Fish finder brands come in wide variety of types, models, and brands, making it quite time-consuming and overcomplicated for those who are searching for a good fish finder. We proudly present you the list of best fish finder reviews, which consists of top rated and most popular fish finder models of 2020. Our comparisons of various fish finders will help you to select the right features and ultimately decide on the model you need.

12 Best Fish Finders Reviewed

Garmin Echo 551DV

One of the new advanced fish finder models from Garmin, 551DV is most likely the best fish finder under 300 that you can find. This line of models is known for their great accuracy.

Large and clear display
Great fishing sonar, and 500-watt transducer, allowing the wave to reach a maximum depth of 2300 feet.
The transducer is dual beam type and uses dual frequency range from 50 kHz to 200 kHz, and the normal frequency range from 77 kHz to 200 kHz.
Almost photographical in quality view of fish and whole structure underneath the boat
The 5-inch display itself provides high resolution, horizontal viewing, vertical viewing, zoom, and ability to view the down image and broadband sonar side by side in a split screen mode.
Waterproof. The user will be ready to cast and to catch when necessity arises with the help of built-in audio alarm.
Combination of low-profile trolling motor transducer and quick-release tilt-swivel and transom mount provides the overall easy installation of the device.

Lowrance Elite-5X HDI

Lowrance Elite-5X HDI is a fish finder equipped with the 250-watt transducer, using 50 kHz frequency

Gives underwater readings for maximum depth of 1000 ft.
Achieves a very high-resolution imaging due to using a combination of traditional Broadband Sounder and Down Scan imaging used in Lowrance brand with brand-new HDI technology.
The display itself is multi-window, allowing for 3-panel viewing.
Downscan Overlay used in this model exceeds at finding structure but may fail to spot individual objects, including the fish, accurately. This drawback is overcome by a brilliant combination of Downscan Overlay with traditional sonar that is well-suited for identifying separately-moving objects. The result is the ability to display both structure and bottom on one screen, allowing to see simultaneously the moving fish and the static objects like rocks and submerged objects.
To show the fish and the structure of bottom with better clarity, the readings are automatically adjusted by Advanced Signal Processing Technology, making the use of fish finder even easier.

Humminbird 898C HD SI Combo

Humminbird 898C HD Side Imaging fish finder is a high-end high-price advanced unit.
Provides crystal clear images with a 7 inch bright LED backlit LCD display.
Down Imaging technology allows to identify structure and cover, while SwitchFire technology serves for targeting and locating fish.
HD Side Imaging allows to scan up to 240 feet wide area to both sides of boat’s location.
Internal GPS for chart plotting, which works with a built-in ContourXD map.

This map covers all the inland U.S. lakes and rivers, as well as the whole coastline.The map is very useful for traveling around the States, as it allows you to plot your way with the help of an accurate chart you will be able to access at all times.

Lowrance Elite-7X

Lowrance Elite-7X is a fish finder that is perhaps most famous and immediately recognizable for having 7-inch widescreen, which is one of the biggest screens present among the best-rated fish finders in our list. Not only does it allow to view details at wide angle, but it also allows to view details in conditions of bright sunlight thanks to offering the great resolution, contrast, and brightness. Keypad and screen can be used both in the daylight and at night (with an adjustable backlight).

The sounder has RMS power of 250 watts and works in the frequency range from 83 kHz to 200 kHz, while the Down Scan sonar works in the frequency range from 455 kHz to 800 kHz. Such selectable frequency allows to achieve deeper and wider coverage of the imaging, giving details of the bottom structure and all the objects hidden beneath the water surface in high definition.

The Down Scan Imaging allows you to discern the details such as predator fishes, baitfish, thermoclines, bottom and structure located under the boat, and this viewing has photo-like quality.

Humminbird ICE-35

Humminbird ICE-35 is a model that we would recommend for ice fishing enthusiasts.

Advanced zoom flexibility, allowing the user to zoom in any part of the water column for viewing more details. The readings are very clear, viewed with the help of fiber optic display that supports three colors.
Dual frequency, 800 watts peak-to-peak, depth capability that reaches the maximum of 200 feet
LCD technology suited for extreme temperatures that automatically sets the flasher and reports the lake bottom to the user.

Humminbird 859ci HD GPS/Sonar Combo

Includes a wide 7-inch display and is a combination of internal GPS and fish finder.
Features a very powerful 4000 watts PTP output for Dual Beam Plus technology, allowing to cover more of the underwater area.
The GPS comes with a built-in cartography. One of dual SD card slots is used for the cartography, the second slot can be used for stuff like sonar recordings, screenshots, and saving waypoints.
The LCD display is LED backlit and easy to view even in direct sunlight, as it gives crystal-clear, bright images.

Garmin Echo 100

The device is compact and small
A single beam sonar used by Echo 100 has power of 100 watts (RMS) and operates at 200 kHz frequency, resulting in underwater depth being monitored to the maximum of 600 ft.
It is easily installed with a quick release tilt mount included in the package.

Humminbird 140C Fishin’ Buddy

One of the best portable fish finders, Humminbird 140C Fishin’ Buddy, and its usage requires no rigging or wiring. Suitable for most small and mid-sized boats, it uses an extendable transducer tube housing.

The length allows you to use it just anywhere – the dock, your boat, or the leased boat.
You can purchase a 256 color TFT screen option, or a black & white screen option. The screen itself displays the readings of maximum depth of 240 ft in nice and clear image.
Humminbird 140C features a single or dual SideFinding sonar. Not only does it give accurate readings, but it also can be pointed in the direction of your choice, allowing you to cover the area fully while searching for fish. Also included is the temperature feature.
This fish finder has wattage of 1000 watts, and its charge can last for a maximum of 30 hours.

NorCross HawkEye F33P

Yet another popular portable fish finder under 200, simple yet innovative, which makes it a great budget option.

While showing the image that denotes the readings of structure, fish, weeds and other objects at the maximum depth of 100ft, this fish finder has a downside of not drawing the image.
Small and compact size (can easily fit in the palm of a hand). As such, there is a variety of ways to use this portable unit, including mounting it on the boat using mounting tabs from the package.
Mounting is not a requirement, you can also carry it in any small storage space, for example inside tackle box or in your pocket; else you can throw it into the water (either from boat or dock), and then optionally allow it to float/troll behind your boat.

Humminbird 698ci HD SI Internal GPS/Sonar Combo

Humminbird 698ci HD Side Imaging fish finder is one of the more advanced models

Power output of 500 watts (RMS) and whopping 4000 watts (Peak-to –Peak),
Powerful side imaging technology that offers readings up to 240 feet on boat’s each side
2D sonar of this model gives readings of up to maximum of 1500 ft.
GPS tracking and chart plotting are done with the help of internal GPS unit, which is additionally powered by UniMap cartography.
A card slot allows a selection of optional maps.
Humminbird 698ci has a high-res backlit split screen display allows to view the charts simultaneously with sonar data. The navigation during fishing never was so easy.
Includes temperature and speed data.
Can be installed and deinstalled very easily using the quick disconnect mounting system with tilt and swivel.

Raymarine Dragonfly Fishfinder Sonar GPS

Raymarine Dragonfly fish finder stands out by having features typical for models that are much pricier but costs just around 600.

CHIRP technology that transmits a wide frequency spectrum, creating high-resolution imagery of photographic quality.
The display of this model has a decent size of 5.7 inches, so reading the underwater details shouldn’s be a problem, and with 1600 nits it gives a clear view even when using underneath bright sunlight.
Data from down vision and the images produced by powerful digital sonar engine of this model can be viewed either independently or simultaneously.
Internal GPS is also included, featuring 50 channels and fast-acquisition technology.
Installation and uninstallation of Raymarine Dragonfly are very quick and use transom mount transducer and quick-release swivel bracket to make the process easier.

Humminbird 4086401 PiranhaMAX 175

The last Humminbird model to enter our list of 12 recommended fish finders is perhaps one of the best among inexpensive portable units, and comes with black & white display with the size of 4 inches.

Possesses a dual beam sonar working in the frequency range from 200 kHz to 455 kHz and provides underwater readings with the maximum depth of 600 feet.
The greyscale display allows to view the readings clearly even underneath sun rays in broad daylight.

How to Choose a Fishfinder

As there are too many of brands of models of fish locators, it is understandably difficult to narrow it down to the single fish finder that suits your needs and your very own fishing style. Add there transom mounts, flashers, sonars, echoes, transducers and the common person becomes lost in this quite easily. Read the fish finder selection guide we have compiled.

Transducer

The main part of any fish finder, the transducer is the element that keeps sending sound waves to show the picture of what lies underneath the water surface. This sonar signal sent by the transducer will then bounce off any underwater objects and return to be picked up by the transducer, to be transformed into an accessible form of the picture depicting said underwater objects.

The most important parameter to look for when checking the transducers is the cone angle. The bigger is the cone angle degree, the bigger perspective of the verges underneath it gives. As you want to locate more fish, you will require the extended coverage of the under water, which leads you to selecting the wider beam. But keep in mind that there is also a downside to this: rapid loss of strength and thus unability of deep water penetration when compared to the narrow cone. And vice versa, the narrow cone allows you to see a very deep picture right down to the composition of the bottom (even in shallow waters), but the width of the area covered will be smaller.

There actually is no need to choose one type over the other, since there also are dual beam transducers (also known as dual frequence), which are essentially the combinations of wide and narrow cones in single fish finder unit. Then there are even more specialized transducers with even more beams (for example 4). As expected, these cover even larger underwater areas and can produce 3D viewing images on their displays. And the last option we cover here is the side beam type of transducers, which emits signals to the sides and in this way increases the size of the search area, allowing to find more fish.

Display

The first important parameter of the display is the pixel resolution. More pixels means higher resolution, which allows you to see more details. But it also means a higher price of the model.
The suggested minimal resolution of the screen would, therefore, be 240(w) x 160(h) pixels – which is still pretty blocky in regards to the image.

Then, it’s arguably hard to discern data from even high-res display if the display size itself is small. Thankfully, the displays also come in different sizes and selecting a bigger sized screen will give you better and clearer picture. You will be able to differentiate such data as echoes and numbers without the need to strain your eyes or use the magnifying glass.

Budget display units are typically black & white while color displays are more costly. Color display provides a picture in millions of colors. If you are using the color display, it is easier to view what exactly is happening underwater, plus the screen itself is much more easy to view in bright daylight compared to the black & white version.

Power

Power of fish finders measures in watts and is a very important feature, for it provides you with more usable depth, better speed of displaying and updating your readings, and increased effectiveness overall. This means that while you can still get away with lesser wattage models in shallow waters, for fishing in deep waters (great lakes, oceans and the likes), powerful units are a must. We would recommend the values of 600 watts and 1000+ watts for shallow waters and deep waters respectively.

Frequency

Frequency of fish finder model is an important transducer feature tied directly to its cone angle. Standard frequencies found within most transducers are 200 kHz (max), 192, 83 and finally 50 kHz. Higher frequencies come with the benefit of providing you more advanced details on the display. There are fish finder models with single frequencies, dual frequencies, and multiple frequencies available.

Fixed or Portable

All fish finder units can be divided into two types: fixed fish finders that require to be mounted onto watercrafts, and portable fish finders that are fully self-contained.

Fixed units are most likely the better choice for watercraft owners and settled fishers, seeing that they will be able to mount it to any location on their boat. Typically these are mounted either on the trolling engine, hull or stern. Each setting corresponds to owner’s certain preferences or needs.

If you are leasing your boat or prefer ice fishing / “fly-in” fishing, it’s more suitable to use a portable fish finder. Portable fish finder packages include transom mount for installation needs, with the transducer being attached to the transom via suction cup; they also come with battery power supply and special carrying case.

GPS-Combined Fish Finder Unit

For those looking for the fishing tool that is most advanced, the addition of GPS seems to do the trick. The Global Positioning System (GPS) helps to calculate your exact location using the help of satellites. Needless to say it is a must-have for serious fishers, and why should you use it separately when a combined GPS fish detector saves you both space and money, not to mention is very convenient?

The benefits of adding GPS to your fish finder are various. For one, you will be able to mark the hot fishing spots on the GPS map, and then you can find them anytime you need them and return to exact same spots in the future. By the way, marked GPS spots are known as waypoints, and typically most combination units will allow you to mark hundreds or even thousands of waypoints.

If you have selected one of the fish finding units with charts and background maps inclusion, GPS will also allow you to navigate through the waters.

Finally, use of GPS increases your safety by the simple fact that you will not get lost as GPS will always easily point you home. Consider the cases when your fishing happens throughout several different locations during the day, or situations when severe weather suddenly rolls out, and you lose sight of the landline. With GPS, you can always tell how far you are from home, and in which direction you need to move in order to reach it.

How a Fish finder Works

Fishfinders use sonar technology that displays underwater objects with the help of sound waves.

Sound wave produced by the fish finder is sent through the water by the transducer. As it penetrates the water deeper and deeper, this sound wave spreads forming a conic shape (usually called a beam). Within the range of this beam, any objects encountered by the wave trigger the reflection of the signal back to the transducer.
Transducer calculates the amount of time which has passed between the instances of sending and receiving the bounced back signal. This allows to measure the distance, which is then shown on the display. In case the sound wave does not encounter any obstacles on its way, it will reach the bottom. The bottom can be either soft or rocky. In case of soft bottom composed mostly from mud and weeds, the signal simply gets absorbed, while a rock bottom will reflect more or less strong signal back tot he transducer.
Sonar signal reflections are being read by fish finder and end up displayed on the screen. This way, fish finder lets you know about the bottom and everything encountered between it and the transducer location.

Sonar beam angle is known as the cone angle (measured in degrees), and the wider it is, the more of underwater area will be covered. Each fish detector model comes with own cone angle, and there is a big choice of these, especially if you add the fish finder models that are equipped with multi-beam sonar technology for covering an even wider area.

When comparing different fish finder models, the key things to consider are your budget and the desired features you would like to have in your unit. Deciding between fixed or portable unit is also important, as is the decision to have integral GPS in your fish finder model.