Portable Fish Finder Question

[Big Slick]

Well I think it is about time I get a LCD to help me find some fish. Would like to get a portable one just for mobility sake, that and I don't have a 12 volt electrical system in my little boat.
So, again, I am tapping the mountain of knowledge here on MWO and asking for your input on a good fish finder at a price that won't make the college fund dwindle to bad.

[Jdrummer]

Ok , just did some research for ya . The humminbird Phiranhamax 190c portable might be what your looking for . it is fully portable . comes with a soft pack , a suction cup ducer, and a 7amp hour battery and charger. you can look them up at the humminbird site. they retail for 259.99.
 You can get them cheaper through "auction" sites.  I think you need gps . GPS is the best thing to happen to man-kind! it tels you how fast you are traveling and if you find a spot just hit mark and you can drive up to it every time! its just like a line counter reel, you need to repeat the pattern every time to put fish int he boat! I have the humminbird 595c combo . it is a amazing unit for the money! Its not portable though 

[Big Slick]

OK Jdrummer, I am taking your advice and bought one from Buy.com. $232.99 with free shipping. Looks like it has all the basic features needed to make fishing more work than it should be. 

[Jdrummer]

Ok, you just need some side imaging and a GPS 

[Big Slick]

Ok, you just need some side imaging and a GPS 

Why?

[sochr000]

because the more bells and whistles you can strap to any one thing, the better it is, duh...

But really, GPS is awesome, and like he said, if you find a hot spot, the GPS will get you back there tomorrow, or next week, instead of trying to get a bearing off of that one tree and that other tree...

Never had anything fancy enough to have side imaging, so no idea, but I guess it just makes the fish easier to find?

[Big Slick]

Can't I just use my Garmin GPS76 or do I have to have it built into the fish finder? (Double Duh.)
Side imaging would be nice though.

[Jdrummer]

because the more bells and whistles you can strap to any one thing, the better it is, duh...


Never had anything fancy enough to have side imaging, so no idea, but I guess it just makes the fish easier to find?

One of my buddies has a 797c si on a 1957 or 1967? crestliner! origional chrome and windshield!

[Jdrummer]

Can't I just use my Garmin GPS76 or do I have to have it built into the fish finder? (Double Duh.)
Side imaging would be nice though.

A hand held is fine. have it mounted to your boat would be my advice. ( better / more accurat reading) Gps is also critical to catching fish! right now if you are trolling a spinner rig .7 or .9 mph you won't get a bite! narrow your speed to .8 mph and wham  fish after fish!

[D.italo]

I can spend up to 500 for a fish finder. I fish walleyes, smallies and perch and other panfish. Can any of you guys give a plug for what you consider the best unit on the market and any other tips you might have for me would be appreciated. Thanks.

[kenhuntin]

They all work and alot of times you will be hammerin fish that do not show up on the radar at all no matter how good your unit is. As long as you can easily read the depth and tell how hard the bottom is you have a good unit. I am partial to lowrance.

[Jdrummer]

I am partial to lowrance.

That's y you "pound " fish that are not on radar! I use Humminbird and Love them! I use teh 595c series . extremely clear and user friendly!