Garmin Striker 4

[potatomansoup]

I'm testing this unit out tomorrow. Thoughts? Is it worth the effort?
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[sincityrednek]

Love mine. Have fun and good luck bud.

[celtbass]

I've been interested in this for a while, did you get the portable pack? Also it looks like you got the ice ducer to replace the open water, curious what that cost? I have a marcum flasher but I've been curious about testing out a graph mode setup for for a while. I don't have any insight for you but I do hope you share your experience after your test run.  It looks like a great unit especially for less than half what I spent for my flasher!  Good luck know tomorrow potato

[potatomansoup]

I am going to test it next to a hummingbird ice 35.
I got the original unit for $100 on Amazon. I bought the ice transducer from a friend for $100 and I stuffed it into an army surplus bag that I grabbed for $10. I couldn't stomach dropping the $50 on a Garmin bag. I'll report back tomorrow

[salmotrutta]

I believe the replacement transducer for the ice goes for a $100 believe it or not.

[celtbass]

I would like to see the difference between the ice ducer and the open water one that comes with the unit in action. I'm sure if I could find a way to keep the open water ducer flat it would still work, but how well in comparison...  apologies if I'm taking this post in a different direction...  The ice ducer cost is almost equal to the entire unit itself. Anybody try this without the ice ducer?

[nixstyx]

I would like to see the difference between the ice ducer and the open water one that comes with the unit in action. I'm sure if I could find a way to keep the open water ducer flat it would still work, but how well in comparison...  apologies if I'm taking this post in a different direction...  The ice ducer cost is almost equal to the entire unit itself. Anybody try this without the ice ducer?

My dad has this unit with the regular transducer and it stays flat pretty well. Only had to adjust it once so far this season, and it's just a quick 2-second adjustment if you notice that your jig isn't showing a clear return. Ice ducer would be nice, but not necessary. (I actually thought it was included in the portable pack, but turns out it's not). I'm curious if the ice transducer has a wider cone?


On another note, I really like this unit ... I think I actually responded to another post and recommended this as a low-cost option for ice and open water. The signal detail at this price point is excellent. I prefer to use the scrolling graph page with A-scope on. A-scope gives you the real-time display that the flasher mode gives you but with the addition of the history graph, and for those of us who never got used to the circular flasher display, I find it easier to digest.

[Hottuna5150]

I love mine and I use it through the ice or in my canoe. Works great

[celtbass]

Very helpful nixstyx, that ls what I was hoping to hear.  For the price it would be a great backup unit just in case...  last year my transducer pooped the bed right before derby weekend, although with it being postponed I had my new one in time.  But nothing wrong with being over prepared and having an (in case of emergency break the glass) extra unit.  Especially since it could go on the little flat bottom in the spring!

[jethro]

Is it worth the effort? Like ice fishing is a hardship and testing some new gear is a real PITA? COME ON NOW

[potatomansoup]

Garmin works great on the ice.
Every bit as good as the ice 45 we tested it next to. I think the graph is great too.
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[celtbass]

Looks like lots of fun!  Thanks for the report on the garmin

[nixstyx]

Good to hear you like it. If you find you want to keep using the graph rather than round flasher readout, I'd definitively recommend the A-scope feature. IT creates a separate segment to the right of the graph that provides a wider view of the real-time sonar. At the very bottom it also indicates how wide the effective sonar cone is at that depth.

[potatomansoup]

Good to hear you like it. If you find you want to keep using the graph rather than round flasher readout, I'd definitively recommend the A-scope feature. IT creates a separate segment to the right of the graph that provides a wider view of the real-time sonar.


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Fantastic, I will try it tomorrow!

[Rando5512]

Looks like a great machine!

[potatomansoup]

Looks like a great machine!

Surprisingly affordable too.. garmin unit was $100 on Amazon this fall, ice transducer $110. The bag is army surplus so cheap and fun...

[WolfeFish]

I'd love to see a video of it in action if you ever get the chance potatosoupman. ThE picture of the graph is really great shows the fish suspended, you were on top of em it looks like

[potatomansoup]

I'd love to see a video of it in action if you ever get the chance potatosoupman. ThE picture of the graph is really great shows the fish suspended, you were on top of em it looks like

There's a video on the Fish Nerds facebook page

[Arctic Addict]

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Used mine today and love it!

[potatomansoup]

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Used mine today and love it!

Fantastic

[WolfeFish]

There's a video on the Fish Nerds facebook page

Is this still up? Couldn't find the vid?

[potatomansoup]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/959093730798126/?ref=bookmarkshttps://www.facebook.com/groups/959093730798126/?ref=bookmarks
Heres a link, scroll down to the January 20th post

Is this still up? Couldn't find the vid?

[WolfeFish]

Got it I was looking at your other facebook page I guess, thanks!

[Marshian]

I also bought a garment striker 4 portable pack within the last week.  I've taken it out twice.  The first time was on Smith lake just west of kalispell but that water was only about 5 feet or less in most places and extremely weedy so I had a hard time spotting anything.  I took it out again on flathead lake and I was pleased with it.  I'm still debating paying the extra hundred bucks for the ice transducer, but as other posters said, it's is easy to level within the included mount.

[potatomansoup]

I never tried it without the ice transducer, maybe I tossed a hundred bucks into the water, either way I think for the money it's a totally good machine

[Hottuna5150]

I also bought a garment striker 4 portable pack within the last week.  I've taken it out twice.  The first time was on Smith lake just west of kalispell but that water was only about 5 feet or less in most places and extremely weedy so I had a hard time spotting anything.  I took it out again on flathead lake and I was pleased with it.  I'm still debating paying the extra hundred bucks for the ice transducer, but as other posters said, it's is easy to level within the included mount.

This is my second ice season with my striker 4. I got it early last season and couldn't afford to spring for the ice ducer right away. I used a piece of pvc, zip ties and the included float to level the transducer and it worked pretty well. That said, I found myself constantly rotating the transducer in the hole because my unit didn't seem to pick up the same fish my friend was marking 3 feet away on his humminbird flasher. By moving the "cone" I could usually locate a fish he was marking but that got a little old. My wife got me the ice transducer this year for xmas and I no longer have that problem. So I guess my thought is this, if you can swing it the ice ducer is well worth the $. If not, a little redneck engineering will suffice nicely. As I think I said earlier in this feed, I use it all year and love this little unit.

Cheers.

[Nosaj]

What did you guys do for a battery setup?

[tyme2par4]

The garmin portable kit comes with a 12V battery.

[FalcoJP]

It does a lot for what it is. Great little unit

[potatomansoup]

What did you guys do for a battery setup?

I use a 12 volt battery, same type one might use is a flasher, works great