Texas Fishing Forum

Fish Finder recommendations

Posted By: channeldiver

Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 12:26 AM

My son and I are outfitting our 16' john boat with 15 HP Mercury for catfishing and starting to look at options for fish locator /depth finder unit. Does anyone have any recommendations on best unit to get for someone wanting to help locate depth and structure / fish and not spend a fortune doing it.

I really like the Hummingbird units / color screen.

look forward to your expertise.
Posted By: TCK73

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 02:01 AM

You would be hard pressed to get better unit for the money than one of the Bird Helix units. Pick one with 2D, SI and DI in a size that fits your budget, and you will be set.
Posted By: 🍀El Gato Azul🍀

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 11:08 AM

+1 on helix...if you plan on chaising blues I would save up to get al least a 10" screen...the smaller screens are a lot harder on your eyes when scanning for long periods of time. I moved up to a 12 this winter and it ain't even fair!!
Posted By: SunUpSunDown

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 12:02 PM

Before you buy , you might want to talk to a fishing guide in your area on his or her opinion , and see if they could give you a class on it , It saves the new fish finder owners a lot of time learning and you can spend more time catching fish .
Posted By: Bob Landry

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 01:31 PM

To get screen size and features you are going to have to spend some $$$. Fishing is an expensive hobby, more so with good equipment.
Posted By: rdmac

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 02:55 PM

+1 on Helix
Posted By: doctorxring

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 04:35 PM

Originally Posted By: TCK73
You would be hard pressed to get better unit for the money than one of the Bird Helix units. Pick one with 2D, SI and DI in a size that fits your budget, and you will be set.


I double down on this comment. Side Imaging is an incredibly valuable tool when you learn how
to use it. If you go Helix other than a MEGA unit then be sure and make use of the trade up
program that Humminbird offers on the HD transducer. I speak from personal experience. The HD
transducer is worth the extra $90. PM me if you have any questions.

Chris
Posted By: Muzzlebrake

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 05:25 PM

Friend of mine put together a nice rig to take to Canada where they had to fly in to the lake.
He bought a Helix 9 and mounted it to the top of a plastic water proof Ammo box with a motorcycle battery in the box to power it. He found a 4" suction cup bracket to mount the transducer to. The guide boats are aluminum and the suction cup holds perfect all day. When not in use the transducer and wiring fits inside the box. Pretty neat little traveling setup.
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/16/17 07:10 PM

I've always been partial to the birds, real user friendly and good tech support from what I've experienced. Lowrance is good too but between the two there are differences. You just gotta do research and more research and do exactly what your doing!

And P.S. Tom Gravley runs the the Lowrances from what I understand and he does really good with em. So good, he ate my arse up three days in a row and I had good friends on the rig. And I'm talking three days of 250 lb five fish stringers and he wasn't letting up.... but I'm on to him!?!?!?!? He is goin down!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spittin Squirmin and Squawkin!!!!!!!!!! roflmao roflmao roflmao texas









Posted By: SARG

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/17/17 01:37 AM

Helix all day
I have a 5SI on a jon boat that works pretty good
The bigger boats have 9's and 12's on them
Posted By: Big Sam

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/17/17 06:42 PM



I do the same thing with my Gen 2 from Lowrance i can see what you see Prime..... peep slinger LOL
Posted By: WillieRip

Re: Fish Finder recommendations - 07/18/17 09:42 AM

I've never had much luck with sonar. I've done better with a rock tied to a line and feel the bottom directly with my own hands.
© 2024 Texas Fishing Forum