• Hello there guest and Welcome to The #1 Classic Mustang forum!
    To gain full access you must Register. Registration is free and it takes only a few moments to complete.
    Already a member? Login here then!

Portable Fish Finder

Laurie S.

Laurie S.

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Moderator
We want to get a portable fish finder for my boat, maybe in the range of $250-350. We're tried of following the birds and then coming up emptyhanded. Any suggestions?
 
When I use to do a lot of river fishing up in NorCal we used a fish finder. Actually it was called a "herbal" fish finder. Each time we lit one up BAM! FISH ON!!!! All them good ole days.
 
Just wait until you see large amounts of fish jumping out of the water then you will know where they are.....of course then you will have to deal with the sharks that are chasing them. :confu
 
Sometimes we go spear fishing, but we're also equipped with some really nice rods and reels, etc. Can't drink beer while spear fishing. :)
 
Don't know a huge amount about them, but from my limited knowledge portable and good don't combine in a fish finder. Why portable? The head unit can be detached easily enough if you are worried about security.
 
We're mainly worried about it being a pain to attach and remove. I guess we would put it on before launching the boat? But how does it attach?
 
"Laurie S." said:
We're mainly worried about it being a pain to attach and remove. I guess we would put it on before launching the boat? But how does it attach?
Click to expand...

A standard fish finder will have a fixed transducer - usually attached to the transom, with a wire(s) running to the dash. The model I had on my old boat had a cradle the electronics and display plugged into - very much like an I pod dock. So, it was easy to remove, and the transducer is worth pretty much nothing, so not much temptation there for unsavory types. This is how I would go (and always have). The only tricky part is making sure the transducer is mounted correctly (they adjust somewhat), and the penetrations of the transom are sealed (wood inside of it, water penetration is a bad thing).

Portable units have a transducer that goes on a pole which clamps to something. They are designed maily for jon boats, etc. No idea how you would mount one on your boat. They are not designed for speed, so it would have to be removed before running around.

One thing to be aware of - IIRC, you have a stepped hull. So, the readout may be somewhere between noisy and useless at planing speeds. This is because your hull steps induce water under the hull for performance (lower drag), but sonar (ie, fish finders) don't read through air bubbles. Probably not a problem, since you are usually moving fairly slow when looking for fish, not flying around at 60 knots.
 
Thanks, I think I'll call the Fish Finder store and tell them what my boat is and see which model they recommend for it. They have a pretty good website and I've been checking out the Humminbird fish finders they have.
 
I've owned Hummindbirds and had good service from them. Last model I had (with the docking station) was a HB. Likely checking one out for myself soon, the 4 yr old loves to fish.
 
I find a portable phone book is perfectly fine for finding stores that sell fresh fish....
 
I have only ever used Hummingbirds on my boats.
The most important thing in installation is that the Transducer cable is kept clear of electrical wires otherwise the electrical noise will show up on your screen, especially from 2 way radios.
I always ran the transducer cable down one side and electrical the other side.
A problem you may have is the fact that your boat is about 3 miles long and the transducer cable may be too short.
Adding more cable may give you a reduction in power.
Try talking to fellow monster boat owners to see what they do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top