Best Cheap Fish Finders UK

Portable Low Cost Fish Finders

In this article, we look at what to consider if you are buying a fish finder for fishing. We focus on inexpensive, portable fish finders.

Using Fish Finders in the UK

For many years, UK Carp and specimen anglers have understood the importance of knowing the topography of lake beds in order to identify fish-holding features like gravel bars, weed beds, channels, etc. Because of this, prior to fishing, they will often spend time feature-finding. 

Casting out leads and counting down to work out depths, and using marker floats have been used for decades. 

With advances in fish finder technology, carp and specimen anglers were the first to enthusiastically adopt this technology to give themselves a better understanding of lake contours, depths and other features.

The falling costs and wider availability of fish finders mean that they are now being used by other categories of anglers.

What are Fish Finders?

Fish finders are devices that are used to locate fish underwater. They can also be used to identify underwater features, measure water temperature and depths, and, in some cases, map underwater topography. Higher-priced units also include GPS.

How Fish Finders Work

Fish finders function by sending out sound waves, called sonar, into the water. These sound waves bounce off anything in the water, like fish or the bottom of the lake, and come back to the fish finder’s transducer.

The transducer then changes these echoes into electrical impulses, which are processed and shown on the fish finder’s screen.

Why Fish Finders are Useful for Fishing

Anglers use the information on the screen to figure out how deep the water is, where the fish are, how big they are, and what kind of bottom they’re swimming over.

Types of Fish Finders

There are two main types of fish finder: Portable and Fixed. Portable fish finders are smaller and can be carried in a tackle bag. Many of these have a small sonar sensor, which can be attached to your fishing line and cast out.

Fixed Fish Finders are units that are larger, more powerful, have more functions and are fixed to boats or kayaks.

Features to Consider when Buying a Fish Finder

Size and Portability

The size and weight of the unit need to be considered if you are going to pack your fish finder in your fishing tackle bag and walk to your fishing location. Portable fish finders are lightweight and take up little space.

Fish Finder Display

Display’s can be colour or black and white. Screen sizes vary. The display can also have many modes or settings that allow you to personalise how you view the information. For instance, you have the option to select either 2D or 3D mode, zoom in or out, change the sensitivity or contrast, or switch between frequencies.

Frequency

Higher frequencies provide more detail and accuracy, but they have less range and penetration. Lower frequencies provide more range and penetration, but they have less detail and accuracy.

Higher-frequency transducers (200 kHz and above) provide more detailed images of shallow waters and smaller fish, while lower-frequency transducers (50 kHz and below) are better suited for detecting larger fish at greater depths.

Battery Life

Portable fish finders are battery-powered, so battery life is a factor that needs to be considered.

Connectivity

Typically, these units include a hand-held display unit. Some transmit information to your smartphone (a phone app needs to be installed on your phone for this).

The connection between the sonar sensor and the display unit (or smartphone) is made wirelessly, usually by Bluetooth.

Range

If you are casting out the sonar sensor, you need to be aware that fish finders work within a range. Look for the fish finders operating range in the product information.

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