Top Advanced Tips on How to Choose a Fish Finder

We have many types of fish finders available in the market presently, with different brands which are coming up with advanced technologies and various functions.

After the addition of Wi-Fi and internet, fish finders nowadays are tech-savvy devices. If you want to buy a fish finder for the first time, you might not understand all the technical talk.

Looking at the functions and features might be stressful for a first-time buyer.

This article would shade some light to guide your choice herein.

Types of Fish Finders

types of fish finder

Since you are looking for the best fish finder, you should also know about the different kinds it comes.This is to identify which one is best suitable for your need.

1. Standalones Type

If you are going into unknown territories and you are worried about your boat, it’s better you get yourself a standalone fish finder if you want to know what is beneath the surface of the water.

It is possible to get a fish finder which has a big display screen to show the bottom correctly without showing some factors which you don’t need anyway.

2. Combination Type

These type of fish finders shows various options such as the temperature, speed depth, fish size and so on. It’s majorly used for finding fishes. This popular type also has quality GPS and split screens options.

3. Networked Type

These systems usually work in support of a wide range of sources especially when it comes to data with tools such as raster and GPS charts, satellite radio and videos. They usually come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth which you connect to a smartphone to control remotely.

How to Effectively Choose a Fish Finder

After you know all these various types of fish finders, you should have had an idea about the different key factors to choose the best fish finder. That should narrow down your options to a manageable level.

Having that in mind, let’s take a look at the things which can help in choosing the right fish finder.

Frequencies

You have got three options to choose from; we have the single, dual and multiple. The performance will be different depending on the level of frequencies and also with the price.

You would determine what kind of water depth you want to go fishing to get the best fish finder.

For example, higher frequencies like 192 and 200 kHz work very well in shallow water while lower frequencies like 50 kHz work best in deeper water and it can be used by professionals or commercial uses.

Power

Power is measured in Wattage for this kind of devices. If the wattage is high, the display information will come up fast. A device that has a lower wattage will be slower coming up with information, so you better use such device in shallow water.

If you want to fish in shallower water, you may get a less powerful device, but if it is in deep water like sea or lakes, always get the greatest number of watts you can afford.

Screen Resolution

The screen resolution with screen size will decide how clear you want your images. Its better you go for the biggest size screen you can afford.

This will make your experience better; you will be able to see the echoes on it, numbers and data. You will then be able to strike a difference between the objects coming.

Color of the Display

Fish finderswith a color display screens show you the fish and the underwater objects pop out from the screen display.

These are easier to see in lights, compared to the plain black and white screens.If the weather gets cloudy or dark, you will be able to see the color screen better than that of a black and white screen.

Transducers

These are the central part of fish finders as they are the reasons how and why we can see the fish and the underwater objects in our screens.

They make it possible by emitting and receiving sonar waves.We have three kinds based on the level of frequencies. They are:

1. Higher Frequency Transducers

Short wavelengths with good enough cycles every second show more detail but can only be useful in a limited depth.

They generally show sharp and clear images at the bottom, but they don’t cover much depth. It can be used to help find fishes right below the boat.

2. Lower Frequency Transducers

They have longer waves with a very low number of waves every second. Because of this, they show minimum details, but they carry a lot of energy and show greater depths.

It wouldn’t be as sharp and clear as the higher frequency one, but it operates more in great lakes or deep seas. It will help you to find the clustered fishes in a particular place hanging.

3. Dual Frequency Transducers

They use almost the same material used in other transducers to get pulses and emitting from two or more frequencies, and sometimes this coincides.

Transducer Materials

They are made in various types of materials but also know that not all materials can be used. For instance, a plastic thru-hull can never be used when it comes to a boat made of wood.

Wood usually swells up in water which can cause damage to a plastic transducer and cause a leak.

On aluminum boats, bronze thru-hull housings can never be used because of the existence of salty liquid which can result in rust.

Cone Angles and Beams

These mean the width of the beam sent from the bottom of the boat into the water. It’s pointy at the top where the transducer resides. The more it goes further, the wider it gets. Cone angles range from 9 degrees to more than 60 degrees.

Shape and Style

They come in various styles and shapes. Choose the one that goes with your boat’s style.

End Quote

You know all things which are left to do as out now. Go out there and make your choice. Remember, a fish finder must be versatile enough to give you the best experience.