No wonder many anglers call the purchase of an echo sounder spontaneous. You can engage in fishing for a dozen years, but once you see firsthand what fishing with an echo sounder from a boat is, you immediately want to buy yourself this wonderful device. It remains only to determine the model and make a purchase. But not so simple! Before buying an echo sounder, you need to understand what purpose it will be used for, the price of the device directly depends on this.
Wide range of features
The fisherman is unlikely to be interested in the device and principle of operation of the echo sounder. But the functionality should be of interest.
- Studying the topography of the bottom of the reservoir. Finding pits and indentations gives you a better chance of catching a predator that prefers to live at maximum depth. Most devices allow you to see the density of the soil. With these capabilities, adjusting the equipment, you can be sure that the bait does not hide in deep silt.
- Detection of a school of fish or a large resident of a reservoir. Such echo sounders for fishing from a boat are especially popular, because the likelihood of catch increases many times.
- Ability to save elevation maps with reference to location. Although the cost of such devices breaks records, just one scan will save further research on the bottom of the reservoir.
The right approach to buying
Before considering the functionality of the device, professionals recommend paying attention to three important components.
- Screen size and resolution. The larger these parameters, the more accurate the information will be. With a small screen on which it is impossible to make out, fishing with an echo sounder from a boat will be uninteresting. All conclusions will be based only on imagination.
- Mount and moisture protection. In almost a hundred percent of cases, as practice shows, the human factor is the cause of the failure of a new echo sounder . Either a broken or a recessed device is brought in for repair. Accordingly, before entering the water you need to decide for yourself how the echo sounder will be fixed on board the boat so that it will not be afraid of falls and moisture.
- Signal strength and viewing angle. The stronger the signal, the more accurate the data from the bottom of the reservoir, the larger the scan angle, the greater the area of visibility. These two indicators strongly affect the price of the device.
About manufacturers
There are many manufacturers of specialized fishing devices on the market. In the post-Soviet space, the best echo sounders for fishing from a boat are Humminbird, Garmin and Lowrance. These manufacturers have been on the market for several decades, they know a lot about this narrow and specific direction. Not a single fisherman will be left without a purchase, because the list of models is very large, in different price categories you can always choose an echo sounder according to your needs.
Separately, it should be said about inexpensive devices from unknown manufacturers and fakes. All of them bribe in the first place at a low price. However, partial inoperability and the provision of false data can spoil the mood when fishing.
The power of simplicity
Let the store advise you to fork out and purchase the most expensive device, but you should think about whether all the functionality of the device will be used. Judging by the reviews of many avid fishermen, for whom fishing with an echo sounder from a boat is not new, the first device should be chosen the simplest. A large screen, the presence of a strong attachment to the boat or belt, a protective cover from moisture and a powerful signal with a narrow viewing angle - all the necessary functionality for a beginner. It will take more than one year to study the operation of the device. For some, the first device will last for decades. Some users claim that, having compiled a list of requirements for the echo sounder functionality, a few years later they decided on a second purchase of a device with great capabilities, but they are very glad that they did not buy the most expensive device on the market, since there are many functions that would never come in handy.
Cheap sonar and cartography
It’s clear that with an expensive device, once you’ve scanned the topography of the bottom of the pond, it’s enough to set geographical marks with reference to GPS, and you can not spend time looking for great depths when catching huge predators for many years to come. That's how expensive sounders for fishing from a boat advertise for beginners the owners of cheap devices. There is only one question: why do geography classes teach cartography and orientation on the ground? But it is thanks to the school course that you can save a considerable amount when buying a device. It is enough to download and print from the Internet a map of the reservoir with satellite views on an acceptable scale, find landmarks and place marks. For clarity, ideally, you need to draw a grid on the map. And that’s it! The compass is in hand, and you can safely proceed to scanning and drawing depths on your own map of the reservoir.
Quick scan
With frequent changes in the reservoir, fishermen again and again have to spend a lot of time looking for the best place to throw gear. In such cases, a good bottom scanning speed will not hurt. Judging by the reviews of the owners, this characteristic is given little attention, but in vain. After all, the higher the speed of scanning and signal processing, the faster you can get data on the bottom of the reservoir, passing at high speed along the surface of the water, and begin fishing. This is not about front-scan sonar, which are installed on fishing vessels and yachts. They are too expensive and are unlikely to interest amateurs. It is enough to pay attention to the echo sounders for fishing from the boat Humminbird Piranha MAX, which have several scanning rays and excellent power. In addition, the buyer receives a shockproof and moisture resistant housing.
Fishing from the shore
Some echo sounders for fishing from a boat, reviews of which are rarely seen on the pages of print media and on the Internet, have one interesting function that allows you to use the device to scan the bottom of a reservoir from the shore. It will not be difficult for any fisherman to attach a wireless sensor to the float and make several casts at the required distance. Pulling the float to the shore, the fisherman can get complete information about the topography of the reservoir at the place where the gear was cast. Such functionality can boast fish finders for fishing from a boat "Garmin", a series of "ECHO". This decision will allow even in bad weather to be with the catch.
Winter fishing enthusiasts
Naturally, fishing with an echo sounder from a boat is different from searching and fishing in the winter. When buying, first of all, you need to pay attention to the temperature range in which the device can work. Equally important is the stability and operability of the sensor in frozen water. Naturally, in cold weather, the battery capacity will also decrease, so you should think about a spare battery. It is better to purchase a device, focusing on the signal strength, and not on the scanning angle. After all, it’s easier to first find the right place for fishing and start drilling than to search, making holes one by one.
The miracle of domestic production
In the markets of the CIS countries you can find the “Practik” echo sounder of Russian production. Judging by numerous reviews, many owners of this device, when they first met the device, were confused by the name and appearance. But as soon as one became familiar with the tactical and technical characteristics of the echo sounder, interest quickly grew. Among its advantages are high power and measurement accuracy, complete protection against moisture and shock, excellent frost resistance, and the ability to work on batteries. Light weight, small size and informative screen made many buyers prefer the Russian manufacturer.