What To Look For In A Portable Fish Finder
Every fisher has been there; going from spot to spot looking for a bite only to go home empty handed. It's a frustrating feeling to say the least. However, technology has become every fisherman's best friend. A portable fish finder can help you find your next catch by being your eyes UNDER your boat. In this article, we'll explain how this handy piece of fishing gear works and how to choose one suited to your needs and budget.
Portable fish finders are an incredible gadget that are able to actually help you locate fish when used correctly. Before the invention of this piece of technology, fishers used a depth finder that only showed the depth under the vessel. There was no specific screen showing the existence of schools of fish. Thus, depth finders were of little use to commercial fishermen. After that there were the sounders with printed graphs rolls that were highly precise if utilized correctly. However, the true breakthrough was the appearance of the LCD (liquid crystal display) sounder that showed both bottom contours and fish. Nowadays you can find a wide range of these LCD fish finders.
Choosing the best portable fish finder might be complicated as the market pricing is highly competitive and products are being updated constantly. Top of the line devices can cost more than the average dinghy, but simple devices can be entirely affordable and cost as little as $300 from a discount fish finder store.
The technology has come a long way from the time when electronic fish finders first showed up on the market. Modern devices are thinner, lighter and more menu-driven than their forerunners. The units have both black and white or color display screens and the screens are available in a variety of dimensions. The bigger display screens are well suited to bigger fishing boats where they can be stored out of the sun and weather conditions. These are perfect for commercial fishing boats.
The key to the effectiveness of a fish finding sonar is its transducer housing. This is essentially the working part that scans the area beneath boat and transmits the information back to the screen where you can see it. By bouncing a sonar signal, you'll be able to see fish, weeds and underwater structures. How quickly this echo signal process takes depends on the portable fish finder wattage, the transducer and the depth of the water. The higher the wattage, the more powerful and quicker the signal is processed from the transducer.
Proper installation and maintenance are key to keeping your portable fish finder in working order. It should be in a convenient place that is out of direct sunlight and rain. A fish locator will be waterproof but prolonged exposure to sun and water will shrink and decay the neoprene casing. You should also make sure that the monitor is well placed. The pixels that make up the image can appear blurry if the angle isn't correct. If you don't have good vision, then you might want to spend a little more on a screen with a higher resolution. By doing your homework and making good choices when shopping, you'll definitely notice a marked volume in your catches.
If you want to increase your odds of catching fish, you should consider investing in a fish finder. But how do you know if the is superior to the Garmin 140, for example? You need to read some to help you decide on the perfect model for your needs.
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