How essential is a fish finder?

Hooky1420 · Mar 16, 2011

Just wondering your guys thoughts on this. Don't know if it makes a difference, but I usually fish in less than 15 feet of water, most of the times it is under 8 feet though, as I do a lot of fishing in the Everglades.

Is it worth it to spend a couple hundred $$$ on a fish finder? I know a lot of you guys have them on your boats... I've never used one before but have been considering getting one. I usually have no problem catching fish, and my method is just to fish near cover, or sight-fish when I see a nest. Most of the time I find a nice spot and anchor off, stay there for about 30 minutes and do the same down the way a bit.

I have it in the back of my mind that I need a fish finder, but I guess I'm just needing some advice to push me over the edge. What do you all think?

FishingBuds · Mar 16, 2011

I have never used a high dollar one can't say much about them(gps and stuff like that) but the I use is a hummingbird 525 and I mainly use it to find structure that I don't know about, Depths etc. It has paid off IMHO. I have passed over areas that I never knew existed.

Brine · Mar 16, 2011

At that depth, I'd spring for the Cuda. It's good to let you see changes in depth and will show grass vs hard bottom etc....

po1 · Mar 16, 2011

A fish finder is a very handy tool to have. Just knowing the water temp and what the structure underneath is, will help when deciding on how to fish the area. Get the best you can afford. I started off with my first fish finder's transducer on the trolling motor since most of my fishing was off the bow. Down the line when I upgraded to a better fish finder I moved the older one to the transom and use it more for depth information when running the shallows. It's nice to have one with gps/maps but if this more then your budget can handle, you can start off making copies of charts and marking info on the charts(worked for me for years). As mention above a Cuda is a good entry level fish finder to start with.

screwballl · Mar 16, 2011

I suggest a cheap $80-100 fishfinder mostly for watching the bottom layout and water temperature. Something basic LIKE THIS ONE if you plan to use it for fishing. Avoid the ones that have the fish icon things as they can be very misleading.

Ictalurus · Mar 16, 2011

Hooky, I have the Eagle Cuda 300, it costs roughly $80. The water here in TN is very turbid, can't see more than 8-12", so the depth feature is a necessity. I also run the rivers, so depth is needed there. The Cuda 300 also has a voltometer, so you can see how the battery is doing. Temperature is also nice, although mine seems to read a few degrees warm. I've seeen your build, it's very nice, slap one on there, it would complete the package IMO.

Jim · Mar 16, 2011

The value for me is knowing how deep the water is. I think they are worth it.

bcbouy · Mar 16, 2011

i use mine mostly for structure,it also is good for locating shoals for chronimid fishing for trout.also for river running.ive bottomed out before i got one,but not since.

Hooky1420 · Mar 16, 2011

Ictalurus said:
I've seeen your build, it's very nice, slap one on there, it would complete the package IMO.

Aw shucks... Thanks for the compliment. A product of many hours scouring tinboats for ideas!

In the Everglades, at least where I fish, you can see to the bottom until it gets over 10 feet deep.... Which is why I do a lot of sight fishing. Still may check out some of the cheaper fishfinders for depth and temperature mainly, structure second. Thanks for all the tips guys. greatly appreciated, as usual.

poolie · Mar 16, 2011

Have fished most of my life without one. But now that I have one I can't imagine fishing without one. Like everyone else says, at the depth you fish you don't need anything expense.

Waterwings · Mar 16, 2011

I have the Humminbird 525, and I use it mainly to tell me the depth. The 525 has large numbers which sure makes it easier than squinting to read small ones. Depth (fish) finders have never really helped me locate fish, and I don't have to worry about finding structure either, because where I fish is mostly a mud bottom.

baseball_guy_99 · Mar 16, 2011

I use the one on my dad's Ranger for depth/water temp.

I probably wont put one on the tin because the lakes I will use it on I know by heart.

lovedr79 · Mar 17, 2011

i just got my first one after fishing for years without and find it awesome. i love fidning the strusture i didnt know existed. and i have one with GPS just incase, works pretty well. it is a hummingbird 398? i think. not the color model. but i did find it to bring some dissappointment while fishing areas i thought looked good and nothing shows up on the scope.

Captain Ahab · Mar 18, 2011

They are not essential at all - and 3where you fish you know what the bottom is like (muddy and weeds) and the water temp (hotter then here)

But like what was said above, they are a handy tool. I fish some much deeper water and that is my only way to "see" thw bottom.

Hooky1420 · Mar 27, 2011

Well, I thank you all for you input.

Tonight I went to Bass Pro... they were having a member's only drawing for a fish finder... And I fortunately won!!! I now am the brand new owner of a Lowrance Mark 5x Pro. If anyone has any input on this model, I would appreciate it... I can't wait to put it on the boat and try it out!!!

MattR · Mar 28, 2011

Hooky1420 said:
Well, I thinak you all for you input.

Tonight I went to Bass Pro... they were having a member's only drawing for a fish finder... And I fortunately won!!! I now am the brand new owner of a Lowerence Mark 5x Pro. if anyone has any input on this model, I would appreciate it... I can't wait to put it on the boat and try it out!!!

Congrats on winning. =D>

Matt

jasper60103 · Apr 5, 2011

Ictalurus said:
Hooky, I have the Eagle Cuda 300, it costs roughly $80. The water here in TN is very turbid, can't see more than 8-12", so the depth feature is a necessity. I also run the rivers, so depth is needed there. The Cuda 300 also has a voltometer, so you can see how the battery is doing. Temperature is also nice, although mine seems to read a few degrees warm. I've seeen your build, it's very nice, slap one on there, it would complete the package IMO.

I just bought a Eagle Cuda 300 off ebay. This is my first fish finder. Hopefully, get the boat out of storage in about a month and install.
FYI. Here's a video of one in operation.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_z6giwIT6c

jasper60103 · Oct 7, 2011

Well, I finally got around to putting it on about month ago. I used a piece of composite decking for my transducer mounting board. The lake test went great.

overboard · Oct 8, 2011

I use a fishfinder a little different than most of the posts on here. trolling shallow at night,with stickbaits. 5' with transducer on shore side,7' going opposite direction. if I go either deeper or shallower I just adjust to maintain specified depth. less than 3' usually will get lures hung up, deeper than 10', usually no fish. handy tool for the type of fishing I generally do. also used on a river,shows dropoffs and small holes that you might not know were there.

rusty.hook · Nov 3, 2011

jasper60103 said:
Well, I finally got around to putting it on about month ago. I used a piece of composite decking for my transducer mounting board. The lake test went great.

I know you put some clear RTV cement or some 5200 behind the mounting board for sealing purposes.

How essential is a fish finder?

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