Fishing on a kayak is now soaring in popularity. You try it once and you will definitely get hooked. One reason most people opt to fish on a kayak is its affordability in comparison with traditional fishing boats. Another thing is fishing kayaks can be used in any type of water. If you want to be successful in fishing on your kayak, you need to be equipped with the right tools. A good catch needs to be tracked and you will be needing a fish finder made especially for kayaks. However, how do you find the best fish finder for kayaks that will suit your needs?

What to Look for in Fish Finders for Kayaks

Fish finders vary on size and mounting methods. There is no such thing as a one size fits all equipment. You will, therefore, need a special kind of fish finder for your kayak and you will find a lot of choices to choose from. Before you start shopping for one, read this guide on what to look out for:

1.Display

Kayaks are small and narrow so you will need a small fish finder with a good screen resolution. A small fish finder that will fit into your kayak with a screen that you could hardly read information is useless. A small screen with a resolution of between 240 x 160 and 640 x 640 pixels or higher will be most ideal.

2.Size and Portability

The fish finder should be lightweight and portable. Since a kayak is narrow, it would be impossible to mount a large fish finder with a 6-7 inch display. It will be more of a hindrance than a helping tool. A large fish finder will also add a lot to the weight of the boat. Mounting a heavy equipment on either side of the kayak can cause it to get unbalanced and flip. Portable fish finders are your best options.

3.Mounting Type

There are fish finders that need to be mounted on the side of the kayak. Some include a clasp for temporary mounting while some need to be mounted permanently. Decide which type you prefer. If you choose one with a permanent mount, make sure you have an idea how it will be mounted.

4.The Transducer

This device sends and receives echoes from fish. These echoes are what you view on the fish finder display. The transducer sends out cone shaped waves below your boat. A transducer is often mounted. When choosing the transducer, opt for one with a wider degree cone angle so it will cover more area.

To help you make an educated choice here are the Best fish finders for the kayak

Megan Ann, that is a good summary. Some of the latest and greatest technologies applied to these devices are just unbelievable. It used to be that being able to interpret what one sees on a screen was a big deal. Sometimes, now, the clarity makes it very plain.

Still, we have limited "real estate" to attach things to often. So, there is an alternative in units that give you essentials like water temp, depth, bottom contour, structures, but that don't really show the fish all that well. If one can find humps and holes, rapid changes in depth and some places for fish to hide, knowing these things will net an angler some really valuable info.

I'm on the low fuss end of kayaking and I have been thinking of just buying the high end Deeper unit and hang it over the side of my kayak. I suppose I'd like to see the fish on the screen but if I can see everything else, it might be all I need.

We know for sure that fish finders will improve, get smaller, too, and more will be designed to target the kayak market. Not sure if anyone from the big and popular fish finder makers is actually doing this, yet, but they are usually slow and the first one to do so might be surprised by the sales it'll generate.

Brad

There are a lot of people fishing from kayaks that don't want or don't need a fish finder and a lot of those are catching plenty of fish. It all depends on what you want to do and how you want to fish.
For me and a lot of the guys I know a Fish Finder is mandatory equipment on their kayaks.
I completely disagree that they have to be small due to size limitations on kayaks. I'm running a Humminbird 999 with Side Image and thinking of up grading to the Helix 10. There are many running the larger FF's on their kayaks.
IMO, if you're going to get a FF go with something comparable to th HB Helix 7 with Side Image or bigger, and learn to use it. A good FF with Side Image is a game changer if you're serious about fishing.
There are several good companies out there, Humminbird, Garmin, Lowrance, seem to be the most popular.
Also keep it mind that in general the bigger the FF the bigger the battery required to run it, but that's a completely different conversation. Do your research B 4 you decide what to buy, buy the correct unit the first time and be happy. To many people buy something small and inexpensive to start then upgrade within a year
and to me that's just wasting $$

This is very true if you are serious about fishing or fish tournaments. Money buys quality with electronics.
I have a little 4" Lowrance and wish I had a better unit with side imaging and a bigger screen.

X2! I have a small humminbird that works great on small streams/rivers...you get on the lake or btb, ya might as well not even have it in my opinion.

I just got a cheap Striker 4 and it does everything I absolutely need it to do on a kayak.

I've seen guys with the huge fish finders on their 'yaks, but I've never seen the need for one on mine.

I'll have to disagree with needing a smaller fish finder. Not only is it possible to mount a 6-7" ff on a kayak, its popular now to do so. The smaller ff are fine but if you look around you will see many people are going to larger 7-10" ff's. Now with a larger ff comes the need for a larger capacity battery. But that's another story.

Also a large fish finder doesn't weight enough for a person to tell its on the kayak from a smaller unit.

It's a personal choice. If a small ff is all you can afford then get what you can afford. But keep in mind when you are in a store looking at a unit it's a lot different then it is looking at it outside in the sun.

The bottom line is just like kayaks try before you buy. Go out fishing with friends that have different size fish finders. Then you will see the difference and be able to make a educated choice for your needs. I'm

I have a Striker 4 on my kayak as well. Previously had a 7" Garmin 70dv on it. That big touch screen unit used up the battery way too fast. I use a 15ah battery and it would not last 8 hours on the 70dv. The Striker 4 will last a weekend on one charge, probably longer but over never tried.

Not to mention that the Striker 4 is a fantastic unit. Certainly does everything I need it to.

What happens when you take a big wave over your fish finder?

If the water spots get to bothering me, I'll get a towel and wipe them off.

i got a piranhamax 4 off craigslist brand new for $40. It does what I need it to.

I mean can getting it wet ruin the unit?

No, getting it wet will not harm your FF.

Added the Lowrance Hook 4 to my yak yesterday. Will make a few adjustments, but overall I think it will be great.

Caught two this morning on an abbreviated fishing outing before church.