Best Fish Finders Sounders for Kayaks

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

Best Fish Finders Sounders for Kayaks