Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

[Dr. Auto]

Looking at fish finders today. Just wondering what's best to go with?

 

[mrdrh99]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

I use the hawk eye from Walmart, only $50 and very functional

 

[ronaldj]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

Looking at fish finders today. Just wondering what's best to go with?

Do you just want a fishfinder or do you want a combo unit that also has gps

 

[Desode]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

If you can find one,, Eagle 350 S/ map GPS combo ! GREAT unit !

 

[Dr. Auto]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

I don't think I really need one with a gps since I always have my phone n can just download a app to do the same thing

 

[Desode]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

I don't think I really need one with a gps since I always have my phone n can just download a app to do the same thing

Well it depends on what your fishing, and what time your fishing.
By this I mean, the Eagle Cuda 350 S/Map , lets me easily make Routes and this lets me for Example: Make a Trail on the lake Map to a certain area, Then If the FOG comes in , I can Follow that trail out Even if I can't see 2 ft in front of my boat. That's even more important in a inflatable. I have used hand held gps and for some things that works find but my gps doesnt let me make perfect trails and routes, like my 350 cuda does. plus I cant fight a fish and still easily watch the screen.
Also You can make GPS Trail lines past ledges for trolling. This is invaluable for fishing certain kinds of fish.
I fish a lot of Saugeye here in Ohio and this feature has caught me to many fish to count.
Also I fish a lot in the evenings and some times at night, be it for Saugeye or Monster Flathead catfish.
I can't not imagine doing so with out a GPS map system built into my Fish finder.
At this point I have all my lakes completely mapped,, By this I mean every stump or sunken tree, and rock pile, and point is on my map for each lake. You can also of coures make way points and there is a Slew of icons to put on those points.
Early this Spring I hooked into a 69.6 pd flathead and we had a hour+ long war on the water.
He was was dragging me all over the place. My fish finder gps saved me a couple of times that night because I had the section of the river marked very well and I was able to use my trolling motor to keep from letting the fish take me into some nasty areas. It was also Very Foggy that night too. I may not have landed that Trophy Cat with out my Eagle 350S/map.

On top of that the Sonar is Very good too and I can even see my lure while jigging on fish. I drop it right on their heads ! LOL

I was just saying for the money , I have yet to find a Fish finder that rivals it and you have the maps and Gps built in also combined with a great Sonar system. I paid $180 for mine at cabelas and Nothing else in the $200 range came close to it.

You can probably find a good used one on Ebay for a good price.

I'm just saying that for under $200 you can't beat it,,, if you can find one.

Anyhow,, Best of Luck with whatever you pick.

Sincerely Desode

 

[Guest]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

Well it depends on what your fishing, and what time your fishing.
By this I mean, the Eagle Cuda 350 S/Map , lets me easily make Routes and this lets me for Example: Make a Trail on the lake Map to a certain area, Then If the FOG comes in , I can Follow that trail out Even if I can't see 2 ft in front of my boat. That's even more important in a inflatable. I have used hand held gps and for some things that works find but my gps doesnt let me make perfect trails and routes, like my 350 cuda does. plus I cant fight a fish and still easily watch the screen.
Also You can make GPS Trail lines past ledges for trolling. This is invaluable for fishing certain kinds of fish.
I fish a lot of Saugeye here in Ohio and this feature has caught me to many fish to count.
Also I fish a lot in the evenings and some times at night, be it for Saugeye or Monster Flathead catfish.
I can't not imagine doing so with out a GPS map system built into my Fish finder.
At this point I have all my lakes completely mapped,, By this I mean every stump or sunken tree, and rock pile, and point is on my map for each lake. You can also of coures make way points and there is a Slew of icons to put on those points.
Early this Spring I hooked into a 69.6 pd flathead and we had a hour+ long war on the water.
He was was dragging me all over the place. My fish finder gps saved me a couple of times that night because I had the section of the river marked very well and I was able to use my trolling motor to keep from letting the fish take me into some nasty areas. It was also Very Foggy that night too. I may not have landed that Trophy Cat with out my Eagle 350S/map.

On top of that the Sonar is Very good too and I can even see my lure while jigging on fish. I drop it right on their heads ! LOL

I was just saying for the money , I have yet to find a Fish finder that rivals it and you have the maps and Gps built in also combined with a great Sonar system. I paid $180 for mine at cabelas and Nothing else in the $200 range came close to it.

You can probably find a good used one on Ebay for a good price.

I'm just saying that for under $200 you can't beat it,,, if you can find one.

Anyhow,, Best of Luck with whatever you pick.

Sincerely Desode

sounds amazing!!! would buy one right now if I did not spend all my money on my boat. I am looking for a gps in the $100 range due to me still needing to buy a 40-50lb kota and a 150 dollar battery and charger.

 

[ronaldj]

Re: Best fish finder for inflatables for under $200

It really does depend on where yiu are fishing. If you are on a small lake just about anything will work. If however you are on a large lake, a river or the ocean then you have to have gps/chart plotter. A land gps will not work on the water. None of the ipad or android gps mapping apps work either. They give you land miles and not nauticle miles. They use land gps. As an example: from the inner harbor in baltimore md. To the harbor in washington dc is approx 250 nm. The phone apps constantly show that it is only 48miles away.

The saving grace to a chart plotter is that you can mark where you go in the water so you can find your way back. I started with a basic unit. I found that 3 inches was too small of a screen when you are by yourself or have old eyes. The eagle unit mentioned has been discontinued. With that said you still need the same type of unit. It should have gps/chart plotting with maps and be at least 5 inches. That will probally take you to $250. For the non color units