The 10 Best Fish Finders Under $300 in 2021
Photo: Deeper
Fishfinders have become a necessity nowadays when fishing. They eliminate guesswork by helping you to identify areas with huge schools of fish. This increases the chances of having a big catch by the end of the day.
However, one of the most important things to consider when selecting these tools is the price. Some can be very costly but this article lists out 10 of the best fish finders under $300 to consider buying.
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10 Best Fish Finders Under $300 – Review
- 1. Garmin 010-01872-00 – Best Overall Fish Finder under $300
- 2. Lowrance 000-12635-001 – Most Affordable Fish Finder
- 3. Deeper DP1H10S10 – Best Wireless Fish Finder Under $300
- 4. Deeper DP1H20S10 – Best Portable Fish Finder Under $300
- 5. Humminbird 410160-1 – Best Down Imaging Fish Finder Under $300
- 6. Humminbird 410210-1 – Best Chart Plotting Fish Finder Under $300
- 7. Garmin 010-01871-00 – Fish Finder Under $300 with Contour Maps
- 8. Garmin 010-01806-00 – Fish Finder Under $300 with Waypoint Map
- 9. Humminbird 410060-1 – Easy-to-Install Fish Finder Under $300
- 10. Garmin 010-01550-10 – Fish Finder Under $300 with a Carrying Bag
- How to Buy the Best Fish Finder Under $300
- Conclusion
10 Best Fish Finders Under $300 – Review
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1. Garmin 010-01872-00 (Best Overall) |
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2. Lowrance 000-12635-001 (Most Affordable) |
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3. Deeper DP1H10S10 (Best Wireless) |
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4. Deeper DP1H20S10 (Best Portable) |
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5. Humminbird 410160-1 (Best for Down Imaging) |
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6. Humminbird 410210-1 (Best for Chart Plotting) |
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7. Garmin 010-01871-00 (Has Contour Maps) |
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8. Garmin 010-01806-00 (Has Waypoint Map) |
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9. Humminbird 410060-1 (Easy-to-Install) |
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10. Garmin 010-01550-10 (Has a Carrying Bag) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. Garmin 010-01872-00 (Best Overall) |
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2. Lowrance 000-12635-001 (Most Affordable) |
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3. Deeper DP1H10S10 (Best Wireless) |
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4. Deeper DP1H20S10 (Best Portable) |
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5. Humminbird 410160-1 (Best Down Imaging) |
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6. Humminbird 410210-1 (Best Chart Plotting) |
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7. Garmin 010-01871-00 (Has Contour Maps) |
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8. Garmin 010-01806-00 (Has Waypoint Map) |
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9. Humminbird 410060-1 (Easy-to-Install) |
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10. Garmin 010-01550-10 (Has a Carrying Bag) |
1. Garmin 010-01872-00 – Best Overall Fish Finder under $300
Photo: Garmin
- Battery: 12V
- Display Size: 5”
- Transmit Power: 500 W (RMS)
- Weight: 16 oz.
Garmin’s 010-01872-00 takes the overall best spot and this can be attributed to various factors. For starters, it has a large 5” display that is sunlight-readable and has an intuitive user interface.
The unit also combines traditional, CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar to give you crisp, near-photographic images of the water bed and other objects below your boat.
Quickdraw contours mapping software is built-in and it enables you to create and store 1-ft contour maps for an area equivalent to 2 million acres.
You also get a highly sensitive GPS that allows you to mark waypoints for navigation. Additionally, GPS makes it possible to monitor your boat’s speed and the 5-in display can be split to show all this data at once.
Other features include rugged construction for maximum durability, a water temperature sensor, fish symbol ID for easy identification of fish targets and a high-power transmission of 500 W (RMS) for maximum depth scanning.
The only issue is that this unit is quite expensive.
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2. Lowrance 000-12635-001 – Most Affordable Fish Finder
Photo: Lowrance
- Display Size: 3”
- Weight: 32 oz.
If you are on a tight budget, Lowrance’s 000-12635-001 is the most affordable fish finder under $300 in this review. Despite this, it has a dual-beam sonar that produces the sound wave at 83 or 200kHz.
The 83kHz wave is beamed out at a 60˚ conical angle, which gives an image of the fish over a wide area. On the other hand, the 200kHz wave is projected at a 20˚ cone angle for enhanced fish target separation and deep depth scanning.
A page button is included for easy switching to either frequency while Advanced Signal Processing (ASP) reduces the need to manually adjust the settings to see what is underneath your boat.
Other features a 3” color display that is LED-backlit for sunlight readability, a quick-release tilt-and-swivel bracket for easy adjustment of the viewing angle and fish ID icons on the user interface.
However, you don’t get GPS or contour mapping built-in.
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3. Deeper DP1H10S10 – Best Wireless Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: Deeper
- Battery: 3.7V Rechargeable
- Maximum Depth: 260 ft.
- Weight: 3.5 oz.
For wireless fish finding, we highly recommend Deeper’s DP1H10S10 because it has Wi-Fi built-in and creates a hotspot to connect to android/iOS phones or tablets. That said, it has a casting range of 330 ft. and thus, you should not be worried about a weak signal at close range.
Wi-Fi also has the benefit of being faster than Bluetooth and this allows you to send up to 15 scans per second to the fish deeper app on your device.
These scans are saved on the app and the finder’s built-in GPS enables you to create a detailed record of the locations that you fish.
Other features include a dual-beam sonar that projects 90 and 290 kHz at 55˚ and 15˚ respectively, a 1-in target separation and a lightweight 3.5 oz. design.
On the downside, the product has a relatively shallow depth range of 260 ft.
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4. Deeper DP1H20S10 – Best Portable Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: Deeper
- Battery: 3.7V Rechargeable
- Maximum Depth: 260 ft.
- Weight: 3.5 oz.
This fish finder is characterized by a very portable design because it weighs only 3.5 oz. and is a single piece, handheld unit. It is also very similar to the DP1H10S10 because it has built-in Wi-Fi that connects to android/iOS phones and tablets.
The unit has a dual beam sonar that features a wide scanning 90kHz 55˚ beam to search for fish along a broad path and a narrow scanning 290kHz 15˚ frequency for detailed, deep depth scanning.
Other features include access to Lake Book, which is the brand’s bathymetric platform, for saving and retrieving all the scans sent to the app, a water temperature sensor and durable ABS construction.
However, you don’t get GPS for spotting and plotting, and the unit’s max depth range is quite shallow (260 ft.).
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5. Humminbird 410160-1 – Best Down Imaging Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: Humminbird
- Battery: 10.8-20V
- Display Size: 4.3”
- Transmit Power: 300 W (RMS)
- Maximum Depth: 600 ft.
- Weight: 32 oz.
Humminbird’s 410160-1 is ideal for down imaging because it is equipped with a dual-beam sonar with a high frequency of 455kHz at 16˚. This ensures you get sharp, near-photographic images of the waterbed, fish, and objects below your boat up to a depth of 320 ft.
It also produces low frequency 200kHz 28˚ wave, which is ideal for deeper waters of up to 600 ft.
You also get a relatively large 4.3” display, a tilt-and-swivel mount bracket for quickly adjusting your viewing angle, fish alarms, depth alarms, and fish ID icons for easy identification.
However, no GPS or mapping software is built into this fish finder.
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6. Humminbird 410210-1 – Best Chart Plotting Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: Humminbird
- Battery: 10.8-20V
- Display Size: 5”
- Transmit Power: 500 W (RMS)
- Maximum Depth: 1500 ft.
- Weight: 40 oz.
With its built-in Anima cartography and precision internal GPS, Humminbird’s 410210-1 offers the best chart plotting for navigation and fish hotspot marking.
The cartography comprises of Humminbird’s base map, which includes detailed charts of the entire US coast and more than 10,000 lakes. You also get a micro SD card slot for saving waypoints or loading other maps.
Aside from that, the unit is equipped with a large 5” color display that gives impressive views of the maps.
You also get a powerful CHIRP dual beam PLUS sonar with a 500W RMS power output. This scans depths of up to 1500 ft., making ideal for deep lakes and seas. On the downside, this fish finder is quite costly.
More Detailed: Humminbird Helix 5 Review
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7. Garmin 010-01871-00 – Fish Finder Under $300 with Contour Maps
Photo: Garmin
- Battery: 12V
- Display Size: 4.3”
- Transmit Power: 300 W (RMS)
- Weight: 11.2 oz.
Garmin’s 010-01871-00 is equipped with the brand’s contours mapping software, which allows you to create and store 1-ft contours for an area the size of 2 million acres.
The unit is also equipped with GPS and this lets you plot routes, mark waypoints and view your boat’s speed, as an alternative to the vessel’s built-in speedometer.
CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP ClearVü scanning sonar are used to keep an eye on the happening below the boat. These ensure you get a crisp, clear, near-photographic image of the waterbed, fish, rocks and other objects.
Other features include a large, split-screen 4.3” display that is sunlight readable, a rugged design that is very durable and a water temperature sensor.
The only problem is that you don’t get preloaded maps with detailed charts of different water bodies.
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8. Garmin 010-01806-00 – Fish Finder Under $300 with Waypoint Map
Photo: Garmin
- Battery: 12V
- Display Size: 3.5”
- Transmit Power: 300 W (RMS)
- Maximum Depth: 1,750 ft. freshwater, 830 ft. saltwater
- Weight: 8.1 oz.
This fish finder features waypoint maps for navigation, in which it utilizes its high sensitivity GPS to locate your position from the waypoints you have marked.
That said, the GPS is also very useful when it comes to marking fish biting hotspots so that you can easily find your way back. Additionally, it displays speed data so that you can check if you are trolling at the right speed.
Apart from that, the unit is equipped with CHIRP traditional sonar and ClearVü scanning sonar, which ensure you get very clear images of the surface and objects underneath your vessel.
CHIRP produces a 77-200kHz frequency sound wave for deep scanning while ClearVü sends out a higher 455-800kHz for clearer imaging. Combined, these enable you to scan at depths of up to 1,750 ft. in freshwater and 830 ft. in salt water, which is quite deep.
The only problem is that there is no contour mapping software built-in for creating and saving contour maps.
More Detailed: Garmin Striker 010-01806-00 Review
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9. Humminbird 410060-1 – Easy-to-Install Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: Humminbird
- Battery: 8 AA
- Display Size: 3.5”
- Maximum Depth: 600 ft.
- Weight: 105.6 oz.
If you are looking for a fish finder that you can easily install then uninstall on your boat, Humminbird’s 410060-1 is your best bet. This is because it is equipped with a clamp, which allows for tool-free installation and multi-directional mounting.
It also has a telescopic pole that extends the sonar from 24”-40” downwards, depending on the height of your boat. This ensures it is submerged in water for clearer imaging.
That said, you get a dual-beam sonar that utilizes a 455kHz 28˚ cone for detailed scanning and a narrow 200kHz 16˚ beam for deep depth scanning of up to 600 ft.
Additionally, you get down imaging for creating near-photographic images. The down imaging transducer scans by using a high 455kHz frequency on a wide 75˚ cone, which covers a wide area.
Other features include an 8 AA battery-powered system, which means no wiring is required, fish ID+ for identifying fish and their depth and a 3.5” color TFT screen. However, you don’t get GPS for easy navigation.
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10. Garmin 010-01550-10 – Fish Finder Under $300 with a Carrying Bag
Photo: Garmin
- Display Size: 3.5”
- Transmit Power: 200 W (RMS)
- Maximum Depth: 1,600 ft. freshwater, 750 ft. saltwater
- Weight: 172.8 oz.
Though very heavy, Garmin’s 010-01550-10 comes with a carrying bag that makes it a bit easier to transport. This makes it ideal to use in canoes, kayaks or ice fishing.
Apart from that, the unit is equipped with a highly sensitive GPS, which works in tandem with the built-in waypoint map to plot your path for easy navigation back to shore. The GPS also enables you to mark the points with plenty of fish and shows you the boat’s speed on the screen.
Other features include a built-in flasher for stationary vertical fishing on ice or when jigging for crappie fish, a CHIRP (77/200 kHz) transducer for creating clear, detailed images, fish symbol ID for easy identification and Ultrascroll, which displays fish targets at high boat speeds.
On the downside, a contour mapping software is not built-in for creating and saving such maps.
More Detailed: Garmin 010-01550-10 Review
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How to Buy the Best Fish Finder Under $300
Photo: ondeckby.dinga.com.au
1. Display
There are two main factors to consider when checking a fish finder’s display. First is the color. Some units are equipped with black and white screens while others have colored displays.
The latter is better off because it gives clearer views of the fish and waterbed, and also allows for some advanced features to be built-in such as fish color-coding by size.
The second factor is the size and generally, the larger the display, the better. This is because you get to view larger images with more detail. Therefore, the large 5” display in Garmin’s 010-01872-00 and Humminbird’s 410210-1 gives them an edge over the rest.
2. Ease of Use
Ease of use is determined by a wide variety of factors. For instance, fish symbol IDs on the user interface make fish identification much easier.
Simple one-touch frequency switching or automated switching also makes the fish finder easy to use if it has a dual beam sonar.
An easy-to-install design such as the clamping mechanism in Humminbird’s 410060-1 is also recommended for hassle-free tool-less mounting on your boat.
3. Transducer
A transducer is the engine of any functioning fish finder. It is responsible for sending out sound waves then constructs image scans of the objects under your boat after receiving the wave’s echo.
That said, there are different types of transducers, key among them being the dual-beam sonar. This gives you the option of transmitting the sound waves in either a wide, high-frequency beam for high detail imaging or a narrow, low-frequency beam for deepwater scanning.
There are also the newer CHIRP and ClearVü sonars, which offer far more detailed scans. This is because they transmit longer sound wave sweeps on different frequencies. For this, be sure to check out Garmin’s 010-01872-00 , 010-01871-00 and 010-01806-00 .
4. Scanning
Most fish finders scan downwards to the waterbed. This is ideal for deep scanning. However, some units are designed to scan sideways and this gives you wide horizontal coverage through the water column.
Each has its benefits and therefore, we recommend getting a unit that can scan in both directions for the best performance.
5. Built-in GPS
GPS is important for two main reasons. First, it helps you to plot a path by marking waypoints so that you can easily navigate back to shore after fishing.
Second, it helps you to mark fishing hotspots where you get lots of bites. This makes it easier to return to these areas next time for faster catching.
For this reason, we highly recommend Garmin’s 010-01872-00 , Deeper’s DP1H10S10 and Humminbird’s 410210-1 , just to name a few.
6. Portability
Portability is usually determined by the weight of the unit. In this case, Deeper’s DP1H20S10 and DP1H10S10 are the lightest, weighing in at only 3.5 oz. They also have a compact, handheld design, which makes them easy to carry and easy to use on different boats.
Conclusion
All in all, the fish finders listed above are the best quality for their price but Garmin’s 010-01872-00 takes the top spot due to its large display, contours mapping, GPS and high-quality CHIRP and ClearVü sonars.
However, if this is too costly for you, be sure to check out Lowrance’s 000-12635-001 , which is very affordable.
If you prefer the wireless type though, we recommend Deeper’s DP1H10S10 as the best fish finder under $300 to buy.