How To Choose The Best Portable Fish Finder
Fishing is an art. It is enthusiasts like you would search for the best tools for your kayak. In the case of fish finders, you must be affirmative in choosing the best fish finder available for your kayak. There are many different types of fish finders available in the market. Most of them convince you of all the fake information. Today, I will tell you which fish finder is perfect and a perfect fit for your kayak.
I am sure reading this blog will clear most of your doubts and will help you find your ideal Fish Finder.
Firstly, you should be aware that there are two broad categories of fish finders.
- Portable Fish Finder
- Castable Fish Finder
Portable vs. Castable units- Portable Unit :
These fish finders include a display unit which can be carried around and a transducer. The transducer is also portable. The transducer is mainly installed in the transom of the boat/kayak. You can also attach the display unit to your kayak using a mount.
Castable unit:
The castable unit has a small sphere-shaped transducer which you are supposed to attach to the end of your fishing rod. Then you can position it at the place you want to scan. The transducer is connected to your phone over wifi and displays all the information accordingly. This is possible with the help of an app developed by the company.
The key difference between both the fish finder lies in the variation of their sizes. A portable fish finder is handy and can also be mounted, whereas castable units are small and free from any sort of installation.
Types Of Portable Fish Finders:
Now that we know what exactly portable and capable fish finders are let’s move on to find what are the types of the portable fish finder.
There are three main types of portable fish finder:
- Portable units
- Castable units
- Mount units
Portable Fish Finder Units:
These come with a carrier case, usually made up of plastic. This holds all the accessories along with the device. A portable fish finder comes with a portable transducer. It also has a battery and a finding unit. Some manufacturers also provide a mounting base to mount the fish finder. It is generally considered to be the traditional type of fish finder unit. You can consider reading their reviews before buying like Humminbird Helix 9 Reviews and their benefits also.
Castable Fish Finder Units
It is an upgraded version of the technology used. It uses your mobile phone to display the information. It is connected to the transducer using a mobile network or wifi. An app is to be installed in order to use the fish finder. Using this app, you will get a clear look at the underwater scenes.
Mounting Fish Finder Units
This device is said to be of the hybrid type. You can mount these fish finders on your kayak. The mount can be temporary. Float tubes are used for its functioning.
Features Of Portable Fish Finder
While choosing your fish finder, it’s important that you are well aware of its features. I will tell you some of the amazing features your fish finder should include.
Screen Size And Resolution:
The screen size is an important decisive factor. The screen if the fish finder is preferred to be as big as possible to have a clear view and understanding. As the size of the display unit increases, the rate also goes up. In the case of some portable fish finders, your phone is your display unit. This makes it easy to use. This also gives you your choice of screen size.
When it comes to the resolution, the greater the resolution, the better will be the quality of the display. More number of pixels makes it possible to have a clear image of the underwater world. Devices with low resolution often cause misinterpretation of information and also confusion. In the beginning, fish finders were usually back and white. With the advancement in technology through all these years, they now have coloured screens.
Ease Of Detachment :
When it comes to portable fish finders, they are very easy to install on your boat or kayak and even on your fishing rod.
If you choose a mounting fish finder that can be fixed on your boat, you should look for one with many transducer lines. This will make installing easy for you.
In the case of castable units, they are designed in such a fashion that they can be easily attached or detached from the fishing line. You can lower it according to your requirement and detach it later on.
Wired Or Wireless Connectivity:
In some portable units, you need to wire your battery and transducer to the display unit to work. Such units are mostly cheap. But it also makes it difficult to carry around. You need to make sure you have power input to your unit to energize them.
While in the case of the wireless unit, they do not require any external source of power. This makes it easier to handle. You have to connect them with your phone using wifi to use them.
Weight:
One of the crucial features your fish finder should possess is to be light in weight. Most fish finders are small in size, which makes them easy to use. It is difficult to work if your fish finder is heavy. If you are installing your fish finder on your boat, the weight wouldn’t matter.
Cone Angle:
It is very important to choose the cone angle considering your requirement. Cone angle is nothing but the width of the area under scanning. Wide come angle refers to a higher area under scanning for finding fishes. As the signal transmits deeper into the water, the angle increases, and the sensitivity for detecting decreases. While opting for a transducer cone angle range, you might want to consider if you are fishing in deep or shallow waters. For deep water fishing, I highly recommend you to use a lower come angle. Whereas in shallow fishing, you can go for a wider fishing angle to cover more area. Transducers having dual-beam are also available in the market.
Waterproof:
It is hard to avoid your fish finder unit getting wet during fishing. You may be able to not fully dunk it on water, but water splashes are inevitable. This can cause damage to your fish finder if it is not waterproof. This it is ideal to opt for a fish finder that is waterproof.
Such units generally come with a plastic coating to avoid corrosion. This helps it last a longer period of time.
How Does Fish Finder Work?
Fish finder works on the principle of the SONAR system. It transmits ultrasonic waves into the water, which upon hitting reflects backs. This reflected signal is detected and decoded to find the size, shape, and composition of the object it hit. Accordingly, the signal is sent to the display unit.
Which Benefits More From Portable Fish Finders?
Kayak, canoes, and rental boats.
Portable fish finders are best used on smaller boats such as kayaks and canoes as they work best in shallow waters. You can use both castable or mount fish finders efficiently.
Ice fishing: Portable fish finders is the best bet for ice fishing. It works well during ice fishing. You don’t need to drill holes at several spots to find fishes. Using your fish finder, you can know exactly where the fishes are. This saves a lot of time and effort.
This is everything you need to know before selecting your fish finder. Make sure you choose wisely. Fish finders can be your perfect fishing partner if you get them right.
FAQ’s Portable Fish Finder
What Is A Portable Fish finder?
~ A fish finder is a device used by fishermen to locate fishes in the water. Fish finder units which can be carried around or remounted easily are often referred to as portable fish finder.
Is It Better To Get A Portable Or Castable Fish finder?
~ Both the fish finder work according to the need of the fishermen. Considering your requirement, you need to choose one.
Can Portable Fish Finders Be Used For Ice Fishing?
~ Yes, you can use portable fish finders to use fishing. Portable fish finders work amazingly for ice fishing.
