Most fish finder manufacturers have released at least a few ice fish finders over the years. Each model has its own specifics and includes more or less features and accessories. But nonetheless, all of them offer the circular flasher sonar type, whether it’s LED or LCD-based, and they’re equipped with the proper technology and accessories for fishing on ice and at low temperatures.
On this page, we’re going to put into view the best ice fish fishing finders available in 2022. Evidently, some are older than others, but all of them have benefited so far from an overwhelmingly positive feedback from anglers all over the world. They all have an almost clean 5-star rating on all retailers.
Contents
- 1 Top 10 Ice Fishing Fish Finders
- 1.1 Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Ice Bundle
- 1.2 Humminbird ICE-55 Flasher
- 1.3 Humminbird ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Season
- 1.4 Garmin Panoptix PS22 ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Ice Bundle
- 1.5 Garmin Striker 4 Plus Ice
- 1.6 Garmin Striker Cast GPS
- 1.7 Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Ice Bundle
- 1.8 Lowrance HOOK2 Ice Fishing All-Season Pack
- 1.9 Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar
- 1.10 MarCum M1
- 2 Short Buying Guide for Ice Fishing Fish Finders
Top 10 Ice Fishing Fish Finders
Fish Finder | Features | Price |
 | - CHIRP sonar | |
 | - Dual beam sonar - 6-color fiber optic display - Portable kit | |
 | - Dual Spectrum CHIRP | |
 | - CHIRP/ClearVü/LiveVü | |
 | - CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - Dual beam sonar | |
 | - CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - Single beam sonar | |
 | - Dual beam sonar | |
 | - Single-beam sonar |
Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Ice Bundle
The Hook Reveal series includes several Lowrance fish finders released in 2020. The Hook Reveal 5
is available as an “ice machine”, including the portable ice fishing kit and the Lowrance ice transducer. For reference, this is the Lowrance part number 000-15541-001.
This Lowrance ice fishing bundle includes the Hook Reveal 5 SplitShot control head. This Lowrance fish finder offers two sonar technologies; these are DownScan sonar and standard CHIRP sonar. The unit supports the 50/83/200 kHz frequency channels for the 2D CHIRP sonar, and 455/800 kHz for DownScan. It does not support SideScan, ForwardScan, or LiveSight sonar.
Although the Hook Reveal 5 unit included with this Lowrance ice bundle is a SplitShot unit, the SplitShot transducer is not included. The package comes with the Lowrance ice transducer part number 000-14088-001. This is pretty much a standard, conical ice transducer featuring 8 ft. (2.4 m) of cable and a foam floater. In case you’re wondering, it does not have an internal temperature sensor. The included ice transducer casts a conical beam with a coverage of 20° @ 200 kHz. Its maximum depth capability is 500 ft. (152 m) which should be enough for most U.S. lakes. You can always opt for the SplitShot transducer, though, or a 50 kHz capable transducer.
The Hook Reveal 5 unit is also a chartplotter. It has internal GPS and is pre-loaded with the U.S. C-MAP basemap for the inland waters. It covers more than 4,000 U.S. lakes with 1-foot contours. However, it provides basic detail. But on the other hand, the unit supports premium charts from C-MAP and Navionics, including Navionics Gold, Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, C-MAP Insight Pro, and C-MAP Lake Insight. It also has Genesis Live bathymetric mapping.
The unit has a color display with a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V. It is a SolarMax display with a powerful LED backlight for improved readability in direct sunlight. It is also IPX7 waterproof. It does not have networking features but does have a microSD card slot.
The portable kit included with this Lowrance ice fish finder consists of several elements. First of all, you get the portable bag which is made of durable nylon material. It has several extra pockets which can be very handy. The pack includes the standard mount bracket for the unit which allows you to also install it on a boat. However, it also includes a wider base for extra stability when used on ice. The two small tackleboxes are also included. The pack also includes a battery, a charger for it, and a foam floater for the ice transducer. The battery should last for at least 10 hours of fishing.
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Humminbird ICE-55 Flasher
The ICE-55 Flasher (407040-1) is one of the oldest Humminbird ice fish finders. It still is available and still is 
one of the ice fish finders with an almost clean 5-star rating. As opposed to the HELIX units, the ICE-55 model features an optic fiber flasher with an LCD display at the center that shows depth and several other readings. It does not have any navigation features.
The Humminbird ICE-55 unit is a DualBeam sonar fish finder capable of two frequencies. These are 240 kHz and 455 kHz. You can swap between these two frequencies as you like, depending on depth, or coverage that you need. However, even though it’s a DualBeam fish finder, it can only use only one beam at a time, so you have to select either 240 kHz or 455 kHz.
The unit features a 6-color fiber optic ring display, which offers three distinct color palettes. Most anglers use the standard 3-color palette, but this unit also gives you the possibility to use up to 6-colors for the flasher ring, in order to determine better the intensity of each sonar return. Among the available ICE-55 functions, we can also count Gain, Auto Range, Zoom, Target Line, and more.
The unit includes the classic XI 9 19 ice transducer which is equipped with a stabilizing floater and 8 ft. (2.4m) of cable. This transducer is compatible with both 240/455 kHz frequencies supported by the unit. It uses two conical sonar beams with a coverage of 9° @ 455 kHz, and respectively 19° @ 240 kHz. The transducer’s maximum depth capability is 200 ft. (61 m). It is also powerful enough that it can track your jig at depths greater than 100 ft. (30.4 m).
The flasher is fiber optic-based, while the center display is an LCD type. The LCD display also has a backlight function which you can turn on and off by pressing and holding the Gain button. The unit is not networkable. It does not have Ethernet ports and does not support NMEA networks. It also does not have a microSD card reader. This being said, it is pretty much exclusively an ice fish finder. However, it can still be used on a boat for drop-down, stationary fishing as it is a portable unit.
In terms of accessories, the unit comes with the swivel plastic mount featuring a top handle which allows you to easily carry it. A 12V 9AMP battery and a charger for it are included. The battery should last at least 8 hours, even if you keep the backlight on at all time. The box also includes the Humminbird CC ICE Soft Sided Carrying Case.
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Humminbird ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Season
The ICE HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N All-Seasons (411210-1) is a pretty complete 
year-round fish finder kit. It includes an ice transducer and a transom transducer, while the fish finder unit also offers the full range of navigation features.
The head unit included with this Humminbird ice bundle is the HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N. It supports three main frequencies, these being 50/83/200 kHz.
Since it’s an ice fish finder, it has an advanced digital circular flasher with 1024 segments for a more detailed view of your jig and the fish attacking it. Along with the sonar segments, the flasher also provides plenty of other readings, including Gain, Depth, Range, the diameter of the sonar beam based on depth, Battery Status, Zoom Range, and more. Interference rejection, Split Zoom, A-Scope, Bottom Lock, Selective Fish ID, and other standard sonar features are also included.
The unit comes with two transducers, the Xi 9 1521 and the XNT 9 HW T. The Xi 9 1521 is a single-beam ice transducer. It uses a conical beam with a variable coverage between 15° and 21° and offers a maximum depth capability of 400 ft. (122 m). It has 8 ft. (2.4 m) of cable and a stability floater. It does not have an internal temperature sensor. The XNT 9 HWT is a regular transducer for mounting on a boat. It comes with a transom mount, it has 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and has an internal temperature sensor. It’s a High CHIRP transducer and backs the unit’s Full Mode (150-220 kHz), Wide Mode (140-200 kHz), and Narrow Mode (180-240 kHz). For narrow mode, the beam has a coverage of 25°, while for the other two, the coverage is maximum 42°. For Full Mode it is adjustable. The maximum depth capability of this transducer is 1,200 ft. (365 m).
The HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N fish finder offers a fairly decent range of navigation features as well. First of all, it has a 10 Hz internal GPS receiver. It is pre-loaded with the Humminbird Basemap platform. These charts cover more than 10,000 U.S. lakes with 1 depth contours and fairly decent detail for the US coastal waters, showing buoys, depth markers, marinas, navigation aids, and more. It also has the AutoChart Live feature for bathymetric mapping.
The included HELIX 7 CHIRP GPS G3N fish finder unit features a 256-color LCD display, with LED backlight and pixel matrix of 800 x 480. The unit is also IPX7 waterproof. Its interface is keypad operated; it does not have touchscreen technology. It has a jig charge mode and it supports Ethernet and NMEA 2000, as well as wireless connectivity.
The All-Seasons kit includes quite a few accessories. First of all, you get the portable bag which is made of a durable synthetic mesh material. It features two zippers at the front and two side pockets that can come in pretty handy. Since it’s a portable fish finder, you get a 9 Amp Hour battery, a charger for it, and all the necessary connectors. A Gimbal mount for the unit is also included.
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Garmin Panoptix PS22 ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Ice Bundle
The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Panoptix Ice Bundle is one of the most inclusive and most 
performant ice fish finders that you can get in 2022. The pack includes the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73cv sonar unit and two transducers, the Panoptix PS22, and the standard Garmin ice transducer. For reference, this is the Garmin fish finder part number 010-02334-20.
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv unit offers three types of sonar. These are standard CHIRP, ClearVü, and Panoptix LiveVü. The Panoptix sonar can be used as LiveVü Down, and LiveVü Forward, depending on how you set the transducer. The LiveVü Down scans directly under the ice hole while the LiveVü Forward allows you to scan the surroundings. Thus, you won’t have to cut multiple ice holes and move your fish finder from one to the other to scan for fish. One ice hole should be enough as the LiveVü Forward has a range of a few under feet.
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv supports multiple frequencies, including 55/77/200/260/455/800 kHz. It includes the Panoptix PS22 and the GT10HN-IF standard ice transducer. The Panoptix transducer uses an oval sonar beam with an impressive coverage of 120° x 20° and a range of 300 ft. (91 m). It comes with a special barrel mount that allows you to change its position in order to scan either vertically for LiveVü Down, or sideways for LiveVü Forward. A pole mount is also included for this transducer.
The GT10HN-IF is the classic Garmin ice transducer. It uses the 130-300 kHz CHIRP frequency range and casts a High Narrow CHIRP conical sonar beam. Its coverage is variable, between 8° – 16°, and its maximum depth range is 800 ft. (244 m). This transducer comes with 8 ft. (2.4 m) of cable and an 8-pin connector. It does not have an internal temperature sensor.
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv unit offers multiple navigation features. It is equipped with a 5 Hz GPS receiver which means it can provide position updates 5 times per second. It also has track recording, waypoint creation, and route creation functions.
The unit is pre-loaded with the LakeVü g3 chart platform. These charts cover more than 17,000 U.S. lakes, rivers, and reservoirs with up to 1-foot depth contours. They also make available features such as Depth Range Shading and Shallow Water shading. The unit is also compatible with BlueChart g3, BlueChart g3 Vision, and LakeVü g3 Ultra. The unit also has the Quickdraw Contours feature which allows you to create your own bathymetric maps.
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv sonar unit features an LCD display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It is IPX7 waterproof. The unit has both keypad navigation and touchscreen technology. It is networkable. It has NMEA 0183 ports and is NMEA 2000 compatible. It also has wireless connectivity. Therefore, you can sync it with your smartphone via the ActiveCaptain app for software updates, fishing trip planning, map downloads, and accessing the Garmin Quickdraw Community. Plus, it has a microSD card slot.
Finally, this Garmin ice fishing fish finder comes with a portable kit that includes a carrying bag with mount, battery, and charger. The carrying bag is made of synthetic mesh material featuring two side pockets. The mount is made of heavy-duty ABS material with a handle at the top for the easy handling of the fish finder unit. It also has a grommet for cable management. The included battery is a 12Ah type that should be able to power your fish finder unit with no problem for at least 12 hours. A charger for the battery is included, along with the necessary power cables.
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Garmin Striker 4 Plus Ice
The Striker 4 Plus is one of the models released by Garmin in 2018, but it’s still available in 2022, and still
remains one of the best Garmin fish finders at the moment. This particular version includes the portable kit with the standard transom transducer, but you can always opt for the ice transducer version, or just for the ice transducer.
The Garmin Striker 4 Plus only offers traditional CHIRP sonar. It does not have ClearVü or SideVü. It supports three base frequencies, these being 50/77/200 kHz.
The unit itself offers quite a few standard sonar functions. The list includes Fish Symbol ID, A-Scope, Auto Gain, UltraScroll, fish and depth alarm, etc. Evidently, one of the most important functions for ice fishing is the Circular Flasher mode. This sonar view puts the sonar data in a circular depth scale format. The current depth is displayed in the center, but you can also have other readings on the flasher page, such as water temperature, clock, or battery voltage.
The Garmin Striker 4 Plus Ice includes the standard dual-beam transducer which supports 77/200 kHz. It’s a plastic transducer with a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature sensor. Its connector is a 4-pin type. It offers a coverage of 15° @ 200 kHz and 45° @ 77 kHz. With the included transducer, this Garmin fish finder should be able to scan depths up to 1,600 ft. (487 m) for freshwater, and 750 ft. (228 m) for saltwater.
The unit does not support charts. It is equipped with a basic GPS plotter which allows you to mark waypoints to return to. Via the GPS system, it can calculate the speed of your boat. It can also show the latitude and longitude coordinates for your waypoints or your location. Also, even though it does not support charts, it has the Quickdraw Contours feature which gives you the possibility to create your own custom fishing maps.
The unit features a color display, 4.3″ in diagonal, with a pixel resolution of 480V x 320H and LED backlight. It is IPX7 waterproof rated. It’s operated via keypad and does not have touchscreen technology. It’s not networkable and does not have a microSD card slot. The portable kit that comes with the unit includes the carrying bag with base and handle, a rechargeable (12 Ah) battery, and a charger for it.
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Garmin Striker Cast GPS
The Striker Cast GPS is one of the Garmin fish finders released in 2020. It’s not your standard fish finder like 
most of the other units that we’ve covered here, however, it does have a built-in flasher application which makes it a great unit for ice fishing. It’s a castable fish finder similar to the Deeper PRO+. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-02246-02.
The Garmin Striker Cast GPS fish finder does not come with a display unit so you have to use your smartphone or tablet as a display unit for it. In order to sync your Striker Cast with your phone, first, you will have to create a Garmin account (if you don’t already have one), then download the Garmin Striker App from Google Play or the Apple App Store.
The Striker Cast unit has a broadcasting range of 200 ft. (61 m). Therefore, as long as your phone is within this range, you should be able to see the sonar imaging and the GPS data.
Similar to the ActiveCaptain App, the Striker Cast App links to the Garmin Quickdraw Community. Thus, you can share the bathymetric maps that you have created with Quickdraw Contours with other users, as well as download and use maps created by other users. It’s important to mention, though, that the app does not have a split-view feature. Therefore, you can only view and use one function at a time, either the sonar or the Quickdraw Contours. However, the app is upgradable, so this feature may be added in future patches.
The Garmin Striker Cast GPS is equipped with a dual-beam internal standard sonar. It does not have ClearVü or SideVü. It supports two frequencies, these being 260/455 kHz. It does not support 50 kHz, or other frequencies. Evidently, the Striker Cast GPS unit has its transducer built-in as well. It’s a dual-beam transducer and supports both aforementioned frequencies. It casts two oval beams with a coverage of 22° x 63° @ 260 kHz, and 9° x 14° @ 455 kHz. Its maximum depth capability is 150 ft. (45.7 m).
The Striker Cast app makes available several sonar features. The list includes Circular Flasher, A-Scope, Fish Symbol ID, Autogain, and more. Evidently, the Circular Flasher feature is the main reason we’ve selected this Garmin model for our list of best ice fish finders, as it offers the perfect setting for ice fishing.
The Striker Cast GPS has a built-in GPS receiver and the Striker Cast App uses its data with the Quickdraw Contours mapping feature. Therefore, you can create your own bathymetric maps with 1-foot contours. A Depth Range Shading feature is available.
This portable fish finder features a rugged construction with a casing made of durable thermoplastic material. For the GPS version, the top cover is light blue, while for the sonar-only version the top cover is white. It comes with a 16.4 ft. (5 m) tether which you can attach to the unit in order to cast it. However, you can also tie it to a 20+ lb test fishing line with a barrel swivel with a snap.
The unit’s internal battery offers an autonomy of approx. 10 hours. The box does not include a charger but does include a USB cable which you can attach to the unit and to a laptop or a charger. A carrying bag is also included.
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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Ice Bundle
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv Ice Bundle is one of the Garmin fish finders released in the second part of 2020.
As the title suggests, the bundle includes the ECHOMAP UHD 73cv fish finder and chartplotter unit, but comes with the GT10HN-IF ice transducer and the portable kit for ice fishing.
The unit offers standard CHIRP sonar and ClearVü sonar, with the UHD mode for ClearVü. However, with the included ice transducer, you won’t be able to use the ClearVü sonar. The unit supports multiple frequencies including 50/77/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü. The unit also supports Panoptix sonar and you can pair it with the PS22 transducer.
The included GT10HN-IF transducer is a standard ice fishing model. It uses a single CHIRP frequency in an interval of 130-300 kHz. It casts a conical beam with a variable coverage of 8°-16°. Its maximum depth range is 800 ft. (244 m). It is not temperature capable.
The ECHOMAP UHD 73cv supports charts and has built-in GPS. It comes pre-loaded with the LakeVü g3 maps that cover more than 18,000 US lakes and offer features like Depth Range Shading and Shallow Water Shading. The unit also has Auto Guidance and the Quickdraw Contours features for custom bathymetric mapping. The SailAssist page is available with this Garmin fish finder as well. It offers functions such as laylines, enhanced wind rose, heading and course-over-ground lines, time to burn before the start, and the race times. Also, the unit supports AIS data, DSC data, and is ActiveCaptain compatible.
The unit’s display is 7-inch in diagonal and has a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V. It has LED backlight for superior readability at night and in direct sunlight. It has both touchscreen and button navigation. Its waterproof rating is IPX7 which means that it is designed to withstand rain, splashes, or in general, incidental water exposure. It has networking features such as NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000. It also has WiFi and is compatible with the Garmin ActiveCaptain app. If you install this app on your phone, you can easily download or upload charts, back-up the data in your chartplotter, pre-fish a lake and pre-plan a trip, and more. The unit also has a microSD card slot, so you can upgrade its chart base if you want to either LakeVü g3 Ultra or BlueChart g3 Vision.
This Garmin ice fish finder comes with the same portable kit as the last year’s ECHOMAP Plus 73cv Ice. This ice fishing kit includes the carrying case and the tilt-swivel mount for the unit. The case is made of synthetic mesh material and has two side pockets. The mount is made of thermoplastic material and has a grommet for cable storage. Of course, the portable kit includes a battery and a charger for the unit. Plus, a foam floater for the ice transducer is included.
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Lowrance HOOK2 Ice Fishing All-Season Pack
As its name suggests, the Lowrance HOOK2 Ice Fishing All-Seasons Pack (000-14178-001) is a
portable ice fishing fish finder that can be used year-round, either on ice or on a boat. Along with the fish finder unit, the portable pack comes with quite a bunch of accessories, including two transducers, battery, charger, tackleboxes, and more.
First of all, the kit includes the HOOK2-4x fish finder unit, the version that does not have a GPS plotter; it is only a fish finder. It is capable of only one frequency, this being 200 kHz. That’s why it does not have a split-screen mode. But on the other hand, it has a multi-segment flasher function that can be used for ice fishing.
The unit offers Automated Sonar Settings. This feature allows you to spend more time fishing and less time tuning the unit. It actively adjusts the sonar settings as the fishing conditions change. In all, it’s a plug-and-fish depth finder. It also offers several useful sonar functions, such as Fish ID, Circular Flasher, Shallow Alarm, Bottom Range, etc.
The Lowrance HOOK2 Ice Fishing All-Season Pack includes two transducers, one is for ice fishing, the other is a skimmer-type for use on a boat. The ice transducer is the part number 000-14088-001. It features 8 ft. (2.4 m) of cable, and a foam floater. This transducer casts a conical beam with a coverage of 20°. Also, its maximum specified depth capability is 500 ft. (152 m).
The boat transducer is pretty much the Lowrance Bullet skimmer. It’s also a single-beam transducer, operating at 200 kHz. Its beam is conical, with a coverage of 40°, and a similar 500 ft. (152 m) depth capability. This transducer has 20 ft. (6 m) of cable. The pack includes two mounts for the skimmer transducer. One is a transom mount to be fixed on a boat’s hull via screws. The other is a suction cup mount, for improved portability.
The Lowrance HOOK2-4x unit has a 4.3-inch display with a pixel resolution of 480H x 272V. It’s a SolarMAX type display designed for a super-bright imaging and great visibility in direct sunlight. It is keypad-operated; it does not have multi-touch technology. It’s also not a networkable unit. It does not have Ethernet or NMEA ports and does not have wireless connectivity. It also does not have a microSD or SD card slot like the HOOK Reveal models. As we’ve mentioned above, the unit does not have a split-screen mode. Therefore, you can either use the flasher sonar, or the regular 2D sonar.
Lowrance HOOK2 Ice Fishing All-Season Pack includes a generous set of accessories. First of all, it includes a portable bag made of durable synthetic material. The bag has multiple pockets that can come in very handy. In terms of mounts, the pack includes a larger one for ice fishing and the standard tilt-and-swivel one that allows you to mount the unit on a boat. As opposed to other ice fishing packs that we’ve covered here, the Lowrance one includes two small tackleboxes. Finally, the pack includes a 12V – 7 Ah type battery and a charger for it. If fully charged, the battery should last for at least 10-12 hours of fishing.
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Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar
The Deeper PRO+ is one of the most compact ice fishing fish finders available at the moment. It’s a 
wireless fish finder that uses your iOS or Android smartphone as a receiver unit to deliver the sonar data. It’s castable from the shore and can be used as a year-round fish finder. Also, the PRO+ model has built-in GPS.
As we’ve mentioned above, the Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar system does not include a head unit like a standard ice fishing fish finder. It connects to your smartphone (iOS or Android) via WiFi. Actually, the Deeper sonar creates its own WiFi hotspot to which you connect your smartphone.
Of course, in order to use this fish finder, you will have to download the Fish Deeper app from the App Store or Google Play. The app is free. This is a multi-purpose app. Not only that it works as a sonar app, it also offers most features of a standard fish finder and also allows you to create bathymetric maps.
The Deeper app offers a standard 2D sonar view, but also a Circular Flasher view. Therefore, you can use your Deeper PRO+ like any other ice fishing fish finder. The flasher view shows depth, water temperature, and the side segments that represent the bottom, fish, vegetation, and other suspended targets. Evidently, if your lure is caught in the beam of the 2D flasher, it will show on the outer ring. Also, the Circular Flasher view can be used in split-screen with the 2D sonar view.
Among other sonar features and functions, we can mention Display Sensitivity, Fish Icons, Color Palette, Sonar Feed Storage (or Sonar Recording), and more.
The transducer built-in the Deeper PRO+ fish finder is a dual-beam one. The wide beam has a coverage of 55°, while the narrow beam is 15°. Both beams have a conical shape. Its maximum depth range is 260 ft. (80 m). The WiFi range is 330 ft. (100 m).
The Deeper PRO+ Smart fish finder also has a built-in GPS receiver. So, first of all, this allows your GPS-enabled mobile device to show your current location and other GPS-specific data. Second of all, it enables the device to map your favorite fishing spots by creating bathymetric, depth contour maps even while fishing onshore. Actually, it’s the only fish finder and GPS combo that allows you to create your own custom bathymetric maps from the shore, without the usage of a boat.
All bathymetric maps can be archived and accessed at any time to improve fishing location efficiency. This allows users to examine the bottom conditions of the entire fishing location to determine the best opportunity for an optimum fish bite. Onshore GPS Mode is operating in the same manner as the Boat Mode, but instead of using your smartphones’ GPS (as it is done when operating Boat Mode) the Onshore GPS Mode uses the internal GPS receiver installed into the Deeper Smart Sonar PRO+ device.
The whole device is encased in a spherical shell made of durable ABS plastic. The sonar sensors are on the outside, so the beams won’t be impaired in any way. The case has three connection points on the outside into which you can screw the attachment bolts, depending on how you will deploy the gadget (from boat, drop-down from a bridge, or cast from shore with a fishing rod). Two attachment bolts are included with the device. You’ll only need only one for its use, but the second can come in very handy as a spare.
The top cover of the spherical case can be removed to allow access to the internal connector. This is a micro USB port. A micro USB / USB cable is included with the device. Therefore, you can charge it via cable from a PC or connect it to your smartphone adapter.
Among other accessories included with the Deeper PRO+ fish finder, we can mention a portable bag. This bag is well-padded to protect the device from scratches, especially its outer metallic sonar sensors. It has two tightening strings to keep the device well sealed inside, and an attachment hook to connect it to your belt or tackle bag.
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MarCum M1
The MarCum M series includes three fish finders, the M1, M3, and M5. In this post, we’re going to address the M1 model which is the most affordable of the series. Although it is one of the ice fish finders released in 2017, it’s still available in 2022, and still one of the best ice flashers at the moment. 
The MarCum M1 is equipped with a single beam sonar. It operates at 200 kHz and does not have CHIRP technology. It’s a pretty standard ice fishing flasher with a Max Brightness and Clarity (MBC) patented LED display. It offers 1,000 watts of balanced power translated into 2-inch target separation which is pretty decent for an entry-level ice flasher.
The unit’s True Color sonar uses three different colors to display and differentiate between objects. The colors are green, orange, and red. It offers multi-level interference rejection (IR), in order to keep competing sonar signals from cluttering the display of your unit and to deliver a clear view of what’s under the ice.
The unit offers four pre-set depth ranges. These are 20, 40, 80, and 160 ft. The depth-range setting is determined by turning the unit on and turning the Gain knob looking for a solid return (band of light) indicating bottom on the display. If no return is present, then select the 40-, 80-, or 160-foot range until a bottom reading is displayed on the screen.
Bottom Zoom and Gain functions are also available. The Bottom Zoom function divides the display in half. The right half will indicate the entire depth range. The left half will indicate the zoom window. This feature can help you determine whether there are fish close to the bottom, or get a better view of the jig when fishing close to the bottom. Needless to say, the Gain function adjusts the sensitivity of the sonar required by the unit to pick up objects like fish, baitfish, vegetation, small lures, etc.
The MarCum M1 fish finder comes with a pretty standard ice fishing transducer. For reference, its part number is 857224002170. It features a conical body with a thermoplastic shell, and 8 ft. (2.4 m) of cable with an 8-pin connector. It does not have a temperature sensor and the unit does not indicate water temperature. It casts a conical beam with a coverage of 20° (at 200 kHz). The maximum depth range of the transducer beam is 160 ft. (~48 m).
The unit’s dimensions are 8.5″ x 10.5″ x 8.5″ (21.59 x 26.67 x 21.59 cm), while its weight is 9 lbs (4 kg). Its display has a pretty simple design with a circular display featuring a 20-foot depth scale and a 2.15 target separation. The LED display ring surrounds the depth scale section.
On the right side of the display, there are two knobs and two buttons. The Gain knob is at the top corner of the unit. It offers the possibility to easily adjust the sonar sensitivity (from 0 to 10) to match your conditions. The Range knob is at the bottom corner. As we’ve mentioned above, it allows a quick range swap at 20 ft., 40 ft., 80 ft., and 160 ft. The Interference Rejection (IR) and Bottom Lock Zoom (ZM) buttons are in-between the two knobs. The IR button allows a quick interference suppression from all nearby sonar sources while the ZM button splits the display in a setup of 5/20 ft., 5/40 ft., 10/80 ft., and 20/160 ft.
First of all, the MarCum M1 comes with a 12-volt / 7-amp SLA battery, a charger, a plastic carrying case, and a padded red soft bag made of durable synthetic material. The fish finder is already installed on the carrying case and inside the bag, along with the battery and the transducer. One pretty cool feature is the extensible arm attached to the carrying case which serves as support for the transducer cable. This allows to perfectly stabilize the transducer inside the ice hole and easily move it a few inches sideways without having to move the whole setup.
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Short Buying Guide for Ice Fishing Fish Finders
Ice fish finders come in different shapes and sizes, each one offering a specific set of features and accessories. Evidently, not all of them may fit your needs and your budget. So, especially if you’re buying your first ice fish finder, it’s very important to know what you’re paying for.
Therefore, in the next section of this page, we’re going to point out some of the most important aspects with regards to ice fishing fish finders, in order to help you make the right choice.
Brand
When it comes to fish finders, the three major brand names that you should look for first are Humminbird, Garmin, and Lowrance. They’re currently the top fish finder brands, and they offer fish finders and chartplotters of all kinds, for all budgets and needs.
However, in terms of ice fish finders, two other notable brands are Vexilar and MarCum. Our selection of best ice fish finders for 2022 already covers at least one model from each. But just in case you want to dig more, these are pretty much the best brands to look for.
Types of Sonar
All ice fishing fish finders typically have the standard sonar type which relies on at least one frequency. However, the more expensive models also have built-in structure scanning sonar which provides photo-like imaging which you can use in parallel with the 2D sonar. This way, you can interpret better the underwater environment and the placement of the fish in relation to structure.
Structure scanning sonar is typically available in two forms: down scanning and side-scanning. For the down scanning sonar, the transducer casts one sonar beam directly down. For side-scanning sonar, the transducer typically casts two beams, one on each side.
Each fish finder brand has specific terms for their structure scanning sonar. For example, Garmin calls it “ClearVü” and “SideVü”, Humminbird calls it “Down Imaging” and “Side Imaging”, while Lowrance calls it “DownScan” and SideScan”.
In the past few years, newer and more performant technologies have been developed. For example, Garmin has the LiveVü sonar, and already offers ice fishing fish finders with Panoptix LiveVü transducers. These are considerably more expensive, but do offer a live sonar feed. You can actually see the fish attacking your lures.
CHIRP sonar technology is also an important aspect to look for. Usually, the fish finders that have CHIRP sonar offer a better target separation and fish detection. That’s because the sonar echo covers an entire range of frequencies, not only one frequency.
So, as a small conclusion here, the more types of sonar a unit has, the more expensive it will be. However, in most cases, you can rely with no problem only on the classic 2D single-beam sonar, so other sonar technologies may simply be overkill.
Supported frequencies
For ice fishing, it’s not that important that your fish finder supports multiple sonar frequencies. However, if it does, it’s a plus. That’s because it will allow you to alternate different sonar beamwidths for more coverage, or more focus, and greater depth scanning. Of course, the more frequencies supported, the higher the price of that particular unit.
Most ice fishing fish finders use the 200 kHz channel which should be enough for ice fishing on a lake. Most transducers that use this frequency channel, should be able to provide a depth capability of at least 200 ft. (61 m) which is more than enough for lake fishing. But in case you’ll ever want to mount your unit on a boat and use it off-shore in blue waters, 50 kHz capabilities or at least 83 kHz capabilities can be a plus.
Another pretty important aspect to mention here regards the dual-frequency capability. Some units allow you to use two frequencies simultaneously and observe the returns in split-screen. Therefore, you can use both a narrow beam and a wide beam at the same time which can be quite a plus.
Display Type
In terms of display, there are two types of ice fishing fish finders, the ones with an optic fiber or LED flasher-type display, and the ones with an LCD display. The flasher-type units are typically fish finders only. They are dedicated ice fish finder systems and don’t offer many other features.
Conversely, the units that have an LCD display, not only that make available a virtual circular flasher, they also allow you to use this flasher view in split-screen with the standard 2D view. Also, many of them offer many other 2D sonar features and functions, as well as navigation features.
Included Transducer and Transducer Compatibility
First of all, whenever you purchase a fish finder, it’s pretty important to opt for one that comes with its own transducer. This way, you can be sure that you have a usable fish finder out of the box. Also, you won’t experience any incompatibility issues. The transducer provided with a certain head unit is always compatible with that particular unit.
Most ice fish finder bundles include at least one basic ice transducer. But just in case, before purchasing one, always double-check if the transducer is included.
Transducer compatibility should be the second on the list here. It’s quite a plus that a certain unit included with an ice fishing fish finder pack is compatible with multiple transducers. For example, the Garmin ECHOMAP units that we’ve pointed out above, support several transducer models. Therefore, not only that you can use them on ice, with a different transducer, you can also use them on a kayak or boat, for summer lake fishing, or off-shore fishing.
Navigation features are not exactly a necessity for ice fishing fish finders and ice fishing in general. That’s because in most cases you’ll know exactly where you are, and won’t cover more than a mile, even if you move a lot on the ice. Also, a unit that has GPS and a pre-loaded chart base typically costs at least $100 more than a similar one without. However, if you plan to use your fish finder year-round and on your boat, navigation features can come in handy.
Networking Features
Similar to navigation features, these aren’t necessary for ice fishing fish finders. But once more, if you will ever want to use your unit on a boat, Ethernet, NMEA support and wireless connectivity are a plus. Of course, these increase the overall price of the unit.
Included Accessories
As we’ve mentioned above, each ice fishing bundle includes a certain amount of accessories. Needless to say, the most important ones are the battery for the fish finder unit, the charger for the battery, the portable case or bag, and the ice fishing mount for the unit which should have a flat bottom. Always make sure that your ice fish finder includes these. Any other accessories like tackleboxes, extra transducers, and transducer mounts, unit covers, adapter cables etc, are also welcome, but not entirely necessary.
Final Word
The ice fishing fish finders that we’ve covered here are some of the best available in 2022, at least for the moment. Our top 10 covers models for all budgets and needs. They’re all portable, they include all the necessary accessories and features for ice fishing. Each one comes with at least one transducer, portable case, and battery. They all offer excellent value for the price, and so far, they’ve gathered the best user feedback.