I have used a CUDA depth finder for the past 20 years, but they have finally wore out. Has anyone tried a Hawkeye Fishtrax and have any feedback?

I use the Lucky portable fishfinder for all of my canoe trips. For longer trips, you will need a portable solar charger as well. On the low-tech (no battery) side, you could mark off a rope at 10' increments that attaches to a rock or sand bag anchor. However, the anchor option doesn't help while trolling.

Good luck!

ejsiljen: "I have used a CUDA depth finder for the past 20 years, but they have finally wore out. Has anyone tried a Hawkeye Fishtrax and have any feedback?"

I have used the Hawkeye Fishtrax on a trip and was really pleased with it. Worked perfectly and didn't run out of batteries the 4 days I used it. Plan on taking it with me again this year.

It is the only depth finder I've ever owned and while it works most of the time, it has some downsides that make me wonder if I should switch to a new model.

1. It isn't watertight. Read that one more time. OK, they say if you use vaseline to seal the battery compartment it becomes water tight, but I'm skeptical. It is also messy.
2. The unit is easily turned on accidentally. If stuffed in a pack, it gets turned on and wastes batteries. You can leave the batteries out, but...
3. Removing the battery cover takes approximately 2000 turns of each screw. I have a watertight garmin GPS where the battery compartment tightens in 1/2 a turn. Plus every time you take the cover off, you have to re-vaseline seal it.

It works pretty well, but I'll definitely try something different when replacement time comes.