Help recommend a fish finder

@flip1199, Thanks for starting this thread as I'm beginning the search for the right fish finder for my kayak too. Features like easy of dismounting the unit and battery life will be important to me. Did I read somewhere that the units with all the features will be a lot harder on battery life? I had a HB 2d(don't remember the model) for years in a commercial catfish boat just to read the bottom. I didn't need to see fish. This fancy DSI technology is something I'll have to study up on. I'll be using it for crappie in water rarely deeper than 25' here in SW Louisiana.

I will say that I always had a HB and they stood a tremendous amount of abuse. Glad to see Greg Walters here posting from HB. Did HB get bought by somebody?

the more features the FF/DF has, like gps/2d/di/si, the more power hungry they get. Get a Low HDS 5 with SS/DS or similar HB, and you'll need something other than 8 AA batteries for a day of fishing. Lots of yakers use deer feeder batteries in a plastic watertight box to power their FF, these will last usually 2 or 3 trips or more before needing to be charged up. Just a gps/2d FF will last all day on the AA battery pack. I have a Low Elite 5 pro on my yak, and with a standard deer feeder battery, I could go 3 or 4 trips (18-24 hrs) before I would even consider charging the battery. I'm upgrading to a Low Elite 4 gps/ff because I wanted to reduce the clutter and eliminate the HH gps I carried.

Mounting one is not difficult, both Low and HB have quick disconnect mounting brackets, or use a ram mount, check out the small boat/yak forum, there are some threads on mounting FF and powering them up.

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Originally Posted by mermentau

@flip1199, Thanks for starting this thread as I'm beginning the search for the right fish finder for my kayak too. Features like easy of dismounting the unit and battery life will be important to me. Did I read somewhere that the units with all the features will be a lot harder on battery life? I had a HB 2d(don't remember the model) for years in a commercial catfish boat just to read the bottom. I didn't need to see fish. This fancy DSI technology is something I'll have to study up on. I'll be using it for crappie in water rarely deeper than 25' here in SW Louisiana.

I will say that I always had a HB and they stood a tremendous amount of abuse. Glad to see Greg Walters here posting from HB. Did HB get bought by somebody?

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Depending on how old that 2D Humminbird unit was, the newer Sonar-GPS combo units may have the same or less current draw.
Humminbird (Techsonic Industries, Inc.) was bought by Johnson Outdoors Inc. back in 2004.

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Originally Posted by Humminbird_Greg

Depending on how old that 2D Humminbird unit was, the newer Sonar-GPS combo units may have the same or less current draw.
Humminbird (Techsonic Industries, Inc.) was bought by Johnson Outdoors Inc. back in 2004.

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For my kayak I'm leaning heavily toward the HB 346c DI and mount the transducer inside the boat. Was looking at Lowrance Elite 4x DSI until I see it's not recommended for thru hull mount.

Wonder win the HB 346c DI will be more widely available? I would like to put one in my hand.

make sure the HB ducer will work "thru the hull". Some options for mounting "stuff" on a yak can be found at madfroggear.com. I use their stuff, good quality, easy to deal with, no I 'm not affiliated with 'em. I have a WS Ride 115 with the trac system, so its easy to mount stuff using mad frog items.

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Originally Posted by shut-up-and-fish

I too can assist you with the Humminbird 346c DI or Humminbird 345c DI

David @ shut-up-and-fish
Your One Stop Shop

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Sent you a message with your site contact form.

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Originally Posted by Humminbird_Greg

Depending on how old that 2D Humminbird unit was, the newer Sonar-GPS combo units may have the same or less current draw.
Humminbird (Techsonic Industries, Inc.) was bought by Johnson Outdoors Inc. back in 2004.

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Greg, I'm looking seriously at a HB 346c DI and want to mount the transducer (XNT-9-DI-T) on the inside of the hull. I'm getting mixed information on whether it would work with that transducer. I find places that say no and some that say yes. What say you?

mermentau,
Sorry for the delay in replying here but I have been very busy with other duties here at work.

That would depend on what your kayak’s hull is made of. I know that the DI transducer has been successfully used in one of the plastic hulled ‘yaks but not sure which one it was.