Are Fish Finders Worth The Money?

If you are someone who does creative angling or is aware of competitive fishing then you must acknowledge the importance of fish finders. They have proven to be a valuable source over time. Though it’s no debate that fish finders are incredibly useful, it is also true that it comes with a high cost and expense. So, are fish finders worth the money? Let’s find out

If you are at that point of fishing, where you think you are capable enough to get a fish finder but it’s hard for you to make a decision about purchasing a fish finder don’t worry I got you. In this article, I am going to explain to you each and every aspect of fish finders so that you can make a wise decision depending on your situation. In this article, I will shed light upon the aspects of how a fish finder can be beneficial for you if used efficiently.

In old ages, fishermen were not equipped with technology and thereby they relied on maps. Not only this, they have to spend tremendous amounts of time researching the location in order to understand what types of fish they are going to expect in a specific location. Though it is true that fish finders destroy that element of surprise that comes with natural fishing. However, they save you a lot of time when you cannot find any bite or you don’t have to spend hours in a pond.

One thing you must acknowledge about having a fish finder is that you are not cheating on someone or the fishing itself, you are just making the process easy, quick, and technology-oriented.

Are Fish Finders Worth The Money?

Fishfinders provide you a strategy and prepare you to catch a particular fish species. In this way you can easily catch the fish species you are aiming to catch without much effort. Most of the fish finders these days are equipped with high-quality technology and they allow you to map the sea so that you can take notes about specific locations. Most of the fish finders also maintain a journal and help you to find hidden fish hotspots and gems. Not only this you can get a better understanding of the quality of the sea and its properties.

1- Time Management is in Your Hands: Obviously, no one wants to waste the whole day in a pond or sea with no fish there. However, with a fish finder, you can tell in no time if you are going to catch a fish or a school of fish in a particular waterbody. That is why you can easily make the decision to keep casting the net or not. Fishfinders are particularly helpful for those fish species who tend to stay in deeper waters and only travel in tight groups.

2- Safe Fishing Journey: One of the main reasons why most of the fish finders and anglers consider having a fish finder on their boat and kayak is the safety features they get in return. With a fish finder, you can easily map out the lake and river digitally, so that you can avoid potential hazards that come with fishing in hard places. Not to mention the facility of GPS that comes in handy when you are fishing in larger water bodies. In places like these, there is a high probability to get lost and that is where fishfinders help you out.

3- Learning About Fishing Hotspots: This is another reason why your fish finder is worth the money you can easily mark the hotspots of fishing. With fish finders, you can easily spot structures that are present deep in the water like a fallen tree, a log, or some rock that may hide a major school of fish. So in this way you can mark that spot and come again to fish at that exact spot next time. It acts as a future reference that makes your fishing streak sustainable for longer periods.

4- Digital Lake Mapping: Having a tool that can change your fishing experience is always worth your money. With the fish finder, you can easily mark fishing hotspots and have a more clear perception of any waterbody’s quality, the structures present there and what are the major fish species it holds. That all is mapping my friends. It is okay to have a traditional lake map but it cannot tell you about detailed items like contour lines, depth, crevices, etc. The former is the major detail that helps fishermen to target fish. As digital maps are a total game-changer you should totally think of investing in a fish finder.

5- Knowing About Depth: The most important reason why one should invest in a fish finder is its ability to calculate the water depth. It is because when you aim to fish for bass the water must be shallow, let’s say about less than 20 feet but how can you know it without a fish finder? Similarly, if you are fishing for lake trout and want to get in deeper water, realizing the water depth is crucial. With the knowledge about depth, you can stay at certain points in the waterbody where the depth is accurate for a particular fish species. In this way, you can also keep your bait and lures ready to cast right away allowing you to have more chances of success.

Is It Worth Having A Fish Finder On A Kayak?

Yes! Absolutely a fish finder is worth your money to have it on a kayak. It will help you to easily locate structures that are submerged deep in the water, you can easily mark your favorite spots where you love to fish, and the facility of GPS helps you to not get lost. Not only this it saves you a lot of time that you otherwise spend on searching for fish via manual maps or natural fishing. With a fish finder, you can even easily fish in the dark without any fear because you can return to the launch pad anytime with the help of GPS. Do Fish Finders Scare Fish Away?

Are Fish Finders A Waste Of Money?

You may notice while fishing near a marina or a launchpad that almost every fisherman is equipped with a fish finder. Though it is considered important fishing equipment, for many fishermen it’s just a waste of money because they cannot catch more fish with it. There are many reasons for the former notion:

1. People tend to buy cheap equipment that is used several times before considering it old as gold.
2. People buy such finders that do not match their fishing requirements.
3. People do not have enough information, knowledge, and skill regarding fishing as well as the fish finders.

So the equipment itself is not something considered as a waste of money but the way you use it. It is obvious that if you do not know how to read a fish finder, how to map the lake, or what are the symbols on the screen, how can you catch more fish?

Is Side Imaging Worth It On A Kayak?

I strongly recommend the fisherman to add a fish finder with a side imaging function to their boats and kayak. Well! To some, it may seem like an old-fashioned item but the modern fish finders equipped with side imaging technology genuinely allow the anglers to have a 360-degree view around the boat, and they can see exactly what is happening beneath their boat.

Fishfinder equipped with side imaging technology consists of a sonar that rotates at an angle of three-sixty degrees and hence can send sonar waves in all directions. So in this way, the angler can get a composite picture of the water bed or bottom.

Why Do You Need A Fish Finder?

As I have mentioned in the earlier sections, fish finders offer a lot of benefits to fishermen and anglers. However, it is worth remembering that fish finders are not tools for catching, instead, they help you in the process of finding the fish. With fish finders, you can easily scan huge water bodies in no time with deep analysis. You can have an estimate about water temperatures, and other features like structures, vegetation, laydowns, and water depth too.

The main benefit is the ease of locating a fishing spot. Fishfinders will help you find even those fish species that are shy and are mostly present in crevices or under the structures. As you can have a quick estimate of the water depth, you can calculate at what water column you are fishing at, and hence you can easily estimate what fishing strategy you should deploy.

Can You Catch Fish Without A Fish Finder?

Yes! It is totally true that you can catch fish without a fish finder. After all, what were the fishermen doing in the previous years? Most anglers determine a professional fisherman is the one who does not need any fish finder. However, it is no debate that fish finders help beginners a lot to get the hang of fishing. However, if you want to become a competent fisherman and want to live in this industry you should not rely completely on fish finders.

Conclusion

Up till now, we are all convinced how important a fish finder is and what role it plays in the life of a fisherman. They help you with the location, finding hotspots, calculating water depth and temperature, mapping out the waterbody identifying structures and vegetations. So a fish finder is totally worth your money if you are willing to invest some time in learning as well. Without having the proper skill a fish finder is just another piece of equipment that you cannot read. So consistency and hard work is the key. Happy fishing!!