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I love to test new fishing gadgets and share my opinion.
As an avid trolling motor angler, I understand the disappointment of buying a mediocre fish finder that I’ll probably use once and toss away. It has happened to me several times until I decided to take matters into my own hands and find the best fish finders for trolling motors. I spent countless hours on the water testing every fish finder, and based on my review, I came up with six of the best fish finders that performed exceptionally. In this roundup, I have reviewed these fish finders to ensure no one else experiences my disappointments from substandard fish finders, which we’ll cover here.
High-End Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Humminbird Helix 9
- Intuitive interface
- DualBeam Plus technology
- Customizable sonar views
Most Portable Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Deeper Sonar PRO+
- Long battery life
- Compatible with the Deeper app
- Waterproof construction
- Wide casting range
Budget-Friendly Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Garmin Striker 4
- Accurate CHIRP sonar
- Built-in GPS
- Dual-frequency transducer
How We Choose The Best Trolling Motors Fish Finder Combo
We chose the best trolling motors fish finder combo by following a rigorous selection process that includes meticulous research. We also spent countless hours on the water testing each fish finder to determine its reliability and performance. We then grouped the fish finders based on features like sonar capabilities, mapping options, usability, and price points. We also checked buyers’ fish finder reviews to limit bias experience different opinions.
- Humminbird Helix 9 – High-End Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
- Deeper Sonar PRO+ – Most Portable Fish Finder for Trolling Motors
- Garmin Striker 4 – Budget-Friendly Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
- Lowrance Elite FS 7
- Humminbird Helix 7
- Lowrance Hook Reveal 7
Best Fish Finder For Trolling Motor: Reviews & Recommendations
#1
High-End Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Humminbird Helix 9
WHY WE LIKE IT: We love the fish finder due to its intuitive interface and durability, making it perfect for harsh trolling motor fishing conditions, like ice fishing. The Humminbird Helix 9 has MEGA imaging+ technology, providing exceptional imaging capabilities for a clear underwater view. It also works well on Minn Kota trolling motors. We picked the Humminbird Helix 9 as among the best Humminbird fish finder overall due to its advanced features, excellent performance, and user-friendly interface.
- Screen Size: 9 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 12.13 x 7.06 x 4.2 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: from 5.5 pounds
- Mounting Options: Gimbal / In-Dash Mounting Kit
- Touchscreen: No
- Display Type: Color TFT
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Waterproof: Not fully
Pros
- Intuitive interface
- Built-in GPS
- DualBeam Plus technology
- Customizable sonar views
Cons
- Limited mapping options
- Space requirements
My Experience: Based on my experience, the Humminbird fish finders are an excellent option for trolling motor fishing activities. When planning to buy this fish finder, I focused on advanced features like imaging capabilities, a user-friendly interface, and a larger display. The built-in GPS aids in precise navigation, making finding our way in any water body easy.
Features: We found the MEGA Imaging+ helpful in providing detailed underwater images, helping to locate the best trolling motor fishing spots. The built-in GPS functionality eases navigation even in new territories. The intuitive interface takes little time to get used to, with the device’s controls physically accessible to users. The high-resolution TFT provides a clear visual, allowing identifying target fish.
#2
Most Portable Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Deeper Sonar PRO+
WHY WE LIKE IT: The fish finder has a portable design, making it easy to carry and deploy quickly. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ utilizes wireless connectivity to provide real-time data, suiting our fishing style. The sonar waves allowed us to target more fish on every fishing trip. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ is a versatile and portable fish finder with advanced sonar capabilities, making it an excellent choice for trolling motor fishing with precise target separation.
- Screen Size: N/A
- Product Dimensions: 2.5 inches diameter
- Display resolution: N/A
- Weight: from 0.2 pound
- Mounting Options: smartphone mount
- Touchscreen: N/A
- Display Type: N/A
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes
Pros
- Long battery life
- Compatible with the Deeper app
- Waterproof construction
- Wide casting range
Cons
- Mobile device dependency
- Limited depth capacity
My Experience: We considered our fishing needs when choosing this fish finder. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ uses wireless connectivity for real-time data transmission, allowing trolling motor inland fishing. Its portable design makes it easy to carry around and store. Thanks to the built-in GPS and mapping features, we created detailed bathymetric maps to use on our trolling motor. The fish finder stands out for versatility, accurate sonar capability, and wireless connectivity, making it the best fish finder for trolling motor fishing.
Features: The fish finder is compatible with iOS and Android devices, making it easy to use. The wireless connectivity allows real-time data transfer to mobile devices, providing detailed underwater activities. This fish finder uses GPS for accurate navigation and pathway marking when fishing on a trolling motor. The fish finder utilizes these features to enhance the trolling motor fishing experience.
#3
Budget-Friendly Fish Finder for Trolling Motor
Garmin Striker 4
WHY WE LIKE IT: The fish finder has powerful features, like advanced sonar capabilities, offering exceptional value for its price. The accurate GPS technology and a clear display make it a standout device in its class. It’s also easy to use due to its user-friendly interface, making it among the best Garmin fish finders. The Striker 4 is a reliable and high-performance fish finder on a budget, making it an ideal choice for trolling motor fishing requiring a balance between performance and affordability.
- Screen Size: 3.5 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 3.6 x 5.9 x 1.6 inches
- Display resolution: 480 x 320 pixels
- Weight: 0.5 pound
- Mounting Options: Flush, tilt/swivel
- Touchscreen: No
- Display Type: HVGA
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Waterproof: Yes (IPX7)
Pros
- Accurate CHIRP sonar
- Built-in GPS
- Dual-frequency transducer
Cons
- No advanced networking
- Limited depth capacity
- Limited mapping functionality
My Experience: The Garmin Striker 4 is ideal for trolling motor fishing requiring a user-friendly interface and portability. The accurate CHIRP sonar provides detailed underwater activities, with the built-in GPS coming in handy when navigating. When purchasing this fish finder, I considered features like desired depth, networking capabilities, and mapping requirements. It’s relatively affordable, making it a budget-friendly trolling motor fish finder.
Features: The accurate CHIRP sonar provides clear and detailed underwater information, making finding the best fishing spots on our trolling motor easy. The Built-in GPS and Garmin Quickdraw Contours improve navigation even in new territories. The custom mapping software comes in handy when marking favorite trolling motor fishing locations.
#4
Runner-Up
Lowrance Elite FS 7
WHY WE LIKE IT: The imaging fish finder has advanced GPS mapping capabilities for accurate navigation and a high-resolution display providing clear sonar reading. Advanced sonar capabilities make the Lowrance Elite FS 7 an excellent choice for trolling motor fishing requiring a feature-rich device. The Lowrance Elite FS 7 is a high-quality fish finder offering a balance of advanced features and performance, making it ideal for prolonged trolling motor fishing activities.
- Screen Size: 7 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 16 x 11.44 x 5.42 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: 1.9 pounds
- Mounting Options: Gimbal Bracket or Dash Flush Mount
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Display Type: Pure White LED
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes (IPX7)
Pros
- Versatile mapping options
- Flexible transducer mounting
- Durable waterproof construction
- Trolling motor mount
Cons
- Mapping availability variation
- Steeper learning curve
My Experience: The accurate navigation, high-resolution display, and versatile mapping options caught my attention. When buying this fish finder, I considered the sonar tech, networking, depth capability, and ease of use. The durable construction improves the device’s longevity, with the tough casing able to withstand harsh climates. It provides multiple transducer mounting options and is small enough to carry with ease. The fish finder is suitable for serious trolling motor activities requiring high performance. It also comes from a line of impressive Lowrance fish finders.
Features: The Lowrance Elite FS 7 has FishReveal capabilities, combining DownScan Imaging and traditional sonar for a comprehensive view of underwater activities. The high-resolution display provided us with precise sonar readings even under intense light. The built-in GPS provides accurate navigation, with mapping options allowing plotting pathways to save favorite trolling motor fishing spots for future visits.
#5
2-nd Runner Up
Humminbird Helix 7
WHY WE LIKE IT: We like the precise GPS, a user-friendly interface, and advanced imaging capabilities. The Humminbird Helix 7 utilizes the Down Imaging and Side Imaging capabilities for detailed underwater view, with better target separation, making it easy to spot the target fish. The Humminbird Helix 7 is an excellent fish finder with high-quality imaging, and advanced sonar capabilities.
- Screen Size: 7 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 10.54 x 5.8 x 3.68 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: 4.65 pounds
- Mounting Options: Gimbal / In-Dash Mounting Kit
- Touchscreen: No
- Display Type: Color TFT
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Waterproof: No (Fish finder are designed to be used in wet conditions, but not designed to be submerged under water)
Pros
- Flexible transducer mount
- Enhanced connectivity
- Dual-Beam Plus sonar
- Vibrant display clarity
Cons
- Higher price range
- Learning curve
My Experience: The advanced sonar technology helps provide detailed underwater views. When buying this finder, I considered networking and connectivity, waypoint storage, and GPS and mapping, with the device scoring impressively in all these aspects. The Humminbird Helix 7 balances advanced features and performance with versatile mapping options allowing us to use third-party maps. The inexpensive fish finder allows trolling motor combo, where you can attach other devices to the trolling motor.
Features: The fish finder’s sonar technology helps to find the best fishing spots with accurate target identification making it possible to identify our target fish. The precise GPS and mapping option improves navigation and waypoint marking, enhancing the fishing experience. The user-friendly interface becomes easy to use once we get used to it. The device is also light to carry and doesn’t take up much space, making it perfect for most trolling motors.
#6
3-d Runner Up
Lowrance Hook Reveal 7
WHY WE LIKE IT: What we liked the most about this fish finder is its innovative FishReveal, combining DownScan Imaging with high-resolution sonar for detailed underwater activities. The target identification makes the Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 ideal for targeting specific fish species. Also, the Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 is on this list due to its versatility and advanced technology that enhances the fishing experience.
- Screen Size: 7 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 9.31 x 6.46 x 4.42 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: 1.25 pounds
- Mounting Options: Gimbal Bracket Front Dash Flush Mount
- Touchscreen: No
- Display Type: Pure White LED
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Waterproof: Yes (IPX7)
Pros
- FishReveal enhances identification
- Waterproof construction
- Clear imaging sonars
Cons
- Complex interface learning
- Mapping availability variation
My Experience: Reveal 7 is an excellent Lowrance fish finder with advanced technology and features. On my hunt for one of the best Lowrance fish finder, I considered precise GPS navigation, versatile TripleShot sonar, and innovative FishReveal. The versatile mapping compatibility allowed us to use different mapping, with waypoint marking coming in handy in saving favorite locations. The advanced features and excellent performance makes the price worth it. The durable construction and waterproof capabilities prolong its lifespan, ensuring years of service. The trolling motor-friendly mount eases the installation process.
Features: The fish finder’s innovative technology, like DownScan Imaging, provides detailed underwater structures and fish movement, allowing us to find the best fishing spots on our trolling motor and improving our chances of catching fish. A high-resolution display provides explicit details and fish movement, allowing target separation for trolling motor fishing and targeting specific fish species. Versatile mapping and built-in GPS enhance the navigation and waypoint marking for future visits. It’s one of the best fish finders for trolling motors.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, our article dives into the world of fish finders for trolling motors, evaluating options like Lowrance Elite FS 7 and Garmin Striker 4. Among them, the Humminbird Helix 9 stands out as the top choice. It boasts exceptional sonar and GPS capabilities while striking a fine balance between cost and quality.