# Fish finder



## Greenhead (Dec 14, 2011)

I'm wanting to buy a fish finder that I can use for ice fishing and also attach it to my boat for open water fishing. Do any of you have suggestions of what kind to buy for a reasonable price?

Thanks


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

I've had really good luck with the Garmin fishfinders. They are fairly inexpensive and work really well for both ice and on the boat. I also like how easy they are to use.

my $.02


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## gnfishn (Sep 25, 2007)

"Reasonable price" is a relative thing from one person to the next. It also depends on what features are important to you. For me, GPS is very important so I can mark locations and track my speed in my toon while fly fishing. I had a lowrance m68 that was small very portable and very easy to switch from ice fishing, to toon, to aluminum boat. You can pick those up for $300 online or $400 at Sportsman's Warehouse for the base package then you can add an additional base/transducer for added convenience but also additional $. I just sold my Lowrance m68 and upgraded to the Humminbird 385 ci combo and picked it up off of Amazon for $405 and bought an additional transducer, mounting bracket, and power cord $100 or so. To me that is a reasonable price for what I got. I used it for the first time this weekend a couple of trips and absolutely love it and would highly recommend it. If GPS is not important to you you can knock off about $100.


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## Wasatch (Nov 22, 2009)

I completely agree with what gnfishn said....I also just bought a portable humminbird 345c witht the additional ice transducer for $310 + $60 off of Amazon.com and absolutely love it! good color, clarity and shows great detail. I can see my jig clearly all the way down. Plus it also comes with Real Time Sonar so you can use flasher mode for ice fishing if you want. The portable unit also comes with a portable suction cup transducer so that you can use the finder anywhere for anything.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Several years ago, I purchased a Fish Eagle 320 Fish Finder.
It was $150.00 at Sportsman' Warehouse.
This finder has real time and picks up my lures as far down as 40' or more.

I set it up in a plastic ammo box and used some PVC tubing for the transducer. I added a small rechargeable 12 volt battery that also fits inside the box.
So for under $200.00 total, I have a very good finder that I use on my boat and also for ice fishing.

I have used both a Vexlar and Hummingbird Flasher and I must say that if I had $400.00 to spend, I would get one of them.
I don't though, so my Eagle 320 does just fine for now.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Grandpa d you should send me a picture of your ice conversion. My buddy gave me a fish finder for Xmas and I was wondering how easy it might be to switch between my boat and Ice fishing. This model is meant for a boat.


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## time4hunt (Oct 4, 2011)

Grandpa D said:


> I set it up in a plastic ammo box and used some PVC tubing for the transducer. I added a small rechargeable 12 volt battery that also fits inside the box.
> So for under $200.00 total, I have a very good finder that I use on my boat and also for ice fishing.
> 
> I have used both a Vexlar and Hummingbird Flasher and I must say that if I had $400.00 to spend, I would get one of them.
> I don't though, so my Eagle 320 does just fine for now.


I have the same setup as Grandpa D and have used it for years. Nice to have everything easily accessible in the ammo box, and the mounts fit well on the top of the box. Just pull it out of the box, mount it on top, and your in business.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Can Someone help me with this build I got a hummingbird fish finder flasher gps combo the 365 I for Christmas?


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

I think I have everything I need. Is it the flexible PVC tubing your using? At first I was picturing PVC pipe and was confused


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

I use schedule 40 rigid PVC pipe.
Cut the pipe into 10" to 12" pieces.
You will need 1 PVC coupler and I use 3 tees.
Drill a hole in the bottom of one of the pieces of pipe and bolt the transducer to that piece. Zip tie the chord to the pipe. Don't glue any of the pieces. Now take the piece of pipe that has the transducer on it and place the PVC couplet to the top of it. Attach another length of pipe to the other end of the coupler.
To this, you add a Tee. You should now be able to stick a piece of pipe in the ends of the Tee. It should now look like a big T. I place the remaining 2 Tees on the ends of the pipes but they are not needed for the thing to work.
Now use a plastic ammo box or plastic tackle box to hold the screen.
Drill a hole in the top of the box to attach the screen. Drill a 1/2" hole in the top of the box that you will use to run the power chord up to the screen.
Put some electrical clips on the ends of the fish finder wire to use to attach the finder to a battery.
I use a small gel cell or sealed acid cell battery that you can usually buy at Sportsman's.
That's all there is to it.


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## time4hunt (Oct 4, 2011)

Only thing I would add to what Grandpa D stated, is I capped off the ends of the PVC pipe so I wouldn't get alot of water in the tubes. Not necessary though.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

Had some free time built it! Thanks for the help guys!can't wait to test it out


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Looks good. You will want to have one more coupler and another 12" piece of tubing for thick ice. That way you simply add the extension when you need to lower the transducer to reach the water, when the ice is over 12" thick.


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## Bscuderi (Jan 2, 2012)

I do it's in the box just wasn't hooked up for the picture. Brilliant idea! Adaptable for different ice lengths. Thanks for the great idea


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