Say goodbye to the days of aimlessly paddling around and hoping you eventually are able to get a bite while you are out fishing – now you can go to exactly where the fish are with high-tech fish finders!
Read on to learn more about these awesome products and what they can do for you.
Let's get started.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Fish Finder For Small Boat
- OUR TOP PICK: Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar
- RUNNER-UP: Garmin Striker 4 with Transducer
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: ReelSonar Wireless Bluetooth Smart Fish Finder
Comparison of the Best Fish Finders For Small Boats
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What is a Fishfinder?
A fish finder is a small electronic device, most frequently powered using a rechargeable battery, that uses sonar signaling to find fish. It is obviously waterproof and is most often submerged by either mounting it directly onto a boat or by connecting it to a reel and then casting it out into the water as you would a line (for smaller fish finders, this use also allows them to double as potential bait for a fish).
These devices send out sonar signals to let you know what is going on beneath the surface of the water, so they are not just good options for finding fish, but also for avoiding potential underwater obstacles such as rocks and driftwood.
Can Any Fish Finder Be Used on a Small Boat?
There is a wide range of different fish finders available on the market today. When fish finders were first being developed, they were intended to be used mostly for industrial fishing, so they were exceptionally large and would prove extremely unwieldy and difficult to use for the lay fisher in a smaller boat. New technological advances have produced smaller fish finders, some small enough to hold in the palm of your hand. If you have a smaller boat, you should definitely invest in one of these models as opposed to the bigger, more clunky versions.
How to Choose a Fish Finder if You Have a Small Boat
What should you be looking out for when seeking a fish finder? Here are some of the most important qualities:
Size
Obviously this quality is one of the most important to consider if you are operating with a smaller boat. Smaller fish finders typically have a more limited range than their larger counterparts, but they are also much more manageable.
Range
As mentioned above, range is also a critically important factor with your fish finder. Consider your fishing level: are you planning on fishing more casually, or are you more serious? Your range should depend on what you are planning to get out of your fishing experience.
Accessories
Fish finders can come with handy mounts to attach to your boat, or visibility caps so that you can more easily see where they are placed in the water. Consider your wants and choose a fish finder accordingly.
Key Terms to Know
To help compare products in this review, we have included a few key specifications for each. Here is a quick summary of what they mean.
Dimensions: The length, width, height of the unit.
Display Size and Resolution: Display size refers to the diagonal measurement of the screen and resolution is the quality of the image represented by the number of pixels it can display.
Weight: The actual weight of the fish finder unit.
Scanning Depth Range: The minimum and maximum depth the unit can effectively scan.
Added Features: These are additional technology or features added to enhance the usefulness or accuracy of the unit. May include added GPS, wayfinding, Sonar, or CHIRP technology.
Cone Angles: This indicates the angle at which the sound wave or beam is emitted from the transducer.
Frequency(s): The number and kHz of included frequencies. Higher frequencies are generally more detailed and for shallower depths while low frequencies scan a larger, deeper area but tend to provide less detail.
Review of the Best Fish Finders For Small Boats
Since you now have a better sense of what these bad boys can do, let’s check out some actual products:
Best Overall:
Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers appreciate the fact that you can connect your smartphone to this product. It works well when connecting to a phone or a tablet, and can keep working up to a range of three hundred thirty feet. The image quality is much better when you can see it on a phone or tablet screen.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We were impressed that you can access the maps on this finder even when it is in offline mode. If you want to save some battery life but still check out your maps, you can do that with this product.
Who Would Use This Most
This product is far and above the best choice for a finder to use when kayaking, or for anglers fishing in shallow water and/or narrow corridors.
Bottom Line
The Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar is an excellent product and our top choice thanks to its smartphone connectivity and offline capabilities. Just know that you are getting the bare bones when you buy this finder, and you will have to purchase accessories such as a visibility cap and mounts separately.
Product Specs
Dimensions:
5.9 x 5.32 x 2.95"
Display Size and Resolution:
2.5"
Weight:
3.53 oz
Scanning Depth Range:
260 ft
Added Features:
GPS, Wi-Fi, Sonar
Cone Angles:
Dual beam: 15° or 55°
Frequency(s):
90kHz 55°
Runner-up:
Garmin Striker 4 With Transducer
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers report that the images they can see on this product are almost like photographs in terms of quality. This ability is thanks to Striker’s use of high-frequency sonar to produce extremely detailed images of fish and objects.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We were blown away by how far this bad boy can see under the water. It has a range of sixteen hundred feet deep when in freshwater and seven hundred fifty feet deep when in saltwater. There is not much this device will not be able to see!
Who Would Use This Most
This product option is a great choice for beginner fishers, thanks to how easy it is to figure out how to use.
Bottom Line
The Garmin Striker 4 with Transducer is our runner-up for best overall due to its image quality and scanning capability. The one annoyance with this product is that some shipments do not include the transducer, so you may have to follow up with Garmin customer support if that happens.
Product Specs
Dimensions:
3.6 x 1.6 x 5.9"
Display Size and Resolution:
3.5"; 480 x 320 px
Weight:
8.1 oz
Scanning Depth Range:
1,600 ft freshwater, 750 ft saltwater
Added Features:
GPS, Chirp, Sonar, Ethernet
Frequency(s):
Traditional: 50/77/200 kHz CHIRP
Best for the Money:
ReelSonar Wireless Bluetooth Smart Fish Finder
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love the fish alarm on this model. It will let you know when it sees a fish, as opposed to you constantly having to monitor it to make sure you are not missing any fish alerts.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We could not believe you could purchase a high-quality fish finder for this low of a price. We thought ReelSonar must be trying to scam us. However, we could not be happier to report that we were completely wrong and this product is a steal of a deal!
Who Would Use This Most
This model is an excellent option for shore-based fishing, as it does not have the longest depth range at one hundred thirty-five feet.
Bottom Line
The ReelSonar Wireless Bluetooth Smart Fish Finder is an excellent product option that will save your wallet some cash. Keep in mind that you should only charge it right before using, though, otherwise it may lose some of its power.
Product Specs
Dimensions:
2 x 2 x 1"
Display Size and Resolution:
2"
Weight:
1.7 oz
Scanning Depth Range:
135 ft
Added Features:
Sonar, Depth Indicator, Color Display, Chart Plotting, Distance Indicator, GPS, Depth Alarm
4. Humminbird 410160 1 PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI Fish Finder
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers love how many different things they can accomplish with this model. It provides fish alarms and fish identification, depth alarms, and the ability to zoom in on specifics.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The down imaging on this product is ridiculously accurate. You will be able to see all the brush, rocks, bridge pilings, timber, and whatever else may be lurking underneath the surface of the water.
Who Would Use This Most
If you are looking for an all in one purchase, look no farther than the Humminbird PIRANHAMAX. It comes with its own soft-sided carrying case, a suction cup transducer, a 12-volt battery, and a battery charger.
Bottom Line
The Humminbird 410160 1 PIRANHAMAX 4.3 DI Fish Finder is a phenomenal product option with a really robust down imaging system and a wide range of viewing capabilities. Just know that it does not have a screen brightness adjuster, so it can be hard to read in direct sunlight.
Product Specs
Dimensions:
3.6 x 3.9 x 6.8"
Display Size and Resolution:
4.3" Diagonal; 272H x 480V
Weight:
32 oz
Scanning Depth Range:
320 ft
Added Features:
Sonar, Depth Indicator, Color Display, Distance Indicator, GPS
Frequency(s):
320 ft (20) 455 kHz, 600 ft (20) 200 kHz
5. FishHunter Directional 3D Portable Fish Finder
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers are big fans of the multiple different view options on this model. You can use it for 3D fishing, 3D structure mapping, bathymetric mapping, directional casting, and as an ice fishing flasher.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We liked that this model can still connect to your smartphone, but it uses WiFi to do so instead of Bluetooth. This adjustment makes the connection much faster and more consistently reliable.
Who Would Use This Most
Users who appreciate working with a wide range of different transducers will enjoy this model, as it provides five tri-frequency transducers at 381 kHz, 475 kHz, and 675 kHz.
Bottom Line
The FishHunter Directional 3D Portable Fish Finder is an all-around excellent product option that is sure to impress with its range of different view options and smartphone connectivity using WiFi. Just be aware that it has a tendency to report false-positive results when the water gets rough.
Product Specs
Dimensions:
9.21 x 5.35 x 5.2"
Weight:
7.2 oz
Scanning Depth Range:
160 ft; ice fishing 100ft
Frequency(s):
381kHz, 475kHz, 675kHz
Perks of Getting a New Fish Finder
If you have an older, but still small, fish finder model, it may be difficult for you to see why you should spend money on an upgrade. Here are the biggest reasons you should invest in a newer fish finder model:
Smart Phone Connectivity
Most, if not all, of today’s fishfinders come with the capability to connect to your smartphone via an app. Say goodbye to struggling with a small screen on a device you do not use often – now you can empower your fish finder to stream directly to your phone!
Increased Range
You will be blown away when you see how far the fish finders on today’s market can see underwater. Even when working with saltwater or when ice fishing, these finders can still see it all.
Versatility
Do you prefer to work with a narrow sonar beam or one that is wider? What about the frequency at which you want your fish finder to scan? You can customize all of that and more with the latest fish finder technology.
Conclusion
Fish finders can be a real game changer, especially for people who are fishing on smaller boats. Invest in the right fish finder for your specific needs and you will discover a whole new fishing experience. We promise that you will not be able to go wrong with a model form our list.
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