There are a lot of different types of fishing equipment, but our top 10 list of fish finders represents the best of the best. To make your job easier, we’ve dug through tons of different fish finders to bring you the very best options available. All of the fish finders we’ve reviewed are unmatched by the competition, and they provide every feature that a good fisherman needs to locate fish reliably.
1. HDS-9 Live
This piece of fishing equipment is impressive. It simultaneously scans the sides and bottom of your boat, and it displays its results in two different formats. You can view the scan results in HD or in 3D to get a solid understanding of the surrounding environment, and it refreshes faster than most other fish finders that are available. It uses a quad-core processor to quickly manage scan results, and it comes with built-in C-MAP maps. To increase its usefulness, it can be paired with a smartphone, and all of its data can be accessed remotely.
2. Lowrance HOOK2
The Lowrance HOOK2 is a nine-inch fishfinder with an impressive list of features. Besides having the usual ability to scan the sides and bottom of a boat, it also comes with a full suite of pre-loaded maps. The maps cover the United States and Canada, and there are more than 4,000 of them on the device. The DownScan and SideScan systems are also a huge upgrade when compared to other options. The SideScan sonar can scan over 300-feet away from each side of a boat, and the DownScan sonar system can scan all the way to the bottom of the water. All of its advanced features are used via a simple touchscreen menu, and it’s easy to use.
3. Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv
The echoMAP 54CV uses CHIRP and ClearVu sonar systems to provide unparalleled image quality. It covers the sides and bottom of a boat with a wide cone of sonar signals. That cone can send images to the echoMAP’s display in HD quality. You’ll never be left wondering where the fish and structures are. It also has an unmatched navigation system that uses LakeVu maps and five Hz GPS. The LakeVu maps cover lakes in the United States, but a separate add-on can install maps of Canadian lakes, too. The 5 Hz GPS is difficult to beat. It refreshes your position on the units display five times every second, and it’s extremely accurate.
4. Humminbird Helix 7-inch
This seven-inch fish finder is a down-scaled version of the popular Helix 9-inch, and it has most of the same features. Like most modern fish finders, it has side-imaging and down-imaging technology built-in, and both systems can accurately read the environment for 125-feet. Like all Humminbird products, the Helix Seven produces crystal-clear images, and it makes identifying obstacles or fish an easy task. No fish finder is complete without a comprehensive list of pre-loaded maps to choose from. The Helix Seven offers more than 21,000 maps of the U.S. and Canada on an included SD card.
5. Raymarine Axiom
The Raymarine Axiom is a quick, reliable, and sturdy fish finder, and it has a few uncommon features that make it more flexible than other options. It provides photo-realistic returns from its side-imaging and down-imaging sonar system, and it has a wide range of coverage to really help you get an idea of what it’s like under the water. In addition, it has a seven-inch touchscreen and a WiFi adapter. The touchscreen allows you to manipulate the Lighthouse Three operating system with ease, and the WiFi compatibility allows you to control it with your smartphone.
6. HDS-16 Live
With a whopping 16 inches of premium screen room, the HDS-16 provides one of the best viewing experiences on the fish finder market. Like other Lowrance products, the HDS-16 uses a Combination of CHIRP sonar and StructureScan technology to give you HD and 3D images of the water. A quad-core processor allows all of its advanced sonar equipment to run flawlessly, and its full-color display renders more than 20,000 Navionics maps in stunningly vibrant colors.
7. Helix CHIRP
The Helix CHIRP is another part of Humminbird’s Helix line, but this is a more basic model for people who just want to find fish quickly. The no-frills design includes side-imaging and down-imaging sonar, GPS, and pre-loaded maps that were designed by LakeMaster. Its compact shell houses a seven-inch screen that provides you with plenty of room for viewing split-maps, sonar readings, menus, and other things that the Helix Seven offers, but you can also use your smartphone to view that information.
8. Simrad GO5
Simrad GO5 combines GPS and sonar into one simple package. The GPS is reasonably fast, and the sonar can cover the sides and bottom of a boat. However, the most interesting part about the Simrad is its interface. Instead of using complex diagrams and minimalist-style menus, the Simrad has an interface that closely resembles that of a modern tablet. The simple interface makes it easy to interact with, and it allows fishermen to spend less time fussing with controls and settings. It also comes with a lifetime tech support warranty. So, it’s not a big deal if anything goes wrong with it.
9. Humminbird Solix
The Solix is another part of Humminbird’s impressive lineup, and it boasts the highest sonar range of any fish finder we’ve looked at. It uses the same high-quality sonar for side-imaging and down-imaging as other Humminbird models, but it has a range of 200-feet. Besides its impressive range, it also comes with everything needed to set it up. So, there’s no need to pick up third-party transducers or mounting brackets.
10. HDS-12
The HDS-12 is almost exactly like the HDS-16 that Lowrance offers, but it’s compact, making it more suitable for smaller boats. The 12-inch screen is a nice middle-ground between compact units and massive 16-inch units, and it combines the strengths of both. It won’t get in the way while you’re fishing, but the screen is still large enough to provide you with a clear view of the sonar readings. Like other Lowrance products, it has a quad-core processor, and it uses CHIRP sonar technology to produce HD and 3D images for unparalleled views of fishing areas. It also includes Lowrance’s premium maps of more than 20,000 bodies of water in North America.
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By BCR Writing Staff
August 2019