I mostly fish small rivers that are not too deep (Guadalupe, Frio, Medina) I don't like to fish lakes and don't plan on it.

Since the rivers aren't too wide nor deep, is it worth the investment or should I put the money to other upgrades?

Probably not for small rivers. Keep it simple.

For lakes, and especially for off shore applications, I would say yes.

I tournament fish for Largemouth so I definitely use depth-finders...but if I were to fish a small river for fun...I could easily do without one.

Small rivers and clear water, save your money.

I've fished lakes without them but if you're going to stick to small rivers, I wouldn't bother.

Save your money. Fishfinder are kind of a pain anyway, dealing with the added weight of the battery, recharging, etc.

Thanks for the input. I'm going to but a new PFD and paddle with the saved money

Not ness IMO. But, Depends what u r targeting and time of year. U can use ur stake out stick/pole, Google satellite, your paddle, & or anchor rope to find unfamiliar murkey water depths.
Most fish will scatter in shallow n especially clear water as soon as they see/feel u coming. So chances of u catching them on sonar in open shallow water and casting to em is slim. But, what sonar will allow u to do is see if fish r concentrated in an area. If it's tuned right, u can also see if they r scaled or skinned fish. Most importantly you'll b able to find submerged or hidden brush rocks, holes & log jams that will hold crappie, cats, perch n a few bass or 2. If your stealthy enough or once they've calmed down you'll also be able to see them on sonar moving around that structure which help u present your offering more effectively.

Can't target crappies in lakes and unknown places without ff. Same for stripers. Everything else freshwater or inshore -- ff is optional

C.M. makes the salient point, as other do, that it is circumstantial. If you were tournament fishing, I'd say yes. And, if you need to find a school of fish, yes. But, not so much for rivers I'd think.

The little Deeper and other FFs of that type are supposedly very good at determining water temps, depth, contours, and then just okay for seeing and identifying structure and fish.

For a kayak, instead of casting the thing, I think you could just hang it over on the side on a hand line and float it downriver in front of you and get a glimpse of what is down there. Add that intelligence to what you can visually make out and it might add value.

Too, no need for a battery, wiring issues, etc.

Brad

I fish all water from salt to rivers to lakes, i almost never use fishfinders. They can be a very useful tool but all i like them for is gps.

I've fished those rivers you mentioned and a fishfinder would be a waste of money.
Buy another rod and reel or two and more tackle.
Fly fishing is another excellent way to spend money, and those rivers are made to order.
I learned to fish during the flasher period, which was of more use as a depth finder than fish locator, and not many people on this forum even know what a flasher unit was.
Back in those days before graphs and GPS, you studied contour maps if you had one, and learned to read the water by studying the banks and cross referencing land marks to find your lucky spot.
A fish finder now days has become a crutch to a lot of folks, but you can and will catch fish without one it just may take a little longer to figure out the body of water you are fishing.

I need one I mostly fish for hybrids and sandbass in the lake. GPS helps me get to my best spots. Then the fish finder shows the fish. Looking to get lowrance hds 5ti

This

actually I think there might be a better way to put this argument that frames it more accurately.

1) fishfinder... worst way of describing this tool EVER - its primary purpose is Structure finder!... if you see fish that is just secondary (unless your in the middle of the ocean or some other body of water where they suspend away from structure)
2) do you need to see the underwater/bottom to find the structure you are looking for?
a) in a small river/stream - you can usually determine a generality of the underwater structure by other features (either because of clarity, bank formations, river flow, or even experience)
b) if you are often fishing new water or in a variety of areas... this is a lot harder (again experience is a huge factor)

I personally LOVE my fishfinder even on smaller rivers - because it lets me catch holes, drop-offs or other structure 10-15 feet deep that you wouldn't find otherwise. That said it definitely gets less use on a small river than it does on a lake or larger river. Also I like to go for cats - and am not huge on bass... so that plays in as well

I have a similar opinion as Searsay. However I highly recommend a FF with Side Image especially for fishing shallow water (15' and less). I make this recommendation due to the way I fish. I use a FF as a tool to find structure and cover. Structure and cover can be found in the smallest of water bodies and it will hold fish.
I have yet to fish a body of water that I could see cover and structure better with my eyes than I can with Side Image. I'm looking for isolated structure and cover that no one else is fishing and Side Image allows me to find it no matter how big or skinny the water is.
We all have different ways to fish and this is just the way I go about it.

I fish rivers as well, the Brazos below Whitney mainly. I use mine to determine water temps mostly. It also helps with knowing structure under water and depths of the "deep holes", which are about 5 ft deep. When I fish lakes, it does come in helpful to find structure under water and to know how deep you are fishing. I do not use it to find fish, only structure and temps.

This is pretty compelling advice for someone who fishes without it, for now. I think I might be a candidate for a Deeper just to get water depth, if nothing else.

I have read more and more accounts, here and elsewhere, that jibe with Searsay and others who mention that they don't actually often use electronics to spot fish but to identify structure and cover, water temps, depth.

The exceptions are the guys who use electronics to get on open water fish all schooled up. This makes good sense.

I have also watched TV programs of guides on big rivers taking clients out for huge catfish and their electronics would show these big monsters lying or swimming along the bottom with great clarity.

Brad

Ill tell you what , if i didnt have a finder to see the feeding frenzy going on under my kayak on a couple of different occasions i would have got skunked. Nothing like heading to a spot and seeing the screen light up with streaks

I don't like to add complexity to my river/creek fishing but a FF does come in handy if looking for crappie and/or the deepest water where the fish might be holding.

My best fish finder is a 6 foot light action rod with a simple crappie jig