Best Portable Fish Finders: Two Versatile Models for Small Boats and Kayaks
Keep a portable fish finder on board to give you the best chance of catching more fish, no matter what type of fishing you are doing.
From kayaks to frozen lakes, the best portable fish finders help put fish in the cooler without a dent in your wallet. Designed with versatility and budget in mind, portable models are smaller and more basic than most fixed units, but what they lack in technology they make up for in economy.
All major manufacturers produce some form of handheld fish finder. Some come as a package that includes not only the head unit, but also the power adapter and a carrying case for both the fish finder and its power source. Others connect to your smartphone, and others work using a plug-in power adapter attached directly to your fishing rod.
Two of the Best Portable Fish Finders
HumminbBird Piranha Max 4 PT
Reasons for purchasing:
- Comes with power adapter and carrying bag
- Diverse uses range from kayaking to ice fishing
- Down shooting technology
Reasons to avoid it:
- Some reviewers reported erroneous displays at high speeds
- Lack of ability to draw a chart
Humminbird has been producing some of the best fish finders on the market for decades, and its Piranha line represents the entry-level unit for this powerhouse brand.
For $200, the Humminbird PiranhaMax 4 PT comes with a dual beam transducer that reads bottom features up to 600 feet. Switch between a wide or narrow beam depending on if you want more detail or more coverage.
In addition to the easy-to-use carrying case, you get a 7Ah rechargeable battery that will last long enough for a full day of fishing.
The control head comes with a tilt and swivel mount that can be used in a carrying bag, mounted on a boat console, or used in a kayak. With Fish ID+ technology to indicate the depth of each fish and downstream shooting views up to 320 feet, you'll never miss a strike with this easy-to-operate and affordable fish finder.
RRP: £179/US$200Garmin Striker 4 Portable
Reasons for purchasing:
- Advanced technology for such a compact module
- GPS enabled
- The carrying case also includes a rechargeable battery
- Ability to upgrade to premium power adapters
Reasons to avoid it:
- Larger boats will likely require a larger head unit
- GPS identifies waypoints but not on onboard maps
The Garmin Striker 4 Portable puts everything an angler needs into one portable, tidy package. Even the 12-volt rechargeable battery fits neatly in the included carrying case.
The suction cup directly holds the transducer in place. This means you can transition from kayak fishing in the summer to ice fishing in the winter and still use the same setup.
Although you don't get a plotter in the package, the Striker 4 GPS technology is perfect for marking brush piles, ledges, and other suspicious structures so you can return to the same hot spots over and over again.
Switch between color chart displays for fishing from the boat and a traditional "striper" display for ice fishing. Auto zoom mode tracks depth to give you a greater or lesser field of view depending on how deep the water is.
You can also switch between wide and narrow sonar cones depending on the water depth and level of detail you want to see.
RRP: £197 / US$220Related Articles:
Why you Need a Portable Fish Finder?
An Easy Guide to Setting up a Fish Finder on a Boat