9 Best Kayak Fish Finders of 2021
The kayak fish finder as its name suggests is a fish finder that is attached to your kayak and allows you to find fishes using sonar.
Since it is supposed to be used with a moving kayak, the fish finder must be able to cope with the speed of a moving kayak and be sufficiently powerful to still provide a clear and accurate reading.
Therefore, the kayak fish finder has a superior transducer that allows it to emit a powerful sonar to provide a clearer photographic image, despite the fact that it is moving. Neat!
If you are looking for one, our kayak fish finder review will help you find a good model for the money.
Without any further ado, let's begin!
9 Best Kayak Fish Finders - Review
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Image |
Product Name |
Depth |
Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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1. Garmin Striker 4 Built in GPS Kayak Fish Finder |
487 m |
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2. Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Kayak Fish Finder |
100 m |
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3. iBobber Wireless Bluetooth Smart Kayak Fish Finder |
41 m |
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4. Deeper Smart Portable Kayak Fish Finder For Smartphone or Tablet |
39 m |
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5. Deeper Smart Sonar Pro GPS Portable Kayak Fish Finder |
79 m |
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6. Hawkeye Fishtrax 1C Kayak Fish Finder with HD Color Virtuview |
N/A |
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7. Garmin 010-01806-00 Kayak Fish Finder |
533 m |
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8. Humminbird 410210-1 GPS G2 Kayak Fish Finder |
457 m |
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9. FishHunter Military Grade Portable Kayak Fish Finder |
30 m |
1. Garmin Striker 4 Built in GPS Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Garmin
- Depth: 487 meters
- Display size: 3.5, 5 and 7 inches
- GPS: Yes
The Garmin Striker has been for years one of the best kayak fish finders on the market. This is a versatile model that comes in 3 different screen sizes of 3.5 inches, 5 inches and 7 inches depending on user preference and budget.
Moreover, this unit has built-in GPS that allows you to tag locations and waypoints on maps. Further, there are many maps that can be installed on this device to suit individual needs.
What makes this kayak fish finder so good is simply its superior sonar that gives a detailed photographic image of the bottom. For users who don't need complex data and visuals, this Garmin fish finder has a built-in flasher that is very easy to use and great for ice fishing.
All in all, if you require the best of the best while still not going over a reasonable budget, this model is the best kayak fish finder for the money.
More Detailed : Garmin 010-01550-00 Review
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2. Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Venterior
- Depth: 100 meters
We reckon that fish finders are not the cheapest fishing accessories. Some fish finders are well outside the budget of many, but still remains a vital accessory for kayak fishing .
So what is the solutions?
That would be the Venterior VT-FF001. It's a minimalist fish finder that is small and compact making it portable.
This model is wireless can comes with a receiver that contains a screen/antenna and an emitter that sends the sonar.
What really separates the Venterior VT-FF001 from other fish finders is definitely its price. It's by far the most affordable unit in this kayak fish finder review.
However, being cheaper than other models does not necessarily make it a bad product. It has a color screen and provides you with useful information like temperature, depth, bottom contour, etc. Very versatile.
It also has a fish alarm than when turned on, will beep to inform you about the location of the fish.
Altogether, this model is one of the best budget kayak fish finders on the market. It will not disappoint if you need only a basic and beginner fish finder.
More Detailed : Venterior VT-FF001 Review
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3. iBobber Wireless Bluetooth Smart Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: iBobber
- Depth: 41 meters
- GPS: Yes
The iBobber has a unique design and concept. This is a small and portable sonar emitter that connects to your smartphone to provides you will all the information you need.
As long as you have the necessary app installed on your smartphone, you are good to go.
Moreover, the iBobber is battery powered and has an exceptionally long runtime of 10+ hours. A lot considering the small size of this fish finder.
Best, it can give a fairly accurate bottom contour and photographic sonar image for a depth of up to 41 meters.
This is more than enough for most people who kayak, especially those who kayak on lakes and rivers that are usually not that deep.
Best, the iBobber has inbuilt GPS that will allow you to map your location or any other interesting locations on a tracking map. Of course, this is free of charge and provided with the free smartphone app.
Essentially, the iBobber is the best portable Kayak fish finder that you can find on the market.
Considering that this kayak fish finder is very good at what it does and still remains fairly affordable when compared to other fish finders that do the same thing but are significantly more expensive.
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4. Deeper Smart Portable Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Deeper Smart
- Depth: 39 meters
- GPS: Smartphone GPS
Some people who go kayak fishing require the absolute best when it comes to fish finders . This is where models like the Deeper Smart Portable comes in.
This Deeper Smart Portable is a top-rated kayak fish finder that is a professional grade unit that has an excellent build construction and very high sensitivity for detecting small objects in a way that other fish finders cannot.
For example, this Deeper Smart Portable fish finder can detect objects as small as 3 inches at a depth of 39 meters. Very accurate indeed.
Additionally, it has a GPS feature but to take advantage of it you will need to connect to a smartphone. A smartphone or tablet app for both iOS and Android is free.
With its GPS feature, you can do fish tagging which is very helpful if you want to come back later on with your kayak.
Moreover, it charges with a USB cable which provides it with a lot of versatility as it has an inbuilt rechargeable battery.
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5. Deeper Smart Sonar Pro GPS Portable Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Deeper Smart
- Depth: 79 meters
- GPS: Yes
The Deeper Smart Sonar Pro is a carbon copy of the Deeper Smart Portable we reviewed above. It is in fact, the exact same model with one exception. This unit has built-in GPS while the Deeper Smart Portable needed a smartphone to get GPS functionality.
Again, we see the same superb built construction that makes this fish finder suitable for both freshwater and seawater.
This unit is a highly portable kayak fish finder and has the same excellent sensitivity that allows it to spot very small objects at great depth. In fact, it has a depth range of 79 meters which is significantly better than the 39 meters depth range of the Deeper Smart Portable.
Clearly, we can see that this model builds on the strength of the portable version and it is better in every way while still costing a little bit less, making it more value for money.
If you need a professional and top-rated kayak fish finder that is portable and requires no mounting, the deeper Smart sonar Pro is an excellent model to consider.
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6. Hawkeye Fishtrax 1C Kayak Fish Finder with HD Color Virtuview
Photo: Hawkeye
- GPS: No
The HawkEye Fishtrax is a highly portable kayak fish finder that has a flasher system and a dual frequency sonar transducer. This makes it very versatile when angling and provides a rich photographic image.
The Hawkeye Fishtrax is not a professional model, but for casual kayakers it simply gets the job done.
Additionally, if you are planning to do ice fishing then this model fits the bill as it has a digital flasher mode that gives you quick flash when it identifies fishes.
Moreover, the control keys on the interface of this fish finder are close together and very easy to use. The arrow keys to the right of the device make it even easier to go through the various functions quickly.
Moreover, this model can be mounted to your kayak fairly easily as it has a mounting base at the bottom.
All in all, if you are looking for a semi-professional fish tracker that has a rich set of features it has an attractive price than the HawkEye Fishtrax is an excellent model to consider.
It is hard to beat especially at the price that it is offered.
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7. Garmin 010-01806-00 Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Garmin
- Depth: 533 meters
- Display size: 3.5 inches
- GPS: Yes
The Garmin 010-01806-00 is quite similar to the other Garmin fish tracker we have reviewed above. With a major difference. This model is a small upgrade with better features.
For one, this Garmin 010-01806-00 has a better depth range of 533 meters in freshwater which makes it one of the champions and best depth kayak fish finder in this entire review. It has the same solid and durable build construction as well as a keyed interface that is very easy to use.
The screen is colored and gives a lot of detailed information, more than what the average person will ever need. However, it is still good to know that it's there.
There is inbuilt GPS that allows for waypoint markings and you can even download maps for even more versatility.
The transducer is equipped with a dual chirp ClearVu sonar that is very powerful and mostly responsible for the detailed photographic image that this fish finder is able to display.
Moreover, installation of this device on a kayak is very easy as with all Garmin fish finders. It has the base that will fit in almost any kayak quickly and easily. The Garmin 010-01806-00 is certainly one of the best kayak fish finders that money can buy right now.
More Detailed: Garmin Striker 010-01806-00 Review
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8. Humminbird 410210-1 GPS G2 Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: Humminbird
- Depth: 457 meters
- Display size: 5 inches
- GPS: Yes
What really separates the Humminbird 410210-1 HELIX fish finder from other models is definitely its 5 inches color WVGA screen. This is a very sharp display that is easy on the eyes.
Additionally, the Humminbird has a dual sonar that provides good beam angles as well as an excellent photographic image of bottom contours and so on.
The built-in GPS is also very handy and the user can mark waypoints quickly and easily using this fish finder.
But what we absolutely like about this model is the presence of a microSD card slot that gives you the power to download and install additional maps making it extremely versatile.
Coupled with the fact that you can tag with a GPS, this is a very powerful Kayak fish finder for the money.
More Detailed: Humminbird Helix 5 Review
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9. FishHunter Military Grade Portable Kayak Fish Finder
Photo: FishHunter
- Depth: 30 meters
- GPS: Yes
The FishHunter Military will not win any awards for its features nor build quality. However, it is still a decent fish finder that is highly portable and gets the job done.
This model connects to your smartphone by Bluetooth and uses the smartphone display to send its sonar images. Of course, it is limited by the Bluetooth range and the manufacturer says that it is 25 meters.
However, we think that it is significantly less and should be fully functional at around 10 meters or less. This has nothing to do with the fish finder itself but it is a Bluetooth limitation.
What this unit is good at is emitting a powerful sonar frequency that in turn provides a detailed photographic image of its surrounding. It is equipped with GPS which allows the user to map waypoints on their smartphone.
The FishHunter Military is a very practical fish finder that has a rich set of features.
Unfortunately, the short Bluetooth range of 10 meters is simply not good enough as you can easily lose the signal with this fish finder, especially on rough waters.
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How to Buy the Best Kayak Fish Finder
1. Depth Range
The depth range of the fish finder is an important factor. The deeper the fish finder can sonar, the higher is your chance of spotting fish. Especially, if you normally go fishing in deep lakes. A good kayak fish finder should at least have a maximum depth range of 100 meters or more.
Moreover, when fishing in shallow waters, it should have a small enough depth range. In general, your fish finder must be able to give a minimum reading in water that is less than 2 m deep.
2. Display
The fish finder is pretty much a useless device without a display screen. You must ensure that it has a screen that is sufficiently large of at least 2.5 inches and that it has an anti-glare feature.
This is important if you want to see your screen clearly in direct sunlight. Additionally, a model that comes with a backlight screen will give you clear visibility at night.
But if you want the best of the best, then we recommend you go with a color screen with at least 256 colors.
This will provide you with a lot of information in full-color and the color range will allow the fish finder to provide a more detailed information based on color.
For example, bait will appear in one color while fishes in another.
Moreover, there are portable fish finder models that come as simply an emitter. It then connects to your smartphone and provides a rich set of sonar data on the smartphone display.
3. Transducer
The transducer is the part of the device which sends the sonar down in the water. Since this is a component that is constantly in contact with water, it is important that it is reinforced for protection.
Additionally, the best type of transducer is one that comes with a cord that is sufficiently long for better maneuverability. Best, a wireless model is very easy and simple to operate. You can then attach a floater to your transducer depending on how you want to use the device.
4. Frequency
For a more detailed sonar photo image, your fish finder must emit in multiple frequencies. The most important frequencies in a fish finder are 83 kHz in 200 kHz.
One will provide a deep sonar scan while the other is ideal for large angle scanning.
Ideally, you want your kayak fish finder to be equipped with both frequencies. This is especially useful for angling where you want to have a precise idea where exactly your fishes are in both a small and wide range.
5. Mounting
Possibly the most important part of the kayak fish finder is mounting. You will be amazed how many fish finders do not come with good mounting accessories that result in users losing their fish finder in the water.
In general, the base of the fish finder has mounting holes for you to attach it to your kayak. Additionally, most kayak these days have provisions for you to mount devices ranging from cameras to fish finders.
In case your kayak does not have one, then ensure that your fish finder is delivered with at least a suction cup for mounting purposes. Or maybe, it is wiser to go with a wireless fish finder where there is no mounting to be done.
6. GPS
GPS is optional in the fish finder, but it is a more than a welcome feature especially when you are kayaking.
It can literally save your life and help you get all back safe.
Additionally, there are many fish finder models that allow you to track and annotate locations on the fish finder map (if it is available) for future reference.
You can later use the GPS in your fish finder to find that location again. No need for additional GPS equipment. Very convenient, you will agree!
Conclusion
You simply can't get any type of fish finder and hope that it will work on your kayak. No. There needs to be careful research and consideration before choosing the best kayak finder for your need.
Your chosen model needs to have good durability, be fairly portable and above all, it needs to be able to still give a reading while the kayak is moving.
We have listed a few top-rated kayak fish finder models above that will hopefully gear you in the right direction. But, if you have still not decided on a good kayak fish finder then we welcome you to read our review again.
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9 Best Kayak Fish Finders - Review
- 1. Garmin Striker 4 Built in GPS Kayak Fish Finder
- 2. Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Kayak Fish Finder
- 3. iBobber Wireless Bluetooth Smart Kayak Fish Finder
- 4. Deeper Smart Portable Kayak Fish Finder
- 5. Deeper Smart Sonar Pro GPS Portable Kayak Fish Finder
- 6. Hawkeye Fishtrax 1C Kayak Fish Finder with HD Color Virtuview
- 7. Garmin 010-01806-00 Kayak Fish Finder
- 8. Humminbird 410210-1 GPS G2 Kayak Fish Finder
- 9. FishHunter Military Grade Portable Kayak Fish Finder
- How to Buy the Best Kayak Fish Finder
- Conclusion