Buying My First Sonar

[netminder]

In my never ending quest to remove excuses from the checklist of reasons for my poor performance on the lake I'm considering buying a sonar. I only have a tiny boat and as such it would need to be fairly portable and inexpensive. In researching I've found a few options but I was wondering if the collective wisdom of this forum could point me in the right direction. So far my best option in my price range looks like the Humminbird PMAX 197 DI Fish Finder. Please note the +/- $200 price tag is about as much as I want to pay. I know I'm not likely to get top of the line quality at that range but I'm looking for somewhere to start. GPS is not necessary but would be a bonus.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Dutch01]

For GPS you can always use the Navionics app on a smart phone.

[EC1]

With your price range, check around on kijiji and other sites for a deal. Humminbird 345c, Lowrance elite 4 are probably about the quality that you will be getting. Good luck!

[davew3]

If you get to Toronto check out Radioworld.

http://radioworld.ca/fishfinders-c-4_98.html?filter_id=9

 

Garmin STRIKER 4 Fishfinder 010-01550-00 $179.993.5-inch CHIRP Fishfinder with GPS:Easy-to-use 3.5-inch color fishfinder with built-in, high-sensitivity GPS Find fish; mark and return to hot spots, docks and ramps Convenient keypad operation Includes CHIRP (77/200 kHz) sonar transducer; transmit power (200 W RMS)/(1,600 W peak-to-peak) Upgrade to high performance CHIRP with a GT8 or GT15 transducer (each sold separately

[adempsey]

I assume you don't have a battery in your boat, so don't forget to include that in your budget.

[reelingMachine]

I am pretty happy with Lowrance Elite-4 (an older model) for my tiny. Now it seems to come as a chirp/chartplotter variant. Very compact, a small battery (6AH more than enough for a day of fishing) attached to the bottom. The transducer is on an aluminum bar which I clamp to the side of the boat. When ice fishing it is heavy enough to be vertical when dropped into a hole.

[netminder]

I assume you don't have a battery in your boat, so don't forget to include that in your budget.

I have a power supply for my electric motor. I'm assuming I can use that too to power the sonar.

 

All good suggestions so far. Thanks for the help!

[AKRISONER]

I have a power supply for my electric motor. I'm assuming I can use that too to power the sonar.

 

All good suggestions so far. Thanks for the help!

 

 

FYI i have a 14 foot basic tinner...me and buddy finally got everything rigged up this year and absolutely killed it.

 

 

Luckily i got my 14 foot starcraft with a 1991 suzuki 15 given to me by my old man...it sounds like you already have a boat so thats the start.

 

Ive got a Humminbird Pirrahna Max that I got off of kijiji with the case and batteries for 100 bucks off of kijiji. I run the transducer along the side of the tinner up to the front where I have a home made casting deck placed on the seats. The Pirrahna max sits perfectly at the front of the boat infront of my troller foot pedal

 

 

I got my troller off an old friend for $150

 

 

I bought the navionics app for my iphone, and have a charger case that I found in the middle of the road one time. I went on ebay and bought a iphone car window mount for 4 dollars.

 

My boat is now fully loaded with GPS/Sonar/Electric Trolling motor and casting deck for the grand total price of aprox 400 bucks. Ive got all of the luxurys at basically 1 8th of the cost.

[John Bacon]

I have a power supply for my electric motor. I'm assuming I can use that too to power the sonar.

 

 

It's not ideal. But it will work. The electric motor can cause interference if the sonar is on the same battery. That will only be an issue if you are using both at the same time.

[netminder]

 

 

FYI i have a 14 foot basic tinner...me and buddy finally got everything rigged up this year and absolutely killed it.

 

 

Luckily i got my 14 foot starcraft with a 1991 suzuki 15 given to me by my old man...it sounds like you already have a boat so thats the start.

 

Ive got a Humminbird Pirrahna Max that I got off of kijiji with the case and batteries for 100 bucks off of kijiji. I run the transducer along the side of the tinner up to the front where I have a home made casting deck placed on the seats. The Pirrahna max sits perfectly at the front of the boat infront of my troller foot pedal

 

 

I got my troller off an old friend for $150

 

 

I bought the navionics app for my iphone, and have a charger case that I found in the middle of the road one time. I went on ebay and bought a iphone car window mount for 4 dollars.

 

My boat is now fully loaded with GPS/Sonar/Electric Trolling motor and casting deck for the grand total price of aprox 400 bucks. Ive got all of the luxurys at basically 1 8th of the cost.

Looks like you've got a pretty sweet setup. All I have for now is an inflatable, but I will be in the market for a tinny once I get a vehicle that's capable of towing it. If all goes as planned that'll likely be 2017. I got my trolling motor for free from my grandfather who used to put it on a canoe when they lived by the lake. It's a minkota 35 lb which I'm pretty sure is older than I am but does the job nicely. What you have there is likely more than enough for the fishing I do. If that's not good enough for whomever I take in my boat they can feel free to supply the upgrade . It would be nice to have the GPS and everything all in one place but all things considered the app on my phone is more than sufficient.

 

I am going to keep an eye on kijiji and the like, but I would prefer to buy new. There's always a reason someone is selling something, whether that makes sense or not.

 

By the way from the responses I'm getting the feeling that I can't really go wrong assuming all the features are there on the device I'm looking for. Maybe a better question to ask would have been which ones not to get lol.

[ccmtcanada]

I have a Humminbird 581i with transducer you can have for free if you want it. It works perfectly and accepts navionics mapping. The only reason I replaced it is I got a Lowrance 7 HDI for Christmas a year ago. I'll look for the wiring and brackets for it (pretty sure it's in the garage).

 

I remember the first tinny I got...desperately wanted a good fishfinder. You sound like you are in the same boat. (See what I did there?? Ok. Bad joke!!)

 

Where are you located?

 

 

I've run one battery in my boat for years....run my trolling motor and fishfinder off it. I just made sure not to run the transducer cable beside any power line and never had interference issues.

Edited February 9, 2016 by ccmt

[misfish]

I have a Humminbird 581i with transducer you can have for free if you want it. It works perfectly and accepts navionics mapping. The only reason I replaced it is I got a Lowrance 7 HDI for Christmas a year ago. I'll look for the wiring and brackets for it (pretty sure it's in the garage).

 

I remember the first tinny I got...desperately wanted a good fishfinder. You sound like you are in the same boat. (See what I did there?? Ok. Bad joke!!)

 

Where are you located?

 

 

I've run one battery in my boat for years....run my trolling motor and fishfinder off it. I just made sure not to run the transducer cable beside any power line and never had interference issues.

 

Holy crap. Thats an offer to not refuse. That is very very generous of you cliff. KARMA your way BIG time.

[ccmtcanada]

 

Holy crap. Thats an offer to not refuse. That is very very generous of you cliff. KARMA your way BIG time.

Haha Brian....I have a raven centerpin that I'm not using too...lol

[misfish]

Haha Brian....I have a raven centerpin that I'm not using too...lol

 

[GBW]

Oh snap Cliff! If he bails on that PM me and I'll get it next kids weekend I'm out your way. I was going to offer up my older Bird 525 or 535 series with case and batt as I don't use it.

Edited February 10, 2016 by GBW

[netminder]

I have a Humminbird 581i with transducer you can have for free if you want it. It works perfectly and accepts navionics mapping. The only reason I replaced it is I got a Lowrance 7 HDI for Christmas a year ago. I'll look for the wiring and brackets for it (pretty sure it's in the garage).

I remember the first tinny I got...desperately wanted a good fishfinder. You sound like you are in the same boat. (See what I did there?? Ok. Bad joke!!)

Where are you located?

I've run one battery in my boat for years....run my trolling motor and fishfinder off it. I just made sure not to run the transducer cable beside any power line and never had interference issues.

Holy crap, man! Very generous of you, definitely not going to refuse your offer. I'll pm you some details.

 

Thanks again!

[ccmtcanada]

Holy crap, man! Very generous of you, definitely not going to refuse your offer. I'll pm you some details.

 

Thanks again!

Sounds good. All I ask is that if you get a chance to pay it forward to another member on the board to do so. Doesn't have to be anything big. This board has given me so much over the years....from advice to free stuff when I was starting out. Have fun with it!!

[GBW]

Holy crap, man! Very generous of you, definitely not going to refuse your offer. I'll pm you some details.

 

Thanks again!

Yeah and good call there!!

 

Sounds good. All I ask is that if you get a chance to pay it forward to another member on the board to do so. Doesn't have to be anything big. This board has given me so much over the years....from advice to free stuff when I was starting out. Have fun with it!!

Well put Cliff.

[Old Ironmaker]

I was going to offer my old portable Ultra Eagle for the same price. It works on 2 6 volts. Batteries not included. It has an Ice fishing set up for it if I can find it, 21 years old and marks fish and structure. It's here if one of the deserving members wants to take a ride. I gave away a good inflatable pontoon boat a few years back to some young lad that looked deserving and then saw it on Kigigi a few months latter. I didn't like that.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Old Ironmaker

[netminder]

Once I upgrade by boat, mark my words my current inflatable will be going here for free. Maybe even the trolling motor too . You guys can hold me to that.

[AKRISONER]

this thread put a smile on my face...kudos to everyone! congrats on the sweet deal netminder!

 

This forum has shown that there really are still some good people out there. I have had one particular member as well that has been overboard generous to me as well. Good stuff.

[GBW]

Once I upgrade by boat, mark my words my current inflatable will be going here for free. Maybe even the trolling motor too . You guys can hold me to that.

Idea for you. Take note of all the people who post who are stuck on shore moving forward. Then when the time comes and you offer it up, pick one of them (not to say others can't use a break but they have something already). Just an idea is all... I love my Northstar...