Fish Finder Features -What do you Really Need?   by Sandra Anness

The fish finderfish finder features you choose are extremely important to the enjoyment you get from your purchase. It doesn't matter whether you are a novice once-a-year fisherman or a professional angler, finding those fish down below can be a frustrating experience. You know they're down there - if only you could see underwater!

Well, you can! A fish finder can give you that little extra advantage. Choosing the right fish finder features can enable it to tell you the depth of the water, location of a single fish or schools of fish, bottom composition (soft, rocky, weedy), thermoclines (difference in water temperature), structures in the water (wrecks, stumps, drop-offs), surface water temperature, and location. It can even help you find your way home!

Depending on the fish finder features you choose, you will find a model to fit any budget from under $100 to over $2,000.

1-Display Screen Monochrome or color - Color is great but if cost is a concern, the color does not affect the accuracy. Screen size - the wider the screen the larger the viewing area Clarity - the number of pixels directly affects the sharpness and clarity of the display; the more pixels, the sharper the images will be Backlit display - allows viewing after dark Symbols - fish, number and type Water temperature sensors - on screen display for surface and underwater changes Audible/visual alarms - for bottom fish or water temperature changes Example: fish finder featuresFuruno FCV582-L Depth Control Gain (DCG) - for detailed images of structures and bottom densities Example: fish finder featuresGarmin GPSMAP178