Best Fish Finder under $200: A Review and Comparison
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Introduction
Alright, so I get it you want to find those fish but do it on a budget. You are here to find the best fish finder under $200.
Fish finders can make all the difference. When I look back on my first use of a fish finder I remember how much of a difference it made. Prior to marrying my wife whose dad does most of his fishing with downriggers and trolling, I was solely a shore fisherman, who never used a fish finder, for obvious reasons.
Then after seeing the fish finder in action, I loved it! No more guessing, you could actually see the fish, how many, and how big.
The issue is that fish finders can be so expensive, and many of us aren’t the pro fisherman (even if we want to be), we just enjoy getting out on the weekends and we want those fishing trips to be a success and great memories with our families.
Because of this, we don’t need the most expensive fish finder on the market, we need one that will get the job done at a decent price.
We also don’t want to waste a ton of time, which is where I come in. I have worked tirelessly to review the fish finders on this list to find you the absolute best fish finder under 200.
This article will go over a whole list of what I think are the best fish finders, and they are all under $200.
Here they are.
Comparison Table
Table could not be displayed.#1 Garmin Striker 4 GPS and Chirp
This is one of the most popular fish finders on the market, and there is very good reason for that. This is a smaller sized fish finder overall, but it has a lot of good features packed into its small size.
This has CHIRP and donwvu sonar technologies, as well as great resolution to help you easily distinguish fish from other objects under the water.
Probably what sets this fish finder apart from all other finders in this under $200 category would be the fact that this fish finder has GPS. Not only does it have GPS though, the GPS on it is very functional and reliable.
The GPS isn’t as great as say some of those $1000 fish finders, but all in all you can find your favorite fishing holes with this fish finder and mark them so you can keep coming back and back.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
When it comes down to it, this is easily the best overall fish finder under $200. This fish finder has everything you could ever want packed into a small package. It will do whatever you want it to do.
If you want an all around great device, this is the one you want. It has GPS, but not the best GPS, but easily the best GPS in its under $200 class.
#2 Helix 5 Series Sonar G2 Fish Finder
This is one of the best fish finders under $200 because this sweet fish finder has these capabilities:
- 2D Sonar
- Dual Beam
- Digital Chirp
All three of these features basically mean that when you are using it you can get digital images, not just a topical map of the fish.
The Helix 5 Series Sonar G2 Fish Finder is so sensitive that it can even see your jig going up and down. This is one of those pieces of technology that if you have been fishing for a long time, you will be surprised at what you have been missing if you haven’t been using this.
The screen resolution is 800×480 pixels, meaning you get a ton of resolution on this wide 5 inch display. This is easily the best screen on any fish finder, you will be pleasantly surprised at how you will be able to see this screen in practically any light/condition out on the lake.
Another awesome thing is that resolution of the images, the sonar technology allows for a separation of just 2.5 inches to discern between two objects at 20 feet. That is impressive!
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
This is the basic model from Helix, what this means is it will find the fish but doesn’t come with some of the bells and whistles.
You can pick up and add on those bells and whistles as you go.
This is a great Fish Finder and you will be happy you purchased it.
#3 Deeper Pro+ Smart Sonar Fish Finder
Alright, this is a different kind of fish finder. This one can be cast out into the water, so you can place it wherever you like. Meaning, this could be good for some shore fishing as well.
You don’t have to cast it, you could just hang it off of your boat, and then it functions like most others do.
Another key thing is that you need a smart device to use this.
This is one of the best fish finders under $200 because it has these features
- Dual beam technology
- Adjustable beam
- Built in Wi fi
The dual beam technology makes it so you get great images of what is under the water. Then the built in wifi makes it so you don’t have to have that cell phone service to connect to it, meaning you can still go to your favorite places, way out there.
Also, this fish finder is portable and adjustable, so you can put it in your backpack and take it ice fishing, shore fishing, honestly whatever you want to do with it.
You can cast it out to distances greater than 200 feet, so it makes a great addition to your ice fishing pack so you aren’t guessing where those fish are, or meaning you don’t have to troll around the entire day on the lake, you can cast and see if you want to move the boat or paddle your kayak around.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
This is a great fish finder, it has some very unique capabilities that a lot of other fish finders don’t, making it great for all kinds of fishing. If you like to fish on your boat, the shore, from a kayak or do any ice fishing then this is a great versatile option for you.
#4 Hummingbird Piranha Max
This is a great brand for fish finders. This one doesn’t disappoint even though it is a lower end model.
This small fish finder has great depth, it can go to 600 feet. It has great image quality with a fairly good resolution allowing you to see the separation of objects and discern fish from not fish at great depths.
The screen is a 3.5 inch display, but even with that small size you will be able to see the fish easily.
One really cool feature about this is that it has a fish alarm on it. So you, don’t have to just sit and actively watch it, you can troll around or take that nap and it will sound when a fish is on screen.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
Hummingbird Piranha Max Fish Finder
This is a great fish finder overall, especially as you get into the less than $200 price range. It has a great image quality and will do the job, but without GPS and none of that advanced sonar technology that some others have it isn’t as detailed as some of the others, but with its depth capabilities and the screen quality you will still be able to discern fish from plants at the bottom of the lake.
#5 Lowrance Hook2 4X
This rod has an aeroglass component to it similarly to the Ugly Stick rod mentioned above. When it comes to the quality of spinning rods, it doesn’t get much better in terms of quality per money spent then this rod.
This rod is one of the cheapest rods out there in terms of the price, but the quality and ability of this rod is exceptional. One of my personal favorite things about this spinning rod is the fact that the guides are aluminum oxide, meaning the line will slide nicely through them making for very efficient and smooth casts and retrievals every single time. If you are looking for a rod that is a great price and great quality, then it really doesn’t get much better than the Shimano Solara Spinning Rod.
Key Features
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line
This is a great fish finder. When you start to get under the $200 range there is a clear delineation of the high quality ones and the other ones that are good, but not the greatest. This one is a fantastic option, but it does have a learning curve and set up can be difficult. This one has some of the latest and greatest features when it comes to fish finders, so it can do everything you want it to.
What to consider when looking for the best fish finder under $200
How easy is it to use?
Most of us aren’t those pro fisherman right? We want a good priced fish finder that will let us go out on the weekend or after work and find the biggest and most fish quickly. This means we want a fish finder that is easy to use.
They need to perform a few basic functions, find the fish, and project it onto the screen. You need to make sure your fish finder is super easy to use.
The easiest to use fish finder on this list is the Garmin one above. This is a great brand and ultimately you won’t be dealing with frustration trying to learn how to use it. The Garmin brand is one of the easiest fish finders to use and that means more fishing time for you and less time dealing with electronics that don’t work or are confusing.
Are fish finders worth the money?
This is especially true when it comes to finding the best fish finder under $200. When some fish finders are selling for more than $1,500 it is completely reasonable to question if your fish finder that costs $180 is going to perform and if it is even worth buying.
I can say without a doubt that fish finders are worth the money. The success rate goes up when you have a finder and that means that your happiness when fishing also goes up. We all are happier when we are absolutely crushing it on the water.
I don’t think that those high dollar ones are worth it for the every day fisherman, but the ones under $500 are easily worth it.
Down imaging vs. Side imaging
When considering if you should get a fish finder with down imaging or one with side imaging, ask yourself how deep the water is that you typically fish.
Down imaging is a great option for deeper waters, I would say deeper than 20 feet. Down imaging is also great if you want to troll the lake. If you want to cruise around at 2-3 mph on the lake then down imaging is a good option, simply because it allows for ealier visualization along the path you are traveling.
Side imaging is great for near the shore and shallow rivers. If you are going to be fishing primarily less than 20 feet in depth then side imaging is a great option.
GPS or not?
This is a matter of personal preference. The benefits of GPS include being able to mark your favorite fishing spots and being able to track your speed.
Tracking your speed becomes important when you are trolling around the lake. When you are trolling you want to keep your speed around 3 mph, so having GPS becomes important for those of you that want to troll the waters.
CHIRP Sonar or not?
Alright, so the real question with this could be reworded as, is chirp sonar better? And the short answer is yes.
In very simple terms CHIRP sonar vs regular old sonar is different in the amount of signals that are sent. Meaning, traditional sonar sends a pulse of wound waves essentially and waits for the signal to bounce off of objects and then return to read it.
With CHIRP sonar you are getting a continuous signal sent from the fish finder, meaning it is always adjusting and evaluating the layout of the bottom of the lake.
This means you will see better detail and be able to actively see the fish move in and out of your screen quicker and better with CHIRP than with traditional sonar. CHIRP sonar is definitely better than traditional sonar when it comes to fish finders.
Other Commonly Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Can I use a Fish Finder from shore?
There are a few select fish finders that can be used form shore. The Deeper Pro+ series is one that can be used form shore.
How do fish finders work?
Fish finders emit a sound wave (same as ultrasound) that bounces off of materials and then returns to the transducer which sends it to the handheld or the computer unit which interprets the many sound waves and creates objects based on those sound waves.
Is Garmin better than Lowrance?
This is a matter of preference. Each one has their own unique attributes that makes them great. I am a huge fan of Garmin, for everything they produce so I am biased, but all in all as mentioned above they each have their own benefits.
More important details to consider when buying a fish finder
The display
This is essentially the screen, and it is something that a lot of people really underestimate when it comes to purchasing a fish finder, and especially when it comes to finding the best fish finder under $200.
Make sure you purchase a color display. Having a full color display vs. a non color display is a huge game changer. Having color allows you to look at the screen and quickly color differentiate depths, objects, and more importantly fish.
Another important aspect of the display is going to be the resolution. You want a fish finder with a screen resolution of atleast 480×240. This is important because it allows the details to be clearer on the screen, and sometimes that can be a differentiating factor between catching the fish and catching some plant from the bottom of the lake.
Depth Capability
An important piece of information for you to know is that higher frequencies of sonar are better for shallower waters and lower frequency is better for deeper waters.
So if you know you will be fishing deep water primarily, then you should get a lower frequency (Hz) that way you can make sure your finder is reaching the bottom of the lake where the bigger fish hide out.
Transducer Material
The majority of transducers are made from plastic, which is good because this means it will work well with multiple different kinds of boats. Fiberglass, metal, and plastic kayaks are some of the ones that come to mind
Conclusion
Fishing is a ton of fun, and fishing with a good fish finder makes it even more fun. Having a good fish finder, especially one that doesn’t cost you a ton of money, will make a huge difference when it comes to your success out on the water.
There are many different options when it comes to finding the right fish finder for you. If you are new to angling I highly recommend that you get a fish finder that has GPS, and can do both down and side imaging and does it with CHIRP. Those three key points will make a huge difference to you and your overall fishing experience.
Summary of my work on this article.
I spent many many hours and utilized my years of experience with fish finders when it came to writing this article for you.
I truly hope that through my research and experience I have made it easier for you to select the best fish finder under $200 for you.
Thank you for reading
Good luck fishing
Sean
