Tired of aimlessly trolling around your favorite fishing spot looking for pay dirt? A portable fish finder can save you hours of time and make every fishing trip successful. Whether you're a sport fisherman or you make your living on the waters, a fish finder can help you improve your catch every time. In this article, we'll tell you how electronic fish finders work and how to make this most of this helpful piece of marine technology.
Portable fish finders are a fantastic device which can actually make it easier to find fish if used correctly. Before the invention of this type of equipment, fishermen used a depth finder that only showed the depth below the boat. There was no clear-cut display indicating the presence of schools of fish. Consequently, depth finders were of little use to commercial fishermen. Next came the sounders with printed graphs rolls that were highly accurate if used properly. Yet the real breakthrough was the arrival of the LCD (liquid crystal display) sounder that indicated both fish and bottom contours. These days you can find a wide range of these LCD fish finders.
Choosing the suitable portable fish finder could be tricky because the market pricing is very competitive and products are being updated constantly. Top of the line styles can cost more than the typical dinghy, but basic devices can be entirely affordable and cost as little as $300 from a discount fish finder store.
The technology has come some distance from the time when electronic fish finders first showed up on the market. Modern units are thinner, more lightweight and more menu-driven than their predecessors. The units have both black and white or color screens and the screens come in many different sizes. The larger displays are more appropriate to larger fishing boats where they can be stored out of the sun and weather conditions. These are ideal for commercial fishing trawlers.
No portable fish finder will be effective without a well designed transducer. A good transducer should work in all water conditions, and at all boat speeds up to 100 kph. The transducer is what allows the machine to do a job. It sends a signal to the area beneath the boat and reads the area for objects like fish, weeds, and structures like rocks and debris. The signal is read on the screen that you see. The higher the wattage of your fish finder, the faster this process will occur. This is important because schools of fish can move quickly as they are batted around by waves and current.
Proper installation and maintenance are key to keeping your portable fish finder in working order. It should be in a convenient place that is out of direct sunlight and rain. A fish locator will be waterproof but prolonged exposure to sun and water will shrink and decay the neoprene casing. You should also make sure that the monitor is well placed. The pixels that make up the image can appear blurry if the angle isn't correct. If you don't have good vision, then you might want to spend a little more on a screen with a higher resolution. By doing your homework and making good choices when shopping, you'll definitely notice a marked volume in your catches.
Don't know your Garmin Fishfinder 140 from your Furuno FCV? Read fishfinder reviews to help you make the right choice.
