Fish finders

Andyzanidoo · Post by **Andyzanidoo** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:20 am

I'm fairly new to the whole kayak fishing scene. I've been fishing all my life, but just basic bank fishing, never really been in many bass boats. I recently bought a Pelican Getaway 100, and have taken it out a few times. Even though the fish weren't biting, it was just great to be on the water. I was wondering though if there was much of a necessity for fish finders in North Texas lakes. I haven't ventured to the deeper parts of the lake that I fish in Grapevine, TX, but I was hoping to get some opinions on whether a fish finder would be a good accesory for my kayak. If so, are there any cheap ones that work sufficiently? (Considering I am on a college student's budget)

Thanks for all the info though. I researched kayaks for a while and gathered great insight and information from this site. You guys are awesome!

greyloon · Post by **greyloon** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:33 am

Eagle Cuda, runs about $70 at Academy is a pretty good basic unit. Fishfinders, especially ones in that price range, help more at finding depths and structure than finding fish. Find structure and the right depth and you may find fish. For fishing lakes, a depth finder is a great investment, though not necessary for finding fish. If on a budget, you may want to save your money and upgrade your paddle or even save up and get another kayak at some point in time. Fish finders are not a must have.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:27 am

greyloon wrote:Eagle Cuda, runs about $70 at Academy is a pretty good basic unit. Fishfinders, especially ones in that price range, help more at finding depths and structure than finding fish. Find structure and the right depth and you may find fish. For fishing lakes, a depth finder is a great investment, though not necessary for finding fish. If on a budget, you may want to save your money and upgrade your paddle or even save up and get another kayak at some point in time. Fish finders are not a must have.

yep what greyloon said,,,
greyloon, do you ever sleep? I know why I am up,,,,,,,making bottles still.......dang I cant wait for warmer water

greyloon · Post by **greyloon** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 2:37 am

I sometimes sleep. Need to get to bed, got a 600 mile drive for Sunday. Oh well, I'll pull of and sleep some on the way back. Warmer water is only about 6-8 weeks away. Done the bottle duty, both as a dad and as poppa raising a grandchild. Still raising the latter...4 going on 40.

knapperhead · Post by **knapperhead** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:47 am

my ff is exactly that. a fish finder. you could use it to find structure but i don't fish for structure. find the fish and fish the fish.i use an eagle cuda 168 from academy . it cost's about 80 bucks. it's simple and straight forward.the best advise i could give is to trust what you see on the screen.if it shows fish then you should catch them.deep is a relative term,i don't care how deep the water is cause i hate swimming.

check out www.fishfindercity.com
then click on fish finders explained.
plus having a ff gives you something to look at when the fish are'nt biting

Vlaude · Post by **Vlaude** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:41 am

I'd recommend a Lowrance product, the Cuda's as mentioned or the Eagles due to their price point for a yak. The Lowrance models are nice to but a bit more. The Eagles are basically last years Lowrance model, so good stuff, just not the latest and greatest...

Depending on the type of fishing you are doing you can use it to locate fish, structure, depths and the thermocline which can be important at times.

srfalke · Post by **srfalke** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:37 pm

For a guy on a budget, look at the one at Harbor Frieght. It is pocket sized, takes AA bateries, and costs about $29. Not the best ff in the world, but could be just what you are looking for. If you do not have a harbor frieght near you, look online.

Vlaude · Post by **Vlaude** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:00 am

Yeah a cheap on like maybe the one at Harbor Freight (I'm unfamilar with it), but if you are just wanting a depth reading a cheap one would probably do the trick. If you are going to be trying to locate schooling fish like striper, cats, crappie, etc... You'll need to step up to a better model...

Cooner · Post by **Cooner** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:02 am

I have been looking for a couple of weeks and am about to take the plunge and buy one, I want to stay around $150, it looks like I can get a decent FF for that, I have done a little research but would like to hear any reccomendations about FF's in that price range.

And how about mounting it on my yak. With the transducer will I still be able to take it off for storage with ease.

srfalke · Post by **srfalke** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:31 am

Humminbird has the only transducer that is made for going through the scupper holes in a yak that I know of. These work best (can be left on) on newer Ocean Kayaks with the larger scupper hole botom to accomodate the Humminbird transducer.

Lots of mounting ideas in rigging, check those before buying one. When you unpack it, be careful, as if it does not work with the plastic, you might want to return for a different brand.

knapperhead · Post by **knapperhead** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:39 am

check out kayak rigging on this site. it helped me rig mine without drilling holes. in regards to my earlier post ,i think i should start fishing for structure, i seem to be good at catching the lake bottom.

if you can find a f.f with gps on it that would be a huge advantage. i use a hand held gps along with my f.f. but it seems to just be more stuff to carry and distract me. i don't think you can get a new one for 150 but you may try ebay or craigslist. that's my only complaint about my eagle cuda is the lack of gps.one thing about mounting the transducer i've learned is to mount it ahead of me in the boat.this makes vertical fishing way easier.it's almost like cheating to be able to see your lure jigging up and down on the screen in front of a fish and then get a bite. pretty cool.

matt

wastin away · Post by **wastin away** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:16 am

For the guys that have teh one from harbor Freight: does the cable just float next to you? I bought a handheld last year from West Marine that I spent over $100 for, and all it is good for is depth and temperature. Not real happy with that purchase.

Vlaude · Post by **Vlaude** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:29 am

If you are looking at $150+ I would recommend the Eagle 320, that unit has a lot of stuff for the money. It has everything you need to mark fish and decent resolution. I don't think you'd be unhappy with that unit. One of the better bang for the bucks IMO.

If you are looking under that I would look at the Cuda line, most of those are going to be decent, but you aren't going to get the screen size. I have the 242 on one of my yaks, and it does alright shooting through the hull. You can get those units for under $100 and if you look around probably under $65...

Strider · Post by **Strider** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:02 am

Lake fishing is a whole lot easier with a FF. No matter what your target species, water depth and/or hidden structure have a lot to do with where the fish are.

Kim

Andyzanidoo · Post by **Andyzanidoo** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:40 pm

Cool... I appreciate all the information.

jsb91010again · Post by **jsb91010again** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:51 pm

if u got a scotty mount up front u can mount the transducer like this...

knapperhead · Post by **knapperhead** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:27 pm

that's cool

greyloon · Post by **greyloon** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:04 pm

Makes a lot of noise when underway unless it swivels up, also resistance, but a good treatment.

fishtales · Post by **fishtales** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:23 pm

I got a Cuda 242 for Christmas after reading all the opinions. I got it mounted this week after reading different opinions on how to mount it. With any luck, I am going to Lake Summerville this weekend to try it out. I am new to fishing myself and one of the issues I had when I was on a lake is not having a clue to what was underneath me, either as depth or structure or if there were any fish in the area that I was fishing. I am hoping the fishfinder will help in all those areas.

For me being a newbie, there is something about the trial and error for me. I can read all the veteran info I want, but until I try it myself it doesn't always make sense or sink in. So as a newbie, I will let you know how or if having a fishfinder is going to make a difference for me after this weekend. Hopefully it will be a good report.

Vlaude · Post by **Vlaude** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:13 pm

I've just mounted all mine up in front of me and just use the transducer inside the hull so it shoots through the hull of the boat. I take mine out when I'm not using it. I think Kayak Fishing Stuff has a similar set up with pics... I also use 8 AA Batteries, though a deer feeder battery isn't a bad way to go either from everyone I've talked to.

Here is a GREAT article on installation for Yaks. I got some ideas from it. I used the very bottom method for the transducer. Cut a cross section of a pool noodle and used silicone to glue the noodle piece down after I cut a section out of the middle the side of the transducer. Take a look I think it might help... I thought it was some good stuff. They have a lot of good ideas on that site. Look at some of the rigging pictures as well...

Depth Finder Installation ideas & instructions -

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/articl ... rticles=39

Pictures of Rigged Yaks to get some ideas regarding mounting -

http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/galler ... php?menu=2

General Articles -
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/ri_articles.asp

Cooner · Post by **Cooner** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:34 am

How about the 1" x 2" hole in the bottom of my yak, any input on which model FF I may be able to use that would allow me to utilize this hole for the transducer. It would be out of the way ( not a problem in shallow water) and that would allow me to take it off after every trip.

BTW, there is no substitute for experience, which exists on this site, so I apologize for all of the questions but you guys are a wealth of info.

-Thanks

knapperhead · Post by **knapperhead** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:57 am

i shoot through the hull like vlaude but i mounted my transducer by cutting a hole in a piece of styrofoam to the same size as the transducer then duck taped that to the inside of the hull then filled the hole with vaseline then taped a styrofoam lid on that. it works great, all i need to do is press down on the transducer to make sure it's straight ad flat and i'm good to go. i use the 12v deer feeder battery for power and use velcro to hold it in place.no holes and nothing permanant.

greyloon · Post by **greyloon** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:02 am

Cooner wrote:How about the 1" x 2" hole in the bottom of my yak, any input on which model FF I may be able to use that would allow me to utilize this hole for the transducer. It would be out of the way ( not a problem in shallow water) and that would allow me to take it off after every trip.

BTW, there is no substitute for experience, which exists on this site, so I apologize for all of the questions but you guys are a wealth of info.

-Thanks

Cut no holes in your hull.

Vlaude · Post by **Vlaude** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:19 am

Cooner, I believe that is an Eagle Model / Cuda. I'm not sure about the transducer though, it kind of looks like one of Lowrances Ice fishing transducers. They make a number of different transducers, including one made specificly for shooting through the hull, though I just have the skimmer model. You might be able to use the trolling motor transducer for what you are looking to do, not sure... I'd give Lowrance Customer service a call up in Tulsa. They'll set you up, she's really helpfull. I like the shoot through the hull, but dropping it through the scupper hole is a cool way to go too IMO.

Jerry Hamon · Post by **Jerry Hamon** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:51 pm

greyloon wrote:Eagle Cuda, runs about $70 at Academy is a pretty good basic unit. Fishfinders, especially ones in that price range, help more at finding depths and structure than finding fish. Find structure and the right depth and you may find fish. For fishing lakes, a depth finder is a great investment, though not necessary for finding fish. If on a budget, you may want to save your money and upgrade your paddle or even save up and get another kayak at some point in time. Fish finders are not a must have.

Watch Academy and Walmart they will start marking down ff to dirt cheap pricing real soon. it's their spring cleanup season. I got my Cuda 168 for $30 at WM last year.