Cheap but still good quality fish finder

I am looking for recommendations for a cheap fish finder that is still good quality that I could mount to a kayak. If you could give me any recommendations that would be great.

What features are you looking for? GPS, SI, DI, etc?

I’d go with a Helix 5 with whatever combination of features you’d like.

Define “cheap”.

I’ve had good luck with the small Lowrance unit on my pontoon for 11 years.

Have a lowrance 3 mounted on my kayak. Cost around $100. Has color and provides water temp. Works great

munchy wrote:

What features are you looking for? GPS, SI, DI, etc?

The majority of fishing you like to do would help determine this. Dropshot alot or jig, DI would be very valuable tool. Scanning weed patches, rock piles, etc SI is awesome, but comes with a price tag.

Got an elite 5 with DI last year for ice, but we put it on dad’s 14′ for some skinny water spring fishing and thing was awesome.

If you’ll be getting into mapping take the price tag of maps into consideration as well, makes a $150 unit double.

Mapping is great but for starters not necessary, especially if you hit shorelines most of the time.

What are your thoughts on cheap and thoughts on good quality?

As nhamm mentioned where your fishing will be a big factor. When kayak fishing i usual worked weed edges and a handheld depth measurer of sorts for ice fishing worked. Mine was a strikemaster one. Of course depends on where and how you’re fishing

munchy wrote:

What features are you looking for? GPS, SI, DI, etc?

I’d go with a Helix 5 with whatever combination of features you’d like.

Id like to have at least a gps with it so I dont get lost while on the lake.

slipbob_nick wrote:

What are your thoughts on cheap and thoughts on good quality?

As nhamm mentioned where your fishing will be a big factor. When kayak fishing i usual worked weed edges and a handheld depth measurer of sorts for ice fishing worked. Mine was a strikemaster one. Of course depends on where and how you’re fishing

I would like a fishfidnder that is good for a kayak, would love to be at least under 150 but. I was consindering the garmin 4. I can get it for 100 bucks but no clue if it is a good fish finder or not. I also dont know about the size of the unit itself. Is it too small?

It all goes back to the water you are fishing and such. I pull the old and small basic Lowrance off the bow on my boat and use a Vexilar battery I mounted in a plastic tray in my kayak… basic depth, temp, and some crude weed line info is all I need as I am in skinny water or rivers fishing the shorelines/ shallow structure. Doesn’t take anything special unless you are off to chase Salmon on big water as an example.

Look at the required transducer, battery and mounts as part of your thought process/ budgeting.

Check this review out. Should help your decision.

How about lake map features? Does that double the cost (not counting the lake files)?

Lots of used lowrance hds units out there as alot of guys upgrade every year.. I would go with a gen 1 hds 5 on a kayak if I was setting one up