Fish Finder Reviews Archives

Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv | Fish & Navigate With Confidence

August 23, 2020March 13, 2019 by Cory Haasnoot

Product: Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv w/ Transducer
Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 1.7 x 5.4 inches
Product Weight: 1.6 Pounds
Guarantee: 1-Year Consumer Limited Warranty
My Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv Overview

Today I’m reviewing another excellent product from Garmin. The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv with transducer is a top of the line fish finder with state of the art CHIRP sonar technology. The echoMAP lets you create or own HD maps with 1-foot contours all while you are fishing! The maps are possible because of the built-in Quickdraw Contours Software.

Chirp sonar technology allows for crystal clear definition and outstanding target separation because it focuses intently on the target. There’s another integrated software in the echoMAP 54cv called HomePort Planning software. This software allows for the digital recording of the information from the CHIRP sonar, and it will enable you to play routes and waypoints back across other devices.

ClearVu Scanning Sonar

Garmin’s ClearVu scanning sonar allows you to see with amazing clarity what is right under your boat. The HD-ID sonar is combined with the ClearVu scanning sonar into to 1 transducer. The scanning sonar is so clear it almost looks like a real picture you are looking at! That is one of the main points I like about this fish finder. You will see those fish like you are right there under your boat looking at them.

Create Your Own HD Maps

You can create 1-foot contour fishing maps in HD while you are fishing with the Quickdraw Contours software. These are very useful for the next time you go out fishing in that area. You can share the maps if you choose in the Quickdraw Community on Garmin Connect if you want.

The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54 cv is Portable

It’s easy to bring your echoMAP with you when you leave your boat because the cords plug right into the mount. So just plug into the mount when going out in the boat and when you’re back getting off your boat just unplug and go. This keeps your fish finder from being stolen or left out in inclement weather.

BlueChart g2 Charts

Another feature that is preloaded on the Garmin echoMAP 54cv is BlueChart g2 charts. These are a combination of detailed official and private charts that cover worldwide. These help you navigate harbors and marinas all over the globe so that you can guide your boat in and out of port with confidence. The BlueChart g2 also provides tides and currents, depth contours and spot sounding.

Transfer Your GPX Waypoints

If you have waypoints or routes that you usually take while your fishing on other GPS navigational devices you can transfer them to your Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv. This is another great feature I love about the echoMAP!

Accurately Find Your Secret Fishing Spot with Ease!

Finding that special fishing spot that you enjoy fishing at the time before with the 5 Hz GPS and GLONASS! This technology refreshes your heading and position every five times every second. I can’t tell you how many times I have never been able to find that secret fishing spot on a certain lake. That is no longer a problem with the echoMAP.

Garmin echoMAP Chirp 54cv Technical Specifications
Dimensions	6.8″ x 5.4″ x 1.7″
Display Size	3.54″ x 3.54″; 5.0″ Diagonal
Display Type	WQVGA Display
Display Resolution	480 x 480 pixels
Power	7.1 W
Weight	1.6-lbs
Receiver	5 Hz
Mounting Options	Bail or flush
Antenna	Internal or external over NMEA 2000

MAPS & MEMORY
Maps	BlueChart® g2
Routes	100
Waypoints	5,000
Accepts Data Cards	1 microSD™ card
Track Log	50,000 points; 50 saved tracks

Sonar Features & Specs
Transmit power	500 W (RMS) / 4,000 W (peak to peak)
CHIRP Sonar Technology	Yes Built-in
ClearVu	Yes with CHIRP Built-in
Dual-frequency	(50/200 kHz) sonar capable
Dual-beam	(77/200 kHz) sonar capable
Maximum depth	2,300 ft @ 77 kHz, freshwater 1,100 ft @ 77 kHz, saltwater
Bottom Lock	Shows return from the bottom up
Water temperature log and graph	Yes
Sonar recording	Yes
Sonar history rewind	Yes

Connections
NMEA 2000® compatible	Yes
Transducer pin numbers	4
NMEA 0183 input ports	1
NMEA 0183 output ports	1

Here Is What’s Included In Your Purchase Of The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv

echoMAP CHIRP 54cv
Documentation/ Operators Manuel
Transom Mount
A transducer (4-pin)
NMEA 2000 adapter cable(4-pin female to 5-pin male)
Protective Cover
Hardware
Flush mount
Tilt/swivel mount
Power/data cable

Pros

State Of The Art Sonar Technology
Make Your Own HD Maps
Share Digital Information Between Other Devices
Portable (Unplug and take it with you)
Easily Mounts To Your Boat
BlueChart g2 Charts Included

Cons

Not Compatible with ActiveCaptian
SideVu Not Included

Conclusion

I highly recommend the Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv with a transducer for all your navigational and fishing needs. CHIRP sonar technology that Garmin has made is the best you’re going to find in the private sector. The view from under your boat is as clear as you are going to get. It almost looks like a real picture. Having the BlueChart g2 Charts on board with you is a godsend. Never get lost again and know where you are at all times.

With the 5 Hz and GLONASS, you can make high definition maps on the go while you fish! To me, that is just amazing. Chart out your secret fishing spot and next time you go out you will find it quick and easy. Not only that but all the information you collect and map out like waypoints and topography can all be shared on multiple devices.

The echoMAP also mounted to your boat quickly, and you don’t have to leave it on your boat when you are done for the day just unplug the echoMAP CHIRP 54cv and take it with you. This way it doesn’t get stolen or destroyed in case something unexpected happens to your boat!

Now you have all the information you need on the Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54cv to make an informed buying decision. Thanks for reading and I hope this was helpful for you. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments section below. As always Happy Fishing!

Purchase The Garmin echoMAP CHIRP 54 cv At Amazon

Garmin Striker 4 Review – Mark Hot Fishing Spots with Ease!

August 6, 2020February 2, 2019 by Cory Haasnoot

Product: Garmin Striker 4 
Price: $99.98
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com
Product Dimensions: 3.6 x 1.6 x 5.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.2 Pounds
Guarantee: 2-year Limited Warranty
My Rating: 9.8 Out of 10

>>Available on Amazon

Garmin Striker 4 Overview

In this Garmin Striker 4 review, I will show you everything you need to know about the Garmin Striker 4 sonar fishfinder. You will be able to make an informed decision on whether or not this fish finder is right for you.

The Garmin Striker 4 is a state of the art fishfinder with realistic graphics and a high sensitivity GPS that lets you mark those spots on the lake that you are killing it with the fish so that you can go back to that fishing spot time and time again. You can also share your locations with other echo maps and striker combinations.

The Striker 4 has a built-in flasher and displays your speeds data. Included with this fishfinder is the CHIRP (77/200 kHz) transducer with trolling motor and transom cable and mounting hardware. This makes the Garmin Striker 4 easily accessible. You mount it wherever is most convenient for you.

Pros

Highly Sensitive CHIRP Transducer GPS Navigation
Lightweight and Compact
Chrystal Clear Sonar Images
Records Your Trolling Speed
Mark Your Favorite Fishing Spots For Future Use
Can Be Mounted On Trolling Motor or Transom
Built-in Flasher Useful For Ice Fishing and Jigging For Crappies

Cons

Higher Performance CHIRP Transducers Sold Separately
Carrying Case Not Included

Sonar Images Are Crystal Clear With The CHIRP Transducer

Like I said the Garmin CHIRP transducer is included in this fish finder. It is a 77/200 kHz transducer that can be mounted on the transom or the trolling motor if you have one. The CHIRPS clarity is superb with much higher quality visibility of the fish and surrounding structure than the traditional 77/200 kHz transducers.

This is possible because the CHIRP transducer sends out a continuous array of frequencies instead of just one. These frequencies range from high to low and are interrupted individually when they return. The CHIRP sonar technology brings in a lot of information from a broader range. This creates more evident fish arches with a more significant target of separation.

If you want even higher performance CHIRP, you can upgrade to the GT8 or GT15 transducer. These two are sold separately. They provide even clearer sonar images and a better resolution and target separation from shallow to deeper depths. The bottom contours are much clearer even with faster speeds with these upgrades.

Superb Navigation with The Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder

Never get lost again with the high sensitive GPS that the striker 4 fishfinder offers. It’s very accurate at letting you know where you are at and can maintain your GPS positioning anywhere you go on the lake or river.

With this fish finder you can mark where on the lake the fish are biting so you can return to that exact spot in the future. It can also mark boat ramps and docks for future reference which makes it easier finding your way out of the lake when you are done fishing. There is a path that’s created on the screen, so you follow that to where you want to go.

This is especially useful when you are fishing in a massive lake that you have never fished before or are fishing on one of the great lakes. Nothing is more frustrating than not being able to find your way out.

Know Your Speed

With the Striker 4 fishfinder you can know the exact speed you are going by glancing over at the screen. This helps when you are trolling for fish so you know exactly what speed you are at for the different kinds of lures you may be using. It is also useful in wake controlled areas where you need to know your speed so that you don’t create waves.

The Striker 4 Fishfinder Has a Built-in Flasher

The flasher works well when you are not in the boat like fishing onshore, crappie jigging, or ice fishing. The flasher shows you what the bottom of the lake is made of if it’s a muddy or a rock-solid bottom.

It will also show you the weight of your lure or live bait and how deep the fish are when they swim into the sonar beam. You can also see how far your bait or lure is being lifted and if the fish swim towards it or away from it. The built-in flasher is one of my favorite features of this sonar fishfinder.

Main Fishfinder Features of The Garmin Striker 4

3.5” Color Screen
Easy To Use Keypad Operation
Mark Your Locations On The Lake such as where the fish are biting and where your loading and unloading ramps and docks are. You can also map out weed beds and rock piles.
CHIRP (77/200 kHz) sonar transducer is included; transmit power (200 W RMS)/(1,600 W peak-to-peak)
Split-screen zoom
Ultrascroll® (displays fish targets at higher boat speeds)
AutoGain Technology (minimizes clutter, maximizes targets)
Fish Symbol ID (helps identify fish targets)
Adjustable depth line (measures the depth of underwater objects)
Water temperature sensor included
Tilt/swivel mount
Integrated GPS
A-scope (real-time display of fish passing through transducer beam)
Mark Waypoints
Course over Ground (COG)
Current draw @ 12V: 0.23A

Sonar Features and Specifications

Dual-frequency (50/200 kHz) sonar capable
Dual-beam (77/200 kHz) sonar capable
Supported Frequencies: Traditional: 50/77/200 kHz; CHIRP (mid and high)
Transmit power: 200 W (RMS)
Maximum depth: 1,600 ft freshwater*, 750 ft saltwater*
Bottom lock (shows return from the bottom up)
Water temperature log and graph

General Information

Physical dimensions: 3.6” x 5.9” x 1.6”
Display size: 1.9” x 2.9”; 3.5” diagonal
Display resolution: 480 x 320 pixels
Display Type: HGVA color
Weight: 8.1 Ounces
Water Rating IPX7

My Conclusive Opinion

I hope I have provided you all the pertinent information that you need in this Garmin Striker 4 Review. The Striker 4 fishfinder, in my opinion, is a great buy at under $100 on Amazon.

It has all the features you would want in a fishfinder and then some. There is no secret why The Garmin Striker 4 is the number one Best Seller on Amazon in the fish finder/ depth finder category.

You get a GPS that lets you mark wayward point which helps get you to where you want to go and helps you mark where you have been on the lake or river. This makes it easy to get back out of the lake.

What’s also helpful is it lets you mark where the fish are biting so that you won’t forget. Then you can come back time after time to the same fishing spot and pull in some big fish.

It’s also a great ice fishing fishfinder with the built-in flashers that let you see what your bait is doing and how the fish are reacting to your bait. It also shows you what the bottom of the lake looks like if it’s muddy or solid. You can also control your trolling speed with this fishfinder which helps to keep you at the right speed for whatever lure you are trolling with. It also helps to keep your speed down in wake controlled areas of the lake.

I highly recommend you purchase your own Garmin Striker 4 fishfinder. The cheapest place to buy this fish finder is on Amazon. I know you won’t regret this purchase.

Get Your Garmin Striker 4 Fishfinder At Amazon

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thanks for reading and Happy Fishing!

Marcum Ice Fishing Sonar | That Trophy Fish Can’t Hide Now!

August 2, 2020December 24, 2018 by Cory Haasnoot

Marcum LX-6s Digital Sonar System Product: Marcum LX-6s Digital Ice Fishing Sonar System

Cheapest Place To Buy: Amazon.com

Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 10.5 x 8.5 inches ; 11 pounds

Guarantee: Two-year System Warranty

My Rating: 9.7 out of 10

It can be hard to catch your limit when you are out, ice fishing. Drilling hole after hole until you find the right spot. And a lot of the time you never do find where those elusive fish are hiding. That can all change if you bring along a Marcum ice fishing sonar. This digital sonar system is perfect for finding those fish that don’t want to be found!

This fishfinder comes loaded with exemptional features like real-time graphing and excellent response time. You can easily switch back and forth on the compact screen to find the features you are looking for. Now that I told you a little about the Marcum LX-6s let’s get into the meat and potatoes of this ice fishing sonar system.

The Features

There are a ton of great features that come with the Marcum LX-6s. It has a customizable display and dashboard with 12 levels of interference rejection. You can adjust the zoom and it has excellent target separation. Comes with dual-beam transducers for extra fish finding capabilities. The following is a shortlist of some of its most important features.

A dashboard display that keeps you updated with all the information you need while ice fishing.
It’s protected with a nylon padded soft pack and a clear shield.
User-friendly adjustable zoom feature.
Display up to three different sonar windows at once out of five.
It’s Quite
Has a transport shuttle with a transducer arm that is extendable
LCD monitor
A dual-beam transducer that you can switch between 8 degrees and 20 degrees
And has a 2-year warranty on the system itself

With all these features you just can’t go wrong. Anglers from all around just love their Marcum ice fishing sonar and who can blame them! They are the most advanced sonar systems on the market today.

Setting Up Is Easy

Setting this unit up for ice fishing doesn’t get any easier. It comes almost ready to go right out of the package. Not quite but close. Just open the top cover of the soft pack. Then you want to loosen the knobs around the monitor. Once that’s complete you can move the screen to were you view it the best. Now that you have the monitor to where you want it, tighten the knobs back down.

Now take the digital sonar system out of the soft pack. Plug the cord into the battery. No need to charge the battery right away. It comes with a 9 amp fully charged and can last 10 hours! So it is truly a plug and play unit right out of the box.

Reading Through The Ice

Make sure the ice is clear before reading. To clear the ice for coupling of the transducer just dump a cup of water on the spot your reading. Now place the transducer firmly to the ice where you poured the water. This will show the bottom of the lake and whatever fish might be there on your screen.

Next, you want to drill into the ice about 2” before you take your first reading. This is done if the ice is rough or there are a lot of air bubbles in it.

Tips On Fishing In Shallow Water

If your fishing in the shallow water of 10’ or less you will need to make some adjustments to you will want to experiment with.

No matter how thick the ice is manually select the 10’ range.
Keep the transducer on top of the ice almost holding it in the air. This gives it more room to work with.
Go to the menu button, select sonar settings, find sonar mode. Highlight that and select open water mode. Although your ice fishing, setting it to open water mode will allow for better fishing if the ice conditions are horrible.
Change the color palette from SIX-COLOR to one of the three color palettes.

Like I said you will have to do some experimenting with this. If the ice is clear you might not have any trouble just using the factory settings when fishing in shallow water.

What Comes With The Marcum LX-6s?

Power Cord
Universal charging system
Snow shield – for protection from rain and snow
Ice Transducer
Transducer Arm – holds the transducer cable
Soft Pack – for protection from the elements
Shuttle – The base your Marcum ice fishing sonar is mounted to.
Open Water Transducer – This transducer mounts to the transom or trolling motor of your boat.
Stopper – This suspends your ice-ducer in the hole along with the transducer arm.
12 Volt Battery

Pros

Dual Use – for hard water and open water fishing
The battery lasts 10 hours on a full charge
Ready to use out of the box
Adjustable night vision backlight
Multifunctional sonar display
Sonar footprint technology
Touchscreen
Quiet
2-year warranty

Cons

Problems in shallow water
A learning curve for the displays
Small screen

Conclusion

With all these awesome features that come with a Marcum LX-6s, I don’t know what else to say but go out and get yourself one of these beauties. You will spend more time fishing. Less time drilling holes and better yet catching your daily limits of fish. And if the system breaks within two years you can get it replaced with Marcum’s two-year warranty.

One of the best part, of this Marcum ice fishing sonar system, is that you can use it hard water and open water fishing. In the ice shelter or in the boat it’s a year-round use of this fish finder and a solid investment in fishing equipment if you ask me.

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

Vexilar Ice Fishing Finder Reviews – Catch More Fish

July 31, 2020December 7, 2018 by Cory Haasnoot

If you’re like me; you don’t head out to the lake ice fishing without a good fish finder. That’s why it’s a good idea to check out my Vexilar ice fishing finder reviews.

It sucks fishing one hole for hours not getting a single nibble. If you’re not a patient person; you end up wrecking your auger blade drilling a ton of holes trying to find where the fish are. And at the end of the day, you go home tired, cranky, cold, wet, and fishless!

You start asking yourself why in the hell do I bother going ice fishing? But if you have an ice fishing finder, you don’t have to go through all that. Ice fishing can be enjoyable and exciting again!

If you’re searching for that ‘just right’ fish finder for ice fishing you’re in luck! I have three Vexilar ice fishing finder reviews for you to look over and see which one is the best for your situation.

Vexilar, Who Are They?

Vexilar is a top-notch ice fish finder manufacturer based in Minneapolis Minnesota. They invented the three-color flash sonar technology. Testing every single fish finder, they produce before shipping it out into the world. Vexilar is considered the best ice fishing finder company in the world.

Their failure rate is impeccable. Only one-tenth of one percent of Vexilar fish finders fail in the first two years of ownership. That is a crazy statistic that makes them the best in the industry when it comes to manufacturing fish finders for ice fishing.

The ice fish finders from Vexilar last more than ten years on average. And listen to this… You can resell their products after five years for about what you originally paid for it. To me that’s amazing it’s like an investment of sorts and a tangible one at that.

Now let’s get on with the Ice fishing finder reviews.

3 Ice Packs By Vexilar

There are three what they call ice packs that Vexilar has in their arsenal.

The Genz Pack
The Pro Pack 2
The Ultra Pack

The Genz Pack

The Genz pack was designed by Dave Genz founder of the Clam ice fishing company. There are five different units the Genz pack come in, They are:

FL-8
FL-12
FL-18
FL-20
FL-22 HD

All of these come with a one AMP charger and a 7 AMP battery. You can leave the charger on 24/7 without ruining the battery. FL stands for flasher for the Flasher Sonar Systems. I don’t know why they just went with an abbreviation of the first word flasher? I would have called these FSS for short, but that’s just me. On with the ice fishing finder reviews lol.

I will give you a brief rundown of what these flash sonar systems do.

FL-8

First, we have the FL-8 which is widely popular around the world. It’s a great working unit that can be used for ice fishing and open water fishing as well. The only thing it doesn’t have come with is a zoom feature, so it’s hard to find those fish that are on the bottom of the lake or hiding in the weeds. But it has six different depth options so you can get better readings.

FL-12

Second, we have the FL-12 that is an upgrade of the version FL-8. It has a different shape and has an interference rejection system that helps cut the crosstalk from other Vexilar units that might be in the vicinity.

FL-18

The FL-18 which is one of the ones I will be reviewing in this article. This one is a very advanced fish finder. It’s also easy to use. It has an on/off range mode controller. You can change your settings from high to low with a turn of the knob. This is great for when you change the depths of fishing. It is an excellent unit with a very clear signal. One of the top picks of the Genz ice packs if you are an abide ice angler.

FL-20

The FL-20 has two zoom zones, and the FL-18 only has one but who’s counting. Another feature it has is a night mode. It will also automatically change your power settings if you’re under 10 feet of water. That way you don’t have to change it yourself manually. You can catch a lot of fish with all the features this unit has to offer.

FL-22 HD

Last but not least we have the FL-22 HD fishfinder — this one made for shallow fishing. Only detecting to a maximum of 60 feet of water. In this unit, the fish will look like they are alive and in person, or should I say fishson. 🙂

The following is the first of the ice fishing finder reviews.

Vexilar GP1812 FL-18 Genz Pack 12 Degree Ice-Ducer

Product: Vexilar FL-18 Genz Pack

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Size of container: 4.4″H x 6″W x 2.5″D

My Rating: 9.3 out of 10

The Vexilar FL-18 fits perfectly on a five-gallon bucket. Ideal to when your out ice fishing. It has built in the transducer which fits all ice-ducers. Capable of zooming into the bottom six feet of water.

Specs:

6 Depth Ranges
A frequency of 200 kHz
Power Output 400 W Peak to Peak
Weatherproof case
Three color display
Backlight depth scale for easy visibility in little light

>>Buy Now on Amazon

Vexilar FLX-12 Pro Pack II w/12 Ice Ducer

Product: Vexilar Pro Pack 2

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Size of Container: 12 x 11 x 10 inches

My Rating: 9.1 out of 10

The Vexilar FLX-12 fits right in a 5-gallon bucket, so it’s easy to carry around. It comes with a tackle box and rod holder. You can see down to 120 feet with this unit because of its brushless data transfer technology. It has a 12-degree ice duce transducer on it.

>>Buy Now on Amazon

Vexilar FLX-28 Ice ProPack II Locator with Pro View Ice Ducer

Product: Vexilar FLX-28

Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon.com

Size of Container: 2.5 x 6 x 4.4 inches

My Rating: 9.5 out of 10

The Vexilar FLX-28 Ice Pro Pack 2 comes with more features than all of the other ice fish finders by Vexilar.

5 Color Palettes
Five-foot depth range adjustments with a total range of 300 feet
Brightness settings for day and night
Two Zoom Zones
Digital Depth
Auto Range
Battery Status
Low Power Options for fishing in weedy shallow areas
Weed Mode

>>Buy Now on Amazon

By far this one is the best of all three. At least in my opinion. Now it’s up to you to decide which one you want to go with. I hope this article on ice fishing finder reviews helped you find what you were looking for. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them below.