Top rated Fish Finders in 2014
Modern-day anglers do not have to be limited by just experience alone on which spot is a good area to get the fish biting quickly. A comprehensive look through the best fish finder reviews should enable one to find a great device that helps locate a good fishing spot. No guesswork, just the power of science at work.
The most popular fish finder will have an efficient transducer that sends out and receives sonar waves. As the primary component of a fish finder, the transducer sends a sonar signal into the water, which will bounce off whatever objects are lying underwater and then get picked up again as viewable signals by the device. The concept resembles the way bats find their way through the air using echo location. But in this case, the transducer in a fish finder interprets the signal into a picture that humans can see.
The highest rated fish finder has a good transducer that efficiently converts the sonar data into a readable electronic impulse projected as an image that the device “sees”, and this includes vegetation, fish (Yes!) or baitfish, depth of bottom and structures found at the bottom of the boat at the time of the reading. Transom-mount transducers on fish finders are easy to install, but if you want the best devicefor the money, get a unit with a better type of transducer such as thru-hull.
What is the best fish finder in the market? There are many but those with high wattage are always better than those with less. A device with greater wattage displays readings faster and can take them at a deeper level. Slower sonar waves come from a lower wattage, resulting in fuzzier images.
Use a sonar device to landmore fish for Christmas barbecues that you can enjoy with the family. Get one with a good resolution. Quantified in pixels, resolution is an element that conforms to the concept the more, the merrier. This means the more pixels on the screen, the better the clarity of the picture. Conversely, lower pixel count results to less detailed images on the screen. A color display makes it easy to make out details for facilitated identification, differentiation and interpretation of perceived images. The barest minimum you could go for is 240V x 160H pixels, with 240 x 240 pixels being a great-or better- starting point. Moving higher is an option that should be taken when possible. Combine this with a large screen and you should be fishing like there’s no tomorrow. A five-inch screen should do well in this category.
Color enhances screen definition in more ways than a black-and-white screen. Images of various underwater structures and fish get transmitted more effectively on color displays. High Definition is no longer confined to cameras, PC devices and TV, since models sold in Black Friday deals on imaging devices for fishing can boast of this remarkable element.
Portable fish finders are a good choice for ice-fishing and those who have to rent a boat for fishing. But if you own the boat, a fixed imaging device gives the convenience of permanent mounting on your water craft. Think of having a sense of permanence here.If the boat’s hull is metal or fiberglass, go for a thru-hull or in-hull transducer. For steel or aluminum hulls, stainless steel housings are a great option. Wood or fiberglass hulls are suitable to be fitted with transducers with bronze housings.
Some helpful and functional inclusions are speed, temperature and distance. There are upscale models that offer GPS option, working as combo units that have a depth sounder and also serve as a chartplotter.
Things to consider:
- An efficient transducer with a high wattage, for exceptional signal transmission and pick up
- Good resolution expressed in a decent pixel count for sharper images
- A color screen with high definition, when possible (details, details, details!)
- Good material and functional inclusions, for good value-for-money
Lowrance Mark-4 Combo Base Fishfinder/ Chartplotter
Built with a LED gray-scale display, the Lowrance Mark-4 Combo Base Fishfinder/ Chartplotter has consistently been considered the best fish finder 2014 in online stores. It offers great viewing ability no matter what the boating condition may be. The Lowrance Mark-4 Combo Base comes with an ultra-accurate internal GPS antenna so you know exactly where you are and will not get lost in the wide expanse of water. It is engineered with state-of-the-art and user-friendly features that include quick-release tilt and swivel bracket. Effortless one-hand operation is made possible thanks to the easy-to-use Menu Controls, freeing the other hand to hold the angler’s rod. This 300-watt fish has dual 83/200 KHz operation.
Click here and check out the best prices for this model on Amazon.com!
Garmin Echo 501c Worldwide with Transducer
The best fish finder reviews have always included the Garmin Echo 501c Worldwide thanks to its dual-beam transducer. It has a built-in advanced HD-ID sonar that can be used with or without a 77/200 kHz transducer, and can also support a separately purchased 50/200 kHz transducer. It has a revolutionary crisp QVGA color display that offers incredibly sharp resolution to enable effortless viewing of details of fish, underwater structure and bottom returns. This device has the impressive ability to scan to a 2,300-foot maximum depth using echo 501c technology. It is fitted with a transom mount and trolling motor mount, as well as a tilt/swivel quick-release mount. The Garmin Echo 501c offers optimal wide viewing-cone angles (60/120 degrees) to enable targeting of fish beyond the perimeter of the boat in deep or shallow water.
Click here to read more on Amazon.com!
Lowrance X-4 Fishfinder 200KHz Transom-Mount Transducer
Get high detail on the Lowrance X-4 Fishfinder 200KHz Transom-Mount Transducer’s 4-inch LCD display. It enables users to get 4-level gray scale definition with exceptional target differentiation and superior clarity. This device offers both Single- And Dual-frequency performance options suitable for a range of boating and fishing conditions. It is equipped with a ruggedly premium, low-profile 200 KHz Skimmer Transducer, for effective and wide delivery of fish-detection, covering an area up to 60-degrees. It provides high-sensitivity settings even in depths down to 600 Feet. This product delivers impressive bottom readings atspeeds of up to 70 Mph. It has a built-in water-temperature sensor. It is powered by innovative sonar technologies, making it a heavy favorite among avid anglers and boaters.
Click here to see what customers have to say about this product!
Humminbird 4088301 PiranhaMAX 153 Dual-Beam Fishfinder
The Humminbird 4088301 PiranhaMAX 153 Dual-Beam Fishfinder is outfitted with a 4-inch Fest Display with 4-level gray scale that shows details underwater in stunning detail and clarity, even in direct sunlight. This device has 160 X 128 Pixels for impressive details that help anglers know precisely know where to catch the most number of fish, and boaters to be aware of underwater details and structure beneath the boat. The PiranhaMAX 153 runs on 100w RMS Power, for better depth detail perception, plus 800-watt peak-to-peak power that enables class-leading power output and sensitivity. The device even reads Water Temperature, giving fishermen the ability to know if it’s the perfect spot to drop anchor and fish. It reads to a depth of 600 feet.
Click here to visit Amazon.com and read other customer reviews!
Humminbird 561 408460-1 Black-and-White Sonar Fishfinder
The Humminbird 561 408460-1 Black-and-White Sonar Fishfinder transmits to a depth capacity of 800 feet, giving fishers a real choice for deep-water fishing as well as shallow-water fishing. It is speed capable with optional speedwheel, which means it can work at peak performance no matter what the boating condition may be. It has a transom-mounted transducer, enabling it to go directly in the water. This enables the fish finder to detect fish better or read deeper than in-hull transducers. This type of transducer comes with a lower price than other types of transducers. The Humminbird 561 also comes with a quick disconnect mount to enable easy transportability. It offers 2400 Watts Peak-to-Peak, which, when coupled with the Dual-Beam PLUS sonar, delivers incredible sensitivity.
In this period Amazon comes with a nice promotional price for this product. Click here to check it!