Best Portable Fish Finder Reviews 2021
When you’re out on the water, and trying to catch some fish, you may wonder why they’re not biting. You may even wonder if you’re in a good position to catch them. That’s why having a fish finder that allows you to peek at where they may be hiding. If you’ve ever wondered where the fish are hiding, you could use a fish finder.
The portable fish finder is an excellent device that can help you locate fish anywhere. No matter where you plan on fishing, a portable fish finder will help you out. They can give you an idea of what’s under the surface, and where the fish are located. You may have tried some fish finders in the past, only to be left with something to be desired. This guide and review will tell you how to get the best portable fish finder for the best price.
Portable Fish Finder Comparison Table
Product Name
Display Name
Editor Rating
Price
Best Portable Fish Finder Reviews
1. Deeper Smart Sonar PRO+
This wireless fish finder allows you to use it just about anywhere you want to fish. If you’re looking for portability, this is the best portable fish finder for you.
Wi-Fi Operation
The PRO+ operates via Wi-Fi connection, allowing you to tap into the fish finder with your smartphone or tablet. You won’t have to worry too much about getting false readings with this finder. It’s ideal for fishing in any place you want to go.
Use in Different Waters
No matter what type of fishing you want to do, either salt water or fresh water, this finder works in both environments. It’s ideal for those that want to expand their fishing horizons, and try their hand at something different.
Dual Frequency
The dual frequency is perfect for those that want to fish in deep and shallow waters. When you’re ready to head into deep waters, you can lower the frequency, and vice versa when you go into shallow waters. It’s perfect for those who love fishing.
Rechargeable Battery
The rechargeable battery is ideal for those on the go. No matter where you plan on fishing, the fish finder has a long battery life. It will last for about 5.5 hours with continuous use, allowing you to spend more time on the water. It only needs a single charge to keep running all day.
Highlighted Features
- Wireless Wi-Fi operation
- Onshore GPS mode
- Use in salt or fresh water
- Dual-frequency sonar
- Rechargeable battery
2. Garmin Striker 4 with Portable Fishfinder Kit
When you’re able to scan the water faster, you can find more fish. The Garmin Striker 4 allows you to scan the water quickly to locate the fish quickly and easily.
ClearVu Scanning Sonar
You can see what’s in the water quickly and easily, thanks to the scanning sonar. It works on a high-frequency, giving you clear images of everything that is going on around your boat. It’s perfect for separating fish from other objects.
Easy to Use
The keyed interface has dedicated buttons that allow you to pinpoint the fish in your area quickly and easily. It is easy to use, and installation takes no time to get it set up. It has a variety of display sizes that makes it easy to find the right fish finder for you.
Waypoint Map
The waypoint map allows you to pinpoint your favorite locations on the map. You can view, mark, and navigate to your favorite locations when you’re using the map. You can spot brush, stumps, and docks under the water that may not be visible.
CHIRP Sonar
The CHIRP sonar allows you to hear when a fish is near your area. You won’t need to keep your eyes glued to the screen when the CHIRP is working. It alerts you and provides a broad range of information. It has crisp fish arches and gives you an idea of where the fish are located.
Highlighted Features
- ClearVu Scanning Sonar
- User friendly
- Waypoint map
- CHIRP sonar
- Built-in flasher
3. ReelSonar Smart Sonar Fish Finder
A popular and simple to use smart fish finder that connects to any smartphone or tablet. This lends it a greater sense of portability, since the screen you are using is your smartphone.
Fits in Your Hand
The transducer is very small and can fit in the palm of your hand. This piece is also the one that sends out the sonar signal that allows you to find the fish. When this information is taken, it sends it to your smartphone via bluetooth.
More Useful Information
Apart from just the location of the fish, the ReelSonar fish finder provides way more useful information. It allows you to map out the contours found underwater, mark different kinds of fish, see the temperature of water, and even note down the location where you are at. You’ll also have this information in your smartphone which means you can share all of it to your social media accounts.
GPS Functionalities
The built-in GPS functionalities lend many more useful features and capabilities. With the GPS, you’ll be able to note down your favorite fishing spots, make notes on water depths, and many other location-based items.
Useful For Ice and Night Fishing
This fish finder is also a great tool to use when ice fishing or nighttime fishing. It has an LED beam built into it, as well as a strike and fish alarm. Even with sight compromised by the weather or time, this fish finder can prove useful in these conditions.
Highlighted Features
- Information is seen on your smartphone screen via a free app
- Very small and portable
- On par with the best battery life in the market
- GPS and fish finding functionalities provide excellent information
4. Venterior Portable Fish Finder
If a big budget isn’t in the cards for you, then the Venterior Portable Fish Finder is for you. It is one of the most affordable portable fish finders in the market without sacrificing functionality. The size is so small that it can be stored safely in a tackle box.
Black and White
The first thing you’ll notice with the Venterior Portable Fish Finder is that the information is not delivered in color. While colored displays are the standard for many fish finders in the market, there is something refreshing in seeing the information in black and white. It is a straightforward and clear assessment of what is underwater.
Revealed Information
This fish finder does more than just locate fish underwater. Like many in the market, it can also show you how deep the water is, how big the fish are, and even if there are weeds or rocks at the bottom of the waters.
Accurate Readings
Using sonar at a frequency of 200kHZ, this finder can be used to great effect and with great accuracy. The detectable area is just about 45 degrees at an angled beam right under the transducer. For the depth range, the max detectable area is at 328 feet/100 meters right below the transducer.
Warranty
One great thing about this fish finder is that it is covered by a 2-year warranty. If there are any issues found, there is an online brand support that you can talk to. They will respond within 24 hours.
Highlighted Features
- Very affordable
- 2-year warranty
- Straightforward information
- Extremely small and portable
- 4 to 5 hour continuous use battery life
5. Lucky Sonar Portable Fish Finder
The Lucky Sonar company has been around for almost 20 years. Throughout this time, they have been working hard in creating quality fish finders that will satisfy customer’s needs. Lucky’s Sonars Portable Fish Finder is very affordable and easy to bring around.
Compact Screen
The colored screen comes in at just about 2.4 inches. This small size is due to the portable nature of the fish finder. While it may seem small to many people, users will have no problem in seeing the information on-screen, especially the fish as they are represented with hard to miss fish icons.
Casting Range
The colored screen comes in at just about 2.4 inches. This small size is due to the portable nature of the fish finder. While it may seem small to many people, users will have no problem in seeing the information on-screen, especially the fish as they are represented with hard to miss fish icons.
Wide Scans
The wireless casting range of this fish finder reaches almost 200 feet. It also sends out about three scans per second. Combine these characteristics with the working depth capacity of over 140 feet, and it allows for accurate scanning of fish. It also allows for scanning of the environment, water depth, and water temperature.
Attracting Fish
One thing that is unique to this specific fish finder is the pair of small lamps at the bottom. These two lamps are meant to attract the fish nearer so that they are easier to catch. Furthermore, these lights can be used to great effect when night fishing.
Highlighted Features
- Affordable price
- Very small and portable
- Comes with fish attractor lamps; good for night fishing
- Batteries are rechargeable
6. RICANK Portable Fish Finder
Sometimes, the simple things are enough for us. The RICANK Portable Fish Finder shows that. It is a portable fish finder that doesn’t cost so much but does what needs to be done. It is a straightforward fish finder without all the bells and whistles.
Straightforward Information
Just like the Venterior Portable Fish Finder, Ricank’s Portable Fish Finder does not offer color on the screen. It doesn’t have any different display settings. It just presents information in a black and white straightforward way. Despite that, the information is easily understood.
Eye Catching
The transducer of this portable fish finder has a yellow floating device attached to it. The yellow color makes it easy to spot wherever it is on the water and even at night. No matter where you are fishing, you’ll be able to easily keep track of this fish finder.
Extended Battery Time
The standard battery life of this portable fish finder can reach up to five hours if the batteries used are new. However, this fish finder has a battery saver mode that can further extend the battery life. There are also other sensitivity modes that include fish alarm, backlight mode, and a measurement mode.
Good Depth
The depth of this fish finder is quite impressive boasting a range of 328 feet. Whether it is used in deep or shallow waters, this fish finder can be used to great effect.
Highlighted Features
- Intuitive and easy to understand information
- Affordable and portable
- Stable sonar signal even at depth
- Good battery life
How to Choose the Right Portable Fish Finder
If you’re looking for a best portable fish finder, there are some things to consider before making a purchase.
Frequencies
Fish finders come in various frequencies, such as dual, single, and multiple. The dual frequencies are ideal for looking for fish in shallow or deep water. The higher the frequency, the more details you’ll get.
This is important if you’re looking through a lot of debris, and are trying to determine what is a fish and what isn’t. You should figure out where you plan on using the fish locator, and determine the right frequency for you. You can use the multiple frequencies to use in different locations to assist you in finding the biggest catch.
Power
The power of the fish finder is crucial to finding the right one for you. Fish finders are measured in watts, and the more wattage, the faster the information you’ll get. With more power, a fish locator can read deeper waters than those without the added power.
The amount of power is crucial to the depths you’re fishing, and lower power fish finders are ideal for fishing in shallow waters. If you’re planning on fishing on the open water, you want something with more power. It depends on where you plan on going fishing.
Screen Resolution
The screen resolution is important to understanding what you’re looking at on the screen. The greater the number of pixels your screen is, the more detail you can see. You should get a finder that has a minimum of 240 x 160 pixels, though the image may be blocky.
When you combine the resolution with the screen size, the better chance, you will have at finding the fish under the water. Just remember that the better the screen resolution, the better chance you have of finding fish through the unit.
Display
Fish finders use either a color or a black and white screen. While they both provide the information you need, they both work differently. A colored screen allows you to see more things in bright sunlight, whereas a black and white screen is easy to see.
While black and white screens have started to disappear from most finders, you can still find one. Neither one is necessarily better than the other, and it does come down to personal preference. You may prefer the black and white style to the colored one, but they should work just fine on your screen.
Transducer
The transducer is the most crucial part of a fish finder because it is what sends out and receives the sonar waves. When the sonar readings hit an object in the water, the waves are sent back to the transducer. This allows you to determine whether you’re locking onto a fish or some other object in the water.
Most transducers allow you to hook them up to the outside of the boat, which makes it easy to skim across the water. They don’t require too much technical knowledge to hook them up to your boat.
Advantages of the Portable Fish Finder
Here are some advantages to a portable fishfinder.
Affordable
Compact fish finders are cheaper than fixed fish finders. It’s ideal for those on a budget, and need a fish finder that works just as well as a fixed finder. You’ll smile when you have more money in your pocket.
Flexibility
You can transport a compact fish finder easily and quickly. Since they’re not locked down to a boat or kayak, you can take them just about anywhere. It’s ideal for those wanting to try out new fishing holes, and expand their horizons.
They’re Easy to Use
A fish finder has everything you need to be successful. You don’t need to be a tech whiz when you’re using a portable fishfinder. You don’t need to spend hours setting it up for every location you go to. You can turn it on, adjust a few settings and drop your line out.
Use with Different Transducers
You can use a fish finder in just about any location. No matter if you’re fishing from a boat, dock, or the shore, the transducer allows you to fish in any spot. If you want to mount the transducer temporarily, it only takes a matter of a few minutes to hook up and start fishing.
What is a Good Price for a Portable Fish Finder?
f you’re thinking about getting a fish finder, you may wonder how much it will set you back to get a good one. Even if you’re not thinking about spending thousands of dollars on a fish locator, you should set aside a good budget for a fish finder. You don’t want to get a cheap piece of equipment, so you should expect to spend a decent amount of money on a fish finder.
If you’re looking for a decent price range, you may want to consider something between $200-300. This ensures you have all the features you’ll need to have a successful fishing trip without breaking the bank. While it may seem to be a lot of money for a finder, you should remember what you need it to do. You won’t need to spend too much money, but you should set some aside to get the best one for you.
Final Verdict - What is the best portable fish finder?
Fish finders are ideal tools to take on any fishing excursion. They are easy to use and provide a lot of useful information about the area. If you’ve never used a fish finder before, it may be time to include one in your tool box. There are many types of finders available, and you need one that does everything you want it to do.
If you’re thinking about getting a best portable fish finder, the Deeper Smart Sonar PRO+ is an excellent choice. It has a dual frequency sonar range, allowing you to pick up more fish in your area. Not only that, but it is priced well, which is ideal for anyone on a budget.
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