I just bought a kayak and am looking at adding a fish finder on it. I bought a Jackson Bite Angler (will use it for recreation as well as some fishing). My thinking is I'd like to get a unit (about 7" screen) that would be capable of Down Imaging and Side Imaging without breaking the bank. What units do y'all use? Now, my kayak does not have any compartments (it's a wide open floor plan) so I do not have access to inside the hull. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated. I currently have the larger Helix's on my boat and don't want to use those. I have a Lowrance HDS 7 that may work but I'm also thinking about the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv. Any thoughts on either of those or any other units that y'all prefer? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Humminbird Helix 7 Chirp Mega SI MDI GPS Gen 3 I have that one on my new PA14. Had the 9” model 3 yeas ago on my small boat. Loved that one and now love this one. Clear and detailed images.

I have a Lowrance HDS 7 on my PA14. I like it... Its a good size for a large kayak. Easy to use and way more features than one "needs" in a kayak.

In my opinion, 7" is an ample size when it's sitting 3 feet from your face.

I just saw that Bass Pro put the Garmin Echomap 73sv on sale for like $499. Get it while the gettin’s good! ! !

Thanks for the heads up, Jezreel!

Be careful... It's possible that this does not come with a transducer. The transducer is not listed in the description of the $449 model and is listed in the description of the $549 and $849 models.

It might come with a transducer... it might not. I would want to see the box before purchasing.

I just saw on the Cabela’s website that this $449 price comes with the GT54UHD transducer rather than the newer GT56UHD. I’ve seen video comparisons on the two, and there’s little difference. Looks like a deal.

Damn near bought this the other day. Confirmed does come with the GT54 transducer. I saw some comparison video between the 54 and 56. I thought there was enough difference to warrant waiting until Black Friday and hoping for a good deal on the new transducer. But I know nearly nothing about electronics so...

Bass Pro says none in stock anywhere and they ship to your house. 14 days...

I use a Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 (GPS, sonar, chirp, side scan and active mapping). It has been great.

The difference in imaging from the 54 to the 56 is not worth the extra money in my opinion. I am speaking from a kayak, float tube, or inflatable pontoon perspective. I run a Garmin Striker Vivid 7SV which uses the 54 and it is more than enough for me. The only thing I don't have is the mapping, you can make your own contour maps and there are community driven maps but honestly I can use my Navionics app on my phone if I need more. Basically what I am saying is jump on that Echomap for the sale price.

Hummingbird Helix 7 over Yak-Atak cellblock and switchblade. Makes a nice self contained setup. Still learning how to use it, and tune it in.

Same here......Helix 7 in the Bonafide pod. I've used it once and need to spend some time setting it up properly and learning how to read the side imaging.