If you are into fishing and looking at purchasing a new fish finder or perhaps buying your first fish finder then look no further at our top three recommendations below.
Lowrance HDS-12 LIVE Fish Finder
Lowrance, The company known for its High Definition Systems was purchased in 2006 by Simrad Yachting for USD 215 million. This merger went on to create Navico, now the largest marine electronics manufacturer in the world so it is hardly surprising to see this in our top 3 fish finders.
The Lowrance HDS-12 Live delivers on our expectations and the incredible high definition screen we’ve come to expect from the series is here. There is an incredible interface that is fully customizable with great transducer compatibilities. Let's dive straight into the technical specifications and details of the Lowrance HDS-12 Live.
Lowrance HDS -12 Live |
|
Screen |
12 inch 800V Pixel resolution, LED backlit |
Transducer |
Active Imaging 3-in-1 |
GPS |
Internal, High Precision |
Sonar-Depth |
1000 ft. |
Memory Card Slots |
Dual Micro SD |
Operating Frequencies |
Medium and High CHIRP 83/200kHz + 455/800kHz |
Imaging Range |
150 ft down per side (800kHz) |
There are a lot of Pros to the Lowrance HDS 12 Live including the Active imaging, Fantastic resolution, High precision Internal GPS and its rugged ability to work in Salt / Fresh / Brackish Water, Deep or shallow! No matter where you plan on taking your Lowrance HDS 12 Live you may want to get a Nano glass screen protector to add that extra layer of protection, this will go a long way in preventing a costly display break and this highlights one of the cons for the Lowrance HDS 12 Live as it is an expensive unit for enthusiasts.
Humminbird Helix 10
From humble roots to today’s top fishing technologies, this is a story of American ingenuity and passion. Humminbird developed the fish finder in 1971 and is now one of the best with depth finders and best in class sonars. The Humminbird Helix 10 was released November 16th 2018 and continues to be a favourite in the angler community.
The Humminbird Helix 10 features a 10.1’ display, MEGA Side imaging, Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar and internal GPS with Humminbird Base map. The Humminbird 10 comes with the Auto Chart Live where you can create real-time maps of your favourite fishing spots, map depth contours, bottom hardness and vegetation as you drive your boat. The Auto chart comes standard with 8 hours of built in recording time and is compatible with Auto chart Zero Line SD cards for virtually-endless Auto chart Live mapping capacity.
Anyway, let's take a closer look at the specification and technical pieces of the Humminbird Helix 10.
|
Humminbird Helix 10 |
Item Number and Series |
104622 / HELIX |
Screen |
10.1 Inch |
Transducer |
XM 9 HW MSI T |
GPS |
|
Sonar-Depth |
1200 ft Standard transducer, 3500 ft optional 50 kHz |
Depth-Down Imaging |
125ft (800 kHZ). 200 ft (MEGA), 400ft (MEGA) |
Operating Frequencies |
50/83/200/455/800 kHz & 1.2 MHZ |
Memory Card |
Dual SD |
The Humminbird Helix 10 comes with a control head, transom mount transducer and mounting hardware, power cable, gimbal and mounting bracket. The Humminbird Helix 10 also comes with a 2-year limited Warranty, Although if you are worried about catching a lure on the large 10.1 Inch display then I would suggest adding a Nano glass screen protector to help avoid a costly display break!
Garmin echoMAP 94sv
The Garmin echoMAP 94sv was released by Garmin on October 27th 2020 and is owned and manufactured by Garmin (formally ProNav). A common question asked with the Garmin echoMAP series is what is the difference between the Garmin echoMAP 93sv and Garmin echoMAP 94sv? The only difference is the 93sv comes preloaded with LakeVu HD while the 94sv comes preloaded with the BlueChart® g2 Coastal maps.
The Garmin echoMAP 94sv boasts Sonar support, Vivid colour palettes, preloaded charts and quickdraw contours so let’s take a look at some of the specifications and technical's that put the Garmin echoMAP 94sv in the top three!
|
Garmin echoMAP 94SV |
Conection Interface |
NMEA 2000 , NMEA 0183 |
Screen |
9 inch WVGA display |
Transducer |
GT54UHD-TM transducer |
GPS |
Internal GPS antenna |
Sonar |
CHIRP / UHD Sidevu/clearvu |
Memory Card |
1 micro SD slot |
The Garmin echoMAP 94sv can be purchased for around US 800 and comes with a two-year warranty. If you are worried about reflection out on the water then I would recommend adding an Anti-Glare screen protector for your Garmin echoMAP 94sv and if you want to avoid costly display breaks I would be getting a Nano glass screen protector.
Fish finders really will change your way of fishing whether you are an enthusiast or a professional and
It will come down to personal preference on what fish finder is right for you but it doesn't matter if you have a Lowrance, Garmin, RayMarine or Humminbird you can find an Anti-glare or Nano-Glass screen protector for them all.