Portable fish finder-Best bang for the buck?

[Wild bill]

I finally got a fishing boat and now I need a fish finder. What is the best bang for the buck in a portable?? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Chuck Pederson MN]

I'd go with a Vexilar FL8 you can get a transducer for ice and one you can hook up to your boat either fixed or on a suction cup for flying in or what ever. I have all three transducers for this unit. Besides the lms350A and love them both. The vexilar with one transducer could run you $285. just guessing it's been a couple years. Very simple to operate 3 color flasher. Shows bottom and fish and your bait. Good luck.

[KP]

What do you consider portable? I agree a Vexilar is a great fish finder for ice fishing but for the money you can get a much more application specific, feature packed sonar that will also work for ice fishing. I use the same transducer for both applications attached to a clamp-on transducer holder I bought at Bass Pro Shops. It's strong and stable enough for me to go 30 MPH and is adjustable to go in an ice fishing hole.

The only true portables I'm aware of besides the Vex are Bottomlines Fishing Buddy (which S*CKS) and Hummingbirds portable in a box which also S*CKS.

Raytheon makes a great unit for around $250 that has everything you would want. Dual frequency, split screen zoom, speed, distance, temp, good power, and an excellent base. Personally I own an Interphase Advantage which I really like but is pretty pricey compared to other sonars with similar features.

[bassinmeyer]

If Your looking for a actual portable I would get a eagle. If this is the only boat for it to be used on I would go "permanant mount and buy a quick release so you can take the unit itself out at night to prevent theft. In th permanant models I would go with a garmin great unit For lower than most with comparable options. I should add that I used to work at Gander Mountain selling electronics and feel this is the best unit for the buck also saw very few of them with problems.
Good Luck

[BGunn]

Check out the new Vexilar Here:

http://www.fl8.com/fl18.html

I have 2 fl-8's and now I NEED one of these !!

[Chuck Pederson MN]

Thanks for the info BGUNN had'nt heard of that Vexilar. They are incredible.

[Wild bill]

Thanks for the tips!I went to Gander last night and looked at them all. I really liked the Garmin 240. Let's hope the Fathers Day God looks down on me!

Can the 240 be set up to be a portable and what would it take to do that. I fish a lot with friends also and would like to take it with me as they don't have one either.

[Steve(CO)]

Any of the Eagle/Lowrance units can be converted from a permanent to a portable easily. You just buy the portable "black box," unhook the unit from the permanent transducer, and away you go. I had an Eagle Ultra on my boat and used it as a portable for Canadian fly-ins. Or, you can simply buy it as a portable. My Ultra finally gave up on life after 12 years, so I just bought a new portable box (really a battery box, cable, and suction cup transducer) for my X-75 and will take it to Canada next week.

[Mean Mike]

For Christmas last year my dad got an X-85 that is portable.

Lucky guy.

[Cangl]

Portable to be easy to move and or mount? I am using Eagles Magna III lean on (275) watts so as to hook up smaller battery for ice fishing, sidefinder with fish alarm (only time I use it)
then onto the trolling motor right now. Eagle brackets are removable with a Johnny Ray swivel mount and the transducers and power cables are interchangeable between different models. As for different methods of transducing(some word huh?) and mounting hardware no on "else goes there" other than Eagle or Lowerance. Magna II and with the plus feature speed and temp, another set of holes for the temp though.