We have made a list of top five Garmin fish finders to make your choice easier and help you buy the best suiting fish finder for yourself. People often make mistakes by purchasing a product with a lot of additional features and overpaying them. This list is designed to help you choose the product you need, not the product you want.
So, whether you’re a fishing enthusiast, or you simply want to have some fun with friends, a good fish finder is crucial for a successful fishing session. Take a look at these products and try to find the most convenient one for your adventures.
Our Top 5 Garmin Fish Finder Picks Reviewed
PRODUCT IMAGE | DESCRIPTION | BEAM | SCREEN SIZE | GPS | OUR RATING |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Striker 4DV | Dual | 3.5'' | Yes | ||
Garmin Striker 7SV | Dual | 7'' | Yes | ||
Garmin Striker 5DV | Dual | 5'' | Yes | ||
Garmin Echo 200 | Dual | 5'' | No | ||
Garmin Echo 551DV | Dual | 5'' | No |
Garmin Striker 4DV Fish Finder
First of all, this product has GPS integrated. Having GPS is a great commodity these days. You can create maps of particular hotspots and return to the same spots at any time. Also, if you’re fishing in unfamiliar waters, GPS comes in handy because it’s quite difficult to get lost while a satellite is following and recording your path.
It has a 3.5-inch screen and a Chirp transducer which provides a higher level of clarity and details. The resolution of the display is 480 x 320-pixels, which is enough for quality readings. It also has audible alarms.
Garmin Striker 7SV
This device has a 7-inch display, which is double the size of an average fish finder! Also, it has GPS integrated, and the benefits of GPS are immense. With the GPS you can mark the hotspots you find interesting and come back at any time. Also, you can mark individual waypoints, docks, ramps, and so on. You also can share your favorite waypoints and routes with other STRIKER and echoMAP combos.
The incredible 800 x 480-pixels resolution in combination with the Garmin DownVu scanning sonar offers nearly photographic images of what’s happening below the deck.
Garmin Striker 5DV
This fish finder has a resolution of 800 x 480-pixels. It has a 5-inch WVGA color screen, high-sensitivity GPS, and Garmin CHIRP DownVu scanning sonar. Having GPS is quite important nowadays. With GPS you can mark the areas you find interesting for fishing and return next time. It also helps you not to get lost when you’re fishing in unfamiliar waters.
It features a split-screen zoom, Ultrascroll (displays fish at higher boat speeds), measures the depth of underwater objects, and more. This device also has an A-scope (real time display of fish passing below the deck), and it measures the water temperature.
Garmin Echo 200 Fish Finder
This product comes with a black and white screen. It has a 5-inch display and HD-ID sonar. The combination of this screen and their exclusive HD-ID technology gives a clear picture of what’s happening below the deck. It allows you to rewind your sonar history to ensure that you haven't missed anything.
The installation of this product takes only a few minutes. It’s quite straightforward and easy to use. It has a beam width up to 120 degrees and a resolution of 480 x 320-pixels. Although the display is not in color, it doesn’t lack any readability with the black and white one.
Garmin Echo 551dv Worldwide with Transducer
This device comes with a resolution of 480 x 640-pixels. It has a 5 inch high-resolution VGA color display. The Garmin DownVu Sonar provides a nearly photographic view of fish and objects below the deck. Their latest Smooth Scaling technology provides smooth transitions from shallow to deep waters and back.
It also includes the sonar rewind feature. The rewind feature comes in handy when you’re not sure if you missed something. You can simply rewind the sonar readings and take a better look. It has audible alarms, split screen zoom, water temperature sensor, logs and graphs, and more.
Buyer's Guide
You can find various types of fish finders on the market today. At the end of the day, it depends on what you’re in need for, and of course, your budget. Many people make a common mistake of overpaying a fish finder and getting a bunch of additional features that they’re not going to use.
That’s why you need to pinpoint the exact thing you need when you're looking for the highest-rated fish finder, and you shouldn’t have any issues with finding the best one for yourself.
Different Types of Garmin Fish Finders
The first thing with fish finders is the GPS feature. Garmin offers finders with, as well as without GPS tracking. Our advice is to buy a fish finder with the GPS feature integrated, without a doubt. GPS is not necessary, but it’s also extremely valuable. Imagine getting lost in unfamiliar waters without a GPS; that’s a situation no one wants to be in.
Some other elements and features Garmin offers are, for example, the different resolutions. You should always aim for the highest resolution, but if you’re on a limited budget, consider opting for a black and white screen with a higher resolution in oppose to a color screen with a low resolution. If you’re not picky about the colors, it’s always good to have a better quality of picture thus having better and clearer readings.
Garmin has some great innovative technology integrated into their products. For instance, their DownVu technology provides pictures of admirable quality. Their GT52 transducers provide a visibly higher level of clarity for fish and structures than traditional sensors. Instead of sending only one frequency, these transducers send a continuous blast of frequency waves ranging from low to high.
Every one of their products has an audible alarm, UltraScroll technology, water temperature logs and graphs, and a water temperature sensor.
Why Choose Garmin Fish Finders?
Garmin is a company with a good reputation. Their products are high-quality, durable devices. They also have unique technologies integrated into their products which offer quality and precise readings. The prices are different, and there is something for almost any reasonable budget.
All in all, if you decide to buy one of their products, you won’t regret it. They are all compact, durable, and easy to use. Most of their products don’t require complex installations and unnecessary hassles. That being said, Garmin’s technology and the quality of the products will leave a positive impression.
Want to See Other Brands?
If you want to see some other products from a different brand, find our top lists with product reviews for selected brands below: