Good cheap fishfinder suggestions?

[d.hark]

Any you guys recomend a fairly cheap fishfinder unit in the $100-$150 range? Would prefer something portable if possible. Also how exactly does a portable unit work as far as the part you stick in the water? Does it just dangle over the side or do you have to mount something to your hull? I saw and "eagle" unit I think that was the make anyways for about $100 that had great reviews???

[SDoolittle]

I have a Humminbird portable fishfinder on my jonboat. The transducer suction cups to the hull. I think I paid about $150 for the fishfinder and another $65 for the portable unit. I bought them seperately because I had originally planned to mount the fishfinder permenantly, but you can buy them together as a package. You can probably find a cheaper fishfinder, but mine is a Humminbird 200DX. I found the portable unit at Bass Pro Shops.

[d.hark]

this is the one I was looking at online. It has great reviews and is all I need for my jon on all the shallow ponds I go to. Anyone have experience with it LMK Thanks

 http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_75236_200001001_200000000_200001000_200-1-1

[moloch16]

I'd go with the Eagle FishMark 320.  If you live near a Dick's Sporting goods they go for $130 (non-portable).  Portable is a bit more.

[surfer]

I have the Cuda 168 non portable.  I think it is the exact same with different brackets for $20 cheaper.  Mine can still run off of batteries and claims portability.  I haven't tried it though, mine is permanently mounted.   For the money I am happy with it.  The graph goes out about 5% of the time.  The depth and temperature gauge never go out and are always displayed.  It gets confused in thick weeds and in water less than 2 ft.  It can show dozens of fish at 30 ft deep in these two situations.  It also doesn't handle the vibrations of my boat once I get above 15 mph.  This could be bad mounting on my part.

For all its flaws it dose correctly tell me depth and water temp.  95% of the time it shows me bottom contour and fish hiding in the low weeds and suspended fish.  And just as important it shows when the bottom is flat, hard and void of cover and fish.

This is my first fish finder so I am sure once I buy a $200 one I would never go back. But until then I think the details of depth, bottom contour and weeds is worth every penny.

[Zel]

Surfer pretty much hit the nail on the head with his description and problems with the Cuda 168.  I have both the 250 and 168 on my boat, although not the portable ones.  Man it is aggravating having to hit the "Clear" button all the time when the unit gets messed up in shallow water and starts showing wrong info.  The Cuda 250 was on the boat when I got it, and I picked up the 168 this spring at Walmart when they marked it down to $15.

[nra4life]

with puting the transducer in the water, what i do is get board that is just long as the transom is deep, and attach the transducer to the bottom,  and clamp the board to your transom.  This is the cheap way but is nice because you take it off when ever you want .

[RobDar]

I will never buy another Cuda series fish finder. I do not have any problems with my Fishmark...but both the Cuda's I have had were both garbage. Good for depth...WHEN IT ACTUALLY WORKS...which is not often.

both the cudas I have had mark things that are not there...constantly goes off depth and suddenly I am fishing in 600 feet of water...has to be reset constantly...turns itself off randomly...stops scrolling....

of the four guys in our tourney club who has a Cuda on their boat...all four have the same complaints.

pay a wee bit more...maybe as high as $200 and get yourself something worth having.

[GLADES]

I bought the Garmin 250C color fish finder for about $250 6 months ago with a single transponder.

The defination,clarity and color are great even during sunny days.

I would recommend this unit.