Which Fish Finder? shallow water use Cost <= $500

I'm looking for a fish finder. Prefer to keep cost under $500. Will be fishing local, small lakes and ponds pretty much exclusively. Therefore, I don't care about how it does beyond about 25 foot depth. I don't think I need GPS, maps, or any connectivity. I care very much about how it does in 5 foot depth. I'd prefer something that is pretty simple to use (I don't have time nor desire to spend hours learning how to interpret or fine tune). Would use on small (15 foot) pontoon boat or possibly on kayak most of the time. Any suggestions?

Any fishfinder under 500.00 will do what you want. If you don't care about learning to interpret it, but really care how it does in ft of water, I can't get a real feeling for what you need. The cone in 5ft of water or less is going to be super small, so you're going to get a depth reading, and maybe a bit more. In 5 ft or less of water, I'm not sure you'll need a finder at all.

Here's a link to a 100.00 graph that's going to do more then what you asked. Use the rest of the money for something else, like gas money.

Lowrance X-4 Pro Fishfinder 83/200 - Transom Mount Transducer

mduncan62: Maybe I didn't phrase it well. I fish shallow water so that is my priority. I know the approximate depth of most of the areas I will be fishing so providing the depth isn't a big selling point. I know the cone on most is going to be pretty small in shallow water. I was hoping that some had wider cones and wonder if some of those side image ones would work well and have dropped below the $,$$$ level. As to not wanting to spend time learning, I don't get much time to go fishing often and don't want to spend most of the time I do get to spend trying to figure out the fish finder - if that makes sense. Hopefully, there is one out there that works well on default settings and with which one can understand in less than an hour or so?

What you are saying makes sense. Normal fishfinders have 2 frequencies, neither are going to give you a side imaging type width. I don't think the readers have enough to go on. Can you provide us with a clear understanding of what you are wanting the fishfinder to provide for you? Then we can probably make better recommendations, for now, I still say go cheap, but that may change depending on your answer.

if you are just wanting a FF to see if there are fish under you, then why spend $500, get a entry level one either Lowrance or HB < $100 that is simple for you to use. Most if not all entry level FF's are set and forget. The side imaging ones are still pricey.

No such thing as a fish finder.

recently BPS had HB768's for $350 add a quadra-beam transducer to it (about $75) and WA-LA you have a poor mans side scan. Q-beam gives you x2 side image of depth example 5' deep = 10' out to the side.
768's are now obsolete that's why they'e so cheap

should've added, obsolete = last years model, but there is an up-grade for them on the HB site.

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

No such thing as a fish finder.

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if you catch one, you "found one" didn't you????

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Originally Posted by Cane Pole

No such thing as a fish finder.

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i've got to argue with you on that cp. i have in my fishing room one new in the box that has on the box "fishfinder". it was made by pflueger and i've never had it out of the box. don't know how old it is but the box is almost 3 ft long by 10 inches wide and 8 inches deep. it may be one of the earliest "fishfinders" made. probably earlier than the "green box" lowrance came out with.

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Originally Posted by jimp

if you catch one, you "found one" didn't you????

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I think CP refers to the fact that any sonar equipment only shows returns bounced off of an "undetermined" object...

There is really no way for the equipment to know that object was indeed a fish...or a leaf....or a piece of trash...etc...

And if one catches a fish while an object is showing on the screen...it doesn't mean the fish caught was the return shown....

So, in reality, the sonar equipment should be labled as an "undetermined object finder"....:)

Rickie

i think fish finder

Studied it some more. What I think I'm seeking is a side imaging unit at a bargain price. It probably doesn't exist. Basically, it appears the cone is too small to do much good at shallow depth so side imaging is what is needed to show what is nearby. That is only available at the higher prices $,$$$ which I can't justify right now. Cadillac taste, pinto budget I guess. :o Thanks for your help.