When it comes to sonar technology, Side Imaging is one of the top-tier sonar features a fish finder can have. That’s because, with a feature such as this, you can obtain a much better picture of the underwater environment and the location of fish in relation to the boat. It is also great for navigational awareness as it gives you a better picture of what is on each side of the boat. There are many Side Imaging fish finders available at the moment. So, in the first section of this page, we’ll put into view the best 10 Side Imaging fish finders at the moment.
Top 10 Side Imaging Fish Finders
Fish Finder | Features | Price |
 | - Side Imaging Sonar | |
 | - SideVü Sonar | |
 | - SideScan Sonar | |
 | - AI 3-in-1 sonar | |
 | - SideVü Sonar | |
 | - CHIRP sonar | |
 | - MEGA SI | |
 | - CHIRP sonar | |
 | - Active Imaging 3-in-1 - 10 Hz GPS - GenesisLive | |
 | - SideVü Sonar |
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2
Although the HELIX 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2 is one of the models released in 2016, it is still available in 
2021. It’s currently one of the most affordable fish finders with Side Imaging. For reference, this is the Humminbird part number 410230-1.
To begin with, the HELIX 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2 offers three CHIRP sonar technologies. These are DualBeam Plus sonar, Down Imaging sonar, and Side Imaging sonar. It supports four main frequencies, these being 50/83/200/455 kHz. It comes with the XNT 9 SI 180 T transducer that supports all three sonar modes. Also, this transducer has a built-in temperature sensor and comes with a transom mount.
For DualBeam Plus the transducer uses two conical beams at 83/200 kHz with a coverage of 60°/20° and a maximum depth range of 1,500 ft. (457 m). For Down Imaging and Side Imaging, the unit can only use the 455 kHz channel. The Down Imaging beam has a maximum depth capability of 150 ft. (46 m), while the Side Imaging beams can reach a distance of 240 ft. (73 m) on each side of the boat.
In terms of navigation, the unit is equipped with an internal GPS receiver. It offers the possibility to create waypoints, routes, and plot your track. It can also enhance its fixes via WAAS, EGNOS, or MSAS. Also, via GPS the unit can indicate and track your vessel’s speed.
The unit is pre-loaded with the Humminbird Basemap. These charts cover more than 10,000 U.S lakes with 1-foot depth contours, and also provide coverage for coastal waters, showing depth markers, buoys, hazards, marinas, nav-aids, and various other points of interest. It also has the AutoChart Live feature which allows you to create your own fishing maps with the most up-to-date depth contours.
As its name suggests, the unit features a 5-inch display. Its pixel resolution is 800H x 480V. The unit does not have Ethernet but does support NMEA 0183. It also has a microSD card slot for Navionics, LakeMaster, and SmartStrike charts.
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Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv
The Striker Vivid 7sv is one of the Garmin fish finders released at the end of 2020. It’s one of 
the most affordable Side Imaging fish finders from Garmin. It’s not a chartplotter but does offer basic navigation features. For reference, this is the Garmin fish finder part number 010-02553-00.
The Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv has SideVü, ClearVü, and Standard CHIRP sonar. It comes with the classic GT52HW-TM transducer featuring a 12-pin connector, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, transom mount, and an internal temperature sensor. In terms of standard sonar, the transducer only supports High-Wide CHIRP (150-240 kHz); however, the unit does support 50 kHz and 77 kHz as well. The depth capability of the High-Wide CHIRP beam is 800 ft. (244 m).
For ClearVü and SideVü, the included transducer uses the 455/800 kHz channels. The SideVü beams have a maximum side coverage of 500 ft. (152 m), while the maximum depth range of the ClearVü sonar is 500 ft. (152 m).
As we’ve mentioned above, the unit is not a chartplotter. This being said, it does not supports maps such as LakeVü or BlueChart. It has a basic GPS plotter that represents your boat on a blank background on which you can save waypoints, draw a route, or record your track. Although it does not have charts, the unit does have the Quickdraw Contours feature. Therefore, you can reveal and record the depth contours of your lake, and craft your own custom fishing maps.
The Striker Vivid 7sv features a 7-inch display with a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V, color with LED backlight. It does not have NMEA or Ethernet. However, it does have wireless connectivity and is compatible with the ActiveCaptain app. Therefore, you can sync it with your phone in order to access the Quickdraw Community to upload or download charts created with the Quickdraw Contours application. The ActiveCaptain app also offers several other useful functions, like fishing trip planning, data backup, etc.
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Lowrance HOOK Reveal 7 TripleShot
The HOOK Reveal 7 TripleShot is one of the fish finders released by Lowrance in 2020. It’s also a
chartplotter and offers a fairly decent range of navigation features. To begin with, it has built-in GPS and offers the possibility to create routes, plot your tracks, and save waypoints. The unit’s GPS supports GLONASS, WAAS, MSAS, and EGNOS for position augmentation. It also has the GPS speed function so it can calculate the speed of your boat via the GPS input.
The unit is pre-loaded with the standard United States basemap from C-MAP. These charts cover more than 4,000 lakes with 1-foot contours. They don’t offer super detail, but the unit is compatible with premium charts from Navionics and C-MAP. The unit also has the Genesis Live feature which allows you to record the depth contours of your lake and create your own bathymetric maps.
As its name suggests, the Lowrance HOOK Reveal 7 TripleShot offers three sonar technologies – SideScan, DownScan, and standard CHIRP. It supports multiple base frequencies, including 50/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP and 455/800 kHz for the structure scanning sonar.
The unit comes with the TripleShot transducer which has a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable with an 8-pin connector, and also integrates a temperature sensor. The transducer uses a conical beam with a coverage of 44° @ 200 kHz for the CHIRP sonar. Its depth range is 500 ft. (153 m). For SideScan, the beams are oval; they offer a coverage of 600 ft. (183 m) @ 455 kHz, and 300 ft. (91 m) @ 800 kHz. The DownScan beams are also oval; their maximum depth range is 300 ft. (91 m) @ 455 kHz, and 150 ft. (46 m) @ 800 kHz.
The unit has a 7-inch diagonal with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It’s an LCD-type color display with LED backlight. It’s keypad operated only and does not have touchscreen technology. Unlike the older generation of Hook units, the Hook Reveal 7 does not have networking features. It does not support NMEA and does not have any Ethernet ports. It does have a microSD card slot, though, so you can load it with premium charts from Navionics and C-MAP, or with a blank card for data transfer or backup. The unit comes with the standard Gimbal mount.
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Simrad GO9 XSE Active Imaging 3-in-1 C-MAP Discover
The GO9 XSE 000-14840-002 is one of the fish finders released by Simrad in 2021. It offers a pretty similar
range of features to the older GO9 XSE 000-14840-001 but comes with the C-MAP Discover charts and a few extra updates.
As its name suggests, the unit has Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar. This means it has built-in standard CHIRP sonar, SideScan, and DownScan. It also supports ForwardScan. The included transducer is the Active Imaging 3-in-1 model, which naturally supports all three sonar technologies offered by the unit. For standard CHIRP, it can use the 83/200 kHz channels with conical beams; the 83 kHz beam has a depth range of 1,000 ft. (305 m). For SideScan and DownScan, it uses the 455/800 kHz channels with oval beams. The max. depth for the DownScan beam is 300 ft. (91 m), while the max. side range of the SideScan is also 300 ft. (91 m).
In terms of navigation, the unit has a 10 Hz, 32-channel GPS receiver and allows you to save waypoints, create routes, and record tracks. It supports broadband 3G, 4G, and HALO® radar. It can communicate with AIS units via NMEA 2000 as well. It supports AC12N, AC42N, SG05, or NAC-1 autopilot units. It also supports SteadySteerTM, Honda ECO mode engine information, Mercury Smart Tow, FusionLink, and more.
The included C-MAP Discover charts offer ultra-wide coverage for inland and off-shore U.S. and Canadian waters. They come with several new features including High-Res Bathymetry, Vector Charts, Custom Depth Shading, Tides & Currents info, and more.
The unit has a full touchscreen display, with a 9-inch diagonal and a pixel resolution of 800 x 480. It offers a fairly decent range of networking features. It has Ethernet, NMEA 2000, and also supports NMEA 0183. It has wireless connectivity which gives you the possibility to easily download or upload data if a WiFi connection is available. Plus, you can mirror its display to a smartphone or tablet so you can control it remotely.
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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv
The ECHOMAP UHD 73sv is one of the most affordable fish finder and chartplotter combos with SideVü sonar
from Garmin. It’s also a networkable unit, offering NMEA and wireless connectivity. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-02338-01. Also, in 2022, Garmin released the ECHOMAP UHD2 version which can support the Navionics+ Inland charts. However, the standard unit comes with the GT20 transducer, not with one of the UHD transducers.
The unit has three sonar technologies. These are standard CHIRP, DownVü, and SideVü. It also supports Panoptix sonar but in order to use the LiveVü modes, you will need a Panoptix transducer.
The unit comes with the GT54UHD-TM transducer which has a transom mount, 20 ft. of cable with a 12-pin connector, and an internal temperature sensor. For the 2D CHIRP sonar, is uses a conical beam with a coverage of 24°-16° and a depth range of 800 ft. (244 m). For UHD ClearVü, it can only use one channel, the 800 kHz (760-880 kHz). It casts an oval beam directly under the boat with a coverage of 0.94°x60°. Its depth capability is 200 ft. (61 m). And finally, for SideVü, the transducer operates in a frequency range of 1,060-1,170 kHz. However, it also supports the regular 455 (425-485 kHz) mode. The side beam coverage is 125 ft. (38 m) for the UHD mode, and 500 ft. (152 m) for the regular mode.
The unit has a 5 Hz internal GPS. It can save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, 100 routes, and 50 tracks. It is pre-loaded with the LakeVü g3 charts that provide coverage for more than 17,000 U.S. lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. They also offer features like Shallow Water Shading, Depth Range Shading, and Auto Guidance.
The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv features a WVGA color display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 400V and LED backlight. It has both keypad and touchscreen navigation. In terms of networking, it has NMEA 0183 ports and also supports NMEA 2000. Plus, wireless connectivity is also available. Therefore, you can sync it with your smartphone via the ActiveCaptain up for quick data downloads or uploads, fishing trip planning, and more.
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Raymarine Element 7 HV LightHouse NC2 Hv-100
The first Raymarine Element units were released in 2019. The Element 7 HV is a fish finder and chartplotter available
in various bundles with different transducers and charts. The one that we’re addressing here is the part number E70532-05-101, the one that includes the new LightHouse NC2 charts and the HyperVision transducer.
In terms of sonar, the Raymarine Element 7 HV offers standard CHIRP, DownVision, SideVision, and Real Vision 3D. It’s also important to mention that it has the HyperVision mode for 1.2 MHz. The unit actually supports three main frequencies, these being 200 kHz, 350 kHz, and 1.2 MHz.
The transducer uses a conical beam for the standard CHIRP sonar with a depth range of 900 ft. (274 m). The DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D beams are oval. The DownVision beam has a depth range of 600 ft. (183 m) and a coverage of 60°. The SideVision beams have an angle of 25° and a 300 ft. (91 m) range on each side. And the 3D beam offers a coverage of 180° with a max. depth range of 300 ft. (91 m).
The unit has a 28-channel built-in GPS that supports MSAS, EGNOS, WAAS, QZSS, and GAGAN. It comes with the LightHouse NC2 charts with Fishing HotSpots, which is an enhanced basemap that points out some of the best fishing locations, navigation aids, tide stations, vegetation, bottom layouts, and more. The LightHouse NC2 charts offer navigational support for the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and all the Great Lakes with their related waterways. The unit also has the RealBathy feature, which allows you to create your own custom bathymetric maps.
The unit features a 7-inch diagonal display, WVGA color, with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It does not have touchscreen technology. It has 8.0 GB of internal memory for data storage, and a microSD card slot for charts or data transfer (or storage). It supports NMEA 2000 and SeaTalk. It also has wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and WiFi), so you can sync it with your phone or tablet.
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Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3 Navionics+
The HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3 Navionics+ is one of the Humminbird units released in 2018, but it
is still available in 2023. It is also one of the best Humminbird fish finders at the moment as it packs an almost clean 5-star rating on most websites.
The unit offers three types of sonar, these being Dual Spectrum CHIRP, Down Imaging, and Side Imaging. As its name suggests, for DI and SI it has the MEGA Imaging mode. It supports multiple frequencies, including 50/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP sonar, and 455/1200 kHz for structure scanning.
The unit comes with the XNT 9 HW MSI 150 T. For Side Imaging, it offers a coverage of 86° for each side beam, and a range of 250 ft. (76 m) @ 1200 kHz, and 480 ft. @ 455 kHz. The Down Imaging beams have a coverage of 75° with depth capabilities of 125 ft. (38 m) and 75 ft. (22 m). Of course, the Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar offers three modes. These are Wide, Narrow, and Full. The Narrow beam is 25°, while the Wide and Full beams offer a coverage of 42°. The maximum depth is 1,200 ft. (365 m).
In terms of navigation, the unit has a 10 Hz internal GPS receiver, so it can provide position updates 10 times per second. It comes with a Navionics+ card chip, but it also has its own, built-in Humminbird Basemap chart platform. It has the AutoChart Live feature which gives you the possibility to create your own bathymetric maps. It also supports LakeMaster charts and SmartStrike fishing charts. It does not support Radar but does support external GPS sensors and AIS data.
The HELIX 7 CHIRP MEGA SI GPS G3 Nav+ has a 7-inch display, with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V and LED backlight. It’s keypad operated, without multi-touch technology. Since it’s part of the G3 sub-series (not G3N), it does not have Ethernet, NMEA 2000, or wireless connectivity. However, it does have a microSD card slot for data transfer, chart upgrades, and of course, the includes Navionics+ charts.
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Raymarine Element 9 HV-100 LightHouse NC2
The Raymarine Element 9 HV-100 is one of the fish finders released in 2019. It’s a chartplotter as well and
comes with the LightHouse NC2 charts. For reference, this is the Raymarine part number E70534-05-101, the one that also includes the HV-100 transducer.
This Raymarine fish finder offers four sonar technologies. These are standard CHIRP, DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D. It supports three main frequencies, these being 200 kHz for the CHIRP sonar, 350 kHz for regular SideVision, DownVision and RealVision 3D, and 1.2 MHz for Hyper SideVision, Hyper DownVision, and Hyper RealVision 3D. The max. depth range is 900 ft. for the 2D sonar, 600 ft. for DownVision, and 300 ft. for SideVision and RealVision 3D.
The HV-100 transducer supports all four sonar technologies provided by the unit, including the Hyper modes. It features 20 ft (6 m) of cable, a 15-pin connector, and has a built-in temperature sensor. A 13 ft (4 m) cable extension is also available for it (but not included). Its part number is A80562.
As the title suggests, the unit is pre-loaded with the LightHouse NC2 charts. This chart platform offers an enhanced world basemap which points out some of the best fishing locations. It also provides a lot of other information, including underwater structure, vegetation, bottom layout, nav-aids, tide stations, and a wide array of points of interest. They cover the contiguous U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and all the Great Lakes with more than 6,000 bodies of water as well as 80,000+ miles of charted saltwater coastline.
The unit features a 9-inch display with a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V and LED backlight. It does not have touchscreen technology. It runs on the LightHouse Sport operating system which offers pre-configured application pages for quick selection, allows quick waypoint creation and quick access to the most commonly used waypoint symbols, and gives you the possibility to work with up to four applications simultaneously in split-view format. It has NMEA 2000, SeaTalk, and wireless connectivity. And finally, it comes with the standard trunnion bracket mount.
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Lowrance Elite FS 7 Active Imaging 3-in-1
The Elite FS is a Lowrance fish finder series released at the end of 2020. The Elite FS 7 is the smallest of the 
series, at least for now. It comes in various bundles with different transducers and fish finders, but here, we’re going to address the part number 000-15688-001, the one that includes the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer
The unit supports multiple base sonar frequencies as well as sonar technologies. It supports 50/83/200 kHz for standard CHIRP sonar, and 455/800 kHz for structure scanning. It also supports ActiveTarget Live Sonar and StructureScan 3D if paired with the corresponding transducers.
The included Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer features a transom mount, 25 ft. (7.6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature sensor. It supports three sonar technologies, including standard CHIRP, DownScan, and SideScan. For standard CHIRP, it uses the 83/200 channels offering a maximum depth range of 1,000 ft. (305 m). For SideScan and DownScan, uses the 455/800 kHz frequencies and offers a maximum depth range of 300 ft. (91 m) for DownScan, and a maximum side-to-side coverage of 600 ft. (183 m) for SideScan.
The unit is also a chartplotter and offers a pretty impressive range of navigation features. To begin with, it has a 10 Hz internal GPS. It can save up to 3,000 waypoints in its memory, 100 routes, and 100 trails. Each trail can have up to 10,000 points. It is pre-loaded with the new Contour+ charts which cover inland and near-shore coastal areas of the continental United States, Hawaii, and Bermuda. They also offer high-resolution 1-foot contours for over 8,900 U.S. lakes.
GenesisLive and StructureMap are also available with this unit. Therefore, you can create your own bathymetric charts or overlay SideScan images on the maps. Plus, it supports Radar, including 4G, 3G, Halo20, Halo20, and Halo24. It also supports AIS data as well as Weather SiriusXM via WM-4. And finally, it supports Outboard Pilot, Ghost Trolling Motor, MotorGuide Xi5 & Xi3.
The unit has a 7-inch display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. it combines keypad navigation with touchscreen navigation. It offers superior networking features, including NMEA 2000, Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth. And finally, it has a microSD card slot.
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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 93sv 010-02523-01
The Garmin 010-02523-01 is the 2nd ECHOMAP UHD 93sv version released so far. As opposed to the older
010-02342-01 model, it comes with the GT56UHD transducer and has the Vivid colors for the structure scanning sonar.
The unit offers three main sonar technologies, these being CHIRP standard sonar, ClearVü, and SideVü. It also supports Panoptix sonar, so you can pair it with a LiveVü transducer such as the PS22. It supports multiple frequencies, including 50/77/200 kHz for the standard sonar, and 260/455/800/1000 kHz for SV and CV.
For the CHIRP sonar, the GT56UHD transducer uses a conical High CHIRP beam with a coverage of 24°-16° and a depth range of 800 ft. (244 m). For Sv and Cv, it supports 455/800/1000 kHz; the beamwidths are 1.1° x 52° @ 455 kHz, 0.64° x 35° @ 800 kHz, and 0.52° x 52° @ 1000 kHz. The max. depth range for the ClearVü sonar is 400 ft. (122 m) while the max. side range of the SideVü sonar is 500 ft. (152 m).
In terms of navigation, the unit is has a 5 Hz internal GPS. It offers the possibility to save waypoints, create routes, and record tracks. It is pre-loaded with the LakeVü g3 charts. These offer coverage for the U.S. inland waters and include depth contours for more than 17,000 lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Features such as Auto Guidance, Depth Range Shading, and Quickdraw Contours for bathymetric mapping are also included. Plus, the unit supports the superior LakeVü chart version, LakeVü g3 Ultra, as well as BlueChart g3 Vision.
The ECHOMAP UHD 93sv 010-02523-01 features a WVGA color display with LED backlight and a pixel matrix of 800H x 400V. It combines touchscreen technology with the side keypad for the usage of its functions and navigation. It includes the standard quick-release mount, as well as a flush mount, and a unit cover.
The unit is also networkable. It has an NMEA 2000 port and supports NMEA 0183 as well. It also has an Ethernet port but this is only for the Panoptix transducers. Wireless connectivity is available as well. Thus, you can sync this unit with your phone via the ActiveCaptain app for easy software downloads, trip planning, and more.
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Side Imaging Sonar – How Does It Work?
Your average fish finder with Side Imaging comes with a special type of transducer, which 
typically must be mounted on the outside of the boat’s transom. Of course, mounting options may differ; some transducers can be mounted in-hull, while for others there is the trolling mount option.
The Side Imaging transducer uses two sonar beams, one on each side of the boat. These sonar beams are aimed in a right angle from the path of the boat, and typically can cover up to 300 ft. (91 m) of water, on each side (depending on unit). Most SI sonars can be operated at two frequencies: 455 kHz and 800 kHz.
Now, the image that materializes on the screen might be a bit difficult to understand, if you don’t know how to look at it properly. As you can see, Side Imaging offers a view of the bottom from the above, but with a bright-white line in the middle, and two darker bands on each side of it. Each dark band is continued with what actually appears to be the bottom of the water. The following photo should speak for itself.
As you can see, your boat is in the middle of the image, on top of the bright-white line, which is the turbulence created by the motor of the boat. The darker bands from side to side of the white line represent the water column under the boat, from top to bottom. But since it’s a 2D image, they appear flat on your screen. Whatever fish or structure appears in these dark bands is normally suspended in the water column under the boat, on the left or right. Also, the image above illustrates a submerged bridge that appears broken, but its middle section is actually not visible because it is simply not caught by the two beams of the Side Imaging sonar.
The water bottom planes appear on the sides of the image and actually touch each other. However, they appear apart from one another because the water column is displayed flat in the middle. Fish appear as white dots or elliptical shapes on the screen. You’ll see that some of them cast shadows, which means they’re more or less above the bottom. In general, the farther the shadow is cast, the higher in the water column the fish. Baitfish appear as cloud shapes. Ditches and drops appear like dark shapes or lines. Trees, rocks, grass or any other structure can immediately be distinguished, this being one of the main advantages of this type of sonar technology.
Side Imaging Sonar Advantages
First of all, a sonar of this sort will point out a lot more fish than traditional sonar. If you have a fish finder with a split-screen function and you’ll conduct a scan of a certain place, while observing both side view and regular sonar view in split-screen, you’ll see that many fish detected by the side imaging won’t show on the standard sonar.
Second of all, since it scans the water from side to side of the boat, it allows you to determine immediately where exactly a fish is in relation to your boat. This being said, it’s perfect for lure fishing or baitcasting as you’ll know exactly where to throw your lure.
Another advantage is coverage. SI sonar covers a rather wide surface of the water, not just the portion of water that comes under the boat. In other words, you may miss many decent fish with a regular sonar, just because they were placed outside the Down Imaging sonar beam or standard sonar beam, while Side Imaging can reach quite far out, and detect them for you.
Last but not least, and this is a huge plus, SI technology allows you to easily distinguish between structure and fish. For example, in traditional sonar imaging, the branches of a sunken tree may appear like fish returns and delude you, while in SI you’ll be able to see clearly where the tree’s branches are, and whether or not there are fish hidden among them.
So, as a small conclusion here, if your question is “Will Side Imaging sonar really help me catch more fish?, the answer is “Absolutely, YES!”
Other Important Aspects About Side Imaging
First of all, it is important for you to know that not all manufacturers name it the same. You’ll find different terms for it due to copyright reasons. For example, Humminbird calls it “Side Imaging”, for Garmin is called “SideVü”, while Lowrance calls it “SideScan”. It’s essentially the same technology, but depending on brand, the transducer used, and other factors, there are slight differences. Throughout this post and this whole website, we’ll refer to it as “Side Imaging”, “SideScan Imaging”, or “SI”. Or, if it’s a specific post, dedicated to a specific fish finder brand, we’ll call it as they call it.
Maybe one of the most important aspects that many anglers overlook when buying a side imaging fish finder, is the depth capability of this feature. This is very important! Side imaging is a type of sonar to use for shallow water fishing. Most SI sonars have a depth capability of 150 ft. (50 m). So, if you’re planning on fishing in deeper waters than that, this feature will be useless to you. When used for higher depths than it can scan, the image on your screen will be just blank. Or it may be able to show fish that are upper in the water columns, at depths that the SI sonar is able to scan.
Another important aspect to consider is the way the images are displayed on the screen of your fish finder. Many anglers will get the wrong idea that SI sonar works somewhat like an underwater camera, and you can actually see the fish on your screen, or that the images created by the SI sonar are like photographs. That’s not how it works! Even though with side sonar the returns are crystal-clear, offering almost photo-like imaging, they’re still sonar images and not actual photographs. As we’ve mentioned above, fish will appear on screen like small white dots, arches, or elliptical shapes. Of course, there are highly advanced units that can be connected to an underwater camera, so that you can see the camera feed live on screen, but that has nothing to do with sonar.
Okay, so by now you should have a pretty clear picture of what this type of sonar technology is all about, and what it can do for you. But there are many more aspects you must not overlook, if you want to buy an SI fish finder, and not end up throwing money away.
A Few Aspects to Consider Before Buying a Side Imaging Fish Finder
Type of boat you own
In case you haven’t thought of it, the type of boat you own may not offer the possibility to install and use just any fish finder. Now, most fish finders with SI are designed to be used on motorboats, bass boats, or vessels similar to the ones mentioned. An inflatable boat or a kayak may require custom modifications or the use of a trolling mount for the transducer. Also, trying to mount a Side Imaging transducer in-hull, while it is clearly meant for mounting on the transom or on a trolling motor, may result in poor functioning.
Transducers
Depending on brand and model, some fish finders may include a transducer, and others may not. It’s
important to make sure that the unit you will purchase, comes with a transducer. Otherwise, you will have to go through the process of ordering a transducer as well, wait for it to be shipped to you, and maybe even pay more than it would cost, if included with the box in the first place. Most fish finders recommended on this website come with a transducer though.
In other cases, you may be able to change the transducer your unit comes with, for a different type. For example, if your unit comes with a transom transducer, you may be able to send it back and ask for a through-hull transducer instead, if you require such a type of transducer.
Other features
Side imaging is indeed an extremely helpful fish finding feature, that really does help you locate more fish. However, many fish finders featuring this type of sonar, also come with quite a bunch of other features that you may not need. For example, if you’re going to fish on the same 2-3 lakes you’ve been fishing your whole life, lakes that you know like the back of your own pocket, chances are you won’t need a package of fancy maps, or precision GPS. Evidently, each and every additional feature will increase the price of a unit. Therefore, prior to choosing your SI fish finder, look carefully at all its other features, and decide what’s useful to you, and what isn’t.
Budget and Pricing
The amount that you want to spend on a depth finder is one of the most important aspects to consider. Most electronics in this category don’t come exactly cheap. But in most cases, just as for flat-screen TV sets, the price is proportional to the unit’s screen diagonal. The wider the screen, the higher the price. Keep in mind though, that a bigger unit, with a wider screen, doesn’t necessarily mean it has a superior number of features. A unit may also be capable to support certain technologies, but these are available only separately.
It is important though, to have a wider screen for SideScan Imaging readings. That’s because the longer you stretch your side view, the smaller the fish returns will show up on your screen. If the screen is wider, returns will be bigger as well.
When it comes to the pricing of SideScan sonar fish finders, you will find units priced as low as $500, and up to $6,000. Of course, the ones highly-priced provide a wide array of navigational features, and there’s a good chance one would be a bit of a stretch for a bass boat. On the other hand, you can find quite a complete unit within the $1,500 – $2,500 price range.
Summary
All the Side Imaging fish finders that we’ve covered above currently stand at an almost completely clean 5-star rating on most retailer websites. Our selection here covers most budgets, from models under $500 to models over $1,000. Also, all these fish finders have at least a minimum of navigation features, so they can be versatile navigation tools, not just devices for finding fish and measuring water depth. We also hope that all the details that we’ve provided here in our guide will help you choose the fish finder that fits your needs best.
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