Best fish finder for kayaks?

[W69DY]

thanks for the install tips. i was bidding on a mark 4 but lost due to me being at work. im thinking the elite 4x DSI is the way to go. Small and packed full of furthers. http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elit...duct/53518000/

[DaveFX35]

thanks for the install tips. i was bidding on a mark 4 but lost due to me being at work. im thinking the elite 4x DSI is the way to go. Small and packed full of furthers. http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elit...duct/53518000/

Elite 4x DSI doesnt have GPS. I have the Elite 4 DSI and its a combo. Got it for $307, free shipping, no tax and $50 mail in rebate from Hodges Marine.

[DonV]

thanks for the install tips. i was bidding on a mark 4 but lost due to me being at work. im thinking the elite 4x DSI is the way to go. Small and packed full of furthers. http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elit...duct/53518000/

Except for GPS. Once again I think you are going to regret not having it. This one http://www.basspro.com/Lowrance-Elit...duct/53518400/ is $299 and has the GPS/Chartplotter. I don't see the rebate but it does have an offer for a free Nautic Insight™ Pro chart that runs for $99. Still believe that the GPS for the FF is going to be an essential and would recommend either spending more or consider the Mark 4 again. I've seen some reviews that the black and white is much more visible in bright light than the color units. I do like the color and detail of the Elite but personally wouldn't want to do without the GPS. It also gives me a little piece of mind knowing that if I ever run into any trouble out there I always know exactly where I am.

BTW If anybody is interested there is a a piece of software that will covert coordinates from Google Earth to the Lowrance format and vice versa, GPSBabel. I pulled my coordinates that I wanted to go to off of the EarthNC online web chart. Plugged them into Google Earth, exported, converted, copied to SD card, then loaded as way-points onto the Mark4. Sounds more complicated then it is and only took a few minutes. Looking forward to doing the process in reverse to save some hotspots to Google Earth to have handy if anything would happen to the FF. GPSBabel also works well with car GPS systems.

[W69DY]

Dang it! I thought the elite 4 dsi had GPS. I've looked at 100's of FF and can't seem to make my mind up. I really like how the elite 4 DSI is sooo clear and detailed. It can't read a black and white ff for crap. Couldn't tell ya the difference between a stick and fish. As far a GPS goes, I don't see my self venturing off to far from land but you never know lol plus I will always have my phone. I will reconsider the elite 4 again. Maybe I can find a YouTube video on how to read a quality colored FF. btw if you haven't caught on I'm a rookie at this shit lol

[DaveFX35]

Dang it! I thought the elite 4 dsi had GPS. I've looked at 100's of FF and can't seem to make my mind up. I really like how the elite 4 DSI is sooo clear and detailed. It can't read a black and white ff for crap. Couldn't tell ya the difference between a stick and fish. As far a GPS goes, I don't see my self venturing off to far from land but you never know lol plus I will always have my phone. I will reconsider the elite 4 again. Maybe I can find a YouTube video on how to read a quality colored FF. btw if you haven't caught on I'm a rookie at this shit lol

The Elite 4 DSI is a combo unit the 4x is not. I have the 4 and love it, worth it if you can spring for it. The Mark4 is a great unit, black and white is easy to read in the sun also. I use the GPS to track my routes, mark spots I caught fish and hit those spots again. Havent had to use it yet for getting lost but could make finding the launch easier if in an unfamiliar area or at night.

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/Lowrance...-10494-001.htm

[mattlovefishing]

I'd go for Lowrance elite-4x dsi. Cost your $50 more, will get you a much clear view with the dsi tech.

[manlystanley]

(Home Depot variety is waterproof; Lowes is water based and does not do well with the water that always creeps in our boats). .

Great suggestion. Why would Lowes make water base plumbers putty? Kind of like making conductive electical tape....


Best regards,
Stan

[Mmacro]

Everyone says go with the Home Depot for this reason... I did not want to test the observation that the one was water based.

[rob-kayak]

Just got the Lowrance 4 chart/gps black/white.... got the battery AA battery pack, fuse, 9volt attachment for battery pack... hooked it up...

YIPPIE ! Soooo way cool. The gps will definitely be a love part of the unit.

Got it at Dicks.. market price $200... but Lowarnce offers the $30 rebate.. not just the BassPro shop...
plus with my Dicks rewards program minus another $10.. and minus approx $7 the rewards from Dicks on the
purchase of the unit... it comes to about $153.

I am stoked ! I was worried that I would have to get some exotic battery setup but online searches elated to this
not being the case. Stoked again !

So much for the thrift shop $6.50 grab of the Hummingbird Smartcast... this is light years better.

Thanks to all the good info on this thread.
p.s. got the duct putty for mounting... the plumbing guys said this would be the better product
over the plumbing putty.

R.

[hwiv24]

Does anyone have any experience with Humminbird's in-hull mount kit? I think they recently switched from a goop-like substance to a "grease" for lack of a better word. I have the fishfinder and battery installed and the mounting bracket placed but have yet to install the grease and transducer.