Fish finders come in many sizes offering more or less features and accessories, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of them would make a great choice for a kayak. For example, most anglers would say that a $2,000 unit is pretty much overkill for kayak fishing as you may not need features as a Radar application, AIS data support, or engine indicators. Plus, when fishing from a kayak, splashes and even immersions are common, and a fish finder may not survive as long as on a regular boat even if they have great waterproofing.
For this page, we’ve selected some of the most popular fish finders used by anglers for kayak fishing. So, here are some of the best kayak fish finders for 2023.
Top 10 Kayak Fish Finders
Fish Finder | Features | Check Price |
 | - Dual Beam Plus Sonar | |
 | - Dual Beam Sonar | |
 | - 2D CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - 2D CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - Traditional CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - 2D CHIRP Sonar | |
 | - Standard 2D Sonar | |
 | - DualBeam Plus Sonar - Down Imaging Sonar - Transducer: XNT 9 20 T - GPS: Internal - Humminbird Basemap - Navionics+ | |
 | - Dual-beam sonar | |
 | - Dual-Beam Sonar |
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
The HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 is one of the Humminbird fish finders released in 2016 but it is still available at the 
moment. It’s a pretty standard dual beam sonar fish finder with GPS and maps. For reference, this is the Humminbird part number 410210-1.
The HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 has DualBeam Plus sonar. As opposed to the DualBeam sonar available with the smaller units, the DualBeam Plus sonar can use two frequencies simultaneously and you can observe the two sonar returns in split-screen. The unit supports three main frequencies, these being 50/83/200 kHz. However, the included transducer does not support 50 kHz.
The XNT 9 20 T transducer uses two beams with angles of 20° @ 200 kHz, and 60° @ 83 kHz. It can scan depths up to 1,500 ft. (457 m) when using the 83 kHz beam. The transducer comes with a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature sensor.
This fish finder is pre-loaded with the Humminbird Basemap. This chart platform covers more than 10,000 U.S. lakes with 1-foot contours and also provides some coastal coverage offering data for buoys, spot soundings, marinas, and more. It also has the AutoChart Live feature which offers the possibility to create your own bathymetric maps. Therefore, you can map your own lake if the included charts don’t cover it. The unit’s internal GPS is WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS capable. Also, the unit has a GPS speed function, trackplotting, waypoint creation, and route creation functions.
The unit does not have touchscreen technology; it is keypad-operated. It has a color, 5-inch display with a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V, with LED backlight. It does not have online connectivity or Ethernet but does support NMEA 0183. It also has a microSD card slot, so you can use Navionics or LakeMaster charts. The unit comes with the standard gimbal mount. The flush mount and unit cover are not included.
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Humminbird PiranhaMax 4 DI
The Humminbird PiranhaMax 4 DI has been one of the best kayak fish finders for several years in a 
row. It’s also one of the best and most affordable fish finders with structure scanning sonar. It essentially offers the same sonar features as the Fishin’ Buddy MAX DI. However, the transducer included with it is a classic DI type, without the long shaft. Also, the unit has a larger display.
The unit has two built-in sonar technologies, these being Dual Beam and Down Imaging. It supports two frequencies (200/455 kHz). The Dual Beam sonar can use either the 200 kHz channel or the 455 kHz channel, while the Down Imaging only operates at 455 kHz. Evidently, it does not support 50 kHz or 83 kHz transducers. It also does not have CHIRP sonar technology like the Humminbird HELIX models. However, it does offer excellent clarity imaging and a target separation of 2.5″.
The Humminbird PiranhaMAX 4 DI comes with the XNT 9 DI T transducer which integrates a temperature sensor, has 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and a transom mount. For the standard Dual Beam sonar, the transducer can use two conical beams, one with an angle of 28° @ 200 kHz, and the other of 16° @ 455 kHz. Its maximum depth capability is 600 ft. (183 m) when using the 200 kHz beam. For Down Imaging, the transducer can only use one beam at 455 kHz. It has an oval shape and offers considerably more coverage than the standard sonar beams. Its angle is 74° and its depth capability, in pristine freshwater conditions, is 320 ft. (97.5 m).
This Humminbird fish finder is equipped with a 4.3″ diagonal display, 256-color type, with LED backlight for improved readability in direct sunlight. Its pixel matrix is 480V x 272H. It doesn’t have touchscreen technology so the navigation through its menus and functions is done exclusively from the keypad at the bottom of the unit. It’s a unit without GPS or other navigation features and does not support charts. It also does not have networking features such as Ethernet or NMEA ports. It also does not have WiFi or Bluetooth connectivity.
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Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv
The Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv is similar to the older Striker Plus 4cv but comes with the new Vivid color 
palette for the ClearVü sonar. It also includes the GT20-TM transducer while some versions of the Striker Plus 4cv come with the CV20. For reference, this is the Garmin fish finder part number 010-02550-00.
Although it’s one of the smallest Garmin units, it supports an impressive range of base frequencies, including 50/77/200 kHz for standard CHIRP, and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü. The included GT20 transducer supports both standard and ClearVü sonar. For standard CHIRP, it casts two conical beams with a coverage of 15° at 200 kHz, and 45° @ 77 kHz with a maximum depth range of 1,900 ft. (579 m). For ClearVü, it uses two oval beams with a coverage of 2.5° x 53°@ 455 kHz and 1.6° x 29° @ 800 kHz and a maximum depth capability of 750 ft. (228 m).
The unit is not a chartplotter; it does not support any charts. However, it does have a built-in GPS plotter application. This means that it can show your location on a blank background. It also offers the possibility to save waypoints, record tracks, and create routes.
The Quickdraw Contours application is also available with this unit. This particular feature allows you to create your own bathymetric maps. It also has a depth range shading function so you can select up to 10 depth ranges.
The unit has a 4.3-inch diagonal color display, with a pixel resolution of 480V x 272H. It has built-in backlight for improved readability in direct sunlight and at night. It is also IPX7 waterproof. Thus, it can withstand incidental water exposure.
The unit is keypad-operated. It does not have touchscreen technology. Also, similar to the other Garmin Striker units, it does not have any networking features or WiFi (WiFi is available only with the Striker 7 and above models). It includes the standard tilt-swivel mount while the transducer comes with a transom mount. In all, it’s a small and versatile unit, one of the best fish finders for kayak that you can get at the moment.
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Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv
The Striker Vivid 5cv is one of the fish finders released by Garmin at the end of 2020. It’s a newer 
version of the Garmin Striker Plus 5cv which is still available, by the way, and still one of the best Garmin fish finders in 2023 as well. As opposed to the older model, the Vivid model offers seven new color palettes for the ClearVü sonar.
The Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv has two built-in sonar technologies; these are standard CHIRP and ClearVü. It supports multiple frequencies, including 50/77/200 kHz for the standard sonar, and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü. It does not support SideVü sonar or Panoptix sonar but does support dual-frequency.
Like many other ClearVü fish finders, the Vivid 5cv includes the GT20 transducer which supports 77/200 kHz for standard CHIRP and 455/800 kHz for ClearVü. It can scan depths up to 750 ft. (228 m) for Cv, and 1,900 ft. (597 m) for standard CHIRP. It comes with a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable with a 4-pin connector, and has an internal temperature probe.
Similar to the Striker 4cv, the 5cv model does not have built-in charts. It also does not support charts like LakeVü or BlueChart. It is equipped with a basic GPS plotter that offers the possibility to save waypoints, record tracks, and create routes. Although it does not support maps, it has the Quickdraw Contours feature. This is an application for creating bathymetric maps. It uses the unit’s GPS and basic sonar for revealing and drawing the depth contours of the body of water that you’re scanning, on the blank sheet of the plotter.
The unit does not have wireless connectivity (no WiFi, no Bluetooth). This being said, if you want the WiFi feature, you will have to opt for the Striker 7 units and above. It’s a fairly small unit featuring a 5-inch display which makes it a great choice for a kayak fish finder. It comes with the standard tilt & swivel mount.
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Lowrance Hook Reveal 5x SplitShot
The Hook Reveal includes several new fish finders released by Lowrance in 2020. The Hook Reveal 
5x SplitShot is one of the smallest and most affordable units from this series which makes it a great fish finder for kayak. It has two types of sonar, these being traditional CHIRP and DownScan.
The unit comes with the SplitShot transducer which only supports 200 kHz for the 2D CHIRP sonar, but does support both 455 kHz and 800 kHz for DownScan. The unit itself also supports 50/83 kHz but in order to use these frequencies, you will have to pair the unit with a different transducer.
The SplitShot transducer comes with a transom mount and 20 ft. (6 m) of cable. It casts a conical beam (40° @ 200 kHz) for the CHIRP sonar, and two oval beams (55° @ 455 kHz / 35° @ 800 kHz) for DownScan. It also has an internal temperature sensor and the unit can show water temperature.
Since it’s an “x” unit, the Hook Reveal 5x SplitShot only has a basic GPS plotter and does not support charts. However, as opposed to the older Hook2-5x unit, it has the Genesis Live feature. This is similar to the Quickdraw Contours feature available with most Garmin units. It allows you to create your own personalized bathymetric charts with depth contours. However, the created charts can only be saved on a blank microSD card, and the unit cannot read other Genesis charts available online.
The Hook Reveal 5x features a 5-inch display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It’s a SolarMax display and provides excellent readability in direct sunlight. It does not have any networking features and the microSD card slot cannot be loaded with charts from Navionics or C-MAP. The unit includes a standard Gimbal mount.
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Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 SplitShot
The Hook Reveal 5 SplitShot is the Lowrance fish finder that basically replaced the Hook2-5 SplitShot. 
As opposed to the Hook2 version, this one has the Genesis Live feature and the FishReveal sonar mode. As opposed to the Hook Reveal 5x above this model has standard GPS and supports charts. Also, a newer version has been available since 2021. This basically has the same features but comes with the Contour+ maps and the 50/200 kHz HDI skimmer transducer.
As the unit’s name suggests, it has SplitShot sonar which includes High Wide-Angle CHIRP sonar and DownScan. The unit itself supports 50/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP sonar and 455/800 kHz for DownScan. It does not support ForwardScan, SideScan, or LiveSight sonar.
The transducer included with this Lowrance fish finder is the SplitShot model. This transducer comes with a transom mount, has 20 ft. (6 m) of cable with an 8-pin connector and an internal temperature sensor. It supports both High CHIRP and DownScan. For High CHIRP, it uses a conical beam with a coverage of 40° and a max. depth range of 500 ft. (153 m). For DownScan, it supports both 455 kHz and 800 kHz frequencies. The DownScan beams are oval, with a coverage of 55° / 3° @ 455 kHz and 35° / 1.6° @ 800 kHz. The max. DownScan depth range is 300 ft. (91 m).
This Lowrance fish finder includes the C-MAP U.S. inland basemap platform. Although they don’t provide super detail like the Navionics+, these charts do cover more than 4,000 lakes from the United States with 1-foot contours also providing other data. It also has the Genesis Live feature which uses the GPS and the CHIRP sonar to detect and record the depth contours of the lake you are scanning, so you can create your own custom fishing charts. Plus, the unit is compatible with premium charts from Navionics and C-MAP.
The unit does not have networking features or wireless connectivity. It’s a 5-inch unit which makes it an excellent choice for a kayak fish finder. It is IPX7 waterproof and comes with the tilt bracket mount.
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Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar
The Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar is not exactly your conventional unit+transducer fish finder. It’s a wireless
fish finder intended for use with your smartphone. It’s meant to be tied to the line of a fishing rod and cast into the water either from the shore or from a boat. We should also mention here the Deeper CHIRP model, and the newer model Deeper Pro+ 2.
Since Deeper PRO+ doesn’t come with a head unit like all the other conventional fish finders, you have to use your smartphone or tablet as the receiver unit. It connects to your device via the free Fish Deeper app available for iOS and Android systems. It actually creates a WiFi hotspot in order to connect to your smartphone.
The Fish Deeper app offers quite a variety of features. For the sonar part, it offers two type of views, the standard 2D sonar view, and the Circular Flasher sonar view. The 2D view shows fish arches, the bottom line, the depth measured by the transducer, and more. The flasher mode puts the sonar data into a ring system which is great to use for ice fishing. Both sonar modes can be viewed and worked with in split-screen. Also, it’s important to mention that the Deeper sonar does not have structure scanning, like the DownScan from Lowrance, or Down Imaging from Garmin.
Among other sonar features and functions, we can mention Display Sensitivity, Fish Icons, Color Palette, Sonar Feed Storage (or Sonar Recording), and more.
This fish finder holds all its elements into a sphere made of durable thermoplastic material. The transducer is integrated into this sphere as well. It is a dual-beam transducer that can use a narrow beam for more focus, and a wide beam for more coverage if necessary. The beams are conical; the narrow beam has a coverage of 15°, while the wide beam’s coverage is 55°. Also, the maximum depth capability of the transducer is 260 ft. (80 m).
The Wi-Fi range of the sphere is 330 ft. (100 m). So, whether you cast your Deeper PRO+ from a kayak, boat or drop it down from a bridge, it should provide the necessary signal in order to view the sonar feed on your phone.
The Deeper PRO+ fish finder has a built-in GPS receiver. This may be a redundant feature as many smartphones have their own internal GPS. But nonetheless, it’s still a plus as you only have to work with the Fish Deeper app for the GPS data, without the need to use a different GPS app.
The most important navigation feature is the Bathymetric Map Creation. This works in a similar way as the SonarChart offered by Navionics maps, or the Quickdraw Contours included with the newest Garmin plotters. It uses GPS and 2D sonar data to map the depth contours of the lake or area you’re scanning. 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 plastic casing has three connection points on the outside into which you can screw the attachment bolts, depending on how you will deploy the gadget (from a boat, drop-down from a bridge, or cast from shore with a fishing rod). The box includes two attachment bolts. You only need one to tie it to a fishing line and cast it; the second one is basically as spare. The top cover of the spherical casing 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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Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G2 Navionics+
Although the Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP DI GPS G2 Navionics+ is one of the most complete 5-inch 
Humminbird fish finders with Down Imaging. As the title suggests, it is also a chartplotter and comes with a Navionics+ card. These charts cover more than 21,000 lakes and water bodies in North America, Nautical Chart guides, Sonar Chart HD bathymetry mapping, and more. The unit is also pre-loaded with the standard Humminbird Basemap platform. Plus, it has the AutoChart Live feature for bathymetric mapping. So, in case none of the included charts offer satisfying detail for your favorite lake, you can map it yourself. And finally, the unit supports Lakemaster and SmartStrike charts.
Of course, the unit has internal GPS and supports external GPS, as well as AIS and AutoPilot. It also offers the possibility to create and save waypoints, routes, and tracks. It does not support Radar, though.
The unit offers two types of sonar, these being DualBeam Plus sonar and Down Imaging sonar. They both use CHIRP technology for a better target detection and separation. The unit itself supports 50/83/200/455/800 kHz.
The included transducer is the XNT 9 DI T. This transducer has a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature sensor. For the DualBeam Plus sonar, it uses two conical beams of 16° @ 455 kHz, and 25° @ 200 kHz. For Down Imaging, it uses to oval beams with a coverage of 75° @ 455 kHz, and 45° @ 800 kHz. The maximum depth ranges that can be achieved with this transducer are 600 ft. (183 m) for DualBeam Plus, and 350 ft. (106 m) for Down Imaging.
The HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 unit does not have networking features like Wi-Fi or Ethernet but does support NMEA 0183. It also has a microSD card slot that you can load with the included Navionics+ card or other cards from Navionics or LakeMaster. You can also use a data card to import software updates or backup your waypoints, routes, etc. The unit’s display is 5-inch in diagonal, has a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V, and LED backlight for improved readability in direct sunlight. It doesn’t have touchscreen technology, just the side keypad. It is IPX7 waterproof and comes with the standard Humminbird Gimbal mount.
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Garmin Striker Cast GPS
The Striker Cast GPS is one of the fish finders released by Garmin in 2020. It’s similar in terms of features to the
Deeper Pro+ model but has a different construction. It does not come with a control head unit; it uses your smartphone as one. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-02246-02, the model that has built-in GPS. However, there is also a version without GPS (the 010-02246-00).
To begin with, this Garmin fish finder features a hard plastic shell with a blue top cover and a black bottom cover. The non-GPS version has a white top cover. A tether and a portable bag are included with it, but you can also tie it to a 20+ lb. test fishing line. Its internal battery lasts approx. 10 hours when fully charged and a USB cable for recharging is included.
The fish finder connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Its range is roughly 200 ft. (61 m). It uses the Garmin Striker Cast app available for both iOS and Android systems. The app offers several useful functions for the fish finder. The list includes A-Scope, Fish Symbols, AutoGain, and a Circular Flasher. The built-in sonar uses two frequencies; these are 260 kHz and 455 kHz. The internal transducer casts two oval beams with a coverage of 22° x 63° @ 260 kHz, and 9° x 14° @ 455 kHz. The maximum depth range is 150 ft. (46 m), while the minimum depth range is 2 ft. (0.6 m).
As the name suggests, this fish finder also has a built-in GPS receiver. This being said, you can mark waypoints and view your coordinates. On top of that, the app uses its data with the Quickdraw Contours mapping feature. This being said, you can craft your own bathymetric maps with 1-foot contours. The app also connects to the Garmin Quickdraw Community, so you can download maps created with Quickdraw Contours from there, for free. You can also upload your own Quickdraw maps to this database in order to share them with other anglers or back them up for later use.
The Depth Range Shading feature is available with the Quickdraw Contours application. This being said, you can color code several depths for a quick assessment. It’s important to mention, though, that this Garmin fish finder cannot use charts like LakeVü or BlueChart.
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Vexilar SP200 T-Box Smartphone Fish Finder
Similar to the Deeper PRO+, the Vexilar SP200 T-Box is one of the best fish finders for kayak designed for smartphones and 
tablets. It doesn’t include a head unit like the conventional fish finders. The set includes the sonar black box and a transducer. The T-Box unit of the Vexilar SP200 is the element that holds the sonar system. It also integrates a WiFi module so it basically creates a WiFi hotspot in order to communicate with your smartphone. The range of the WiFi box is approx. 300 ft. (91 m).
The T-Box unit features two buttons, the On/Off switch, and the Reset button. It also has two sets of cables internally attached, one for the battery and one with a connector for the transducer cable. A battery is not included; a 12V battery is required for it.
In terms of sonar frequencies, the Vexilar SP200 T-Box is capable of 200 kHz and 83 kHz. It’s also dual-frequency capable. This means you can run both frequencies and see the returns of the transducer for both 200/83 kHz beams in split-screen on your tablet or smartphone.
The SonarPhone app is free and available for iOS 10.0 and up, or Android 2.0 and up. This app offers most of the standard sonar features available with regular fish finders. For example, it has Automatic Ranging, Water Temperature, Fish Icons, Zoom Bottom Track (or Bottom Lock), Noise Rejection, Surface Clarity, Fish Alarm, Shallow Water Alarm, and Low Battery Alarm. Of course, it also shows depth and the frequency of the sonar beam.
The transducer included with the Vexilar SP200 smartphone fish finder is a dual-beam type. Naturally, it uses the same frequencies as the fish finder’s sonar, these being 200 kHz and 83 kHz. Since it’s standard sonar (not structure scanning), the transducer uses conical beams. Their coverage is 40° for the 83 kHz beam, and 20° for 200 kHz. Also, the maximum depth range of this transducer is 240 ft. (73 m).
The transducer comes with 25 ft. (7.6 m) of cable. It is equipped with a transom mount, but if you’re going to use the SP200 as a fish finder for kayak, it can also be installed through the scupper hole or in-hull with a little improvisation. It integrates a temperature sensor, so if installed in-hull, it won’t be able to provide an accurate water temperature reading.
The SonarPhone app doesn’t have its own GPS feature. It also doesn’t have a bathymetric mapping feature, nor it has any charts. However, it is compatible with the Navionics app. Therefore, if you opt for the Navionics app, the two apps can work together and you can view the maps and the sonar applications in split-screen.
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Short Buying Guide for Kayak Fish Finders
As we’ve mentioned above, not all fish finders may fit well to kayak fishing. Also, depending on the features and functions available, not all of them may fit your budget. So, if you want a fish finder for kayak, it’s very important to know what you’re paying for. This being said, in the next section of this page, we’re going to point out some of the most important aspects with regards to kayak fish finders, in order to help you make the right choice.
Brand
The three most popular fish finder brand names at the moment are Garmin, Humminbird, and Lowrance. They pretty much offer fish finders from the most basic models to the most inclusive and most advanced. However, even their most basic units may cost a little extra due to the brand name popularity (quality too). So, if you only want a basic kayak fish finder, and you’re on a budget, other brand names such as Vexilar or Deeper can also make a great choice.
Our selection above covers at least one model from each one of these brands, as well as several models from less popular brands. So far, they have all gathered a fairly decent feedback from users.
Types of Sonar
The most basic and most affordable fish finders for kayak are the ones that only offer single beam sonar, like the Lowrance HOOK2-4x GPS Bullet. However, depending on the body of water where you’ll be fishing, and your budget, you may also want structure scanning sonar. This sonar technology offers photo-like imaging of the bottom, vegetation, and structure, offering the possibility to assess better where to place the bait, or cast your lures, and also gives a better perspective of the fish positioning in relation to vegetation or structure.
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”.
Now, when it comes to structure scanning sonar, most anglers go for down scanning for their kayak fish finders; that’s because side scanning costs quite a few extra bucks and may not be that necessary. That’s why none of the units that we’ve selected for this page has side scanning sonar. But nonetheless, if you’re looking for one of the best kayak fish finders with side scanning sonar, some of the best choices would be the Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2, the Lowrance HOOK2-5 TripleShot, or the Garmin Striker Plus 7sv.
Included Transducer and Transducer Compatibility
To begin with, 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.
All the kayak fish finders that we’ve covered here come with their own transducer. But just in case, whenever you’re looking for a fish finder, make sure that the transducer is included unless you already have one transducer that you are 100% sure it is compatible with a particular head unit.
Transducer compatibility should be the second on the list here. It’s quite a plus that a certain fish finder unit is compatible with multiple transducers. For example, the Garmin units in the list above support several transducer models. Therefore, they also have a flasher feature so you can use them on ice as well.
Navigation Features
GPS and other navigation features will definitely increase the price of a fish finder. However, if you will be fishing off-shore, GPS, and off-shore charts on your kayak fish finder may be quite helpful. Also, even if you will be fishing on your favorite lake, the lake that you already know like your own pocket, a depth contour recording feature like the Quickdraw Contours offered by the Garmin units is definitely a plus. The Deeper PRO+ that we’ve selected for our list of kayak fish finders here also has a similar feature.
Networking Features
Networking features such as NMEA support or Ethernet ports are not exactly necessary for a kayak fish finder. In most cases, the wiring of your unit is simple for a kayak, including just the battery connection and transducer connection. Most anglers don’t use any other boating instruments than the fish finder itself for a kayak, so you won’t be needing to connect your fish finder to an AIS unit, Radar unit, or VHF radio. Needless to say, all these features add up to the cost of your unit.
An important aspect that we must mention here regards SD card or microSD card readability. Although this is not exactly a networking feature, it’s pretty close. A unit with an SD or microSD card slot offers the possibility to save and export data such as recorded sonar or waypoints, or simply to back them up on a memory card. Plus, it usually offers the possibility to upgrade the unit’s charts. Therefore, this feature can be useful and may be worth an extra buck.
Waterproofing
When you’re fishing from a kayak, your fish finder’s water exposure is definitely higher than when you’re fishing from a bass boat or dinghy. And in some cases, full immersions may happen. Therefore, opting for a unit that’s IPX7 waterproof (resistant to incidental water exposure and even immersions) is pretty important. Now, most fish finders at least some form of waterproofing. But as a general idea, the Garmin and the Humminbird units would seem to resist better than others.
Final Word
Our page here covers some of the best kayak fish finders in 2023, at least for the moment. You’ll find here models for all budgets and needs. Each one comes with a transducer, and most of them offer at least dual-beam sonar. They all offer excellent value for the price, and so far, they’ve gathered the best user feedback.