S weighs in at 12 pounds, light considering how advanced this ice fishing finder is.

Vexilar GP1812 FL-18

From Amazon

Vexilar had durable in mind when developing their FL-18 Ice fishing finder. This beast is indestructible, so it will last for years battling the harshest elements you can throw at it. The FL-18 boasts features that weren’t available on previous Vexilar ice fishing finders. The FL-18 has a split screen flasher display which gives you the ability to zoom in on the bottom of the lake while you can simultaneously view the entire water column.

The three color LED readout provides you with all the accurate target information you need for all sizes and shapes of fish with an easy to read color scale that explains how big the targeted fish are. This three-color lighting technology has proven time and time again to be the most accurate and precise way of figuring out where fish are.

You will be astounded at how incredible the FL-18 is for both open water and ice fishing. The Bottom Lock software will keep you fixed on the bottom, no matter what kind of interference is thrown at it. The auto-zoom mode is perfect for watching any fish while ice fishing your favorite spot, especially the kind of fish that hang out at the bottom.

The Fl-18 can pinpoint a target with ID less than half of an inch. The FL-18 makes any fish easy to spot and lock on it. That’s not all, though, The FL-18 depth and fish finder is equipped with features like a built-in shallow water mode, perfect for very shallow bodies of water.

The featured Five depth scales can reach depths of 200 feet for the stock model, and 300 feet for the model. The built-in interference rejection system will block out any other sonar devices within 1000 feet.

Vexilar has redesigned the battery compartment and incorporated a universal transducer holder system for any sensor you’d want to take on the lake. The FL-18 can also accept Vexilar accessories like a Battery indicator, Vexilar flexible flashlight or Vexilar’s dual beam iceducer transducer.

The FL-18 can fit almost anywhere in your fishing shanty for easy access and handling while fishing. The Vexilar FL-18 comes with a 12 volt, seven amp-hour battery with charger and an iceducer transducer. The entire package weighs in at about 11 pounds. Not too bad at all.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is no shortage of ice fishing finders you can utilize and create successful fishing adventures on the lakes.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a high quality, weather resistant ice fishing flagger and see what’s underneath the ice for you to bring to the surface.

Don’t just bring home frostbite and an empty bucket!

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