Portable depth/fish finders

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I am looking in to adding one to my arsenal in the 12' "Stump Jump Express". Anybody got any experience with any or a heads up for good one? I have checked the kind that look like little trolling motors, but they just seem a little to rinky dink and wouldn't hold up. Plus a buddy of mine has one he said he can't get it to work right and doesn't feel it is very accurate, but it might just be human error. Thanks for any suggestions.

[bamabassman]

if ya got a trolling motor, add a regular finder to the thang. heck, when ya decide to "ugrade" yer rig, you'll already have the finder right? never thought those little finders were too good myself, although i've never used one. as for brands....hummingbirds, are ok. lowrance is a great one i have one. and i also have an eagle up front. like em both. but the front is not near as good as the one by the console. price determines quality i think. remember the saying, "you get what you pay for". just my 2 cents.

[abu4600]

I had a humminbird a long time ago and it was a real good unit.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

Bama, right now I am using a 240 thrust Arm trolling over. It's a pretty good and reliable, but maybe I should focus on a trolling motor first. But I have went so long with out one. I do have an old junker, I could gut it and hook to the boot. Now I'm thinking.

[bamabassman]

hhhmmmmmmmmmmm. i am hoping to upgrade my troller as soon as i sell the pontoon boat. it is a motorguide 55 or 56 lb thrust. just ain't got enough power for my 20 ft boat.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

In case I wasn't clear, I meant just use the shaft and mount the transducer to the trolling motor boot.

[bamabassman]

ooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh, ok.

[abu4600]

The humminbird i have has a suction cup that holds the transducer. it can be attached anywhere on the boat you want it.

[Bryan]

I have an Eagle Fish Easy portable depthfinder that I used on my jonboat and it worked well for a long time. It had the suction cup transducer mount. I actually had the same batteries in it for at least 7 or 8 years. After I sold the jonboat I re-wired the depthfinder to make it a permanent feature on my kayak. I've had some issues after the rewiring but I think I've got em worked out.

I think I paid $120 for it. Not too bad.

[Bender]

I suggest using whatever you can find. Even if it is a cheap one that doesn't have good resolution so you can see fish, it will at least tell you the depth. I bought an ice fishing kit from Lowrance and use one of the units out of my boat. All it really is is a mount, bag, battery, and different transducer. All you really need is a battery to make a standard one work. Either mount the transducer permanently and unplug it when you leave the boat or make a suction cup mount for it. Then get a small deep cycle battery for the power.
Make sure you use a sealed lead acid gel cell, and not a motorcycle battery. The others will leak and cause problems. Sealed batteries are about $25 like they use on ice fishing sonars.

[Bubba_Bruiser]

I have been keeping an eye out on ebay for one. I really don't want to spend a whole lot. I am really more interested in depth that anything. That would be the cat's snazz, have a Hummingbird side view, and an Aqua View hanging off the ole' Stump Jumper.

[Earl Marshall]

They have one at my local pawn shop it is a hummingbird for 100.00 I don't know how much they run but that is what for it.