Best Fish Finder

• Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra – A top-of-the-line Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra unit featuring Ultra High Definition mHz SideVu and ClearVu sonar, available in 10 and 12-inch sizes.
• Garmin ECHOMAP UHD – These are the smaller siblings to the Ultra units, and they also have “Ultra High Def” side and down imaging sonars, as well as some new touchscreen features. The Garmin ECHOMAP Plus series has been discontinued.
• Garmin STRIKER Vivid – For the first time, the Garmin STRIKER Vivid series has been expanded to include a 9-inch SideVu variant. These units will replace the Garmin STRIKER Plus series.
• Lowrance Elite FS – New 7- and 9-inch “Fishing System” units that replace the Lowrance Elite Ti and Ti2 finders, which were previously available. These are the most affordable devices that are compatible with the new Active Target live forward-facing sonar technology and feature 3-in-1 Active Imaging, Fish Reveal, and Genesis Live mapping. They are also the most compact units available.
• Lowrance HDS LIVE – The HDS LIVE series, which replaces the HDS Gen3/Carbon devices, includes a huge 16-inch display and a revolutionary All-in-One Active Imaging transducer that provides all-around imaging.
• Lowrance Hook Reveal – This is the latest iteration of the Hook series, featuring all-new SolarMax displays, split-shot and triple-shot configurations, and a number of extremely interesting pricing options. Lowrance Hook2 models that have been discontinued are being replaced.
• Humminbird HELIX G4N – A lot of people were talking about Mega Imaging last year, and so far, only Humminbird has this technology on the market. The images produced by MEGA+ imaging equipment are the clearest and most detailed available. This year, a new 15-inch model will be released, which will be ideal for split-screen MEGA 360 and MEGA Live games, among other things.
• Humminbird HELIX MEGA DI G3N – A new model, the Humminbird HELIX MEGA DI G3N, adds to the MEGA portfolio, which now includes MEGA Down Imaging variants.
• Humminbird SOLIX G3 – When you add a MEGA 360 or MEGA Live transducer to your Humminbird SOLIX G3, you’ll notice a significant improvement in processing speed and performance. SOLIX has established a reputation for producing images with exceptional sharpness, and the G3 is designed to extend that reputation.
• Raymarine Axiom – With the Axiom, Raymarine is launching a new push into the consumer fish finder market. They appear to be of high quality, thanks to their exclusive 3D imaging process.
• Raymarine Element – In comparison to the Axiom, the Raymarine Element is a step down in terms of functions, but it still has many of the amazing fish finder capabilities that Garmin and Humminbird have to offer. Included in this category are Megahertz-based image technologies such as HyperVision, DownVision and Side Vision, as well as the RealVision 3-dimensional technology launched in the Axiom series.

3. Top Fish Finders by Type of Sonar

Every few years, it appears as if a new sonar technology is introduced that pushes the boundaries of what is possible with consumer-grade fishing electronics. In the early years of the industry, flashers were the standard, such as Lowrance’s legendary “Green Box” finder and Humminbird’s equally known “Super 60” flasher. From there, fish finders progressed to paper “graphs,” and eventually to LCD displays, which provided even more information about what was going on below the surface of the water.

Then, in the mid-2000s, Humminbird became the first company to make affordable side imaging available to the general public, and it was an instant hit. Since then, there has been an arms race that has come to be known as the “Sonar Wars,” after the invention of sonar. The information in the following guide will assist you in understanding each of these fish detecting technologies and determining whether or not you require them in the unit you purchase.

• Traditional Sonar – This is the most basic type of sonar, sometimes known as “2D,” and it pings in a cone around the area of interest, with anything comes into view of the cone being displayed on the screen. After then, the screen scrolls to the left, and anything on the right represents updated data or return information.
• CHIRP – Unlike traditional sonar, which operates at a fixed frequency, such as 83 kHz, CHIRP transmits over a wide range of frequencies, such as 70-110 kHz, to detect objects. With CHIRP transducers, more sound energy is transferred into the water, resulting in better returns and greater detail.
• Imaging Sonar – Imagery sonar pings a very narrow beam to the sides (Side Imaging) or straight down (Down Imaging), and when your boat is moving, the sonar returns stack on top of each other to create a realistic image of the lake bottom that shows fish and structure up to 100ft to either side of the boat. Imagery sonar can detect fish and structure up to 100ft to either side of the boat.
• 360 Sonar – When you think of 360 Sonar, think of “sweeping side imaging,” because it is a small side imaging transducer that rotates, creating a full circle view of what is in front of and all around your boat. This technology has been operating beneath the radar for quite some time, and it is only recently that more people have realized how beneficial it is as a fishing gear.
• “Live” Sonar – Bass and crappie fisherman are currently obsessed with “Live” front looking sonar, which displays real-time data. Even though the technology has been around for a long time in the commercial world, Garmin was the first company to offer it to the recreational market with the very popular LiveScope device. Lowrance and Humminbird will now join the party in 2021 with Active Target (Lowrance) and MEGA Live (Humminbird), respectively (Humminbird).