<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSome fish finders are better tailored for specific environments or activities. Selecting the right one can help you from spending too much on a device that may be overqualified for the sort of angling you\u2019re planning on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you\u2019ll be primarily fishing on top of underwater structures<\/strong> (i.e reefs, kelp beds, weedlines, etc), your main focus won\u2019t be pinpoint accuracy of the fish\u2019s location. You already know where they\u2019re hanging out. Instead, you can get away with a cheaper GPS\/fishfinder<\/strong> combo where you can use the GPS to maintain your position. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019ll be in deeper water,<\/strong> you\u2019ll want to make sure your fish finder comes with equipment that can penetrate deep in the water column and send back accurate information<\/strong>. Look for devices with a double band system<\/strong> which will send back accurate readings of the ocean floor even if it\u2019s far beneath you. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck the specifications on your prospective fish finder before you purchase. Most times the brand will indicate exactly how deep the sonar is capable of giving accurate information<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut most anglers probably won\u2019t need a fish finder that gives accurate readings hundreds of feet below. For those that will be fishing lakes, rivers, and shallow bays,<\/strong> there\u2019s no reason to overspend for these features.<\/p>\n\n\n\nInstead, look for a device that comes with accurate maps of your favorite fishing areas<\/strong>. Side-scan sonar is also more useful in shallow water.<\/strong> While it may be cool to have a GPS to chart your course and keep a record, don\u2019t feel like it\u2019s a necessity for shallow fishing. Chances are you\u2019ll be close to shore and won\u2019t need a GPS to find your way home if you get lost. <\/p>\n\n\n\nMounting Space<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe best fish finder in the world won\u2019t do you much good if you can\u2019t see it as you paddle and cast. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily most fishing kayaks built today come with custom mounting systems designed for fish finders and other gadgets<\/strong>. Many of these are multi-use and can accept a wide range of devices from various companies without having to take a drill to your kayak.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf your device doesn\u2019t come with a stand, I\u2019d recommend selecting one with a flexible neck that you can adjust and some sort of brim so you can still see it clearly in the sunlight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transducer Compatibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n For a fish finder to be effective, it has to have a direct line to the water so it can send out its sonar signal and bounce back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like the custom mounts, many of the kayaks available today come with a transducer mount. <\/strong>This allows the sonar emitting portion to run through the kayak and mount on the underside of the hull. This is a rarer feature than the gear or accessory tracks mentioned above, so make sure that your kayak has this or you have another way to piece get your fishfinder to the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother nice feature you\u2019ll want is a transducer shield<\/strong>. Exactly what it sounds like, the shield is usually a slab of plastic that sticks out from the bottom of your kayak directly in front of the transducer mount. This way if you hit any underwater obstacles your fish finder won\u2019t get sheared off. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPower Source<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Most smaller, portable fish finders can be charged at home<\/strong> and run on battery power for several hours much like a handheld VHF radio. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut bigger and more intricate set-ups require a lot more power than a simple battery pack can provide. If this is the case, you\u2019ll have to bring a power source along with you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You won\u2019t need anything as large as a car battery, something along the line of a motorsports battery should be enough<\/strong>. You\u2019ll need a secure place for your battery. Some kayaks come with a spot for one, so like the transducer mount and shield, check the feature list before purchasing. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThis will add a little extra weight to your boat. Plan on adding an additional 10-15 pounds of weight <\/strong>and make sure that this doesn\u2019t exceed your boat\u2019s load capacity. This won\u2019t be an issue for bigger fishing kayaks that can hold up to 500 pounds. But if you\u2019re sporting a smaller kayak with a load capacity of 250 pounds, you may not want to sacrifice that much weight for a battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBest fish finder for kayak – Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Whether you want a portable fish finder, or a more intricate set-up that will require an independent power system, there\u2019s plenty of fish finders on the market to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hopefully, this article has served as a solid introduction to this diverse market and will help you choose the right one for you and your fishing preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For those of you that have used a fish finder from a kayak before, we\u2019d love to hear what brands or types you\u2019ve had the most success with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Did we miss something or do you still have questions? Ask them in the comments below. <\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ever had one of those days where the fish weren\u2019t biting? Of course you have, we\u2019ve all been there. But how do you know if the fish are just not interested or not there at all? That\u2019s where a quality fish finder can be indispensable, giving you an idea of how many fish are swimming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3953,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"6 Best Fish Finders for Kayaks (Updated List for %%currentyear%%)","_seopress_titles_desc":"Don\u2019t waste HOURS looking for fish. Get the best Fish Finder for your kayak and bring lots of gear... you\u2019re gonna need it!","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3899"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5703,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3899\/revisions\/5703"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.happinesswithout.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}