If you have ever planned a fishing trip, packed the boat, baited your lines, and then sat for hours without a catch, you know how frustrating this can be. Knowing where the fish are can help make fishing much more enjoyable and rewarding as you are going to catch more fish when you know where to go.
Fish finders are tools that can help detect fish to assist you in locating where they may be in the water. The tool works by sending out sound waves and then interpreting the sound that is reflected. Many anglers from your weekender to the professional use fish finders to assist them.
If you have looked at or shopped for fish finders previously, you know that they can get quite pricey with some costing thousands of dollars. Fortunately, not all fish finders have to cost a lot of money, which means that you can be brand new to fishing and still get yourself a decent fish finder to help you out.
In this article, we will discuss some of the best fish finders that you can find for under $100. (All of these fish finders can be found on Amazon, too.)
Lucky Portable Echo Sounder Fish Finder
For an everyday fishing adventure, the Lucky Portable Echo Sounder Fish Finder is a great option. The finder features two modes that you can easily switch between including simulation and wireless.
It is relatively compact in size, and you can slide it right into your pocket for ease of transport. The finder does feature a two-inch LCD TFT color screen that displays information to you in just seconds. You will be able to see water temperature, water depth, fish size, and fish depth.
A unique feature of this fish finder is that it comes with a lamp that illuminates in the water and will help to attract fish closer to you.
The operating range of this fish finder is 196 feet of detection and 147 feet of depth detection. An alarm can be set to alert you to specific depths and changes too.
This model of fish finder does use rechargeable batteries and has a continuous battery life of 4 hours and a stand by battery life of 10 hours.
The Lucky Portable Echo Sounder Fish Finder is approximately $80 to $85 on Amazon.
Venterior VT-FF005 Fish Finder
The VT-FF005 Fish Finder is a castable fish finder that is also rechargeable for ease of use. You can easily and quickly tether the sensor to your fishing line and then cast it out into the water making fish finding a breeze.
The LCD color screen display utilizes bright colors to deliver water depth, fish size, water temperature, and fish depth to the user. This finder does come with an alarm mode that will sound to alert you when there is a group of fish nearby. If you do not want to utilize the alarm feature, you can simply turn it off.
This particular fish finder does come with a sensitivity adjustment of 20 different levels that allow you to look for fish in all areas of the water.
Both the batteries in the handheld unit and the sensor are rechargeable for your convenience.
The Venterior VT-FF005 Fish Finder can be found on Amazon and ranges in price from $85 to $90.
HawkEye FishPod 5X Bluetooth Fish Finder
If you are someone who likes to rely on their phone for information and you don’t want to have to worry about another “device” to hold onto with a fish finder, then the HawkEye FishPod is the perfect option for you. This device uses your smartphone and turns it into your own personal fish finder with the help of Bluetooth.
This fish finder is both iOS and Android application based. The finder is easily cast from anywhere including on the shore, in a boat, or from a platform.
The finder is pre-programmed with four different operational modes, and you can customize each one to meet your needs. Some of the standout features of this fish finder include:
- FishEcho – pinpoints the depth and size of the fish while tuning out false sounds and debris
- Vertical Flasher – amplifies the received sonar noises to make them easier to trace
- TraxNut Mounting System – easy to attach to a 1/4 x 20 mounting bracket
- BottomScan – adjusts to compensate for bottom composition and contour readings to differentiate between seabed and vegetation
The HawkEye FishPod 5X Bluetooth Fish Finder can be purchased on Amazon or at West Marine and costs approximately $75 to $95.
LuckyLaker Water Boat Fish Finder
If you are looking for an easily portable, simple, and extremely affordable fish finder, this is the one. The LuckyLaker is a portable sonar transducer that is very user friendly and easy to understand. The finder comes with five different sensitivity options for you to choose from. Additionally, it does have a fish alarm equipped to alert you when a fish has been detected.
Night fishing is no longer a do it in the dark experience as this fish finder comes with a backlight to help you see no matter how dark it may be.
The transducer comes with a 25-foot cable and a removable transducer float. This device does offer depth readings up to 328 feet below the transducer.
The LuckyLaker Water Boat Fish Finder is available on Amazon and is approximately $40 to $45.
DANOPLUS Wireless Fish Finder
The DANOPLUS Wireless Fish Finder is both rechargeable and portable making it an ideal choice for any angler. It comes with a 2.4-inch color screen that is easy to read making spotting fish clear and concise. The display provides you with real-time information including when a fish is spotted, the water depth, size of the fish, and water temperature.
This device does feature 10 different sensitivity levels that can be quickly adjusted depending on your fishing location and preference. A fish alarm can be turned on to alert you when fish are in the area.
The DANOPLUS Wireless Fish Finder is approximately $60 to $75 on Amazon.
Make Your Fishing Trip Rewarding with a Fish Finder
The above fish finders are all available for under $100 and each one will allow you to easily locate fish in the water without being too complicated. These fish finders are a great way to test whether you want to invest in a larger more advanced fish finder too.
