What fish finder features do I need

[DCNMA]

I’m new here, new to my lake and am hoping for advise about choosing the important features for a fishfinder. I’m thinking I want GPS assuming it will help me relocate good fishing spots and I would like good graphics down to 100 feet so I can tell if I’m over various structure. Also I’m not sure what “down imaging” and “side imaging” would do for me but I assume it would contribute to accurately identifying structure. Are there features, not mentioned, that are necessary? The boat is a 21' Tracker pontoon. All advise will be appreciated - Bill

[Gomer Snerd]

GPS with map card is great. High resolution with 320 vertical pixels minimum. 480 is better. 640 is great. Side imaging allows you to scan a swath hundreds of feet wide and sure makes finding bottom structure easier. Color is nice but not 100% necessary if you are fluent with sonar.

[CrappiePappy]

I’m new here, new to my lake and am hoping for advise about choosing the important features for a fishfinder. I’m thinking I want GPS assuming it will help me relocate good fishing spots and I would like good graphics down to 100 feet so I can tell if I’m over various structure. Also I’m not sure what “down imaging” and “side imaging” would do for me but I assume it would contribute to accurately identifying structure. Are there features, not mentioned, that are necessary? The boat is a 21' Tracker pontoon. All advise will be appreciated - Bill

HOW you fish is a big factor in what features you may want in a DF. Where you fish can also require certain features.

SI gives you a side to side view of the structure below & to the sides of your boat, showing the cover on the bottom and fish relating to those features. (approx 180deg range)

DI gives you a down view of the bottom, and picture quality image of whatever comes into the viewing range of the fan shaped DI sonar ping. (approx 45deg or 75deg range, depending on whether your using 455kHz or 800kHz)

2D gives you a cone shaped sonar ping, and pixelated representation of whatever appears within the cone.

GPS gives you current location of the unit. It allows you to mark a spot & return to it, even if it's offshore and/or has no other object nearby for location purposes. Boat speed and travel direction are also given via GPS. Most units with GPS have base maps, showing the water as a flat blue patch on the map. Map cards/chips can be purchased, that give depth contours, some down to 1 foot increments.

Water Temp capable transducers come with various units. They can be quite useful to find areas of water with higher/lower surface water temps, as the situation or season dictates you needing to know.

The higher up the scale of capabilities of any unit or system, the higher the price range. Finding a unit/system that has the maximum amount of capabilities for the lowest price range, can be a daunting task. Figuring out how & where you fish, and what capabilities you'll need to have in a unit/system, and how they'll help you find the cover & fish, is step one. It's also why there are so many different units & "combos" with varying degrees of capability, within each brand .... including or excluding things like GPS/mapping, & color ... not to mention screen size.

Where you intend to mount the transducer, and the size & shape of the transducer, is also something to factor into your choice.

... cp

[clfarms1]

figure out how much you can afford then put another 500 with it and buy the model in that price range and learn to use it and u will never be sorry

[DCNMA]

Thanks for the replies. Some definitive info here for me and clfarms1, in the end I think that's the only way I'll get what I would really like. Better screen resolution is always a good feature but I havn't noticed one with 640 vertical yet, they must be beyond my price range. Thanks for the clear explanation of the SI and DI crappiepappy, and you summed it all up very well. So far I've focussed on Hummingbird because a friend told me the Lowrance were hard to use but I think I'll have to decide that on my own, lots of folks seem to like them. I'll be shopping and hope to decide soon - Thanks

[brettw]

GPS, si,

[justinp61]

How are you going to use it? What is your budget? What features can you live without? Once you figure out the answers to those questions find the models from whatever maker you're interested in and a store that has them. Go push the buttons and check them out. I don't put much faith in what in what the salesmen at the big sporting goods stores have to say about electronics, for most the only experience they have with them are reading the specs and pushing the buttons on display units. When you pick out a specific model ask questions to the guys that have or had them.

There are board sponsors that sell electronics also, they can be a very good source of unbiased information. Also their prices are usually much lower than the big chain sporting goods stores. I've bought three HDS units from Brian at BBG marine and highly recommend him.

[TrevorW]

Thanks for the replies. Some definitive info here for me and clfarms1, in the end I think that's the only way I'll get what I would really like. Better screen resolution is always a good feature but I havn't noticed one with 640 vertical yet, they must be beyond my price range. Thanks for the clear explanation of the SI and DI crappiepappy, and you summed it all up very well. So far I've focussed on Hummingbird because a friend told me the Lowrance were hard to use but I think I'll have to decide that on my own, lots of folks seem to like them. I'll be shopping and hope to decide soon - Thanks

To me Hummingbirds are hard to use, your friend is obviously just more familiar with birds. Right now for the money it's gonna be hard to find something that'll beat Lowrance elite 7 hdi... it's best to play with some units and see what you like.

[clfarms1]

If you think you ever ever ever want to get a ipilot go with a bird so that you can hook them together.

[vic n]

You can see lots of interesting videos on youtube, too. Just type in "side imaging" or "down imaging" in the search bar