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Daddy by day, fisherman at night.
I went fishing a few months ago but didn’t bring the best fish finder. I had spent weeks preparing for what was supposed to be one of my best fishing experiences. Unfortunately, I got a substandard fish finder and couldn’t locate the right fishing spot, see bass clearly, or catch fish. After the disappointing trip, I researched the best fish finders for bass fishing to avoid another failure. Based on our review, we found most fish finders exciting and had no idea they existed, and we came up with this review to help anglers avoid making the same mistake as I did.
Best Overall Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Simrad GO9 XSE
- High-resolution imaging
- Water-resistant design
- Wireless connectivity
Best Portable Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2
- Long battery life
- Offline mapping
- Temperature sensor
Best Budget Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Humminbird Helix 5
- Versatile coverage options
- Dual spectrum CHIRP
How We Choose The Best Bass Fishing Fish Finder
I recruited some of the best anglers I know to test all the fish finders in this roundup. We spent countless hours on water using each fish finder and recording the findings. We also relied on buyers’ reviews to add more depth and credibility to our research. We ranked all the fish finders based on their performance, features, and usability. Portability is another function that helped us create this list of fish finders.
- Simrad GO9 XSE – Best Overall Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
- Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 – Best Portable Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
- Humminbird Helix 5 – Best Budget Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
- Lowrance Elite FS 9 – Runner-Up
- Humminbird Helix 7 – 2nd Runner-Up
Best Fish Finder For Bass Fishing: Reviews & Recommendations
#1
Best Overall Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Simrad GO9 XSE
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Simrad GO9 XSE utilizes precise GPS functionality and a user-friendly interface, making it the best fish finder in its class. The mapping capabilities provided us with improved navigation. The wireless connectivity allows for real-time data transfer, helping us receive and interpret sonar data instantly. Also, The Simrad GO9 XSE has impressive fish-finding technology, overall performance, and usability, making it the best overall fish-finder in its class.
- Screen Size: 9 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 9.56 x 6.71 x 3.26 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: from 2.9 pounds
- Mounting Options: Bracket or Panel
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Display Type: LED
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Waterproof: Yes (IPX 6 and 7)
Pros
- High-resolution imaging
- Water-resistant design
- Wireless connectivity
- Versatile transducer
Cons
- Limited mapping options
- Learning curve
My Experience: I considered fish-finding technology, performance, and versatility when purchasing this fish finder. The Simrad GO9 XSE scores highly in these areas, with features like a TotalScan transducer, GPS navigation, and a high-resolution display to aid in fish finding. Although it’s one of the most expensive fish finders, it has advanced features, and optimal performance, making it the best fish finder for bass fishing.
Features: The high-resolution imaging provides clear and detailed underwater information, helping me locate the right fishing spots and allowing us to cast stick baits accurately. The advanced TotalScan transducer improves target separation, allowing me to identify bass in a crowd of fish. The built-in GPS and mapping provide precise navigation and waypoint marking for future visits.
#2
Best Portable Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2
WHY WE LIKE IT: We love the fish finder’s wireless connectivity that allows real-time data transfer and a compact design that’s easy to carry. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 has advanced features like precise GPS functionality and sonar technology for navigation and down imaging. It is a quality fish finder that is affordable and has advanced capabilities. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 offers a combination of versatility and portability, making it a quality fish finder offering convenience and advanced features.
- Screen Size: N/A
- Product Dimensions: 2.55 diameter inches
- Display resolution: N/A
- Weight: 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
- Offline mapping
- Temperature sensor
Cons
- Mobile device compatibility
- Limited scan speed
My Experience: Before purchasing the device, I considered wireless connectivity, versatile app features, long battery life, and built-in GPS. The Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 utilizes a Wi-Fi connection for real-time data transfer. The versatile app features enable analyzing sonar data, tracking fishing spots, and accessing detailed maps for an excellent fishing experience. It’s the best castable fish finder for bass fishing, with an affordable price tag and added functionality. It performed exceptionally in different weather conditions, making it perfect for ice fishing. Because of the affordable price, we can classify this product among the best fish finders under $300.
Features: The Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 has a small and portable design making it easy to fit in our bags. The real-time sonar data was useful when searching for the best fishing spots. The GPS functionality helped us navigate any terrain and save new fishing spots. Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 combines these features to enhance the fishing experience and help us find fish easily.
#3
Best Budget Fish Finder for Bass Fishing
Humminbird Helix 5
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Humminbird Helix 5 is the best fish finder with advanced features, like a compact design, GPS navigation, and CHIRP capabilities, with a compact and portable design. We like the fish finder’s CHIRP capabilities that provide detailed underwater imaging. The Humminbird Helix 5 relies on its advanced GPS for navigation, making it easy for us to find our way around new areas. The compact design is also durable and portable, making it easy to store and carry.
- Screen Size: 5 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 7.55 x 4.64 x 3.3 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: from 2.5 pounds
- Mounting Options: Gimbal / In-Dash Mounting Kit
- Touchscreen: No
- Display Type: Color TFT
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Waterproof: Not fully
Pros
- Versatile coverage options
- Dual spectrum CHIRP
Cons
- Limited sunlight visibility
- Basic mapping features
My Experience: When buying this fish finder, I considered factors like GPS, CHIRP, and portability. The Helix CHIRP 5 utilizes advanced GPS technology to provide precise navigation, helping us find our way even in the trickiest of water bodies. It delivers real-time coordinates with precision and combines with mapping options to improve navigation. The CHIRP helps provide detailed underground images to locate excellent fish locations, find fish quickly. It works continuously, compared to the traditional sonar that sends sonar frequencies in intervals.
Features: The Helix CHIRP 5 has advanced features like CHIRP digital sonar that provide clear submerged images that are effective in target separation and identifying structures and terrains. The advanced GPS functionality ensures we find our way even in new landscapes. We also loved the custom mapping options, ensuring we marked our favorite waypoints and the best fishing spots.
#4
Runner-Up
Lowrance Elite FS 9
WHY WE LIKE IT: We love the wireless connectivity allowing for a real-time data stream. The Lowrance Elite FS 9 has impressive features like precise GPS for navigation and a high-resolution display for clear underwater imaging—a top-rated fish finder with great functionality and reliability.
- Screen Size: 9 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 12.7 x 7.1 x 4.6 inches
- Display resolution: 800×480 pixels
- Weight: 2.7 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
- Precise GPS navigation
- Versatile transducer
- Water-resistant design
Cons
- Limited mounting options
- Learning curve
My Experience: The Lowrance Elite FS 9 is a good fish finder providing superior functionality and advanced fish-finding technology. When buying this device, I considered precise GPS navigation, high-resolution display, and wireless connectivity. The Elite FS 9 scores high in these areas, with the 9-inch color display providing precise sonar details and locating bass. The GPS functionality provides accurate navigation, and the wireless connectivity facilitates real-time data transfer. The light design makes it a lucky portable fish finder for easy transportation and storage.
Features: The Lowrance Elite FS 9 has specific GPS functionality and multiple mapping options for accurate navigation. The TotalScan sonar produces sound waves that provide clear and detailed underwater down imaging, helping with target selection and submerged structures. The wireless connectivity enables convenient data sharing and software updates to keep me updated throughout my fishing trip. All the above mentioned specifications and features prove that this gear must be ranked among the most popular Lowrance fish finder devices.
#5
2nd Runner-Up
Humminbird Helix 7
WHY WE LIKE IT: We like the fish finder’s advanced features, like CHIRP, that provide detailed underwater images. The precise GPS enables accurate navigation with a user-friendly interface that makes operating the device effortlessly possible. The Humminbird Helix 7 is an incredible and budget-friendly fish finder with outstanding features and performance, requiring little to no experience to use.
- Screen Size: 7 Inches
- Product Dimensions: 10.54 x 5.8 x 3.68 inches
- Display resolution: 8ac00x480 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
- Precise GPS navigation
- High-definition display
- Easy-to-use keypad
Cons
- Limited mapping options
- limited screen space
My Experience: Based on my experience using the fish finder, I considered budget-friendly features without compromising performance. When purchasing this fish finder, I also considered the GPS functionality, high-resolution display, and sonar sound waves capability. The sonar technology provides detailed information for target separation and comprehensive coverage options. Humminbird Helix 7 has a fantastic transducer for a fish finder of its price tag.
Features: The Helix 7 has advanced features like a high-resolution screen for clear and detailed underwater activities to help me accurately find more fish. The GPS functionality and mapping options provide precise navigation and waypoint marking, allowing me to fish comfortably in new areas and store my favorite fishing spots. The waterproof interface allowed me to use the fish finder under harsh weather like storms and ice fishing.
My Verdict
We have reviewed the top five fish finders for bass in this buyer’s guide to help you make an informed decision. The Simrad GO9 XSE shines as the top pick, successfully blending affordability and quality. It offers clear sonar imaging, accurate GPS navigation, and an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for bass fishing.