Trophy Hunter

Before I head out to the lake to start the morning fish, I grab my fish finder off of its charger and ready my pack for the day. Fish Finders are important parts of fishing in many different types of water. They do this by transmitting a sound wave through the water, allowing it to pick up any objects. The sound wave travels back to the boat, allowing the viewer to see the exact depth of anything beneath the boat.

The fish targets are displayed as either an unprocessed sonar return called an “arch”, or as a fish symbol. Many different fish finders allow you to choose either presentation. There are many factors that will effect the readings. Muggy water, strong winds, waves or even currents can create bubbles in the water, possible changing the wavelength pattern.

When I was researching my potential fish finder, I came upon a few models that stood out above the rest. One such model was the Hummingbird 407680-1 fish finder. Costing around $330, this sonar has a built in GPS. The GPS system allows you to plot out destinations and hotspots for the day. It also has the numbers for artificial reefs and wrecks in the area that you are fishing. I used the Hummingbird with one of my friends on his boat out in Tampa Bay, and the screen resolution and GPS made the hunt very successful.

The Furuno FCV 295 has a sonar detector capable of detecting some of the deepest fish, but has a price of more than $2,330. The Furuno has a 10.4 inch LCD screen, making it easy to see the fish and structure on the bottom floor. This model is better for deep sea fishing because it gives a more detailed view of the bottom and it can locate fish and respond back with an echo that gives you the exact size of the fish or size of the school of fish. Many guides and professional fisherman have this model. This model was a lot more expensive than the Hummingbird model and it did not have the built in GPS.

The Eagle FishEasy 350 Fish Finder is another affordable fish finder. This device can locate fish up to 60 feet deep. While it may not detect objects in most parts of the ocean, it is great for lakes, rivers and coastal waters. It has a protective screen giving it a great glow in direct sunlight, something other models struggle with. This Fish Easy fish finder comes in a compact size allowing it to be easily mounted anywhere on your boat.

Of the three, I chose to purchase the Hummingbird. Although I had experience with this model, it was plain to see that it was the most affordable fish finder for the dollar. Since the purchase of my new toy, I have been very successful on the lakes and coastal waters of Tampa. I recommend this model to anyone looking for a fish finder, giving you great picture and a GPS function that will find you any fishing hot spot. Sea ya on the water!