A fish finder is a device that helps you to locate fish. It eliminates the trial and error involved when casting without an image of what is underneath your boat. Some of these devices are equipped with GPS, which helps with navigation and marking of hotspots with plenty of fish.
Such units are very handy because they help you to fish with precision. With that in mind, if you are looking to simplify your fishing process, this article lists out 9 of the best fish finder GPS combos that you should consider buying.
Review of the 9 Best Fishfinder GPS Combos
1. Humminbird 410220-1NAV – Best Overall
No products found.
Humminbird’s 410220-1NAV is the overall best fish finder GPS combo because it is equipped with a CHIRP digital sonar that has a high transmission power of 500W RMS. This gives it the ability to scan at deep depths of up to 2500 ft., which is ideal for lake-or-offshore fishing.
The unit also has a down imaging sonar with 455-800kHz frequencies, which gives sharp, near-photographic images of the water column beneath your boat at a depth of up to 350 ft.
Apart from that, you get Humminbird and Navionics map cards, with the latter containing maps of over 21,000 lakes and water bodies in the US and Canada. On the other hand, Humminbird’s base map contains charts of over 10,000 lakes plus coastal coverage in the US.
Combined with the fish finder’s built-in GPS, this enables you to plot paths and hotspots in multiple areas. Also included is Autochart live, which allows you to create live high-detail maps of your favorite fishing spots, and has up to 8 hours of recording time.
Other features are a widescreen 5” LED-backlit display, mounting hardware plus a gimbal mounting bracket and a power cable to draw power from the boat’s battery.
The only problem is that the display is not a touchscreen, which makes it a bit difficult to use because of button pressing.
Pros:
- Deep scanning depth
- Down imaging sonar
- Humminbird and Navionics map cards
- Autochart live
- Gimbal swivel mounting bracket
Cons:
- No touchscreen
2. Garmin 010-01550-00 – Best for the Money
No products found.
Garmin’s 010-01550-00 has the main advantage of being very affordable and despite this, it is fitted with CHIRP and Clear VÜ scanning sonar. These give detailed imaging with better target separation at depths of up to 1600 ft. in freshwater and 750 ft. in saltwater.
Apart from those, a flasher is built-in and this shows you the vertical water column when fishing in a stationary position such as when ice fishing or jigging.
Other features include a highly sensitive GPS that allows you to view your boat’s speed, waypoint mapping for easy navigation, a water temperature sensor, a portable lightweight design, and a tilt/swivel mount for easy viewing from any angle.
The only problem is that the display size is very small, measuring in at only 3.5” diagonally. This limits the amount of data that you can view at one time.
More Detailed: Garmin 010-01550-00 Review
Pros:
- Affordable
- CHIRP and Clear VÜ scanning sonar
- Built-in flasher
- Waypoint mapping software
- Water temperature sensor
Cons:
- Small display
3. Simrad GO7 XSE – Best Wireless
No products found.
This fish finder is very unique because it has GoFree Wi-Fi built-in, which enables you to mirror its display to a compatible tablet or smartphone. This gives you extra mobility because you can view the findings as long as you are within range.
That said, the unit has a relatively large 7” display that can be flush or bracket mounted according to your convenience. This display is backlit via bright LEDs and has an intuitive multi-touch interface for easy use.
Chartplotter navigation display works with the built-in GPS for navigation purposes while a TotalScan transducer with medium and high-frequency CHIRP sonar and StructureScan give HD imaging.
On the downside, no maps are included. However, the device is compatible with CMAP, Insight and Navionics maps and you get 2 microSD card slots to load in 2 maps at a time.
Pros:
- Built-in GoFree Wi-Fi
- Large multitouch 7” display
- Chartplotter navigation display
- TotalScan transducer
Cons:
- Maps not included
4. Lowrance 000-11788-001 – Best Touchscreen
No products found.
Just like the GO7 XSE, Lowrance’s 000-11788-001 has a 7” touch display but this one has fully customizable split-screen options. This allows you to view multiple findings at once, such as the CHIRP output and structures scan simultaneously.
You can fully control the finder via its touchscreen, in which case the tablet-like usage is very intuitive. However, there is also a keypad, just in case you want manual button control.
Other than that, the unit is equipped with a dual-beam 83/200 kHz transducer for depth and wide scanning while a Chartplotter works in tandem with the built-in GPS for enhanced navigation capabilities.
The issue though is that the product is very costly to buy.
Pros:
- Touch display with split-screen options
- Full control via touch or buttons
- Dual-beam transducer
- Chartplotter navigation
Cons:
- Very expensive
5. Lowrance 000-14022-001 – Best Tripleshot
No products found.
Lowrance’s 000-14022-001 is characterized by a triple-shot transducer, which is a 3-in-1 sonar that has a traditional CHIRP sonar for wide-angle scanning, side scan, and down scan imaging. This enables you to track baits, mark fish and identify structures beneath your boat.
Additionally, the sonar tunes automatically as the water conditions change, which gives you the best imagery at all times. This ensures you spend more time fishing as opposed to making settings adjustments.
You also get a large 7” SolarMAX display that is easily visible under sunlight, phone-like menus for easy use, a GPS plotter to add waypoints and multiple setup options because the transducer can be mounted on the trolling motor, transom, through the scupper hole or in the hull.
However, no mapping software is included for easy navigation and the model does not support add-on mapping.
Pros:
- Tripleshot transducer
- Autotuning sonar
- Large 7” SolarMAX display
- Easy-to-use phone-like menus
- Multiple mounting options
Cons:
- No mapping software
6. Lowrance 000-14289-001 – Autotuning
No products found.
This fish finder also has an autotuning sonar, which automatically adjusts itself as water conditions change. The result is high-quality imagery at all times, enabling you to spend more time fishing as opposed to making adjustments.
You also get a 2-in-1 split-shot transducer, which consists of a traditional CHIRP wide-angle sonar and a down imaging sonar for high detail scanning.
Other than that, the finder has a 7” SolarMAX display, which delivers excellent clarity and is highly visible under sunlight.
More features include a preloaded C-Map, which gives you a bird’s eye view of 1 ft. contours of over 4,000 lakes in the US. This makes navigation and plotting easy with built-in GPS.
However, the unit is quite heavy because it weighs 134.4 oz.
Pros:
- Autotuning sonar
- 2-in-1 split-shot transducer
- 7” SolarMAX display
- Preloaded C-Map
Cons:
- Quite heavy
7. Garmin 010-01870-00 – Rugged
No products found.
Garmin’s 010-01870-00 is characterized by a rugged exterior design, which makes it suitable for every type of fishing environment.
The finder is equipped with a dual-beam transducer that utilizes a traditional CHIRP sonar to acquire sharp images with wide target separation.
A contours mapping software is built-in and this helps you to create and store maps of 1 ft. contours for up to 2 million acres.
Other features include a bright 4.3” sunlight-readable display, an intuitive user interface and a high sensitivity GPS that shows you the boat’s speed, enables you to create waypoints and mark routes for easy navigation.
On the downside, you don’t get down imaging for near-photographic imaging of the water under your boat.
Pros:
- Rugged exterior design
- Dual-beam transducer
- Contours mapping software
- Bright sunlight-readable display
Cons:
- No down imaging sonar
8. Lowrance 000-14285-001 – with High Detail Mapping
No products found.
Just like Lowrance’s 000-14289-001, this 000-14285-001 is preloaded with a high detail C-Map, which contains 1 ft. contours of over 4,000 lakes in the US. This makes it easy to narrow your search to areas with plenty of fish such as ledges and drop-offs.
Aside from that, the finder is fitted with a triple-shot transducer, which is a 3-in-1 sonar that consists of a wide-angle CHIRP sonar, side scan, and down scan imaging. This ensures you track baits, mark fish and identify objects under your boat from crisp, high-detail images.
This sonar auto-tunes itself for easy use and the finder has phone-like menus that simplify navigation. You also get a bright 5” SolarMAX display that is readable under sunlight.
However, the display lacks a touch interface for easy, intuitive use.
Pros:
- Preloaded with a high detail C-Map
- Tripleshot transducer
- Autotuning sonar
- Bright 5” SolarMAX display
Cons:
- Lacks a touch interface
9. Humminbird 409920-1 – with a Large Display
No products found.
Lastly, Humminbird’s 409920-1 has the largest color display, which measures 9” diagonally. This size ensures you have a clear view of the imaging and it remains visibly clear even on split-screen mode.
You also get a dual-beam plus and switch fire sonar, which has a high transmission power of 500W RMS. This makes it possible to scan deep depths.
Other features include built-in contour maps with GPS chart plotting, ethernet port connectivity for downloading updates and a dual card reader.
On the downside, the fish finder is quite expensive and very heavy (137.6 oz.).
Pros:
- Large 9” color display
- Dual-beam plus and switch fire sonar
- High 500W RMS transmission power
- Built-in contour maps
- Ethernet port connectivity
Cons:
- Quite costly
- Heavy
How to Buy the Best Fishfinder GPS Combo
1. Display
Fishfinder combos come with different screen sizes, which can be as small as 3.5” to as large as 9”. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the display, the better.
Though this has a direct impact on price, large displays allow you to view large imagery with more detail. Therefore, a large display such as the 9” diagonal size in Humminbird’s 409920-1 is highly recommended.
2. GPS
GPS has two main uses in a fish finder. First, it helps with navigation. GPS helps you to mark waypoints so that you can plot a path on a map, which helps you to trace your way back to shore.
Second, this technology enables you to mark hotspots on the lake map where there are lots of fish. This makes it easier to trace your way back to such spots so that you can have plenty of catch in a short time.
For the best results, it is recommended to plot your spots over an existing map canvas that is preloaded to the device. That said, it is important to note that not all fishfinder GPS combos come with or support mapping software.
Therefore, ensure you check for this feature before buying the finder and we recommend you check out Humminbird’s 410220-1NAV.
3. Transducers
A transducer is the main component that makes a fish finder work. It is responsible for broadcasting sonar waves then creates a layout of the water column under your boat from the echo that bounces back.
There are different types of transducers, which include dual beam (split-shot) and triple-shot. Dual-beam units can broadcast a wide, high frequency for detailed imaging in shallow water or a narrow, low frequency for imaging at deep depths.
On the other hand, a triple-shot transducer, like the one found in Lowrance’s 000-14022-001, is better off because it offers 3 functions in 1. These are wide-angle high-detail scanning for shallow depths, down scanning and side-scanning. This type is highly recommended.
4. Cone Angles and Beams
Beams projected at a narrow cone angle penetrate deep in water but cover a small area horizontally. On the other hand, wide-angle beams don’t go deep but cover a large area horizontally.
Therefore, the former is ideal for deep water scanning while the latter gives a detailed image of the immediate waters under your boat.
Another important thing to check is the beam’s frequency. A low frequency like 50kHz penetrates deeper and is usually projected in a narrow cone angle to reach deep depths.
High 200-455kHz frequencies don’t go very deep. They are ideal for wide-angle projection because their bounce-back creates high-resolution images of the objects underwater.
For the best performance, choose a fish finder combo with both frequencies plus autotuning for automatic adjustment depending on the water conditions. For this, be sure to check out Lowrance’s 000-14289-001.
5. Portability
Portability is determined by weight. For instance, Garmin’s 010-01550-00 is very light (8.1 oz.), which makes it easy to transport.
However, it is worth noting that once mounted to your boat, weight is not a big issue because the device stays there throughout. It can only be an issue if you switch boats regularly and you have to move with the fish finder.
6. Budget
Lastly, you must consider the price of the fish finder because some of them can be very expensive. Ideally, apart from GPS, you should look for at least preloaded maps, a 2-in-1 sonar and a large display (above 3.5”) as standard.
However, if you don’t mind spending any amount, we recommend you buy the device with the most advanced features so that you can have all in one.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we recommend Humminbird’s 410220-1NAV as the overall best fish finder GPS combo because it has a high-power transmission sonar for deep depth scanning. It also has 2 preloaded map cards that work with the GPS for easy navigation.
However, if you prefer having wireless connectivity for remote viewing from your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out Simrad’s GO7 XSE. Otherwise, if you are on a tight budget, go for the Garmin 010-01550-00 because it is very affordable.
