Advice or suggestions about fish finders.

[Scottyp74]

1)Ok I'm back once again crappie fishing family. I,need some advice about getting a fish finding device.

Question

1) do they really make a difference.

2) I fish out of 10ft flat bottom aluminum 2 man jon boat And want something really simple and easy to use and port around.

Question

2) should I get the Norcross hawk eye portable unit that I'm really liking or a hummingbird piranhaS 143 fish finder.

I,just want something that is easy to use and will not break then bank at all. I want to spend around 60 to 80 on this and no more if a,fish finder is really worth it. Pleas help me and thanks,once again

[kickingback]

I don't know if you will find a sonar for that price. The cheapest are $150 and they go up from there. You may be able to find a good used one on ebay or fishing forums somewhere. There are lots of models capable in scanning for fish and structure in the basic package. You need to decide if you want detailed images (HD) or just something that shows dots or fish on the finder.
I have a 16' jon boat and I use a Lowrance Elite 4 DSI amd it ran me $350. You can find them cheap used. Just do some searching for used ones and get info from the sellers.

[Scottyp74]

I'm really looking at a portable one I do a lot of small 40 to 50 acher lake and small rivers, creek, ponds, and off shore fishing. So I feel a portable one might be better for me. I just really want to know are fish finders worth it and do the really improve your catching of fish based off how a fish finder works?

[Cray]

I would go with the bird for what you are wanting one for. It will tell you depth and that's the big deal on those small bodies of water. Don't expect they are going to show a bunch of fish. They will show brush piles and irregularities on the bottom which will help. Once you use and study it it will give you quite a bit of info. Most all of us that have the big fancy units and been fish for a while started with worse units than that.

[rnvinc]

If $$ were a issue...

I'd put my $$ in a GPS that has waypoint marking capability...

You can find fish and structure without a depth finder...

You can return to the "spots" over and over with a GPS....

Rickie

[okhawg]

You can find depthfinders for your price range new. I would buy a regular depthfinder and mount the transducer on a 1x4 board that is clamped to your transom or something similiar. You can learn a lot with a depthfinder. GPS's are nice, and if you have a smart phone, you have one. Of course, you will need a battery.

http://www.basspro.com/Humminbird-Pi...uct/101944204/ $79.99
http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-X4-F...duct/10210251/ $79.99
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/humm...53?N=557685959 $69.99
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/garm...11?N=557685959 $79.99
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/lowr...57?N=557685959 $99.99 On sale $40 off, good depthfinder

[Eagle 1]

DON'T GO X-4 . NO CONTRAST ADJUSTMENT . GET THE ELITE X-4 . DICK'S SPORTING 99 DOLLARS . SPLURGE ! I have two on my war eagle . threw the x-4 in the trash after one trip to the lake .

[Scottyp74]

Sweet thanks okhawg