Fish Finder options for old aluminum boat

[mdnabors]

My buddy has an older aluminum Lund boat and wants to add a Fish Finder to it. We don't know much about them and looking for something reasonable and even a good used one would be perfect as not looking to spend too much. What should we be looking for as a good low end to middle of the road model? Any good sites to find used or worth getting new? Easy to mount ourselves? Thanks

[jdg13]

I have a garmin Striker Vivid 4CV on my boat. It's a basic fishfinder with down imaging and a basic gps, no maps. I rigged up a 12v deer feeder battery in a dry box and mounted the unit to it for power. Transducer is attached to a removable transom mount I got from bass pro. Before that is was on a 1x4 clamped to the boat. I think it was about $200. If you want side imaging or maps, price goes up quick. Bigger screen, higher price. If I was doing it over again I'd wait for a deal on a chartplotter with sonar vs just a fishfinder. Right now I use the navionics app for maps and the garmin for sonar but it'd be nice to have both on one.

[Dejashoot]

Whatever you get, I suggest getting a “stern saver” glue on mount. It keeps you from having to drill into old aluminum. I’ve had one on my wife’s river boat for several years. I have a cheap Hummingbird fish finder/gps on her boat.

[TexasBob]

Watch 2coolfishing and texasfishingforum they pop up.


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[Quackerbox]

second stern saver.

Id say buy what you can afford and install it. Its not complicated. Ive prolly done 6 or 7. I only have experience with h-bird and lowrance.

[mdnabors]

Great info, keep it coming. Thanks guys

[bowhntrmatt]

If you ain't scopin', you're hopin'!

I'd keep an eye out for sales at Academy or bass pro for a decent unit with down and side imaging for what you described you are looking for. Or FB marketplace if you like to roll the dice.

All the livescope videos catching bass and crappie I've seen lately make me want to go buy one and I don't even have a boat!

[COACH_EM_UP]

If you decide on a used one, I have a few for sale. Older model Lowrance, Eagle, and Humminbird. Had them on my aluminum boat and bass boat before I sold them.

I can get more info on them if you want.

[Bassdeer]

Humminbird Helix 5 or 7 will work and can be found cheap used. I have a Helix 5 I may be getting rid of.

[mdnabors]

Thanks. I’ll let him know about those