Fish finder for canoe?

[Papa Smurf]

Can anyone recommend a fish finder that would be suitable for a canoe? I'm not really interested in toting around a marine battery so I'd prefer something that can be powered with small batteries (9-volt, AA, etc). I've read the posts about the Strikemaster PolarVision unit that looks like a flashlight, but I'd prefer something with a screen if possible. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[Hunt4Ever]

I have one for sale.

Here is a link.

FishEasy Portable (http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=29107)

I'll let is go for $100 without the ice-ducer.

[outsider]

Papa
Any 12 volt lawn mower battery will power a fishfinder ,and you can carry it in one hand

[jpollman]

I've got a Fishin' Buddy II that would work GREAT for that.
It runs on 3 "C" cell batteries. It has a boat mount that just clamps onto the side of the boat.

I'll let you have it for $80 shipped. ( I see you're close by in Toledo)
Let me know.

It works fine, I just don't need or use it.

[Papa Smurf]

Thanks guys. I promised myself a fish finder if I got my weight below 200 lbs! I need some incentive to lose weight! I'm at 230 now and very uncomfortable. Hopefully, I can be talking about a purchase soon!

[The Whale]

A "Fishing Buddy" such as jpollmans for sale would be ideal for a canoe. Great portability and a very good graph to boot !


Whale :cool:

[kroppe]

Papa Smurf,

I have experience in exactly what you are interested in doing. I used a Raytheon L365 (excellent unit BTW) in my Old Town Discovery 169 canoe. I put the transducer, display and gel cell battery in a $5.00 plastic toolbox from Meijer's, so I had a portable carry box. It weighed about 5 lbs., not much more than that.

I cobbled a transducer bracket out of a wood dowel and a chunk of 2x4 pine, to which I screwed the transducer bracket onto. I clamped this assembly to the gunwhale of the canoe with spring clamps. On the lid of the plastic toolbox, I screwed the rotating pedestal for the display, and inside the box is where the battery stayed. So the display sat on top of the tool box, with the tool box closed and locked. It was a pretty slick set up.

You may ask, why don't I use this now? It's a long story but I overturned my canoe last year exactly at this time (mid-March) and lost the sonar equipment and a bunch of other gear. The water was 42F and I had a 100 yard swim to shore. That was a very educational experience.

I now have a Sea Finder 320DF from Eagle which would work the same way, I just haven't rigged it that way yet.

[Huntin Horseman]

I saw one on t.v. the other day and you can use it on a pier or dock or in a boat.Its powered by 2 double a's.If I see it again I'll tell u the name,Shane

[east bay ed]

papa smurf,
i don't know what kind of canoe you have and the hull design, but if you use a standard style fish locator witha puck transducer you can epoxy it to a spot on the floor that is flat and out of the way. the transducer will shoot thru the hull. this avoids the chance of breaking the transducer off in shallow water or having to put the transducer in and out of the water.
the unit can remain portable but the transducer will always be in the boat all you would have to do is attach the wire to your display unit and you are ready to go.

[ESOX]

There are a lot of units out there with a suction cup mounted transducer.

[Papa Smurf]

Thanks again for all the input you guys. Like I said, this will be a weight-loss present to myself if I can get a little disciplined.

[Swamp Monster]

I have this unit, its basicaly the same as JPollman has. I use it on my canoe, ice fishing, buddies boats that don't have electronics etc. Works great for a basic unit. Doesn't have the pixel count as the high end models etc but it will put you on fish and structure. It has side finder technology that actually works! I have used it to look under docks, swim pads etc to locate and catch fish.
Anyway, it's a pretty verasatile unit that can be adapted to many uses.