Help recommend a fish finder

So i'm rigging up my fishing kayak and i'd like to get a fish finder for it. I've never owned one before so im kinda lost on the different kinds. I'm hoping to stay under $300.

So far I kinda narrowed it down to the HB piranhamax 175, Lowrance elite 4x color, elite 4x-dsi, hb 345c di.

My fist question is on a unit like the hb 175 how would i interpret the image? Say I'm stationary in 20 ft of water, is it showing right below me? How far of a spread does it do? Same question for the elite 4x-dsi, how am I to read and determine where the fish are? From what i've read so far on units like the 4x-dsi it only shows dots for fish and not fish symbols like the HB175. How is DSI better, or is it better?

Thanks

With any standard (“2D” or conventional) sonar unit; if you are stationary the unit will continue to update the display with the same information over and over again. As fish move into and out of the sonar beam they will get displayed as a horizontal line unless they also change the water depth that they are at while still in the sonar beam. Than they will be shown as some form of diagonal line.

With the PMax 175 unit the 16 degree 455kHz sonar beam will cover an area approximately 0.28 times the water depth. The 28 degree 200kHz sonar beam will cover an area approximately 0.50 (half) times the water depth.

If you go with a DSI version, the lake bottom contours and any structure (trees, stumps, etc) will be similar to looking at a picture or the TV, the screen image will continue to update. You will not see any fish symbols or arches in DSI, only white dots. The HB dsi units have both dsi and 2d while the Lowrance units are only dsi or 2d, not both. A 2d unit will have the option of showing arches or fish symbols but you will not see the detail as you will with a DSI version.

Should go to a store that sells 'em, and push some buttons, and look at the screens to see which one you can interpret easily.

Is that all the HB ddi units or only certain ones?

IMO, the Lowrance Elite4 is the best bang for the buck, I have one and love it.

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Originally Posted by flip1199

Is that all the HB ddi units or only certain ones?

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if you're asking if all HB dsi units have 2d as well, I think so, but HBGreg can verify this or go to their website. Since you state you have never owned a DF/FF before, you should go to BPS or whereever they sell 'em and see how they work in person, punch some buttons, ask questions, find out what the differences are between the two brands and models. Youtube has some good videos that could help you in your decision as well.

Using the examples you give in your OP...:

HB piranhamax 175 :
....1 conical shape 16° 455kHz sonar beam
....1 conical shape 28° 200kHz sonar beam

HB 345c DI :
....1 conical shape 16° 455kHz sonar beam
....1 conical shape 25° 200kHz sonar beam
....1 fan shape 45° 455kHz sonar beam
....1 fan shape 75° 800kHz sonar beam

Lowrance elite 4x color :
....1 conical shape 20° 200kHz sonar beam (I'm not 100% sure of this 20° angle)
....1 conical shape 60° 83kHz sonar beam (I'm not 100% sure of this 60° angle)

elite 4x-DSI
....1 fan shape 50° 800kHz sonar beam (approximate 50° angle)
....1 fan shape 70° 455kHz sonar beam (approximate 70° angle)

Each type (type is basically shape) and size of sonar beam has advantages depending on what info the user wants to see on the sonar screen...

The HB 345c DI allows the user to have 4 separate and different sonar beams where the others in your list only allow 2 sonar beams....

(Note: the HB 345c DI is now a "Legacy" unit but there still may be some available at suppliers...it has been replaced by the HB 346c DI which has the ability to turn off the 2d sonar to allow more DI pinging - more pinging = greater detail)

Any 2d (conical shape sonar beam) screen image will be "cartoon" like..
Any DI (fan shape sonar beam) screen image will be "picture" like...

Rickie

Well unfortunately none of my local humminbird dealers had the 346 or 345, but watching some YouTube videos and looking through their website looks like I'll be going with the 346. Thanks

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Originally Posted by flip1199

Well unfortunately none of my local humminbird dealers had the 346 or 345, but watching some YouTube videos and looking through their website looks like I'll be going with the 346. Thanks

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You might check with Brian at BBG Marine..he is a sponsor here...

Rickie

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

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

@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.

Quote:

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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.

Quote:

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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.

Quote:

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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.