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GT350
member (23)member
  
01/20/2019 06:23PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Looking for recommendations on depth finders brand & model. We will be base camping so only a few portages.
 
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tcoeguy
distinguished member (107)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/23/2019 11:02AM  
I was shocked to find that this little thing actually finds fish.

https://www.amazon.com/Venterior-VT-FF001-Portable-Fishfinder-Transducer/dp/B013DZJDWE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1548262937&sr=8-5&keywords=battery+fish+finder

I bought it just to get the lake depth and assumed for $40 there is no way it would actually find fish, but it has for me on multiple boundary waters trips. Small, lightweight, portable, takes 4 AAA batteries. I am sure there are more expensive options out there by I am pleased by that little guy.
 
TGus
Guest Paddler
  
01/23/2019 03:11PM  
I have used the "Deeper Pro + " ($219.00) fish units in my Canoe Country travels the last couple years and been VERY HAPPY. It has a tennis ball sized transducer that sends info via blue tooth to your cell phone. It weighs almost nothing, and works really well! I bought the extension arm for the transducer instead of the lanyard as the little plastic ball transducer bouncing off the side of the canoe all day didn't make me happy...(flex arm $63.00)

The transducer needs to be charged at the end of the day, and so will your phone! For this I use a Solar panel made by GOAL ZERO (Nomad 14 $149.00). Use the Solar panel to charge a small Battery pack (Venture 70 by Goal Zero, $149.00)

So you can do it very lightweight and durable but it costs a few bucks... But when you drift over that deep hole and see a bunch of trout or walleye and start catching them... what's that worth??

The solar panel and venture 70 are nice to have anyway to charge other things...

 
BassmasterP
distinguished member (105)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/24/2019 07:20PM  
Thanks guys...I was about to post asking if anyone has used one of the $40 AA battery options on Amazon, yet. I lugged a Garmin 150 in to Quetico a few years back with a battery pack I made out of 10 AAs, but it was WAY to heavy and bulky for the 10 days of portaging we did.

So...anyone else use a sub $100 unit that runs on 2 or 4 AA batteries? Very interested in feedback before I buy. I mainly want it to determine where the rout are holding in September as well as points and humps.

Tight lines,

PMR
 
01/25/2019 07:33AM  
BassmasterP: "Thanks guys...I was about to post asking if anyone has used one of the $40 AA battery options on Amazon, yet. I lugged a Garmin 150 in to Quetico a few years back with a battery pack I made out of 10 AAs, but it was WAY to heavy and bulky for the 10 days of portaging we did.


So...anyone else use a sub $100 unit that runs on 2 or 4 AA batteries? Very interested in feedback before I buy. I mainly want it to determine where the rout are holding in September as well as points and humps.


Tight lines,


PMR"

I would take your Garmin 150
They don't weigh that much
 
BassmasterP
distinguished member (105)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/25/2019 07:46AM  
Already did that, and it was nice to have on the water, but overkill...and we portage over 25 times in 10 days so weight and size does become and issue. That being said...I will DEFINITELY bring it if there are no reasonable alternatives. Was just hoping I could bring a smaller unit and 2 to 4 rechargeable AAs.

Thanks for the reply.

P
 
01/25/2019 01:58PM  
I have a 10 yr. old hawkeye by norcross that gets me by on structure/depth. It marks fish, but that's about it. Compact and easy on batteries. When it dies I will rig something with a battery pack. (Some good old threads on here about that) Still wishing Vexilar would bring back black and white LC8 or BW model they had. This is all I have had much experience on in a canoe.
 
01/25/2019 02:29PM  
BassmasterP: "Thanks guys...I was about to post asking if anyone has used one of the $40 AA battery options on Amazon, yet. I lugged a Garmin 150 in to Quetico a few years back with a battery pack I made out of 10 AAs, but it was WAY to heavy and bulky for the 10 days of portaging we did.


So...anyone else use a sub $100 unit that runs on 2 or 4 AA batteries? Very interested in feedback before I buy. I mainly want it to determine where the rout are holding in September as well as points and humps.


Tight lines,


PMR"


I’ve got one. It’s the Hawkeye Fishtrax 1x. It’s been on a couple trips with me. It marks depth and water temp very well, but I’d say it’s so so for marking fish. Sometimes it misses fish. There have been times where I’m marking nothing and get a fish on. Usually if it marks fish, I get a strike. The battery time has blown me away using Lithium batteries. I’ve got about 50 hours on it and it’s still got half a tank! It’s light and doesn’t take up much space so I bring it if I’m fishing an unfamiliar place.

Tony
 
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