Well I have done it....I have finally bought a small boat. So with all the accessories I need to buy I stop and ask myself if a fish finder is really a neccesity.

For one I'll prolly be pounding the banks. I do think knowing the depth would be helpful though. But I mean come on do people actually catch the fish they see with those things.

I think maybe if I was fishing for crappi(spelling?) a fish finder would be helpful in locating schools of fish, but, basically, I have come to the conclusion I dont even know how to properly use a Fish Finder.

So maybe I can hear what u guys have to say about um before I dig out the wallet again. Most fish finders I've seen cost more than my whole boat! Thx in advance for any info!

I think you should get one. The fish are not always on the shallows. Depending on how deep the lakes are by you and how much you fish. Depending on the season. And they sell cheap fishfinders. It helps to know there patterns.]

Cheap Fishfinders

First CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Another member in the ranks!

Fish finders. Simply put, in the beginning it helps you by telling you whats under the boat. Is it deep or shallow, flat or sloped? How is this point shaped? Etc. After a while you begin to see the fish and realize what you are lookin at. It will develop into one of your most important tools! Go with an inexpensive COLOR unit. The highest resolution you can afford. Resolution being the pixel count 320 X 240 or for more resolution 640 X 320. The more pixels the better the resolution. Good Luck!

I have one on my float tube...it's really useful to find dropoffs and humps you didn't know existed.

From humps to drop offs it is one of the most important tools you will have on a boat. After getting to understand what you are looking at you will determine rock that are inside weed. You will see pods of baitfish. You can actually see bass striking the baitfish. On the surface 80 percent of the time you do not know what is going on under the water without a fishfinder. These are all key factors in putting a better bag together and becoming a better fisherman. I agree exactly what Frank (Ukey28) posted. Get the highest resolution you can afford. Color is definetly a plus. On my small boat I have the cheaper old Garmin 168 but it is a tool I would never leave home without.

Thanks for the advice guys, was wondering why color was so much more important. I think Ima have to tap into the savings lol! I tried so hard to tell myself I didnt need one.....but there ya go!

Oh and after 4 strait years of shore fishing its gona feel good to be out in the thick of things:)

Color is easier to see in sunlight, and awesome at night. It easier to interpret as well

I've been out on boats with guys that have then and they really do improve your fishing a lot.

I agree with the other guys here. Definitely get one if it's in your budget. The higher the resolution the better.

Also many of the newer ones have side views which is pretty cool.

Just to expand on what Ukey said about color units helping you interpret things better... monochromatic units (also called grayscale) make it difficult to see structure within structure...

For example, there might be wood or rock mixed in with a weed bed that you are looking at with your fish finder. On a monochromatic unit, you will not notice much difference, but with a color unit the grass will be a different color from the rock and the rock will be different from the wood, etc.

After using a color unit for a while, you will begin to recognize how different bottom compositions (Hard or soft bottom) look. Same goes for hard/soft objects or structures. You will also be able to more easily identify fish and bait that are relating to these structures and bottom compositions. Just like when you are working the shoreline, you are making presentations to objects (usually visible) with a fish finder, you will be able to locate objects and structure that is in deep water that you cannot see without a fish finder. Deep water bass in general are more likely to be grouped with other bass, so the bonus is when you locate a good piece of structure and you see bait and fish arches around and making contact with the structure, you'll be able to work one spot and catch multiple bass (assuming your presentation is something that the bass will be interested in striking).

Deep water bass fishing can open the door to many more opportunities for you especially when conditions change. Your chances of connecting with a school of bass will also be increased tremendously when you start using your fish finder to locate open water structures, bottom transitions, cover and vegetation.

I agree with everyone who said "get the best you can afford", however having something is better than having nothing... Like everything else in bass fishing, the better equipment costs more, but usually give you more benefit... this is very true in fish finders.

One other thing I'd like to ad is that these combo units that are fish finders and GPS are also worth the extra bucks... why? Because when you find that sweet rock pile that produces very well, you want to be able to go back to it again and again without having to search for hours to find it. You can outline the structures you find with GPS weigh-points and easily go right back to the things that you will find in open water.

In the beginning it will take discipline not to go back to the bank... however, once you have some success, you'll find yourself staring back at the bank wondering why you never tried this before...

If you decide to get one, let us know what your budget is and we can help you get the best unit in that price range.

Congrats on the boat!

The ones with GPS are the maps loaded in the unit? or are they like a the way a TOMTOM works but for water? What if we show one of the better ones at a reasonable price. You know for the features and the price you can't beat it. When it comes to the grayscale and color. I figured having one is better then having none]

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