Why would you use a GPS fishfinder, such as the Lowrance X67C to assist in locating fish? There are numerous good reasons.

You may use GPS fishfinders if you want to discover where exactly you are in the open seas. They are also ideal for identifying the rate you are going. GPS locators come in handy when you wish to go back to a specific distant angling location.

Wise anglers have already been working with GPS fishfinders for a long time. They normally use these units for precisely planning and logging fishing paths on the water.

The GPS in the GPS FishFinder

GPS represents global positioning system. It provides a navigational method which is made up of a system of twenty-four satellites which are put into orbit by the US government. A global positioning system operates 24/7, in every type of climate conditions and all around the globe. Utilization of a global positioning system will not demand any set up costs or ongoing charges.

GPS satellites across the globe two times a day in incredibly accurate orbits and deliver impulses to the earth. Triangulation is utilized in order to assess users’ precise spot. The receiver of GPS fishfinders have to be closed on to the signal of a minimal of 3 satellites to allow computation of a two-dimensional placement (longitude and latitude) and trace motions. Once user location is established, the global positioning system device will use additional satellites in order to calculate various other information which includes track, distance-to-destination, rate, trip, bearing and sunrise/sunset periods.

You will find inexpensive 12-channel GPS fishfinders out there. These are generally ideal for sportsmen that don’t wish to invest a huge amount of cash on their own GPS fishfinders. These kinds of gadgets have a wide range of sophisticated routing functions that offer efficiency and advancement, all at good price.

GPS fishfinders in the current industry are very precise due to their advanced multi-channel parallel models. Nearly all are exact for an average all the way to 15 meters. More modern global positioning system devices designed with WAAS or Wide Area Augmentation System functionality have the ability to enhance precision for an average of at least 3 meters.

Typically the most popular portable GPS fishfinders merge a 12-channel receiver, WAAS capacity and lightweight dimensions, offering outstanding opportunity to fishermen. Along with GPS fishfinders, you can stay on course home no matter how open the waters might be. GPS fishfinders are typically one of the most accurate techniques of electronic direction-finding accessible to anglers nowadays. Don’t forget however that GPS fishfinders are only instruments and having another way of routing such as a compass, guide or chart accessible throughout your angling trips is not an awful idea.

Are you knew to fishing or boating? Perhaps you have been thinking of including a popular fishfinder such as the Garmin 400c as a part of your equipment list. In this article, we will go over what a fishfinder is exactly and how it can benefit you on your fishing and boating adventures.

A fishfinder is a device used in commercial fishing or with angling hobby enthusiasts to be able to easily locate big schools of fish while out in your boat. It is a high frequency sonar unit that sends out sound waves towards the bottom of the water. This causes echoes to come back from the bottom which in turn lets you know the distance from the fish or other objects to the boat.

These devices come with a wide range of functionalities and uses and some will even include a general depth finder capability, GPS navigation, chartplotting features, mapping and weather applications as well as many other possibilities.

Firstly, you should obviously decide on your budget and what you have to spend on this particular item. Fishfinders come in a wide range of pricing options that will be due to what features they include and to some degree the manufacturer that you choose as some are of better quality than others.

The Garmin 400c, for example runs around $380 which would be considered low to mid-range as far as pricing goes. You can definitely expect to find prices of $1000 and upwards if you are looking for a model that includes all of the functionality mentioned above.

Once you’ve decided on your budget, you’ll want to begin comparing models and brand names to find the ones that jump out at you as having a very good reputation. Garmin is always a good company to go with as would be Lowrance and Humminbird when it comes to quality fishfinders and other boating devices. Doing just a bit of quick research online, will bring up the big players within the market for you.

Next, you’ll probably want to look at the type and quality of the display screen. Some factors here to consider would be the size of the screen and whether it is a liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen or a cathode ray-tube (CRT) screen. You will also want to compare the resolution which will be in a pixel format description. A final thing to consider when it comes to the display screen would be the readability of the display in direct sunlight which will be important depending on where you have the fishfinder located within the boat.

Whether you choose the Garmin 400c Fish Finder or some other model of marine navigational unit that also includes fish finding capabilities, be sure to do your research before making that final purchase.

It is definitely worth it to spend a bit of time researching online to compare and contrast various makes and models as well as reading what other consumers have to say about a specific device. Taking this time up front can save you the headache of making a wrong choice that does not really fit your current needs.

If you are an avid fisherman or a recreational angler, you’ve probably considered getting a nifty little fishfinder at one time or another to help boost your daily catch. In this article, we will cover some of the basic features that you should be considering as well as particular models that are great for the beginner such as the Garmin Fishfinder 160C.

One of the first things that you will probably want to consider is the size of the unit and screen. Fishfinder screens come in a range of sizes and obviously the bigger size will suit you better if you want to be able to view the screen from a reasonable distance. If you are looking for a model that utilizes a split screen mode, this will be of even more importance so that you are sure to be able to read the screen clearly while using the split function.

Another screen feature to consider is whether or not you want to purchase a traditional CTR (Cathode Ray Tube) screen or the increasingly popular LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) option. The LCD screens have a much clearer and greater resolution just as the newer television screens in LCD format do. For most recreational anglers, the CTR screen is just fine and you will see that they are generally much cheaper than the LCD units.

It is always a good idea to choose a fishfinder that includes color fish symbol ID’s, such as the Garmin 160C. It is well worth any extra cost to choose the color over black and white because having the large varieties of color to identify the fish is much easier than one that has various shades of gray only. The end result of this will mean a bigger catch for you!

Unless you are in a large covered boat, you will want to be sure to choose a unit that is waterproof. Be careful of models that are labels “splash resistant” as this usually indicates that they are not truly waterproof at all.

One of the most important features that you will be considering is how much power the fishfinder has. Power is measured in watts and in general the more wattage you have access to, the deeper and more accurately the unit will read.

Along with the amount of power the unit has, you will also want to consider its transducer capabilities. The transducer utilizes something called the crystal which sends a beam out into the water.  A bigger or wider diameter of the transducer’s crystal translates into a deeper penetration into the depth of the water.

Obviously, you will also want to consider your budget. Top end fishfinders can run into the thousands of dollars and definitely have all of the bells and whistles to make it worthwhile. The average person just getting started will do quite fine with the Fishfinder 160C or another option that is not near as pricey as some of the other models can be. Just find one that includes the features that you are looking for, and you can always upgrade later as needed.

Are you new to the world of fishing? Maybe you have been fishing for some time now and you feel that you are ready to take it to the next level, entering contests or taking it from hobby to profession. If this describes where you are at with this wonderful sport, then you are probably aware of many of the common tools and technologies that are in use to take your hobby to the next level.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits to purchasing some type of fishfinder and we will be using the Garmin Fishfinder 140 as an example unit for the novice fisherman as it is a very good value for its reasonable price.

In general, as the name implies, fishfinders will help you to locate the fish that you are seeking to catch. These tools are mounted on your boat and you should definitely look for the ones that are waterproof as opposed to just water resistant.

Fishfinders work by utilizing sonar technology which measures the sound waves of objects in relation to the unit, thus letting you know the approximate distance from the object to your location. In the case of these marine units, the fishfinders will let you know the relative size and distance of the fish that are within a certain proximity to your boat. You can see where this would help you tremendously in your quest to find the perfect spot to begin your fishing quest as it takes much of the guesswork out of trying to assume that you might know where the fish are located.

The display screen is one of the most important features of the unit that you will want to have a look at. You will want something with a sharp picture and a clear view that will help you to distinguish the different fish. The Fishfinder 140 is a great example of a good entry level unit partly because of its excellent display screen for the amount of money you will spend. You can certainly spend a lot of money on higher end models that have all the bells and whistles that you could want, but for this particular unit, you would experience a great value for the money spent.

You will also be looking at such things as the transducer capabilities which include the cone angles and the operating frequencies of the transducer. In general, if you are fishing in mainly shallow water, the wider angle cone is better for shallow to medium depths of water. For deep sea fishing, you would want to be sure that you had a more narrow cone angle for best results.

Regardless of whether you choose the Garmin 140, or some other brand or model of fishfinder, start out with something on the cheaper end until you know exactly what it is that you need in your system. Certainly you can upgrade later and getting started is the most important step in this process. With the correct tools and equipment, you should be well on your way to winning any fishing contest or entering the ranks along with other well established professional fishermen.

If you are new to boating and just starting to get your gear together, you may not be aware yet of all the choices related to marine GPS systems. If you are also a fisherman, there are plenty of options that include both navigational characteristics as well as fishfinder capabilities. In this article, we are going to cover the basics of these different types of technological gadgets that you might find onboard a boat. These systems include basic marine GPS models such as the various units by Garmin, fishfinders, chartplotters and multi-functional units like the popular Raymarine C80.

GPS stands for global positioning system and this has become very popular when it comes to automobile GPS systems or even handheld systems that help you to locate your current location and find your way to any other number of locations.

The overall GPS system is a space-based navigational satellite that transmits accurate location date and information anywhere in the world. There are exceptions to what the system picks up depending on potential obstructions of course, but the idea would be that you could navigate anywhere in the world with a simple GPS receiver.

A Marine GPS system then is just a special navigational tool or system configured especially for the different waterways throughout the world. Typically any number of other features and characteristics might be included with a marine GPS system that makes it more accessible for boating and fishing. Something like the C80 Raymarine unit mentioned above for example, has many potential functions besides just being an ordinary marine GPS.

Many people who would be using a navigational system for boating may also like fishfinder capabilities and these two things easily go together in many of the different marine based units. Fishfinders help to locate fish at and around a moving boat by sending sonar waves into the water. The fish actually will be displayed on a display screen along with many other important pieces of information. Many fishfinders also have navigational and mapping functions so if you are not sure what you should be purchasing but you do see extensive fishing in your near future, you may want to go this route just to be safe.

For the avid boater or someone that desires to sail for long journeys around the world, you most likely would not set sail without some sort of chartplotter. A chartplotter is basically a much more intensive GPS system designed specifically to be used while at sea. It plots a course using latitude and longitude which will show your current position upon a grid. The Raymarine C 80 is a good example of a marine navigational unit that combines many different functions. It is a GPS system, fishfinder as well as a chartplotter. In the case with this unit, as well as many others, you can easily incorporate many other software tools and functions that have to do with weather, specific maps and other sea based applications.

Getting ready to travel by sea can be both exciting and a bit intimidating. Once you have all of the correct gear and feel like you will have excellent navigational capabilities the worry will start to fade and you can focus on the joys of the journey to come.

If you are a recent boat owner, you may be getting tools such as a marine gps, various maps and other supplies needed for an upcoming journey. Outfitting your new boat with all of the latest and greatest gadgets can be fun and expensive so it’s important that you become very clear as to the items you need and when you need to purchase them. In this article, we’ll go over some tips about the different basic items that relates to the safety of your boat and its passengers.

Firstly, and particularly if you are heading out on a long sea adventure, you’ll want to be sure that your boat is completely rigged with any safety gear that you will need. Of course one of the more obvious items that you will need will be a life jacket for every passenger that will be onboard. Having life jackets for boat passengers is actually a requirement, so you will need to purchase this before you even take your boat out for the first time. It’s also a good idea to have a few extra available in case you have guests on your boat. You may just want to purchase enough life jackets to cover the maximum number of passengers that your craft will hold to be completely covered in this area.

Your boat should also contain a floatation ring that can quickly be thrown out of the boat, should you have a passenger go overboard. The ring should be located near the steering section of the boat and it should be very easy to reach.

Another important safety feature is that of a fire extinguisher. Take time to purchase a brand new one and one that is approved. Having a fire extinguisher onboard is also a safety requirement, and you may need more than one depending on the size of your boat.

Your boat should have a certain number of emergency flares readily available should you find yourself in distress of some sort. Being out on the water far from other boats can be very stressful should you have an emergency. Having flares available will help emergency sources and other boaters to pinpoint your location and come to your rescue should you need it.

There are certain electronic gadgets that you will probably want to utilize for safety reasons. A good gps system will help you to stay on course. Along with that you may want an additional compass. Another electronic item that is essential, is a good VHF radio that will pick up a far reaching signal. This radio can be used to hear about the current weather conditions as well as general coast guard warnings for those at sea. This type of radio can also be used to radio for assistance should you find yourself in some sort of distress while at sea.

This is by no means a complete list of safety equipment that you should consider for your boat, but it’s a great start for feeling safe while at sea.

The Lowrance X67C Color Fishfinder is a small unit that packs a big punch when it comes to functionality and performance!

The Lowrance X67C Color Fishfinder is a 256-color sonar unit with temperature that is a great value for its very affordable price.

Click here to purchase today!

Features of the Lowrance X67C Transom Mount Color Fishfinder:

• Display screen is easy to read! Bright and color display is also optimized for colder climates
• High performance 320 x 240 pixel resolution makes the screen very easy to read
• Ability to read the keypad and screen in low-lighting or at night with the white LED backlighting
• Menu keys on the keypad are easy to read and simple to operate
• Background color choices come in 6 different options
• Depth penetration goes a full 600 ft below surface (183 m)
• True 800 watts peak-to-peak transmit power
• Innovative new full-screen color LCD flasher display with Colorline
• Includes FishReveal functionality which shows the fish targets that are normally hidden
• See the fish targets at even higher than normal speeds with the HyperScroll display functionality
• Includes FasTrack vertical flasher bar
• Option to read overlay data with 4 data display sizes
• Includes all of the standard sonar features such as Advanced Fish Symbol I.D., Advanced Signal Processing, backup memory, Colorline, FishTrack, multi-zoom options, sonar alarms and more
• Innovative receiver design offers increased target detail and sensitivity along with an enhanced resistance to electrical interference
• Includes zoom bottom tracking with 2X and 4X zoom-in/out and vertical zoom pan control
• Includes high performance low-profile 200 kHz Skimmer with built-in water surface temperature sensor
• Transducer includes up to a 60 degree coverage area using its very high sensitivity
• Transducer runs at up to 70 mph (61 kts)
• Convenient case design includes a quick-mount release and adjustable tilt
• Comes with a nylon bag that is water repellent – sure-grip handle, rubberized non-stick base and dual zippers

Lowrance X67C Color Fishfinder Specifications:

• Display Screen Size: 3.5 inch (89 mm)
• Display Screen Resolution: 320 (height) x 240 (width)
• Display Screen Type: 256-color active matrix TFT
• Includes backlighting for both screen and keypad
• Includes Sonar Overlay data
• Includes Split Screen Presentation capability
• Includes Multilanguage display
• Power Supply: 10-17 vDC
• Sonar Frequency: 200 kHz
• Transducer Type: Skimmer
• Sonar Output Power: 800 W (maximum)
• Sonar Depth: 600 feet (183 m) (maximum)
• Includes FasTrack functionality
• Includes Ping Speed HyperScroll functionality
• Sonar Alarms: Maximum & Minimum Depth and Fish
• Includes temperature display
• Includes built-in backup memory
• Option to include speed and distance log functionality
• Outer casing is waterproof and sealed
• Lowrance X67C Width: 4.3 inch (108 mm)
• Lowrance X67C Height: 5.8 inch (147 mm)
• Lowrance X67C Depth: 2.5 inch (64 mm)

Click here to purchase today!

Are you new to boating and the benefits of a great fishfinder? The Lowrance X67C is the perfect unit to get started with. Great for beginners and advanced alike.

The Garmin GPS 152 Track Plotter is an easy-to-use grayscale chartplotter that fits your budget and your boating needs when it comes to a reliable marine navigational system that you can count on!

Click here to purchase today!

The Garmin 152 GPS is a 12 parallel channel GPS receiver that comes pre-loaded with a huge database of U.S. cities and marine navigational tools such as sound signals, tide data, lights, day beacons and buoys.

Features of the Garmin GPS 152:

• 12 channel receiver uses up to 12 satellites for accurate and fast positioning
• High Contrast display screen is easy to read
• Display screen includes adjustable backlight control to make it easy to read even in direct sunlight
• Keypad is easy to use – you’ll be set up with your navigational GPS system in no time!
• Comes with many marine navigational tools including tide data, day beacons, buoy data, lights and sound signals to make navigating your boat easier
• Comes pre-loaded with U.S. city data
• Navigational system includes 500 waypoint option with selectable icons and the ability to add comments
• Includes 20 routes that can be reversible and you have the ability to include up to 30 waypoints for each route
• Includes Trackback feature which equips you with the ability to retrace your route to the original starting position
• Compatible with Garmin’s Mapsource Points of Interest CD – use this to add even more navigational data to your marine GPS unit
• Compatible with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) which gives you even greater accuracy and GPS positioning
• Includes a built-in simulator option
• Includes tide data from over 3000 tide stations throughout the United States coastline, Hawaii, Alaska, many of the Caribbean islands and western Canada
• Unit is within a waterproof casing that is durable and secure

Garmin GPS 152 Specifications:

• Display Screen Size: 3.5 in. (width) x 2.3 in. (height), diagonal = 4 in. (8.9 x 5.8 cm, diagonal = 10.2 cm)
• Display Screen Type: 4 level grayscale LCD
• Display Screen Resolution (in pixels): 160 (width) x 100 (height)
• NMEA input/output: NMEA 0183
• Built-in memory: 1 MB
• Number of Waypoints/Favorites/Locations: 500
• Number of Routes that Can be Saved: 20
• Track Log Capability: 2,048 points
• Is Waterproof (IPX7)
• Ability to Accept Points of Interest Within the Mapping
• Contains Internal or Remote Antenna
• Includes Sun and Moon Data
• Includes Tide Tables
• Includes Audible alarms
• Garmin GPS 152 Unit Dimensions: 5 in. (width) x 4.9 in. (height) x 2.5 in. (depth) (13.4 x 12.5 x 6.1 cm)
• Garmin GPS 152 Weight: less than 1 pound (454 g)

Click here to purchase your Garmin GPS 152 Track Plotter today!

The Garmin GPS 152 is a complete quality chartplotting system at an affordable price. Get started with your marine GPS unit right away!

The Garmin Fishfinder 400c is an excellent resource for spotting those big fish easily on the fishfinder’s bright 4 inch QVGA color display screen.

Click here to purchase today!

The Garmin 400c has a dual frequency transducer that makes it the best choice for saltwater fishing.

With the offshore set-up, you will get a true A-scope display for the most up-to-date sonar data.

Features of the Garmin Fishfinder 400c:

• Clear, bright 4 inch diagonal QVGA display, 320 x 240 pixels
• Streamlined user interface allows for easy selection of functions and capabilities
• Innovative sounder features superb shallow water performance
• Dual frequency transducer 50kHz (45 degrees), 200kHz (10 degrees) for maximum saltwater performance
• Night mode feature allows for optimum viewing in low light conditions
• Includes a backlit keypad for easier operation at night
• Transom/trolling mount transducer
• UltraScroll high rep rate sonar provide for lightning-fast screen updates
• AutoGain technology enhances target visibility
• CANet proprietary bus allows display and control of full feature sounder data on Garmin chartplotters
• See-Thru technology shows strong and weak returns simultaneously
• Water temperature log graphically records water temp data
• Split zoom display screen shows a closer look at bottom structures and fish targets
• 2X, 4X and bottom lock zoom
• Large numbers display option allows you to see many key data parameters at a glance
• Odometer capability (optional water speed sensor required)
• Includes adjustable keel offset
• Includes alarms for deep water, shallow water, fish size and low battery
• Includes a battery voltage indication
• NMEA 0183 sonar numeric data output
• Has an automatic power down backup of settings so that user option choices are not lost when the unit is turned off
• Is preloaded with multiple user-interface languages
• Is CANet Compatible
• Includes Audible Alarms
• Is Dual-frequency Sonar Capable
• Is Dual-beam Sonar Capable
• Has Split-screen Zoom
• Includes Ultrascroll that displays fish targets at higher boat speeds
• Includes See-thru technology to help expose fish hidden in cover
• Utilizes Fish Symbol ID to help identify fish targets
• Uses AutoGain Technology to minimize clutter and maximize targets
• Includes Whiteline that indicates hard or soft bottom
• Includes an adjustable depth line to measure depth of underwater objects
• Includes A-scope for real time display of fish passing through transducer beam
• Has bottom lock to show return from bottom up
• Includes water temperature log and graph
• Is water speed capable

Garmin Fishfinder 400c Specifications:

• Unit dimensions: 5.7 inch (width) x 5.0 inch (height) x 2.9 inch (depth)
• Display Screen Size: 2.6 inch (width) x 3.3 inch (height)
• Display Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels (width x height)
• Display Type: QVGA
• Weight: 17.6 lbs
• Transmit power: Dual Frequency: 500 Watts (RMS), 4,000 Watts (peak to peak); Dual Beam, 400 Watts (RMS), 3,200 Watts (peak to peak)
• Voltage range:     10-35 VDC
• Frequency: 50/200 kHz (dual frequency), 80/200 kHz (dual beam)
• Maximum depth:     1,500 ft (dual frequency), 900 ft (dual beam)
• Cone angle: 45º/10º (dual frequency), 45º/15º (dual beam)
• Waterproof: yes (IPX7)

Click here to purchase today!

Use the Garmin Fishfinder 400c to view live display screen updates in real time as well us utilizing its many plug-and-play options to share date with other compatible Garmin chartplotter features and options.

The Humminbird 343c Fishfinder is the perfect solution for the recreational angler in that it is very easy to use, while at the same time providing excellent quality full color images.

Click here to purchase and get started using the Humminbird 343c Fishfinder to multiply your catch of the day!

This small unit is small but mighty in functionality and features! It’s the perfect companion to suit the needs of your various fishing outings.

Features of the Humminbird 343c Fishfinder:

• includes many custom viewable selection options so that you can best use the fishfinder to suit your own needs
• view the data on the unit’s custom digital readout selection
• includes a large digits view option for even easier viewing
• includes instant image update so that you can be assured that you are viewing images in real time
• utilizes Sonar Echo enhancement
• includes Selective Fish ID features
• includes real time Sonar RTS view
• has selectable background options to choose from
• use the split screen zoom for even better viewing capabilities
• utilizes powerful TrueArch technology
• includes a wide/narrow cone split screen
• includes a temperature alarm
• is Triplog optional
• utilizes an easy to use X Press menu system

The Humminbird 343c Fishfinder includes a display screen that is clear, colorful and completely readable even in direct sunlight. This fishfinder allows you to interpret the details around you quickly and with extreme ease due to its incredibly easy to use technology and features.

Humminbird 343c Fishfinder Specifications:

• Includes DualBeam PLUS
• Sonar Coverage: 200 kHz / 20° @ -10db, 83 kHz / 60° @ -10db
• Size of Display Screen: 3.0 in. (diagonal)
• Display Screen Pixel Matrix: 320V x 240H
• Display Screen Type: 256 Color TFT
• Display Screen Colors/Grayscale: 256 Colors
• Power Output (RMS): 300 Watts
• Power Output (Peak to Peak): 2400 Watts
• Power Input: 10-20 VDC
• Target Separation: 2.5 in.
• Includes Backlight
• Speed Indicator Capability
• Includes temperature readout
• Unit is Waterproof
• Transducer – Standard: XNT-9-20-T
• Transducer Mounting Capabilities: Transom or Inside Hull
• Humminbird 343c Dimensions: 8.2 in. x 4.2 in. x 10.5 in.
• Unit weight: 4 lbs.

Click here to purchase your Humminbird 343c Fishfinder today!

The Humminbird 343c Fishfinder can easily be mounted either with its included Tilt & Swivel quick disconnect mounting or the in-dash option. Either way, the fishfinder will be accessible and equipped to meet your angling and boating needs!