Fish finders for an inflatable?

[hotsky]

I have my inflatable Sevylor boat set up with a MinnKotta and was thinking of adding a fish finder to my ever growing fishing equipment.

 

I'm just starting to learn about sonars, so don't know much about them yet, but I pick up fast . I was looking at a watch sonar from Hummingbird but few members here suggested I look at real ones. I know some have a sensor mount for a trolling motor which might work. I'd rather not hook it up to my TM battery unless it hardly uses any power. Would a 2nd small motorcycle battery work? Maybe even portable with a 9v battery.

 

What would you guys recommend and plz tell me why it would be a good choice.

Edited August 11, 2012 by Gray_Wolf

[Terry]

if you are looking cheap and portable

http://radioworld.ca...ble-p-8757.html

Edited August 11, 2012 by Terry

[d_paluch]

They need a 12v source, so the 9volt would be no good.(don't quote me on this...at work so I cannot look it up)

 

Not sure on the power draw on it, but I have a humminbird piranhamax 150(or is it 160) portable unit. Comes with a portable case, battery, and charger. While I admittedly don't use it much, I've only charged it once.

 

I used this in my inflatable and now in my portaboat. For the portaboat I rigged the transducer directly to the bottom of my trolling motor using heavy duty zip ties and some marine goo. Held out well for the fish-a-thon!

 

Good luck in your hunt! I may be willing to let my portable unit go for a reasonable price, because as it is now it gets near to no use at all. It is also a perfect unit for icefishing.

 

If I feel the need to sell ill pm you!

Edited August 11, 2012 by d_paluch

[pics]

I'd say ditto on the unit Terry has pictured. I think it even comes with a battery but if you need one, they're about $25 at Sail or Acme on parkdale ave. Comes with a suction cup for the transducer as well. I paid $94 bucks for mine in an online auction but you should be able to find one for less than $150......

 

P.S....... Make sure you have your PFD on in the inflatable!!

[adolson]

if you are looking cheap and portable

http://radioworld.ca...ble-p-8757.html

I recently bought this one. It's pretty basic. I only used it once so far, and I didn't see any actual arches (though I caught five fish - maybe I was going too slow?) but I saw structure and weeds and/or bait/fish at times. It tells you the surface temperature and depth.

 

The package I got uses 8 D cell batteries... I think there is an actual rechargeable you can buy for this, but I think for the amount I will use it, the D batteries should last quite a while. Time will tell.

 

I put the transducer directly on the suction cup (so it's rotated correctly - I'm unsure if it makes much of a difference, but figured it may) and stuck it to the side of my Sportspal.

[cja]

I recently bought this one. It's pretty basic. I only used it once so far, and I didn't see any actual arches (though I caught five fish - maybe I was going too slow?) but I saw structure and weeds and/or bait/fish at times. It tells you the surface temperature and depth.

 

The package I got uses 8 D cell batteries... I think there is an actual rechargeable you can buy for this, but I think for the amount I will use it, the D batteries should last quite a while. Time will tell.

 

I put the transducer directly on the suction cup (so it's rotated correctly - I'm unsure if it makes much of a difference, but figured it may) and stuck it to the side of my Sportspal.

[cja]

I have also used that type and it work well for me for a portable device

[davey buoy]

I use a 245 Fish Easy Eagle portable as a second fish finder and it uses 8 double E batteries. The batteries will last a few days use,and I find you can usually find a heck of a deal on a big pack of batteries and that'll do you easily all year.

I also fabricated a stainless solid bar with a c-clamp welded to it and attached the transducer at the bottom,which is easily adjustable. Very easy to change from the boat to the canoe.

Edited August 12, 2012 by davey buoy

[hotsky]

Between Lowrance X4 portable and Hummingbird PiranhaMax 160 portable which one would you guys recommend?

Edited August 13, 2012 by Gray_Wolf

[d_paluch]

They are nearly identical. My 160 has served me well as stated and very good on battery life. It comes with a rechargeable, the lowrance might need D batteries, not sure but definitely something to look into!

[pics]

I use a 12 volt rechargeable with my lowrance...lasts for a weekend easily

[hotsky]

I just read somewhere that Piranha Max tell you the depth of the fish while Lowrance doesn't. Is that true?

[colin519]

I bought a dual beam PiranhaMax 160 at SAIL for 129. The Lowrance X-4 is single beam and similarly priced.

SAIL is awesome.

[John Bacon]

I just read somewhere that Piranha Max tell you the depth of the fish while Lowrance doesn't. Is that true?

 

I wouldn't get too excited about the little fish symbols on the screen. I don't think the most of the are actually fish. The 'fish finder' will be more useful at finding depths and structure than in locating fish.

[Jer]

First thing to do any fishfinder...turn the Fish ID off.

[d_paluch]

First thing to do any fishfinder...turn the Fish ID off.

 

+1

 

And the fish alarm, if not the damn thing will sound like an alarm clock because it sees fish that aren't there. Like said, use it to find structure and depths...not so much fish

[adolson]

I just read somewhere that Piranha Max tell you the depth of the fish while Lowrance doesn't. Is that true?

 

Not true. The X-4 does it too, if you turn on that feature. As other have said, it's not worth having it on.

 

My old depth finder was a Humminbird and I hated it. But to be fair, it was one of the first ones that had color, from the 80s, and it looked like a game of Tetris on the screen.

 

This doesn't really add anything to the conversation, but here you can see I am using it in the rain and caught a little walleye.

[ehg]

You should just get the watch sized one if your going to be going to Mountsberg or near Lake O shore or small river or whatever. In that case you just need depth anyways.

 

Those units don't find fish. They mark water-logged sticks or weed clumps floating underneath and call them fish.

Even if they were fish you need proper presentation and the right time to catch them.

 

Would suck to spend lots of money and have unit fall out of inflatable into the drink.

[Rich]

I was cheap and converted my boat mount lowrance into a portable. Tackle box mounted and used an old swiffer sweeper handle and zip ties for the transducer on the go.

[camillj]

The small 12V rechargeable (less than a lb) at Le B is only 25 bucks and lasts me about 24 hrs on one charge (better part of a weekend for the hours I fish ... I always bring a charged up spare ... and NEVER run out

[livinisfishin]

Does anybody elses 160 start to act weird after a couple hours...the screen really starts breaking up and and only getting partial images?

[pics]

Does anybody elses 160 start to act weird after a couple hours...the screen really starts breaking up and and only getting partial images?

Only when the battery runs low....

[livinisfishin]

Ive had fully charged batteries do it to. Thinking i should just invest in a new one.

[hotsky]

And the fish alarm, if not the damn thing will sound like an alarm clock because it sees fish that aren't there. Like said, use it to find structure and depths...not so much fish

If that's the case I might as well get the watch one. :/