Author Topic: Portable Fish Finder  (Read 199365 times)

Offline gman008

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 8
Portable Fish Finder
« on: Mar 01, 2014, 09:40 PM »
Does anyone have a model type or make for a portable fish finder that runs on batteries and can be used on ice and boat. Not a flasher type. Thanks for info.

Offline stripernut

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 3,976
  • Tight Lines!
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #1 on: Mar 01, 2014, 10:31 PM »
I found the Garmin 300C Fish Finder to have all the features that I was looking for; Color with a high pixel count, a gain that lets me see tiny jigs in 40+ feet of water, a split screen with ZOOM, a flasher screen if I want it, but best of all, all for about $200.00.  It does not come or have available from Garmin an “Ice Transducer”, but Ice Shanty is full of ways to get around that. Now that I have used it a number of times, I can say that it performed very well. NO lag what so ever.  I did not get to try it around other user, so I can not speak about interference, but for me that is not a problem. I use 2 rechargeable 6 volt batteries ($20 total) in series for a total of 9 amps (cheaper than 1, 7 amp 12 volt battery). I tested the batteries for about 18 hour in two days and still had not gotten the batteries below 11.5 volts (unit works down to 10 volts). The dual beam is great and helpful split screen zoom!
It would not be the right unit for every one, but it has almost all the features of units selling for twice the money and will work even better for open water use.
Specs;

Display size, WxH:    2.1" x 2.8", 3.5" diagonal
Display resolution, WxH:    240 x 320 pixels
Display type:    QVGA
Weight:    9.6 oz (272 g)
Waterproof:    yes (IPX7)
Features and Benefits:
Audible alarms:    yes
Dual-beam sonar capable :    yes
Split-screen zoom:    yes
Ultrascroll® (displays fish targets at higher boat speeds):    yes
Fish Symbol ID (helps identify fish targets):    yes
AutoGain Technology (minimizes clutter, maximizes targets):    yes
Whiteline (indicates hard or soft bottom):    yes
Adjustable depth line (measures depth of underwater objects):    yes
Bottom lock (shows return from the bottom up):    yes
Water temperature log and graph:    yes
Water temperature sensor included:    yes
Water speed capable (displays speed on water):    yes

Frequency:    80/200 kHz (dual beam)
Transmit power:    Dual Beam, 150 W (RMS), 1,200 Watts (peak to peak)
Voltage range:    10-20 VDC
Maximum depth:    900 ft (dual beam)
Cone angle:    45° or 15° (dual beam)
One of the reasons for the long posting is to point out that there are many choices, not just the same ones most other anglers are using.
Tight Line!

Offline darkeyez

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 396
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #2 on: Mar 01, 2014, 10:56 PM »
There is info. on here, on setups that guys made. I just converted a HB 597ci HD to a portable.
This unit has GPS, the normal color display W/ a real time sonar graph (RTS) window on the side [like a Marcum showdown], and a flasher mode option.
I bought the Xi 9 20 ice transducer for it, a small 12V 9 AH Batt., and mounted it on a homemade Genx box.
 If I wanted to, all I would have to do is put the same HB mount on the boat, have the correct transducer on the boat, and then just switch the head back and forth.
OR-If NOT under power; just hang the ice transducer off the side of the boat with the whole unit intact.
OR-Use the boat transducer on a detachable/portable transducer mount, use it on the ice, and then just clamp the mount and transducer back on the boat; again-keeping the whole unit intact.
 You could also get it as a portable ice unit, and then buy the compatible boat transducer to use when under power.
Don't want to confuse you, but there are several different ways to make them dual use.

Offline trout_hunter

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 57
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #3 on: Mar 02, 2014, 09:42 AM »
I use one of these http://www.fishfinderreviews.net/humminbird-140c-fishin-buddy-review/    for both ice and on the float tube. Works awesome. For the ice I just have a one foot 2x4 I turn on edge and clamp to. Its a huge help on depth and you can tell when you have a fish hanging on your jig. Its sensitive enough I can see my small jigs on it.

Offline gnatboy911

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 55
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #4 on: Mar 03, 2014, 10:31 AM »
I have a Lowrance X67c.  It is awesome for ice fishing.  toward the end of last summer I bought the boat transducer for it but I struggled to get it to work properly.  After some suggestions from guys on this site, I think its some sort of setting I didn't have set up properly.  I'm excited to get the boat out this spring and get it working.  If it works as well on open water as it does the ice it should be a great machine.

Offline lippy

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 588
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #5 on: Mar 03, 2014, 10:04 PM »
I have rigged up an old lowranch 350a and it works great. just built a box to put it and the battier in and a holder for the trans and your good the go and buddy uses a cooler for is.

Offline PhosphorescentPheasant

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 54
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #6 on: Mar 04, 2014, 08:45 AM »
Showdown troller? I'm going to try vertical jigging on my canoe with it.

Offline gman008

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 8
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #7 on: Mar 04, 2014, 07:09 PM »
Thanks for the great info

Offline Malty Falcon

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 41
Re: Portable Fish Finder
« Reply #8 on: Mar 15, 2014, 01:31 AM »
GMAN,
 I love my setup! It is a Humminbird 565, with a Humminbird portable pack. 
Fits inside a bucket, has a canvas cover for the 12v rechargeable gel cell battery with pockets, d-rings for attaching to my pontoon boat, different transducers for ice, one transducer works in scupper holes of my kayak, and the "head" detaches from the porta pack to mount in my powerboat with a permanent transducer on the transom of that boat. 

Different Humminbird units will fit in the porta pk , some more money, some less.

On ice, while it isn't a flasher, I can see my tiny jig at 50', and probably more of the lake than a flasher.
Bought the portapak on Amazon, with battery and charger for $60, and the 565 was $300, then $64 for a different tranducer for kayak and ice.

Tip:
You don't need a float or fancy mounting hardware for the transducer on a float tube or one man pontoon boat, just drop it overboard, and out of the paddle or fins reach.  It will give accurate depths consistently without the extra crap hanging off the boat or in the holes!
Fishin' is better with a Malty Beverage!

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.