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I love to test new fishing gadgets and share my opinion.
We’ve taken a look at a vast number of the best bank fishing fish finders on the market in hopes of finding a true bank fishing fish finder winner.
The result is this comprehensive list of the best bank fishing fish finders.
Once you’ve had the chance to go through this list, you’ll know exactly what kind of fish finder for bank fishing you’ll want – we can guarantee that!
So, let’s not waste any more time and just get started.
Compatison Table - Best Bank Fishing Fish Finders
Best High-End Fish Finder Overall
Deeper CHIRP 2
- The battery life is more than nine hours
- Simple to use with Apple and Android devices
- You can log your catches and even save photos on the app
Runner-Up
Lowrance Hook Reveal 5
- Easy to use
- Great max depth
- Great mapping
- Well priced
Best Budget Fish Finder
Garmin Striker Cast
- Reliable
- Simple to use with Apple and Android devices
- QuickDraw and ActiveCaptain
Table of Contents
- The Top 5 Best Bank Fishing Fish Finders in 2023
- Quick Overview – Best Fish Finders For Bank Fishing
- 1. Bank fishing fish finder that won't break the bank - Deeper Smart Sonar Chirp 2
- 2. Fish finder for bank fisherman - Lowrance Hook Reveal 5
- 3. Cheap fish finder for bank fishing - Garmin Striker Cast
- 4. Hummingbird bank fish finder - Piranhamax 4
- 5. Best portable fish finder for bank fishing - Garmin Striker Cast (with GPS)
- How We Decided on the Best Bank Fishing Fish Finder - Our Testing Process
- Buyer’s Guide for Bank Fishing Fish Finders
The Top 5 Best Bank Fishing Fish Finders in 2023
1. Deeper Smart Sonar Chirp 2 – Bank fishing fish finder that won’t break the bank
2. Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 – Fish finder for bank fisherman
3. Garmin Striker Cast – Cheap fish finder for bank fishing
4. Piranhamax 4 – Hummingbird bank fish finder
5. Garmin Striker Cast (with GPS) – Best portable fish finder for bank fishing
Quick Overview – Best Fish Finders For Bank Fishing
1. Bank fishing fish finder that won't break the bank - Deeper Smart Sonar Chirp 2
- Brand: Deeper
Color: Desert Sand
Material: ABS enclosure, Titanium inserts
Model Year:
Dimensions: 6.06 x 6.02 x 3.11 inches
Weight: 0.64 lbs
Display Size: N/A
Display Type: Requires an Android or iOS operating phone
Resolution: N/A
GPS: NO
Maps: NO
Wi-fi: YES
Bluetooth: YES
Compatibility: iOS 13.0 onwards, Android 7.0 Nougat onwards.
Waterproof: YES
Portable: YES
Frequencies: 100/240/675 KhZ
Side Scanning: NO
Down Imaging: NO
Maximum Depth: 330 feet
Transducer Angle: Three angles (47°, 20°, 7°)
Target Separation: YES
Mounting Options: Castable
Touchscreen: NO
Bundle:
Fishreveal: NO
Autotuning sonar: NO
Flasher: YES
Battery Life: 15h
Battery recharge time: 110 minutes (standard charge) 80% in 60 minutes (fast charge)
Charts: NO
Sonar Type: 3 Frequency CHIRP
Warranty: 5 year warranty
- Others Features:
- Night cover
Pros
- Wi-fi connectivity
- Battery lasts 15 hours and charges in less than 2
- Sonar unit has a 3 beam frequency
- Extremely portable
- Great depth, considering the size and price tag
- Insane 5 year warranty
- Castable sonar with great range
Cons
- Beyond beginners, this might not be for everyone
The Deeper Pro series is beloved by anglers. Each unit in the Deeper pro series was praised as one of the best bank fishing fish finders with a great battery, depth, and castable sonar that rivaled other CHIRP sonar models. Nobody would have thought they’d be able to top the Deeper Pro series, but they did! Introducing the expectation-shattering Deeper Chirp 2.
The Deeper Chirp 2 shares various features with the Deeper Pro series, but everything you’ve ever loved has been dramatically improved. The customer reviews prove that this is a winner, and we’re going to explain why it’s exactly what you need for shore fishing and fishing in general.
Let’s get some of the quick stuff out of the way. First, the range on this model is great for all kinds of fishing spots. You’ll be able to cast your fishing line out about 394 feet and enjoy a scanning depth of 330 feet. In addition, the battery lasts an incredible 15 hours as opposed to the usual 6 hours or 9 hours we’re used to.
Now let’s pivot to what you really care about: the Deeper CHIRP sonar that makes this one of the best fish finders. Instead of the dual beam, we get three beam frequencies from this smart fish finder that’s able to target separate and conduct extreme depth precision like it’s nobody’s business.
Overall, this great castable bank fishing fish finder allows for impressive depth, range, scanning, and battery, all with improved Deeper CHIRP. Simply use your tablet or phone for a screen, and you’ve got everything you need.
2. Fish finder for bank fisherman - Lowrance Hook Reveal 5
WHY WE LIKE IT: Lowrance always brings their A-game to the table when making fish finders. A lot of their models have been considered the best fish finder in certain categories, and it’s no surprise. While this is not the best fish finder for some water conditions, it’s a great bank fishing fish finder because of Lowrance’s unique features.
- Brand: Lowrance
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2021
- Dimensions: 9.02 x 7.13 x 7.52 inches
- Weight: 3.95 lbs
- Display Size: 5″
- Display Type: SolarMAX
- Resolution: 800 x 480
- GPS: YES
- Maps: YES
- Wi-fi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility:
- Waterproof: IPX7 with card door closed
- Portable: NO
- Frequencies:
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 500 feet
- Transducer Angle: 80° top/bottom, 85° left/right
- Target Separation: YES
- Mounting Options: Gimbal Bracket, Front Dash Flush Mount
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle:
- Fishreveal: YES
- Autotuning sonar: YES
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: requires an independent power supply
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: CHIRP, Broadband DownScan
- Warranty: 1 year
- Others Features:
- Micro SD Card (32 GB Max)
Pros
- Easy to use
- Great max depth
- Great mapping
Cons
- No touchscreen
- No SideScan
- No networking
Lowrance is known for nailing it when it comes to quality fish finders. The HOOK Reveal 5x SplitShot has plenty of features that make it one of the best options when looking for a bank fishing fish finder.
Let’s start with the display. It’s a 5” display that uses Lowrance’s very own SolarMAX screens, which produce clear images that are well backlit, making them readable in all kinds of weather conditions. It’s also got split screen functionality which makes including a ton of information far easier.
The sonar on the HOOK Reveal 5x offers versatility and power. Utilizing CHIPR and DownScan, you’re getting the best views for this particular type of fishing. You can enjoy up to 500 ft of max depth from the HOOK Reveal 5x, which is all you really need for the type of fishing you’re planning on doing. Considering it’s actually more than you need, you’d be able to use it on a boat as well, making this a purchase with multiple purposes.
It wouldn’t be a fish finder from Lowrance without FishFinder, a Lowrance original. In terms of maps, you get the standard US and Canadian lake maps providing of 15,000+ for the US and 9,400 for Canada.
Overall, this bank fishing fish finder is a worthy model to consider using for your time fishing on the banks. It has great CHIRP and DownScan sonar capabilities, isn’t too bulky, and isn’t too expensive for the quality you’re receiving.
3. Cheap fish finder for bank fishing - Garmin Striker Cast
WHY WE LIKE IT: Garmin’s Striker Cast is a solid compact device and one of the best portable bank fishing fish finders on the market. It’s also a castable fish finder which makes it even better for bank fishing environments. Garmin’s made sure their great fish finder has got some stellar inclusions like a long-lasting battery, brilliant app, and so much more.
- Brand: Garmin
- Color: White
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2020
- Dimensions: 3” x 2.97” x 2.28”
- Weight: 0.16 lbs
- Display Size: Uses Cell Phone to display
- Display Type: N/A
- Resolution: N/A
- GPS: NO
- Maps: NO
- Wi-fi: NO
- Bluetooth: YES
- Compatibility: iOS 13.0 and later, Android 7.0 Nougat and later
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Portable: YES
- Frequencies: 260/455 kHz
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: NO
- Maximum Depth: 150 ft
- Transducer Angle: Cone angle
- Target Separation: NO
- Mounting Options: Castable
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle:
- Fishreveal: NO
- Autotuning sonar: NO
- Flasher: YES
- Battery Life: 10+ Hours
- Battery recharge time: Unknown
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: CHIRP
- Warranty: 2 year limited warrant
- Others Features:
- QuickDraw Community for 0.3-meter contour maps
Pros
- Reliable
- Simple to use with Apple and Android devices
- QuickDraw and ActiveCaptain
Cons
- Castable models are limited in what they can do
If you’ve been looking for the best portable bank fishing fish finder available, you’re in need of Garmin’s Striker Cast. You’ll find it’s a great asset for bank fishing. It took Garmin a long time to get to this point where they offered such a product, but it was worth the wait.
This castable bank fishing fish finder boasts a small compact size similar to that of a tennis ball. So, fair warning, be careful about not losing it accidentally. The model is pure white, while the version with built-in GPS is light blue. It won’t take long for you to realize just how easy this device is to use, not just for bank fishing but for fishing in general. It’s also great for ice fishing!
Garmin’s Striker Cast produces some decent sonar images and streams them directly to the application from Garmin that’s on your phone.
Overall, this model is a rugged machine that utilizes some amazing features like 2D sonar, ice fishing flasher modes, and more. It doesn’t have all the features you might be hoping for, but considering its size, it makes sense.
It’s a straightforward castable bank fishing fish finder that’s got an alternative model which is almost identical, just with the GPS functionality. It took Garmin a while, but as a result, they’ve got one of the best castable fish finders.
4. Hummingbird bank fish finder - Piranhamax 4
WHY WE LIKE IT: If you’re looking for a budget-friendly bank fishing fish finder, the Humminbird PiranhaMAX 4 Di might just be what you’re looking for! With a powerful dual beam sonar, you’ve got something that can help make a real difference out on the water.
- Brand: Hummingbird
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2016
- Dimensions: 3.6 x 3.9 x 6.8 inches
- Weight: 2 lbs
- Display Size: 4.3 Inches
- Display Type: LCD
- Resolution: 480 x 272
- GPS: NO
- Maps: NO
- Wi-fi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility:
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Portable: YES
- Frequencies: 200/455/455 kHz
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 600 ft
- Transducer Angle: narrow or wide beam
- Target Separation: YES
- Mounting Options: Tilt and Swivel Mount
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle:
- Fishreveal: NO
- Autotuning sonar: NO
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: Requires independent power supply
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: Dual Beam Sonar
- Warranty: 1 year limited warranty
- Others Features:
- Fish alarms
Pros
- Budget and user friendly
- Portable
- Two sonars (one 2D sonar which reaches up to 600 feet)
Cons
- No unit cover
- No DualBeam+
- No upgrades for software
Humminbird is known for offering attractive features in a powerful unit, but all at reasonable prices. The PiranhaMAX 4 DI is another example of them achieving that with a popular unit that’s got a lot to make it perfect for your next shore fishing adventure.
The display on the PiranhaMAX 4 DI is a modest 4.3 inches. However, the screen’s a high-quality aspect of the unit itself with 480 x 272 resolution.
The sonar this unit uses is Dual beam + and down imaging which are some of the best parts of Humminbird’s fish finder. With this, it can create accurate and detailed data to help you find all the fish you could ever hope for, whether you choose to use it as a bank fishing fish finder or for some other type of fishing entirely.
One of the unique features Humminbird included is the Fish Alarm which lets you relax and alerts you when there are fish in the water. Thanks to the sonar on this unit, you’re able to get the fish’s location and a rating according to the fish’s size (three sizes detailed on the PiranhaMAX 4 DI).
Overall this device is a dream bank fishing fish finder to use. Despite the numerous features, it’s easy to navigate and figure out with a great LCD screen that makes reading the data easier than ever.
5. Best portable fish finder for bank fishing - Garmin Striker Cast (with GPS)
- Brand: Garmin
- Color: Blue
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2020
- Dimensions: 3” x 2.97” x 2.28”
- Weight: 0.16 lbs
- Display Size: Uses Cell Phone to display
- Display Type: N/A
- Resolution: N/A
- GPS: YES
- Maps: NO
- Wi-fi: NO
- Bluetooth: YES
- Compatibility: iOS 13.0 and later, Android 7.0 Nougat and later
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Portable: YES
- Frequencies: 260/455 kHz
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: NO
- Maximum Depth: 150 ft
- Transducer Angle: Cone angle
- Target Separation: NO
- Mounting Options: Castable
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle:
- Fishreveal: NO
- Autotuning sonar: NO
- Flasher: YES
- Battery Life: 10+ Hours
- Battery recharge time: Unknown
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: CHIRP
- Warranty: 2 year limited warranty
- Others Features:
QuickDraw Community for 0.3-meter contour maps
Pros
- Reliable
- Simple to use with Apple and Android devices
- QuickDraw and ActiveCaptain
Cons
- Castable models are limited in what they can do
The Striker Cast, is unparalleled to use for bank fishing. It took Garmin a while to come to the table to produce their castable fish finders. Now you can enjoy shore fishing with a device that knows how to improve your odds. Whether you’re taking it on a small boat, kayak, or just on the shore where the banks lie, it’s going to be a great asset.
This unit is a small compact bank fishing fish finder that is about the size of a tennis ball. You can enjoy having this connected to your phone or tablet through the use of a brilliant app that’s got QuickDraw and ActiveCaptain to create and share your maps with other anglers!
This sonar unit includes two options. The first is traditional 2-D sonar, and the second is ice fishing flasher modes. These two sonar choices mean on your phone or tablet, you’ll be seeing a great deal of information with the ability to adjust settings for range, gain, etc. It’s an easy-to-navigate model that features a great battery life of 10 hours. This wireless portable fish finder simply gets attached to your fishing line and cast out into the water. Its range is impressive, too, meaning you’ll be able to go out 60 meters into the water when you cast the Striker Cast out. As previously mentioned, but worth mentioning again, this unit is great for ice fishing.
Overall, Garmin’s GPS version of the Striker Cast isn’t any different from the unit without GPS. Instead, the biggest difference is how much a GPS can enhance the experience, mapping capabilities, and waypoint creation. This rugged machine is ready to help you see fish and catch them in spades, and the fish icons make it even better.
How We Decided on the Best Bank Fishing Fish Finder - Our Testing Process
If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where you’re totally out of your depth on the matter of fish finders, we know the feeling. A long time ago, we too struggled to understand every aspect of fish finders and which one worked best for a kayak or boat or shoreside fishing spots like banks. So we decided to start understanding everything, and we mean everything.
When choosing and assessing products, we have various tactics. For starters, we round up our initial picks for the best fish finders. Then we take a deeper dive looking at quality, features, ease of use, accuracy, battery life, cost, etc.
Buyer’s Guide for Bank Fishing Fish Finders
Cost
Fish finders can end up being extremely expensive. Shore units are often cheaper than boat or kayak units.
This is because you’ve got the ability to take full advantage of the best fish finders there are, and that’s a castable sonar unit that connects to your fishing line. This is for single angler use and gives you the ability to find a less expensive model with a reasonable price tag but still a lot of features you’d hope for in a fish finder.
Accuracy
Accuracy is key with a fish finder if you’re hoping to make your fishing trip a success. You need to be able to actually find the fish if fishing is the intention, and when you’ve got a fish finder that’s incapable of accurately finding fish, well, what’s the point?
So be on the lookout for the best sonar capabilities of any potential fish finder options.
Ease of Use
There are certain things every angler should want out of a potential fish finder that will seal the deal over whether or not it’s for them. Having a fish finder that’s easy to use is detrimental, especially if you’re not comfortable with the devices as much as you’d like to be.
A difficult-to-use device means wasting precious time that could be spent fishing.
Battery Life
Battery life is another thing you’re going to want your portable fish finders to have a decent amount of. Portable fish finders will most likely have rechargeable batteries, especially a castable fish finder. Look for ones with a battery life of 6 hours or, if possible, 10 hours.
Compactness
Fishing gear can become rather congestive for anyone planning a fishing trip. You’ve got so many things to bring, and if you’re going to the shore for some bank fishing, why take such a serious fish finder with you?
It’s better to focus on the compact options that connect to your phone. This saves you space and allows you to enjoy the benefits of sonar fish finders without as much of a hassle.
Value
Value might be the most important aspect of purchasing a shore fishing buddy like a castable or portable fish finder. You want features that make the unit worth buying, like wi-fi, chirp sonar, dual beam sonar, good battery life, decent range, etc. Fishing trips need the best possible unit to get the job done, but that doesn’t always mean the most expensive; it means the one that provides the most value. High cost doesn’t always correlate to great unit.