Kayak Fishing with Depth Finders
Choosing The Right Unit
A growing number of Kayak fishing enthusiasts are using depth finders/fish finders to make their fishing efforts more successful.
Whether you are looking for structure or fish, a sonar unit is sure to enhance your adventures.
Here is some general information that should be helpful.
SIZE
Due to the limited amount of space in a Kayak, smaller units are recommended, such as the Lowrance M-52 S/GPS, X50DS, X67C or M68/S MAP. Humminbird has introduced new in 2010 their 385ci Combo Kayak Fishfinder and the PiranhaMAX 300, 500 or 700 Series Fishfinders are also good choices.
Screen Resolution
The number of pixels on a unit's screen determines how much detail it can display. Basically, the higher the number of vertical pixels a unit has, the higher the screen resolution. A higher resolution screen will give you a more defined picture whether you are looking for fish, structure or drop-offs.
Cone Angle
This refers to the beam the transducer sends down into the water. The most common cone angle is 20 degrees.
You will see units on the market advertising very large cone angles. Be aware that you will lose some detail with wider cones and they may or may not be mountable in the hull.
Power Input
Most units are designed to be connected to a 12volt power source. Therefore, space consideration must be given for a small marine battery. Water resistant portable power packs are available from Lowrance, Humminbird or Minn Kota.
Power Output
Power is not a significant consideration as most units today will have at least an 800 watt output which will reach 600ft in fresh water under most conditions.
Transducer
Unlike a boat, a kayak will not have the same issues of cavitation and hull rise that can disrupt the sonar signal. The key is still to place the transducer where the hull will stay in contact with the water.
Most units come with a transom-mount transducer. We feel the suction-cup transom-mount is ideal for kayaking as it can be easily adjusted and removed.
Some people prefer the shoot-thru hull type installation. A transducer shooting through a hull cannot have air between the face of the transducer and the surface of the hull. Most single-frequency transducers are designed to shoot through a fiberglass hull mounted in place with 2-part epoxy. The three types of transducer mounts you want to consider are Transom-Mount, Suction-Cup Transom-Mount and Pod-Type Shoot-Thru The-Hull.
Choosing The Right Unit
A growing number of Kayak fishing enthusiasts are using depth finders/fish finders to make their fishing efforts more successful.
Whether you are looking for structure or fish, a sonar unit is sure to enhance your adventures.
Here is some general information that should be helpful.
SIZE
Due to the limited amount of space in a Kayak, smaller units are recommended, such as the Lowrance M-52 S/GPS, X50DS, X67C or M68/S MAP. Humminbird has introduced new in 2010 their 385ci Combo Kayak Fishfinder and the PiranhaMAX 300, 500 or 700 Series Fishfinders are also good choices.
Screen Resolution
The number of pixels on a unit's screen determines how much detail it can display. Basically, the higher the number of vertical pixels a unit has, the higher the screen resolution. A higher resolution screen will give you a more defined picture whether you are looking for fish, structure or drop-offs.
Cone Angle
This refers to the beam the transducer sends down into the water. The most common cone angle is 20 degrees.
You will see units on the market advertising very large cone angles. Be aware that you will lose some detail with wider cones and they may or may not be mountable in the hull.
Power Input
Most units are designed to be connected to a 12volt power source. Therefore, space consideration must be given for a small marine battery. Water resistant portable power packs are available from Lowrance, Humminbird or Minn Kota.
Power Output
Power is not a significant consideration as most units today will have at least an 800 watt output which will reach 600ft in fresh water under most conditions.
Transducer
Unlike a boat, a kayak will not have the same issues of cavitation and hull rise that can disrupt the sonar signal. The key is still to place the transducer where the hull will stay in contact with the water.
Most units come with a transom-mount transducer. We feel the suction-cup transom-mount is ideal for kayaking as it can be easily adjusted and removed.
Some people prefer the shoot-thru hull type installation. A transducer shooting through a hull cannot have air between the face of the transducer and the surface of the hull. Most single-frequency transducers are designed to shoot through a fiberglass hull mounted in place with 2-part epoxy. The three types of transducer mounts you want to consider are Transom-Mount, Suction-Cup Transom-Mount and Pod-Type Shoot-Thru The-Hull.
Lowrance M68C Deepwater Color S/Map with Transom Mount Transducer
Find fish and yourself in dazzling color, at a highly affordable price! Features high-detail hydrographic mapping and an internal GPS+WAAS receiver.
$
399.00
Humminbird 385ci Combo w/ Internal Antenna
The 385ci Combo features a brilliant color 320V x 240H 3.5" display, advanced DualBeam PLUS sonar with 2400 Watts PTP power output, and GPS Chartplotting with built-in UniMap.
$
399.00
Lowrance X67C Transom Mount Fishfinder
An exciting new 256-color sonar performer with temp at a great low price! This unit packs a lot into a small package - 320x240 resolution, FishReveal™, HyperScroll™, ASP™, COLORLINE®, and more!
$
249.00
