5 things you MUST KNOW before you buy a fish finder! | Don't pick a sonar until you watch this! 

Point taken with the spreading the resources. Going out with a buddy on Sunday who has been fishing lajolla for years from a kayak. Going to soak up some knowledge for sure. Great video as usual. Thanks for sharing your knowledge as well.

Like others had mentioned: "APPROPRIATELY spreading the resources"! That really nailed it!! I sure took note of all that you said, Chris!! As a newbie, I am sucking all this info up like a sponge! Your five points are well taken in my selection of a fish finder for my brand new "Native Titan 13.5" kayak. At my age of 80 years,... there is so much to learn, and so little time left for me to learn it in!! LOL!

Much respect Chris, good on you to bring the community in to what has brought you so much success

Great video. It really helped me in deciding which way to go. Really appreciate it 🙏

Awesome advice man. Thank you

Thank you for the information Chris. I was told to use 200khz. I'm fishing depth from 100 to 275 ft deep. I have the hook reveal lowrance. So I'm gonna try the lower khz . Thank you again 👍

Nice overview, thanks. I run a Garmin Striker+ cv and definitely notice how much better 77khz get me info back from the deep water at LJ. My only regret was getting the 4" screen version, otherwise it's perfect for me out there. See ya at the launch!

Thanks for putting this information out there! It’s important for people to get a better understanding of what to look for in a fish finder and your video put it together very nicely!💪 I think we all had some sort of issue or regret with our fish finder. As for myself I started out with a 5” display. Even wearing my glasses it was difficult for me to see some of the details that I was looking for, so I bumped it up to a 7” display and it made a world of difference for me. Also I went through two 12v 9aH SLA batteries and I was lucky to have my FF run 4-5 hours and be pretty frustrated on top of it. Finally I just dropped a bill on an Amped Outdoors 12aH Lithium LiFePO4 battery. I can’t wait until it gets delivered. The reason I chose this one is because it’s the same size as the SLA batteries but half the weight, and it fits right in the ProAngler’s mast battery housing. Another option is the YakAttack Nocqua 10aH Pro battery kit but storage could be an issue for some kayaks.

Chris, Wow, what an extremely educational video! Thank you for all of the tips. Good luck fishing out there and stay safe. Sincerely, Paul

Great info. Really helpful for me and my rib set up.

Excellent video, thanks!

Awesome Cris thanks for the great tips specially on the fish finder ..I'm basic guy dont like to be to complicated on the water I'm old school birds and bait balls target for big game..yessah!! 🤙🎣 hopefully this Sunday permits lj

Hey Chris, so after watching this video, I bought an Elite 7 ti2. Now, hopefully I can find someone to buy my Hook2 5. Thanks again for the video! Happy new year!

Chris, found your channel through Adam on Die Hard. I had to laugh. I’m a Lowrance guy and have a Mango Hobie Pro angler 14. I fish mostly Dana Point. I only watched the fish finder video. Thought it was excellent. Super appreciate your generosity in sharing valuable info. Looking forward to going through the archive looking for priceless jewels. Tight lines to you! Ted.

Thanks for the advice Bro. I’m just getting into kayak fishing and learning. Appreciate your honestly recommendations

Thanks for this video. Good information, and answered some of the questions I had when learning to use a fish finder.

Awesome content, much appreciated!

I like your earnest honesty.

Great video tons of awesome info thanks for sharing Chris!!

Thanks for this video, excellent explanation tutorial.

Another great video Chris! 🤙🏻

This video was beyond valuable for me, I think? Anyhow definitely won over a new subber, 🤙🏽 Mahalo

Thanks Chris. Great video. I fish salmon, halibut , and lings in Puget sound. The Garmin striker 4 cv is working great for me, but it's the 1st one I've owned so I cant compare it to anything. I fish in 150' or less and get really good marks throughout the water column as well as on the bottom.

Thx for good advice man , I’m going to try it on my sonar...👍👍👍

Great advice bro

Thanks for the info. Very well spoken dude.

Great video Chris! I am in the market for a fish finder, this definitely helped!

Great information Chris... makes me realize that I probably should have spent more on my fish finder! For the Stealth, I went with a Hook2 5 with GPS and a Navionics upgrade card! One drawback to the Stealth is there is no practical way to externally mount a transducer, so myself and most other Stealth guys epoxy the transducer inside the hull, which pretty much eliminates side and down scan functions!🎣🤔

This is great information.

Chris, you’re the man brother! Definitely have learned a lot from your videos and as a new kayak fisherman in the SD area myself, I look forward to putting your lessons to work. Whats your take on the Garmin Striker CV4 Plus? Will that suffice in LJ and the surrounding local offshore/ coastal waters?

Great info

Good stuff Chris. I’m using the hooks five with the triple shot and I’m pretty happy with it. Still very much on a learning curve with it as it is my first sonar unit. But you pretty much nailed it these units are a game changer. Headed back to Vegas I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. I hope someday to let you know in person what a help you’ve been🇺🇸😎 Be safe out there😎

Interesting- Thank You! Not really into the fishing, just want to see the depth and temp.

Great Video as always Chris. Very good advice. My favorite is the one on the investment of FF as compared to fishing rod and reel. You mentioned the cost of all the rods and reels, but I see were often cost of one of the reels is more than the FF they have. That absolutely makes no sense. Like you said "don't let the lack of a FF stop you from getting out. The FF is great in locating bait and structure, but many of the Yellowtail I've caught I never saw on the FF until I was bringing it up. Tight Lines, see you out there.

Just got the Garmin Striker 4. Been hitting la jolla a lot, but I find it difficult to see on the small screen. I also have not marked any long YT lines like you have. Easy to mark bait, and seals but I have yet to for sure understand all the other marks or lack thereof. Will keep grinding with it until I decide I need to move up and it's not user issue.

Very informative, thanks

I appreciate this, thanks!

thank you !

Another quality informative vid. Thanks, Chris . Now, I'm going to consider a boom arm for my transducer.

Great video Chris! Could you make a video showing what you look for in the weather report to know when the water will be calm and the waves won’t be too big at the launch. I’m hoping to get out there soon and would love some tips you have

I live in NJ and I’m in mostly 6-20 ft I’m trying to decide on a finder. The element 3D for me looks great. But I like the ti2 also? And now I see some nice Garmins. What would you choose for side being important? Outback 2021

Solid info 🤙🏽

Wow! Fish Finders for Dummies! 😂 This has to be the best fish finder video out there. I wasn’t lost and confused for once. Thank you so much!

Wow awesome information thank you sir its really helps and I got the pictures. Is it adviceable for me to buy garimin striker 4cv sir, since am only kayak fishing in shallow salt water like 15m to 30m .? Am newbie honestly Thank you really appreciated

Hi. Your video is the best. You did make my search easy as it already was. I search for a fishfinder for 2000 feet plud salt water for les then 900 $. I love in a island in the Caribbean and I can't get much choice here. What suggestion would you give me for a brand and model that I can buy by internet ?

I wonder if lowrance active target would be any good on a kayak? if you could find a way of mounting it all..plus a big battery i guess

Chris, thanks for the information, very useful. I am currently in the market for a fish finder for my Hobie Lynx. What would you recommend at this time, e.g., Lowrance Elite FS? I am in SoCal and will be in the ocean like yourself. Most likely bottom fishing and maybe some game fish here and there when they are around. Would appreciate your current guidance. Thank you.

I love your advice 👍

Chris,thank you for this great, balanced and knowledgeable review ! I just moved to Florida and am looking forward to some good fishing adventures. Never had a fish finder on my Hobie Pro Angler but want one now that I am in this amazing fishery and your video was super helpful (just subscribed and will be checking back in) !

Brother Thank you so much for this information , I am new to Kayak Fishing , I bought a used Old Town PDL Kayak with a fishfinder installed on it already, its a Lowrance Hook2 -4 , and I fish out of Redondo Beach,Ca , Its horrible it stops working properly after 100ft. Cant mark any fish or accurate depth it has no GPS . Redondo has canyons full of Rock fish but cant seem to Find any. I guess I need a Tutorial on how to use a Fish finder. But I want to upgrade What would you recommend?

Do you check the wind conditions to make sure water will be really calm beforehand?

Hey,very good video, i am a beginner and I’m learning a lot,i go out in Redondo beach,do you think hook reveal 7 has all those futures you said

Fantastic video. You, unlike so many, are a great teacher. One question I have is: if I dump my kayak and the fish finder submerges, is it toast?

Nice video and great info on fish finders. I have a Hook2 5(not the reveal). I’m going to have to check the specs. I’ve had my kayak for a few months now, but have yet to take it out. Thanks for great info(except that you didn’t make the video a few months ago 😂). Take care 🤙🏽

What fish finder would you Recommend for fishing in rivers

Picked up a garmin striker 4, they’re great for their price

Im renting a kayak and im going out fishing on my birthday here in San diego. Wanna fish la jolla but don't really know where. Anyone going kayak fishing September 20th? 😅😅😅 Great vid btw! Love that you're sharing what you know 👌🏽 gonna keep this in mind when im up to buying a fish finder!

Hi Chris. Would a Furuno GP1871f be a overkill with a p66 transducer ?

You scared me! I just got my kayak not to long ago and got the Lowrance hook2 4X! So when you mentioned the hook2 I had to see what my options were! The Lowrance hook2 4X goes as low as 50hz!

Dang the depths where you're at! Avg depth of my bay complex is 7'

Good vid. Lots of solid info here. I will co sign the hook 2 series being shitty

I started using a Raymarine Element 7, Their website says "Real Vision/High Chirp" for frequencies. Just turn it on and it works well. Other than the fact that 3D eats power fast, no complaints. Would recommend adding #6 - Buy a local warranty for the fishfinder from a place like West Marine.

thank you Chris for another awesome video! i recently bought a lowrance 7 ti II and dialed in your settings you have been recommending and they are sweet!! i don't see much of a difference in dropping or keeping the transducer up in my PA. should i be dropping it down every time to get optimum signal? Thanks for the good vibes on the fishing grounds.

Did you have an issues having to upgrade the transducer or with the se card.. that’s what I’m seeing on comments.

Great beta on the FF the importance of good electronics is crucial to consistent success. I have an unrelated question in regards to the beach drop off. I’ve launched my touring yaks there many times but the truck was 4WD. My new truck isn’t 4WD, Do you think 4WD in needed ? Thanks again for the great insights. 🤘🏽

Great advice Chris; I need to make my way to La Jolla one day ;-)

Really appreciate this video, two years later! Do you have any advice for maintenance/avoiding corrosion on the unit? Struggling with this with my garmin...

How can install tranducer on an inflatable kayak amigo? Can you just hang it over the side? I’m looking for a headache free install. Not sure doesn’t seem to be too much info on installing for small inflatables

What do you think about the helix 7 ? This is the fish finder I bought I’m still learning it’s features. Any input?

I normally fish saltwater in 15-40ft of water, I fly fish so cant get down to 100+ft, do you recommend (I have a Lowrance Hook 2 7 Triple shot) do you still rec a lower number on Khz?

This is probably the most useful video I've seen on fish finders on YT, for me anyway as I have never had one before. I haven been Kayak fishing for a few years, just never tried one, the waters around me are rich, but I want to go deeper target more elusive species. I have a scupper hole on my OT Predator, so I already figured out I don't want an in-hull transducer install, I will mount under the kayak for maximum contact. I am kinda looking at something compact like a Garmin Striker 4cv but I am wondering if a 7 inch screen would be more useful in the long run, I need to think about convenience vs readability. I fish inshore shallow waters 50 ft, 70% of the time and then 100 to 300+ for the rest of the time in summer. For the battery I am thinking on a NOCQUA Pro Power Kit as their are silicone sealed and lit-ion and they look like they do a good job. I hear what you say on built in GPS, but up till now I kinda thought it was pretty essential for marking way points, stops you taking out your expensive smart phone at sea. A Garmin hiking GPS is also a good idea too. Thanks for making this video and passing on your experience in such a crystal clear and very informative way.

Damn man thank you

Thanks for the great video! Do you think the Garmin echomap with the gt56 transducer will be good for the same type of fishing? It says on specs that it works up to 800ft but the khz start with 150...

Thanks a lot for the valuable information you shared with us, I am looking to buy an entry level fish finder for 60ft deep water, What do you recommend garmin striker 4 vs lowrance hook2 4x, also i would love to know if these fish finders are waterproof or not in case of the kayak tipped over or so? Thanks again

are you a coder or something? excellent video skills!

Great vid man! Dude I have a Garmin 64c (I think) and have run it in LJ for around 80 trips and have nevvvvvvvvvver ever ever seen fish marks like that(not even when fighting a yellow directly under the boat with followers smh). My bottom image looks more like your 200khz demo too. Serious buyer's remorse, I should have got the TI. One issue I think I have is the transducer is literally 3 pounds, slightly smaller than a brick and wayyy too big to put on the arm I previously had for the hook2 (that had much better target sep but would lose bottom after about 120ft) so I have it wet mounted in the hull in a plumbers putty well. I run at 83 or chirp too. You got me thinking I may need to get a different smaller transducer that doesn't have down image so I can arm mount it. HMMM. Do you think that could make a difference? Thanks in advance!

Adding first fish finder. PUGET Sound primary fishery salmon and Ling Cod. Find all the hype and numbers very confusing. So do I want a split shot transducer with the 50-200khz for this type of fishing.

Chris, What transducer are you running and do you know if a triple shot/side scan transducer that runs below 200 exists on the lowrance line up.

One more question? Why do you prefer single 83 over chirp?

Hi, thanks for your video and tips on fish finder. I'm wondering if you can help me out. I'm looking at getting a new Fish Finder for my kayak and my main location for fishing is sea lochs and the sea, which depths go down to 100 + meters, but I will only be fishing to a max of 100 meters due to the time it takes to bring a fish up from this depth. I was looking at the Deeper Smart Sonar CHIRP+ 2 and like the simplicity of drop it in the water and use your phone to operate, or would I be better off getting something else. I think my max budget would be £300 Pounds. Many thanks.

YEWW

Have you ever got sand in your reel while launching ?

Question pls im looking at elite 7 and hooks reveal 5. I need to know which one is better for deeper water? I know hooks reveal 5 has 50khz transducer but elite 7 has different one with unknown khz?

My Hook2 Reveal has 83mhz settings. Plus it offers auto settings with depth parameters.

no wonder i keep seeing nothing at 30-50 meter of depth using 800 frequency.

Hey chris how can I adjust a 200khz to get the best fishability in La Jolla.

$500 range

Bro I couldn't pay attention to anything you said because your dancing line behind you. Either you can't drive straight or you just can't feel a bite. Bottom line is I don't have a clue what you just said. There for you missed out on about 7 minutes of watch time because I'm not going back and have no idea what you are talking about now.