Fish Finder | Sonar & | Navigation | Networking | Control Unit |
 | Sonar: | GPS | N/A | 3.5" Diagonal |
The Garmin Striker 4 is one of the Garmin units part of the first Striker series. It was discontinued a while ago (2018?) but may still be available. It’s one of the most affordable Garmin fish finders, and so far, it has gathered an impressive number of 5-star ratings from users. It is a fish finder unit with a GPS plotter but does not support charts. For reference, this is the Garmin fish finder part number 010-01550-00. Also, one of the newer versions is the Striker Plus 4.
Key Features and Specifications
- Screen: 3.5″ diagonal, 480H x 320V pixel resolution, HVGA color, backlit
- Sonar: Dual Frequency CHIRP
- Frequency and Coverage: 2D Sonar: 200 kHz / 15° and 77 kHz / 45°
- Depth Capability: 1,600 ft (487 m) freshwater, 750 ft (228 m) saltwater
- Transducer: CHIRP 77/200 kHz
- Transmit power: 200 W (RMS)
- GPS: High-precision, internal
- Maps: No
- Waypoints: 5,000
Sonar and transducer
The Garmin Striker 4 unit comes with the 010-10249-20 transducer, with a 4-pin connector. This transducer is 77/200 kHz capable and uses two conical beams of 15° for 200 kHz, and respectively 45° for 77 kHz. The control unit, however, is capable of 50/77/200 kHz, therefore, you can also use a 50/200 kHz transducer, in case you want to scan higher depths. 
However, it’s only capable of Mid and High CHIRP. You won’t be able to use Low CHIRP with this unit.
The maximum depth that you’ll be able to scan with this unit is 1,600 ft (487 m) for freshwater and 750 ft (228 m) saltwater. But this is actually only possible with a 50 kHz capable transducer. With the supplied transducer, the maximum overall depth should be somewhere around 800 ft (244 m).
The CHIRP sonar adds quite some power and clarity to the images supplied by this unit. Differently put, you will benefit from clearer images, better-defined targets, less clutter, and a better lock to the bottom. Also, CHIRP offers excellent target separation. For example, if a group of fish sticks really close together, on a conventional sonar unit their sonar return will appear like a single, bigger target, while with CHIRP, you’ll actually see that there are several smaller targets.
The unit’s 2D sonar makes available several useful functions. Among these, we can mention Fish Symbol ID, A-Scope, Ultrascroll, Auto Gain, Flasher, Split-Zoom, and several alarms. In case you don’t know what these functions actually do, here’s a short explanation of each one of them.
Fish Symbol ID is actually pretty similar to the Selective Fish ID+ function, found in Humminbird units, such as the HELIX 5 GPS, for example. This function analyzes the sonar returns differently and will assign fish icons to returns that the unit will interpret as fish. It also indicates the depth of each fish target.
The Flasher mode is a circular depth scale, which also incorporates information regarding the targets caught by the sonar beams. The inner rings of the Flasher indicate depth, while the segments flashing on the outer rings indicate different strengths of the sonar returns. This function is great for stationary fishing or ice fishing. Also, the A-Scope function is also a flasher, but in a vertical layout, providing information regarding the most recent sonar returns.
Auto Gain gives you the possibility to set up the unit to automatically filter unwanted noise, while Ultrascroll allows you to scan at higher boat speeds, enabling the sonar data to scroll faster. However, even with the Ultrascroll function ON, at higher speeds, over 40-50 MPH, images will lose quality.
A few last aspects that we should be mentioning here, regard the transducer’s mounts. The supplied transducer comes with both transom and trolling motor mounts, and has 20′ (6 m) of cable. It also integrates a temperature sensor.
Navigation features
Just like the other units within the Striker series, the Garmin Striker 4 doesn’t feature a chartplotter. Thus, the GPS system will basically use a blank sheet as support.
However, the 
unit does incorporate a high-precision internal GPS module, which allows you to mark waypoints to return to. It does not provide coordinates information, though.
The unit also offers the possibility to mark waypoints for your favorite fishing spots, or just about any point of interest that you would like to re-visit. It can store up to 5,000 waypoints, offering several suggestive icons that you can use.
Control unit features
Since it’s a small unit if has a small 3.5″ display, with a pixel matrix of 480V x 320H. It’s an HVGA color display, featuring backlight, which offers excellent readability even in direct sunlight. The maximum number of panels (or applications) that you can view on-screen simultaneously, is two.
The unit has an overall rugged design, a bit sturdier than the Garmin echoMAP units. It’s IPX7 waterproof, meaning that it can survive water splashes or rain. It should also withstand immersions up to 1 m in freshwater, but it’s not exactly recommended.
This unit doesn’t feature a microSD card reader, nor NMEA connectors. However, it’s possible to transfer waypoints between this unit and any echoMAP unit, via data cable. It comes with a tilt/swivel mount and power cable.
The Pros
- Dual-frequency capable – 77/200 kHz or 50/200 kHz;
- CHIRP 2D sonar;
- 77/200 kHz CHIRP transducer, temperature capable, included;
- Various sonar features such as Fish Symbols, A-Scope, Ultrascroll, Flasher, etc;
- High-sensitivity GPS;
- GPS speed;
- Can save up to 5,000 waypoints;
- Easy to install;
- Affordable unit.
The Cons
- Unit cover not included;
- Latitude and longitude information not available;
- No NMEA connectivity.
Summary
If you’re looking for a small, affordable fishfinder with CHIRP, but don’t want to spend extra on down view sonar, or on any, more advanced navigation features, the Garmin Striker 4 should definitely be one to put on your list. It offers dual frequency CHIRP sonar and comes with the transducer. It costs less than $150 and makes a great choice for a small boat or kayak.
How does the data cable from an echomap connect and what is the part number. Wirelessly does that not mean data can be transferred as in the hand held range.
First of all, I don’t think Striker 4 is a wireless unit, so you can’t transfer data wirelessly between a Striker unit and other units. There’s only the possibility to transfer waypoints by cable. And the data transfer cable is the 010-12234-06 (not 100% sure of this, though).
It says on the screen on start up that it can share wirelessley with other similar units and there is a setting that switches that feature on and off in setup. send me your email address and I will send you a photo. mu email is diversifly@icloud.com
Hey Chris. How do you rate this little maxhine. I want one for my kayak for deep spearing.
Garmin Striker 4 has two data wires. For what purpose. Where to connect them
You can transfer waypoints between Striker and echoMAP units.
Can a waypoint be marked via the sonar i.e. i come across a ledge, can i select that ledge on the sonar and get its coordinates.
I don’t think you can mark waypoints directly on the sonar with this unit, but there’s a split screen function “Waypoint Map + Traditional”, which allows you to work with the waypoint map and sonar functions in parallel.
I tried my striker 4 today on the river, on a test run before I take it on the sea, and I came across a ledge with brush piles and the unit went nuts showing fish , I still carried on paddling for another 30 yards or so and then decided to use the “scroll back” feature to where I seen the ledge with fish and marked a way point. On my return journey , about half a mile from the ledge I used the GPS to take me back to that spot , so you can mark way points on the “scroll back ” feature 🙂 … Cracking piece of kit for the price , I think I love it more than the Mrs !! Haha
Chris, What power pack do you run the striker off?
How do you guys find the screen size on the Striker 4dv. I mean is it manageable? So far all the reviews for the unit are excellent. Im looking to mount on on a small full inflatable.
Cheers
I own an Ascend FS12 hybrid kayak, and this is the first and most likely last “fish finder” I will ever own.
Easy, easy, easy. The salesman told me that in the sonar mode you can see the depth of your jig, hook, etc… and yes you can. I fish with a jig and toggle between modes to see the fish coming, and to check the jig depth. Killer.
It provides a great picture of the bottom, in that you can tell if it’s flat, rough, weedy, or other. The waypoints will keep your structures and hot spots for future reference. If you are on the fence, and stuck in a narrow price range, forget the others and pick up the Garmin.
Hello, I want know what’s the angle of the transducer beam to use it for fishing at the sea with almost 10 feets of deep. In some place say 120 degrees but here say 45 degrees
The beam angle depends on the transducer. The transducer that comes with this Garmin Striker 4 model is the 010-10249-20, and it is 77/200 kHz capable. So, for 77 kHz the beam angle is 45°, while for 200 kHz it’s 15°.
Do you know wich transducer have a wider anlge? Thanks.
For this unit (Garmin Striker 4), the 010-10249-20 is pretty much it.
Hi do you know if the transducer needs to be mounted to the outside of the hull or will it transmit through the fibreglass
The transducer comes with a trolling mount and a transom mount. It has to be mounted outside the hull of the boat. If you want to install it in-hull, you’ll need to improvise.
Can you use it for ice fishing.
Yes. It has a Flasher sonar mode, which is best used for ice fishing or stationary fishing.
I used the feature that allows full screen on Traditional and saw that we had gone over a huge pile of fish ….so touched the mouse and scrolled the line that appeared onto the unsuspecting pile of fish and pushed the Nike sign and went go to and my Striker 5 DV took us right to the spot and we bagged some nice spade fish and tropicals …spear fishing of course .. what a machine
What’s the battery amperage that you are using to make it work? 12V, but is amperage important ? Thanks.
A 12V, 7-8AH battery should do just fine.
I know when watching videos on you tube for this striker 4 that a guy ripped on the transducer for ice fishing I feel he wasn’t doing something wrong with it but was just wondering if you can use the transducer for boat and ice with out buying the ice specific transducer
You can use a regular transducer on ice, but you’ll need to do some home-made improv., like building a bracket for it.
Does the transducer need to b flat in the water because I had a hard time seeing my bait
The transducer must “skim” or “surf” the water not “plow” it. It also has to be in permanent, uninterrupted contact with the water to provide an optimal reading.
Is the striker4 transducer capable of “in hull” mounting and will it’s GPS antenna penetrate the 1inch plywood cabin roof of my boat
The GPS system should work from the cabin, but the transducer needs to be mounted on the transom, in the water. There is though, a Kayak In-Hull Transducer Mount (part number 010-12357-00), but the hull of your boat may be thicker than a kayak’s, so transducer mounted in-hull may not penetrate that well.
The transom transducer can also be mounted with some improvisation, in-hull. Here’s a video that you might find helpful.
Admin
Can you direct me to an installation video?
I’m interested in installing myself
Although this video is for the Striker 4DV, setup should be similar.
What is the maximum depth for the sonar in saltwater with the transducer that is included?
At least 300 ft.
I’ve read the bottom in 680 feet with mine
temperature shown by device , is the bottom temperature OR the surface temperature ?
The temperature sensor is integrated into the transducer, which must be mounted on the boat’s transom. Therefore, the transducer with the sensor will both be in the top water, so the unit will only show the temperature at the surface.
Can I import waypoints from Garmin plotting software? If not, is it possible to mark waypoints manually?
Waypoints can be shared between Striker and echoMAP units, for this unit via cable. You can also re-write them manually, as it has the waypoint marking function.
Can the Garmin Striker 4 show latitude and longitude on the screen?
Latitude and longitude information is not available on this unit.
Can i buy a map for a striker 4 to use de gps, or just the white backgroud.
No charts compatible with this unit. Just the blank background.
Can striker 4 detect prawn..?and what color?
It should. You’ll have to juggle a bit with the settings, increasing the sensitivity and moving the image close to the bottom. In an area with shrimp, the bottom should look more rugged, rather than a clean line. Hope this helps.
Can I backup and view data from the striker 4DV to a Pc
Nope.
Hello, what “which will accurately provide the coordinates of your current location”, mean regarding lat-long ?
yes, you can show the GPS Lat/Lon data. if you go to the waypoint map screen, edit the ‘overlay numbers’, and you can edit one of the fields to ‘GPS Position’ – this will show the position you are at
how come cant detect fish on the ocean floor when depth more than 20 meter but i still can hook some fish
What the recommended battery to use it in battery box for Garmin Striker 4
12V ,7A or 12V 7A plus
12V, 7A.
I actually asked this same question to Garmin’s customer support and they replied by saying 10v/20v. I use an 18 volt Milwaukee cordless drill battery to power mine. I’ve been on the water for four hours and never used more that one bar of the battery.
That’s awesome
Iam looking to find a lighter power source
Is it a lot lighter than a normal portable fish finder battery and how did u connect it?
Thanks
Hi,
I want to extend the length of the power cable… less than 10 feet. Any idea what gauge wire I should use?
My new Stryker 4 unit reads depth great at slow rpms. As soon as I get on plane and about 4k rpms, the unit flashes a constant depth. The Carolina Skiff with a 60 hp Suzuki dealer installed the transducer on the port side and at a 45 degree or so angle. I tried multiple angles to no avail. I also am getting flash reads when running about 2k rpms in shallow water of 2.5 to 3 feet. What do you recommend? Thanks, I need to see where I am going in these shalloows,
4k rpms is quite a speed. You can’t expect much accuracy from a rather basic unit such as a Striker 4. You’ll only get an accurate bottom reading at trolling speeds and a maybe a bit above. Also, turbulence under the hull of the boat is a killer of accuracy.
Thanks for the reply Jason. Actually at 4k rpms I am only running about 20mph. There are a lot of back waters where you can run at that speed but I need to know I’m in the channel. I was hoping for advice on the transducer mount so I can get accurate readings at any speed.
Can you mount the striker 4 transducer on a pontoon boat?
The boat has to have a 0 to 70 degree transom.
I have a Striker 4 on my pontoon. My pontoon didn’t have a transducer mount. I mounted it using Stern Saver. It works well up until I am doing about 18mph then I think the water gets to oxygenated and starts to be spotty in reading the depth.
Hi can anyone advise me why I am getting a error message TRANS-DISABLED.
UN PLUGGED and still not working?
Thanks
Wayne
I just got the Striker 4 and tried touching the bare wires directly to a 12v 7amp Vexilar battery I have (fully charged) as described above. I won’t power on. Do I need to add additional wires or anything? I’m simply touching the red & black wires to the corresponding battery terminals.
Anyone else have issues with smaller batteries? What could I possibly be missing?!
Can water get into transducer and if it dose what will happen
Transducers are waterproof. They’re meant to be in the water. In order for water to enter a transducer, it would require to take some damage and if it gets to that, it will probably malfunction due to that damage.
How accurate is the unit when mounted on the trolling motor? I have an old eagle 420 that glitches everytime the TM changes direction of more than a few degrees.
The accuracy of a fish finder depends on many factors. But if the transducer is mounted properly, the turbulence shouldn’t affect it and the system should work fine.
Can I mount the transducer of the Striker 4 to foot of my trolling motor. My 10 yr old grandson and I do a lot of pond fishing. I’m not in great health and he is not strong enough to pick up boat so there is a lot of dragging the boat. I would think that dragging the boat would not do the transducer any good. I remove my portable trolling motor before I get to the bank and that would keep it from being drug on the ground. Thanks in advance for any help. Bob W
The transducer of the Striker 4 comes with a transom mount and trolling motor mount, so you should be able to mount it on a trolling motor.
can I cut the transducer cable and reconnect it back?I need to put some connetor on the midle of the cable..any one answer me😂..can this cutting stuff effected my transducer performance?
When it comes to improvisation you can do many things. As long as you reconnect the cables properly, the transducer should work.
Recently received this for Christmas. Used the original transducer while ice fishing and worked ok. Would like to purchase one specifically for ice fishing. Any thoughts on the gt8 vs. the gt10. Mainly fishing smaller freshwater lakes.
The GT8 transducer has a Wide Beam, the GT10 has a narrow beam. First one offers more coverage, which is good to have when ice fishing, as you won’t have to drill extra holes to scan. The second one has a narrow beam, which is more focused and should offer sharper returns.
Can I mount the transducer above the waterline? Or it must be submerged in water?
The transducer must be underwater at all time.
Wondering what the cable length from transducer to the display unit is. I’d like to use it primarily as a depth finder on a sailboat. Is there a maximum length that the unit will function at if I was to add an extension to the cable. I need about 14 feet to reach where I’d like to position the display. Thanks
Most transducers have at least 20′ of cable.
Dears , can i use Garmin striker 4 fishing from the river shore , like the castble types?, how can i put the transducer in water ??
This is a fish finder system made to be installed on a boat or kayak. It’s not for using from the shore.
Can the garmin striker 4 run on batteries , or run off a USB port ?
No USB ports on the unit, it’s battery only. Its current draw is 12V: 0.23A
Bought this unit in October last year just to find out that there’s a never one with contour maps.
Would it be possible to upgrade my software to the new software?
The software is not upgradable for any of the Striker units.
Striker 4 portables doesn’t identify fish until you stop trolling, then the screen lights up with fish, is this normal?
No, it’s not. Causes may vary… bad transducer, bad transducer installation…
Hi, lost all my way points and marks on striker 4dv 2 times, is there any specific reason or anyway to back up?
The Striker 4 units don’t have a microSD card slot, so you can’t back-up, or import/export data. Not sure why all the wp data was lost, though. Maybe the unit suffered a hard reset due to a hit or a drop.
Can I wire this direct to my boat battery or though an accessory switch that runs to fuse box??
Thanks!
Yes. It comes with two wires (red/hot, black/negative). The unit should work with a 12V 8Ah battery.