Have been kayak fishing for the past year fresh water/saltwater. A really great deal came along on a used Fish Master 19' center console. Bought it, but don't have any concept of the electronics needed for primarily inshore fishing beyond knowing that I need a VHF radio, fish finder and some basic charting. Would prefer low end electronics until some knowledge is gained by experience. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Buy the best you can afford first rather than going low end because then you will not have to replace it, as well get the largest screen you can and the best transducer. Having top end gear reduces your learning curve in the long run. I run Lowrance but you should go to some retailers that have demo mode models running and take your time to try them out. Think seriously about what type and what depth of fishing you will do most and get the best you can afford for ultimate flexibility.

What kind of budget do you have to deal with? That is probably the single most important factor here. Almost any fishfinder is better than none at all. But without a budget it's difficult to start throwing suggestions around.

Will spend what it takes to do nearshore/inshore. Just don't know what features are essential to fish the reefs, oil rigs, trolling out and back. Will mostly fish alone. Go out for probably 4-6 hours, come back to my fishing trailer, and go back out the next morning. Want to be able to find my way back to my launch point. Not after trophy fish. Will catch and release mostly. Not interested in more than 7-9 miles offshore. I figure a handheld VHF will be adequate.

Well, since there wasn't any suggestions here, I went to some boat dealers and settled on the Lowrance Hook 7. Probably over bought, but at least it seems to have everything I was aware of needing on the water.