Welcome to the FishingMad article, Best Fish Finders Sounders for Kayaks. 2 things that I know very well are kayaks and sounders. Both have been a passion of mine for the last 15 years and I’ve lost count of how many different kayaks and sounders I’ve owned in that time.
Marine electronics can play a pivotal role in your fishing. It can really help increase your catch rates. Knowing how to find fish, what grounds your fishing, and when to use different modes in different situations has completely changed the way I fish. Taking the time to learn all the different features and functions has also helped greatly. Buying and fitting a fish finder for your kayak is very different from buying one for your boat or jet ski.
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Kayaks are unique and there are multiple important reasons why you need to pick the right sounder for your kayak.
Limited cockpit space
Most Kayaks on the market are between 8 feet and 14 feet. This means that many kayaks have limited space to install a kayak. It also means you will need to give very careful consideration to the screen size you choose. With most common screen sizes for a kayak are 4 inches, 5, and 7 inches, and in extreme cases 9 inches. Any bigger they will simply get in the way.
Specialized Mounts
Installing your sounder is different on every kayak. High-end kayaks like Hobie Pro Anglers have h-Rail compatible mounts, Native Water Crafts have slide rails compatible with Railblaza mounts and many kayaks will need the sounder mounts fitted directly into the kayak itself.
External Battery Source
Kayaks by default don’t come with a power source. Therefore, you will need to buy one as part of the process. This might be in the form of a portable waterproof battery that you can charge like a smartphone or an older traditional battery similar to how you power your boat or car. You also need to be aware of the power consumption as different sounders draw different power. So you will need to make sure the power source you have is compatible and will give you at least 8 hours of runtime on the water.
Budget
The budgets are also very different on your kayak. When you think about it the sounder should make up a percentage total of your vessel. For instance, if you bought a $50,000 boat and installed a $2,500 sounder well that’s only 5% of your overall purchase. In a kayak since your unlikely to buy a sounder worth $2,500 if you bought a kayak that cost you $1,500
Different transducer installations
Some kayaks like Hobie Pro Anglers have built-in transducers ready areas to install your transducer, whereas other kayaks will require specialised mounts, arms and mounting plates.
Kayak Sounder Features
Before buying a sounder for your kayak you really need to give some thought about your intended usage. Will you need a touchscreen sounder ( I know I do ), Will you need all 3 modes including traditional, down, and side scan options? Basic things like this are important to decide before buying.
It’s important to note that the lower-end sounders will have limitations such as
- Non Touch Screens
- Smaller transducers so reading s wont be as accurate
- Single or double-shot transducers
- Slower processors
- Sometimes less waterproofing technology
- No anti-glare on screens
Best Fish Finder for your Fishing Kayak
Let’s spend some time exploring great sounder, battery, and mounting options for your kayak. what we have done is sorted these sounder suggestions from lowest to highest price.
Garmin striker vivid 4cv
The most affordable option at $329 which includes basic features including GT20-TM Transducer, 7 colors, non-touch screen, traditional sounder, mapping, and waypoints
- Price – $329
- Transducer – GT20-TM
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar
- Water Rating – IPX7
- Screen size – 4 inch
- Screen Type – Non-Touchscreen
- Screen Resolution – 272 X 480 pixels
- Weight -7 lbs (0.3 kg)
- Frequencies supported – Dual-beam (77/200 kHz)
- MAPS – Very Basic
- SD Slot – None
- Power Consumption – 300 W RMS
Lowrance Eagle ( superseded the Hook Reveal )
New for 2024 is the Lowrance Eagle has superseded the very popular Hook Reveals ( released in Jan 2020 and the previous generation the Hook 2 range ). These entry-level sounders with an affordable price point but a nice set of features. Very intuitive to use and has been heavily marketed as the easiest sounder to use on the planet. The newer model has improved screen resolution, more colours, enhanced transducer, twist lock connectors and increased processing power. It includes fish-finding tools including, Autotuning Sonar, DownScan Imaging and now FishReveal technology. These make fish easier to see by combining CHIRP sonar and DownScan Imaging on one screen. Navigating is simple with the GPS Plotter, which makes the route, trail and waypoint navigation easy.
Available in 4, 5, 7 and 9 inch screen options. Transducer options include bullet, split, triple and HDI
Key Features
- Enhanced SplitShot HD and TripleShot HD transducers*
- Autotuning sonar provides optimal settings from the start
- Detailed C-MAP charting featuring Genesis Live* (dependent on the region)
- Enhanced IPS screen visible from all angles, even while wearing polarized sunglasses
- New reliable twist-lock connector system for easy installation in any boat or kayak
- SD card slot for software updates, Genesis Live recording, and charting add-ons*
- FishReveal mode to help separate fish from structure*
- Increase contrast and visibility with all-new imaging color palettes*
Garmin Striker Vivid 7SV
An affordable unit that is easy to use. Comes with a decent 3-1 transducer so you can flick between all 3 modes. The decent color screen and sharp images. Offers great value for money but has some real limitations such as a non-touch screen, limited mapping, and no storage upgrades.
- Price – $799 often on special for $699
- Transducer – GT52 transducer
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar, SideVu & DownVu
- Water Rating – IPX7 water rating
- Screen size – 7 inch
- Screen Type – Non-Touch screen
- Screen Resolution – 800×400
- Weight – 7 lbs (0.8 kg)
- Frequencies supported – Traditional: 50/77/200 kHz CHIRP (mid and high) ClearVü: 260/455/800 kHz
- MAPS – Very limited
- SD Slot – None
- Power Consumption –
Garmin EchoMAP UDH 65CV
Another popular choice. This affordable fish finder is packed with features starting with the GT24UHD-TM transducer which is a big step up from the Garmin Striker. Provides dual modes in Chirp traditional and ClearVu and a very decent Ultra High definition screen which has a basic resolution but a non-touch screen.
- Price – $799 often on special for $699
- Transducer – GT24UHD-TM transducer
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar & ClearVu
- Water Rating – IPX7 water rating
- Screen size – 6 inch
- Screen Type – Non-Touch screen
- Screen Resolution – 800×480
- Weight – 6 lbs (0.7 kg)
- Frequencies supported – Dual-frequency (50/200 kHz), Dual-beam (77/200 kHz)
- MAPS – Mapping BlueChart g3 for Australia and New Zealand.
- SD Slot – Yes supports up to 32GB micro SD
- Power Consumption – Transmit power 500 W (RMS) / 4,000 W (peak to peak)
Humminbird Helix 7 G3
One of the lesser purchased brands in Australia but a very capable unit that covers all the features. With a clear touch screen and multiple modes, the provided XNT 9 HW MSI 150 T provides very good readings and the unit is quite intuitive.
- Price – $1,329 often sold on special for $1,199
- Transducer – XNT 9 HW MSI 150 T
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar & Down Imaging
- Water Rating – IPX7
- Screen size – 7 inch
- Screen Type – Touch screen 256 TFT color
- Screen Resolution – 800 x 480 pixels
- Weight –
- Frequencies supported – 455 kHz: 440-500 kHz – 350 ft (107 m) Depth, MEGA: 1075-1150 kHz – 125 ft (38 m) Depth
- MAPS – Built-In Mapping: Humminbird Basemap/AutoChart Live
- SD Slot – 1 x Micro SD
- Power Consumption –
Simrad GO7 XSR
For those who don’t know Lowrance and Simrad sit under the Navico umbrella. Lowrance considered the entry and mid-level and Simrad considered high-end. The Simrad Go Series is an intuitive easy-to-use sounder with all the basic bells and whistles. It’s also worth noting that you can purchase these units in a 9-inch size as well.
- Price – $1,429 often sold on special for $1,299
- Transducer –
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar & Down Imaging
- Water Rating – IPX7
- Screen size – 7 inch
- Screen Type – Multi-Touch screen with pinch zoom
- Screen Resolution – 800 x 480 pixels
- Weight -320 kg (2.91lb)
- Frequencies supported – 50KHz, 83KHz, 455KHz, 800KHz, Med CHIRP, High CHIRP
- MAPS – C-MAP Included chart for Australia and New Zealand
- SD Slot – 1 x Micro SD
- WiFi – Yes
- Power Consumption – 500w
- Warranty – 2 years
Lowrance Elite FS7
Released in 2021 these great all-around sounders for your kayak. Sold for $1,749 but generally found on special for $1,399. These are a massive step up from the Hook Reveal Series. A far superior transducer and 7-inch high-resolution touch screen with a flat bezel. The 3 in one modes include traditional, downscan, and side scan. A very intuitive device to use with waypoint management, trials, and routes. A very easy unit to use and comes with new fish reveal technology when in downscan mode which has enhanced colours and arches. You may also consider the larger 9 inch model if you have a larger kayak.
- Price – $799 often on special for $699
- Transducer – Active Imaging 3-in-1 Transducer and CMAP compatibility
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar, DownScan & SideScan
- Water Rating – IPX7 with card door closed
- Screen size – 7 inch
- Screen Type – Multi-Touch screen with pinch zoom
- Screen Resolution – 800×480
- Weight -20 lbs (1.00 kg)
- Frequencies supported –
- MAPS – Preloaded with Aus/NZ basic maps compatible with Navionics and C-MPA reveal
- SD Slot – 1 micro SD card up to 32GB
- WiFi – Yes
- Power Consumption – 0.9A @ 13VDC with backlight on full
Garmin EchoMAP UDH 95SV
Highly rated units that provide all the bells and whistles. Garmin has become a go-to brand in the sounder space in recent years because of there reliability and performance. These units offer kayakers a 9-inch screen which may be suitable for larger kayaks but unpractical for smaller yaks. Has a good transducer, and good readings. The only downside is the poor screen resolution.
- Price – $1,999 often on special for $1,749
- Transducer – GT54
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar, DownVu & ClearVu
- Water Rating – IPX7 water rating
- Screen size – 9 inch
- Screen Type – Touchscreen
- Screen Resolution – 800×400
- Weight -3 lbs (1.0 kg)
- Frequencies supported – built-in (single channel CHIRP, 70/83/200 kHz, L, M, H CHIRP), built-in 260/455/800/1000/1200 kHz, built-in 260/455/800/1000/1200 kHz
- MAPS – Mapping BlueChart g3 for Australia and New Zealand.
- SD Slot – Yes supports up to 1 x32GB micro SD
- Power Consumption – 18 W
Lowrance HDS-9 Pro ( superseded HDS live )
These units superseded the HDS-Carbon range a few years ago and have been an excellent sounder for high-end kayaks and runabout boats. You can look at the 7-inch version available however the 7-inch Lowrance Elite FS probably provides better value. However, if your looking for a 9-inch sounder then this has a superior screen resolution to the competition and additional storage slots
- Price – $4,099 often on special for $2,399
- Transducer – Active Imaging 3-in-1 Transducer and CMAP compatibility
- Scanning type – Traditional Sonar, DownScan & SideScan
- Water Rating – IPX7 water rating
- Screen size – 9 inch
- Screen Type – Touchscreen
- Screen Resolution – 1280x720V pixels
- Weight -14lbs (2.0kg)
- Frequencies supported – 83KHz, 200KHz, 455KHz, 800KHz
- MAPS – Preloaded with Aus/NZ basic maps compatible with Navionics and C-MPA reveal
- SD Slot – Yes supports 2 x micro SD
- WiFi – Yes
- Power Consumption – 18 W
Thank you for reading the Best Fish Finders Sounders for Kayaks by FishingMad. If you have any questions or enquiries than you can contact us at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au