Do I need a fishfinder?

[Ramp 44]

Will be going out tommorow to look for my first fishing kayak. Will be looking at Hobie Outback, Revo and the I12s. I know enough to not rig right away but was wondering what everyone thinks of fishfinders, do you consider them an necessatity? Don`t think one can even have one in a inflatable.

[LongDrive]

Do you need one? - No. Will it be a very valuable tool - yes? My first two years fishing out of a yak I used a Cobra Explorer. No fishfinder, and I caught plenty of fish. When I upgraded to an Outback, I also installed a fishfinder/GPS and am glad I did. It is a great tool for understanding the contour of the bottom and determining where the fish will hold. You don't have to break the bank either (I think my Eagle CUDA 250 was about $250), and they are fairly easy to install if you do a little homework. Believe me, if I installed one successfully anyone can!

[barrell]

Yes you can mount a fishfinder on a 112s with the apropriate mount. Go to the hobie website and see all the accesories for it. You can get fishfinders for under $100 that will do the job.

[dak4n6]

A FF cuts down on wasted time, which is at a premium since you can't cover huge amounts of water in a yak, especially if you are fishing unfamiliar areas. Nice thing about yaks is you can shoot the transducer through the hull...

[AJ168]

I use the Humminbird Pirhanna Max on my kayak. I have no problem reading it accurately for marks or bottom composition, and it only cost me about $100. The other nice thing is that it's small, so it doesn't take up too much room in the kayak or get knocked around too much.

[rubrbsct]

got a cobra escape off Barrell last year and not counting the rod holders the FF was my first upgrade. It would be like blind fishing without it. I bought the Eagle Cuda 242 under $100.. I wired together an 8 and 4 -AA battery holders and use rechargable batteries under $20 that gives me 14.4v ......that charge lasts all month and I use it 2 or so times a week.

[akozols]

I'm still using my yak without a FF. It's mainly due to budget restraints. I fish mostly the bridges at night so a FF wouldn't help me out that much. But I have taken it out during the day for fluke and a FF would have been helpfull. My birthday is coming up in June, maybe I'll ask for one.

[barrell]

On the bridges at night if the fish are on top popping you obviously dont need one to tell you that. But if they are hanging on the bottom the FF gives you encouragement to keep trying different jigs and shows you where to concentrate your efforts.
Or you work the whole bridge and see nothing on top and bottom and know to get out of there and go to another bridge.

[akozols]

Good point, makes me want to seriously consider one, thanks.

[445 supermag]

I LOVE my Humminbird 787 c2i with internal GPS and its COLOR. I LOVE it. I don't know how I could live without it. I love finding the holes and following the contour of the sod banks and stuff.

After having it installed and took a trip with it, its amazing the info you get from it. I NEVER realized that 5 to 8 feet from a sod bank that I could be in 22 to 24 feet of water:eek: talke about shocked. I also found my favorite weakie spot that I knew there was a drop off but never realized how narrow that channel was . ONLY like 15 feet wide close to the sods and in the middle of the creek its only 6 to 8 feet deep.

See these are just a few of the things I would never know if I didn't have a fish finder.

Best of luck the fish finder opens a whole new world

Brian

[FarrellX]

so harbor freight is a joke... (except their socket sets..i cant break one when im trying!) but...opinions? on sale for 30 bucks...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94511

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96902

[KayakPaul]

hey guys, can someone help me figure out why my F/F is acting crazy? it is telling me i am in 890' of water, then 700' and all types of crazy depths. temp sensor is working fine but i am having issues with the depths... transducer is mounted in a cut out sponge w/ goop holding it in place and using a 6 amp hour 12 volt lead acid battery...:huh: