# Recommended fish finder for kayak?



## JamesRiverVa (Apr 24, 2012)

Just got a new (to me) WS Tarpon 140 that I'll be outfitting this winter and using next season to fish some in freshwater lakes here in SW Virginia but primarily on trips to the OBX, where I will use it to fish in Ocracoke Inlet (teach's hole channel, maybe over to Blair or Wallace channel on a really good day), Hatteras Inlet off the N end of Ocracoke and behind the island. 

I know that much of the water behind Hatteras and Ocracoke is too shallow for a depth finder/fish finder to be of much use. But for those places that it's useful - particularly the channels off the ends of the islands and in the inlets - I look forward to being able to find edges, dropoffs, schools of baitfish and such. My question - knowing the yak (T140) and the waters I'm primarily going to fish in, does anyone have a recommendation for a good fish finder? I'd like to get one with GPS if possible, and while I don't need the most expensive thing on the market, budget isn't really the top concern either - I'm willing to spend a little more to get the right tool. Any thoughts?


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## torrnt (Sep 9, 2012)

I have the Lowrance Elite 4. This is my first ff so I can't compare it to anything, but I think it's great. The GPS helps me navigate the mornings I go out, because it's dark when I launch. With the color screen, I can see in bright sunlight and distinguish fish, bait schools, etc.


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## fishinfanatic (Jan 23, 2008)

I've been looking for one also. The Garmin Echo 100 looks good for around $80. It's a black and white screen if you care, the quality looks really good from the reviews and videos I've looked at.


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## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Had an Eagle on three


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## smlobx (Jul 3, 2009)

JamesRiverVA-

I live at SML and fish the OBX off of Hatteras...If you're going out of SML and want some company drop me a line as I'm trying to get into fishing in my back yard so to speak.

Can't help much on the FF but there are lots of options and opinions...I would like to find one with a good transducer that will mount through the scupper hole but have heard mixed reviews...
Good luck!


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## DredRum (Oct 24, 2005)

Ancient Chinese secret, best fish finder=rod and reel. Lee W.


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## JamesRiverVa (Apr 24, 2012)

smlobx, I am in Botetourt County just north of Roanoke. When it comes to freshwater I primarily fish the James and New rivers for smallmouth but I do get out to SML at least a couple of times a year, usually to stay with friends who have a place on the lake. Haven't tried yak fishing there but have always wanted to. Especially early morning when it's calm. Have also wondered about the area near the Hardy ramp during the time of year when the stripers are around there. I'd enjoy getting out on the water with you sometime. 

I like the idea of the scupper mount transducer also, but keep running into reviews where people say theirs got scraped up. Not sure which direction I'll go or whether a fish finder is really more hassle than I want - one reason I enjoy yak fishing is simplicity and the idea of batteries, wires, couplings, transducers etc. kind of goes against that. Then again I think it's the install itself that has me the most intimidated. If there was someone local who was good with that sort of thing and knew what they were doing, I'd be willing to pay them to install a fishfinder for me once I decided what I want. I know I would like the screen unit itself to be removable rather than permanently mounted, even if the base it is seated on is permanent. But I'm unclear whether that is standard or an unusual feature.


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## RAYTOGS (May 8, 2010)

JamesRiverVa,I am from the roanoke valley, moved east about 15 years ago, but travel there alot and our club does a campout on the upper james every summer on some land that a friend has. anyway i also have the tarpon 140. i used lexel and a piece of closed cell foam to secure my transducer to the inside of my hull from the inside in front of the console. it has held up great for the last 2 years and my fishfinder does a great job wih his setup. i used a thru hull fitting on the console to bring the wires threu and mounted a yakattack geartrack to the console to mount the ff. it works great and all the wires are out of the way. i just put the batery in the front hatch and off i go. i hope this helps a little.


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## charlieru (Aug 30, 2012)

I got a lowrance x-4 FF "installed" in my WS Ride 135. I mean "installed" for two simple reasons, 1. I don't use it all the time and 2. I did not want to dril holes in my kayak. After a little research and and a little creativity I decided that I will make FF a portable one. I took advantage of the SlideTrax Accessory System that come with my kayak and a transducer deployment device I bought from a company (you can goggle transducer deployment device and find who makes or sells them out there) and a water proof box purchased at a sporting goods store. I will post pictures of my set up later so you can get an idea of what I did, maybe it can help you decide on how to proceed.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

Bass Pro has the Hummingbird Priananh max 170 on sale $ 69 Nov21-25 Reg $99 the 150 little cheaper model for $59 reg 79 Good deal on these/


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## Southerly (Sep 14, 2011)

i have the humminbird 798 ci si with navionics gold charts. ci is integrated combo with chartplotter. the si is side imaging. i got it all for under $1k. not cheap, but i like this unit a lot. the side image does spot fish out to the sides sometimes. you'll have to develop confidence in what it's showing you because a fish out 40' to the side will only show as a bright dot in a monochromatic display. sometimes closer, larger fish look more like objects, even have shadows sometimes. side image does sometimes work ok in shallow water down to say about 4'. but whatever depth - you have to learn to interpret what's displayed. sometimes very easy and sometimes not. i believe the user manual is online and explains display/interpretation, how sonar system works etc..

it has color conventional sonar too. this is nice because i can tell keeper size rock from white perch or dinks most of the time due to yellow center on larger returns compared to red for small fish. otherwise, arches scale in size with water depth and can be hard to judge sometimes. 

the chartplotter is hugely handy some of the time for a lot of reasons. in small familiar creeks, not really needed. 

in any case, this unit gives a lot of information - how much you learn to understand and what you do with it is up to you. i mounted my transducer inside of the bow of a hobie outback in a 'wet well' - works fine. the side image just needs to be in water deep enough to have a wet 'line of sight' to the sides.

before buying, i was telling my wife pros cons of different FF's and she told me to just get what i want. i didn't wait to hear her say it twice.


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

I am of the opinion that the FF and GPS should be 2 different units.
If the screen goes out, it means you lose both units. It would never happen on a nice day, just when you need it most....

I like the Garmin 330? It is a small screen color unit.
And a Garmin hand held GPS.


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## Andrew3 (Feb 11, 2013)

Mmmmm i think you hsould purchase a new model of Kayak in which the fish finder camera and a fishing box simply
meant the fishing equipements kayak for catch the fishes and this kayak you can get from the market 
or you can also purchase on order....


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## fish militia (Nov 1, 2004)

dena said:


> I am of the opinion that the FF and GPS should be 2 different units.
> If the screen goes out, it means you lose both units. It would never happen on a nice day, just when you need it most....
> 
> I like the Garmin 330? It is a small screen color unit.
> And a Garmin hand held GPS.


Yeh..what he said..

Built in dvd players in a tv or vcr/dvd combos and so on..no good. One part goes bad and you are screwed.

Keep your units seperate.


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## Andrew3 (Feb 11, 2013)

Andrew3 said:


> Mmmmm i think you hsould purchase a new model of Kayak in which the fish finder camera and a fishing box simply
> meant the fishing equipements kayak for catch the fishes and this kayak you can get from the market
> or you can also purchase on order....



For More Information....
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