Fish finder install& mounting questions

[ringneck5499]

I'm shopping around for a used fish finder for my boat, I've never had one or used one before. Trying to decide if I want the transducer on the transom & unit at the back of the boat or transducer on the trolling motor and unit on the*front of the boat. This is on a 17 ft all purpose fishing and waterfowl hunting jon boat. I'm leaning towards having the unit up on the front. Is there any reason I shouldn't? Also are there fish finders & transducers made specific for where you're mounting/installing them? I'm likely buying a used unit and don't want to buy something then find out I can't use it the way I want to. Thank you!

[uaagr]

Trust me on this, i have been where you are........... you are going to want a unit both places, so just save yourself the frustration and get two. Efficiency is the name of the game, because none of us have unlimited free time to be on the water, so maximize that time by spending your time in productive water by utilizing electronics at the bow and transom.

[rnvinc]

Most Sonar units these days come with transom mount xducer hardware ...

There are adapters for installing a transom style xducer on a TM ...

There are TM style xducer housing styles that can be purchased to use instead of the stock transom mount xdcucer ...

Rickie

[vic n]

I have to say that having SI with GPS at the console (transducer on transom) works really well for me. My lake is full of standing timber and if you try to go through it without having a marked trail to follow, you will be buying props, or prop shafts often. When I go over a waypoint, I toss out a buoy. If I only had that one unit, I would then switch to 2D and really nail down the brush to fish. Having another unit up front can really help too. And the front unit can be something very simple and even cheap.

[Clint]

Where you mount the FF depends on what you want to do with it. If you are looking for the general layout of the lake bottom such as looking for creek beds or other major features, you want it on the stern, where you can cruise the lake and "see" the bottom. If you are jigging structure while operating the TM you want it on the bow. The comment by uaagr is because most, myself included, want both.