Side Imaging Fish Finders Compared

Understanding Side Imaging Sonar

Choosing a Quality Side Imaging Fish Finder

Fishing Boat/Kayak

Most of the good side imaging fish finders come with mounts that allow them to be used on just about any watercraft. Other heavy-duty models are more tailored to transom mounting. Kayaks might call for portable finders that can operate on their own battery, and the smaller models are usually more suitable for that purpose.

Whether you’re trolling on a boat or a kayak, you probably only need to go about 2 miles an hour. Going faster can give you distorted readouts on your fish finder. Make sure you match the chart speed on the device with your boat’s speed.

Transducer

Transducers should send strong signals and fit with your style of fishing. Ice fishing ducers that can handle colder water are easy to find. CHIRP sonar is a must-have if you want to get the best information on your readouts.

The cable on the transducer is one of the most commonly broken elements on a finder, so be mindful of the cord and store it securely. Transducers have different frequencies that dictate whether they are in CHIRP mode or whether they're side scanning or down scanning. You can customize your fish finder by adding a different transducer.

Frequency Range

Fish finders transmit their signals somewhere between 15 and 200 kHz, but for most models, 50 kHz is the lowest available frequency. Knowing when to use which frequency is key to getting the best performance out of your fish finder.

Lower frequencies are best for deep water and a wider cone, while high frequency down scans are great for looking at what's going on in the water column underneath your boat. This is because the wavelengths of the higher frequency signals are shorter than the low-frequency signals. Lower frequencies usually give higher-resolution readouts as well.

Display

Like any electronic device, the resolution of the screen is important on a fish finder. The best transducer receiving sonar feedback won’t be any use to you if you can’t tell what you’re looking at. The screen should also be bright enough to read in direct sunlight.

Most models come with different color schemes to suit user preference. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to the screen size. Kayak anglers and ice fishers might want a more portable model. More space for a down scan and 2D imaging gives a full picture of what’s happening under the water, though.

Durability & Portability

It’s not unheard of for fish finders to be dropped on accident. They should be able to take a beating and withstand sunlight and, more importantly, water. It stands to reason that an electronic device that will be used so near to the water absolutely has to be waterproof, and the best side imaging fish finders are.

The weight of a fish finder might not be that important if you're going to have it mounted on a boat, but for kayakers and ice anglers, the device will probably be more beneficial if it's easy to carry.

Mounting Style

Fish finders can be mounted in a few ways on a boat. A transom mount, where the transducer is on the flat section of the stern where the two pieces usually come together, is one of the most common mounting styles. There’s also through-hull mounting where the ducer sends sonar through the hull.

Many fishing kayaks have fish finder mounts built-in. For side scanning, some anglers like to install their transducer on their trolling motor while they're parked and fishing. This allows them to move the motor arm and get more information about what's happening in the water.

Price & Warranty

While a 1-year limited warranty that guards against defects from the manufacturing process is nearly universal, it's relatively rare to find other types of warranties for fish finders. Lowrance and the five-year upgrade program stand out.

Bearing in mind that these devices have electronic components like processors and wires inside, you should expect to invest some cash. There are cheap fish finders with side imaging that are worthwhile, but there’s going to be a marked difference. One option is to upgrade to a stronger transducer later, but keep in mind that the display will be limited on a budget option.

1. Humminbird 410230-1 HELIX 5

2. Lowrance HDS-7 LIVE

For a bit of extra screen space, this top of the range Lowrance is a great option. The first thing you’ll probably notice about it is that the transducer is not included. While it is a bit annoying to have to buy one separately, it does allow you to customize your setup and get a transducer that suits your eventual purposes.

There are lots of advantages to the HDS Live series, but the standout feature is the eponymous live imaging that lets you follow your lure and moving targets in real-time. That live information may seem less useful when you’re just scoping out with side imaging, but it actually helps cover and structure pop up when you’re nearer to it so you can stop to check it out if you want to.

The maps included in this model are accurate and detailed. GPS is included, and it's straightforward to update your existing maps with new GPS information. FishReveal eliminates the need to display both CHIRP sonar findings and downscan results, giving you more room for side scanning results or one of the other viewing modes.

There’s also a feature on the 16 and 12-inch models that links this fish finder to your smartphone so you can get text notifications onscreen, which is helpful for some but an unnecessary compromise to our current ubiquitous digital age to those who like fishing for the solitude it offers. It is handy to view Google Maps or other information when your smartphone is paired, though.

3. Humminbird 410210-1

It can be challenging to find a cheap fish finder with side imaging, but there are some. Few of them perform well enough to merit the savings like this one does. Don't blink, now, because this model does look exactly the same as our Top Pick Humminbird. It has many of the same features for a fraction of the cost, which should give you some idea of how good this fish finder is.

It still has CHIRP sonar and, while it’s not a dedicated side scan mode, the wide-angle mode of the dual-beam scanner works fine to check out the area around your boat. There are fewer display moves, but the essentials are still there. You still get the standard base map from Humminbird as well, though you won’t find the fancier ones that are available on our Top Pick.

There are also fewer mounting options for this Humminbird. It still has an SD card slot, and some of the performance specs are upgradable with software updates or additional accessories like a transducer. Like most fishing gear, you get what you pay for with this model. It's likely the cheapest side imaging fish finder on the market, but whether you want to invest a bit more for better performance and more features is worth considering.

4. Lowrance HOOK2 5

This super-portable model is great for carrying in a backpack and bringing along on shorter fishing trips. For those who don’t have their own boat yet, this Lowrance is the best side imaging fish finder for a kayak. One of the nicest things about this fish finder is the autotuning, which will calibrate itself and let you stay concentrating on rowing or fishing.

The triple shot transducer gives sharp results in three different visual styles. GPS enables you to mark your own waypoints and preloaded maps of over 4,000 US lakes should save some time for American anglers who pick up this model.  

There’s an SD card for updates and upgrades. This fish finder also comes with Lowrance’s five-year upgrade program, which allows you to replace it with a more current model if it should fail within five years of the purchase date. If you aren't looking to get this model for use on a kayak, there are also larger versions up to the 12-inch model.

The install can be a little time consuming, but it's nothing anglers aren't used to already with our other gear, plus once it's set up, you don't have to worry about it any further. Other than that, this is a perfectly good little fish finder if you just want to see what’s underneath your kayak.

5. Garmin Striker 7SV

It's hard to imagine a situation where this fish finder won't cut it. It has all but the fanciest options and capabilities. It has the standard GPS and waypoint-plotting options, and it also has some unique things thrown in like the Smooth Scaling that keep the display imagery constant when you’re changing depths.

There are a few other background features to this fish finder as well. The transducer is really strong, as you’ll notice from the crisp fish arches on its high-resolution display. This Garmin can also measure your speed, which is perhaps not essential all the time but can be helpful occasionally.

It's portable enough for ice-fishing, and it has a built-in flasher mode for that purpose as well. There's a carry case included so you can bring this fish finder with you wherever you want to use it. Target separation on this finder is sharp, and structure comes across very clear.

It's not often you get this kind of performance out of a fish finder for less than a grand, so to find it on this Garmin for under 500 is a nice surprise. It's especially nice to have the GPS integrated so that you can use it as a guiding device as much as you can use it to graph.

6. Humminbird Helix 7

7. Simrad G07 XSE

Side Imaging vs. Down Imaging

The side imaging vs. down imaging fish finder debate is thankfully not a fierce one since many models are now built capable of doing both. It is knowing when to use which mode is still a bit tricky, though.

Down imaging is for looking straight down into the water column beneath your boat. Side imaging sends a signal down to the bottom and then out to both sides of the boat, which is ideal for getting the general lay of the land beneath the water.

Down and side imaging fish finders allow you to see things like cover and structure, but a down scan will generally give you much more detailed information about a smaller area. Many ice anglers rarely apply side imaging with their fish finders, but it's always good to have because the wider sonar can penetrate more deeply. Some folks run both scans simultaneously to get a good look.

Mounting Side Imaging Fish Finders

How to Use Side Imaging to Identify Fish

The readout may look confusing at first, but once you learn how to read it, it saves tons of time. Follow these steps:

What you see near the top of the screen is the most recent information. Learn everything you can about your target fish’s behavior, so you know what features to look for.

Tips for Getting Clear Side Imaging Images

There are lots of settings on a fish finder. To prevent distortion, set your speed and the strength of the sonar to match your conditions. You can adjust color and contrast to get a clear image. You don't want lots of noise on the screen.

Adjust the power of your ducer if there’s too much grain. You’ll also get more detail if your depth rating is accurate. Lastly, make sure you’re traveling in as straight a line as possible to prevent losing your orientation. Remember that side imaging is best used as a general scan. Use those waypoints!

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Do fish finders really help?

Yep! They aren't just for finding fish; they can also help check out habitats, hiding spots, and hazards like rocks that you might not see otherwise. Pair a fish finder with the right tackle, and you're sure to see a considerable improvement in your catch rate. Some Luddite types find that fish finders ruin some of the fun of fishing, but they can actually add a whole new strategic dimension when used correctly.

What’s the difference between CHIRP and sonar?

Regular sonar is a single wave that sounds out and comes back. CHIRP is tons and tons of those same waves at various frequencies that send out and return again and again, giving more up-to-date information and way crisper images with better target separation.

Are there any special maintenance steps for taking care of my fish finder?

As mentioned earlier, take care of that transducer cable. They tend to fray and can even short out if they are stored bent. There are lots of DIY fish finder storage options, and they occasionally come with their own carrying cases you can use to store the device. As far as cleaning the device goes, you can usually get by using a damp rag to give the device a once over.

What are the top side imaging-capable fish finder brands?

Does side imaging work in shallow or deep water better?

Side imaging can reach deeper into the water, but it's also perfectly fine to use in shallow water as well. Make sure your device can send out sonar in a wide enough cone to get information in shallow water. Anything below about 8 feet is unlikely to work as well, but it will still work. You can test the low end of your fish finder’s depth range on dry land if you’re curious to see how well it works at a shallow depth.

Does side imaging work on a trolling motor?

Conclusion