We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Products or services advertised on this page may be offered by an entity that is affiliated with us. Learn more about our process here.
Written by
Larry Stark, Founder / Main Editor
Professional fisherman, who loves to review new fishing gadgets.
When you’re an inexperienced angler, it’s sometimes tricky to know the best fish finder for a Jon boat. There are so many options, and it’s important to find the right one for you and your angling needs.
We’ve compiled a list of five of the best Fish Finder for Jon Boat devices to help you find the perfect one. We’ll guide you through the buying process and answer some frequently asked questions. So, let’s not waste any time and instead go fishing!
Best Budget Fish Finder Overall
- Compact and lightweight
- Rugged design
- Simple to setup and install
- High-sensitivity GPS
Runner-Up
- Easy to setup and use
- Incredible mapping
- Extremely customizable
- Double the coverage in comparison to other fish finders out there
Best High-End Fish Finder
- High-precision internal GPS
- Double the coverage in comparison to other fish finders out there
Table of Contents
Top 5 Best Jon Boat Fish Finders in 2023
1. Garmin Striker 4 With Dual-Beam Transducer – Best Cheap Fish Finder For Jon Boat
2. Lowrance Hook Reveal 7
3. Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 TripleShot with CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan & US Inland charts
4. Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 – Fish Finder for Small Jon boat
5. Humminbird Helix 5 Chirp GPS G3 PT – Best portable fish finder for Jon boat
Quick Overview – Best Fish Finders For Jon Boat
1. Garmin Striker 4 With Dual-Beam Transducer - Best Cheap Fish Finder For Jon Boat
WHY WE LIKE IT:
There are many things to love about Garmin’s Striker Plus 4 Dual Beam Transducer fish finder for Jon boat beyond its super affordable price! It’s a compact device with a rugged design perfect for fishing on any vessel, not just Jon boats. It does an adequate job and has some amazing features like QuickDraw Contour Software.
- Brand: Garmin
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2017
- Dimensions: 3.9 x 1.8 x 6.9 inches
- Weight: 0.66 lbs (0.3 kg)
- Display Size: 4.3”
- Display Type: LCD
- Resolution: 272 X 480 pixels
- GPS: YES
- Maps: Quickdraw Contours map drawing software
- Wifi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility: YES
- Waterproof: IPX7
- Portable: NO
- Frequencies: 50/77/200 kHz
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: NO
- Maximum Depth: 1598 feet
- Transducer Angle: Narrow cone
- Target Separation: YES
- Mounting Options: Transom and Trolling Motor Mounts which are tilt/swivel.
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle: NO
- Fishreveal: NO
- Autotuning sonar: NO
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: Ongoing as it needs to be connected to a power source
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: CHIRP sonar
- Warranty: One year
Pros
- Compact and lightweight
- Rugged design
- Simple to setup and install
- Great for ice fishing
- High-sensitivity GPS
Cons
- Can feel a bit limited in what it can offer.
- No charts or way to add charts
If we’re going to talk about the best fish finder for jon boat available, be sure to know a Garmin product is going to make the cut. The Striker Plus 4 fish finder is great for a small boat fishing trip. For starters, it’s an extremely inexpensive fish finder, and for the price, it’s very effective at finding fish. It’s a small, lightweight device with the technology available to accurately find fish in all bodies of water.
Garmin’s Striker Plus 4 fish finder offers a 4.3” display, which is small; however, factoring in the pixel count makes up for it. The sonar included in this model is primarily CHIRP but also has 2D and ClearVu, which all support a wide array of frequencies for fish finding.
No surprise but the Striker Plus 4 fish finder features a powerful GPS. For the price you’re paying, the value for money in this fish finder is clear.
2. Lowrance Hook Reveal 7
WHY WE LIKE IT:
You’ll be able to see every fish in the water with this bad boy. The built-in GPS is high precision, the mapping is off the charts, and it’s easy to use and very beneficial. Overall, it’s customizable beyond most fish finders out there.
- Brand: Lowrance
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2020
- Dimensions: 10.12 x 7.76 x 8.86 inches
- Weight: 4.9 lb
- Display Size: 7-inch
- Display Type: 16-bit color, Full VGA SolarMax PlusTFT
- Resolution: 800 x 480
- GPS: YES
- Maps: 4000 US Lakes
- Wifi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility:
- Waterproof: IPX7 with card door closed
- Portable: NO
- Frequencies: 50/83/455/800 kHz
- Side Scanning: YES
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 1200 ft
- Transducer Angle: Downscan
- Target Separation: YES
- Mounting Options: Easy front-dash or gimbal-bracket mount
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle: NO
- Fishreveal: YES
- Autotuning sonar: YES
- Flasher: YES
- Battery Life: Needs consistent power source 12v
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: NO
- Sonar Type: CHIRP sonar
- Warranty: 1 Year
Pros
- Easy to setup and use
- Incredible mapping
- High-precision internal GPS
- Extremely customizable
- Gimbal mount is easy to adjust
- Double the coverage in comparison to other fish finders out there
Cons
- Can be a tricky purchase due to the various packages available
- Pricy for a hobbyist model
We’re moving on to a more expensive fish finder loaded with impressive features. The display on the HOOK Reveal 7x SplitShot fish finder is an impressive 7 inches with 16-bit color capabilities. When you combine this with Lowrance’s FishReveal technology and CHIRP sonar, you’ll be able to find more fish than you know what to do with! The powerful DownScanning and autotuning sonar provide awesome high-res images too.
This fish finder for jon boat, like most of Lowrance’s, comes loaded with 15,000+ US lakes and 9,400 Canadian lakes. So if you’re in uncharted waters, map them in real-time! The best features of this fish finder are the sonar technology. It’s easy to set up and use, and while it’s a little pricy, you’re getting true value for money with this quality unit.
3. Lowrance Hook Reveal 9 TripleShot with CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan & US Inland charts
WHY WE LIKE IT:
Lowrance has given us anglers, a top-of-the-range fish finder for Jon boats. You’ll be able to see every fish in the water with this bad boy. The built-in GPS is high precision, the mapping is off the charts, and it’s easy to use and very beneficial. Overall, it’s customizable beyond most fish finders out there.
- Brand: Lowrance
- Color: UN/CAN Nav+
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2020
- Dimensions: 11.89 x 8.62 x 9.13 inches
- Weight: 1.90 lb
- Display Size: 9 Inches
- Display Type: SolarMAX™ 16-bit color TFT
- Resolution: 800 x 480
- GPS: YES
- Maps: 4,000 US Lake Map
- Wifi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility:
- Waterproof: IPX7 with card door closed
- Portable: NO
- Frequencies: 50/83/200/455/800 kHz
- Side Scanning: YES
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 3000 feet
- Transducer Angle: wide-angle
- Target Separation: NO
- Mounting Options: Easy front-dash or gimbal-bracket mount
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle: NO
- Fishreveal: YES
- Autotuning sonar: YES
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: requires a constant power supply
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: YES
- Sonar Type: CHIRPBroadbandDownScanSideScan
- Warranty: 1 year
Pros
- Easy to setup and use
- High-precision internal GPS
- Double the coverage in comparison to other fish finders out there
Cons
- Can be a tricky purchase due to the various packages available
- Pricy for a hobbyist model
Suppose you’re looking at Lowrance’s Hook Reveal 9 TripleShot fish finder. In that case, you’re looking at a slightly more expensive and more recent version of the Hook Reveal 7x SplitShot fish finder. It’s a similar option but more advanced and fine-tuned compared to its predecessor.
The Hook Reveal 9 TripleShot fish finder overs double the coverage of most other fish finders out there. In addition, it’s a powerful model with an incredible 9-inch SolarMax display. You’ve got quality in almost every aspect of this fish finder, and its overwhelmingly positive reviews seem to back that up!
When it comes to sonar, you’re looking at similar features to the Hook Reveal 7x SplitShot. But in addition, it features a powerful transducer- in this case, it’s the TripleShot- that has high CHIRP, Down and SideScan imaging. With this, you can produce quality imaging of all fish in the water. This, of course, is made easier with autotuning sonar and Lowrance’s FishReveal technology.
While fishing, you can enjoy Genesis real-time mapping and use the preloaded C-Map US inland mapping feature. This simple-to-use fish finder is easy to find all the great features hidden away. Of all the fish finders, this might be the best.
4. Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 - Fish Finder for Small Jon boat
WHY WE LIKE IT: Lowrance is known for it’s high-quality fish finders for Jon boats and other vessels. As a result, they’ve created some of the best fish finders for jon boats, including this unit, the Hook Reveal 5.
- Brand: Lowrance
- Color: Black
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2021
- Dimensions: 7.31″ (185.7 mm) x 4.32″ (109.8 mm) x 4.53″ (115.0 mm)
- Weight: 0.90 lb. (0.41 kg)
- Display Size: 5″
- Display Type: SolarMAX™
- Resolution: 800 x 480
- GPS: 1 Hz GPS GLONASS WAAS EGNOS MSAS
- Maps: C-MAP, C-MAP Genesis, Navionics®
- Wifi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility: YES
- Waterproof: IPX7 with card door closed
- Portable: YES
- Frequencies: 50/200 kHz
- Side Scanning: NO
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 500 feet
- Transducer Angle: 80° top/bottom, 85° left/right
- Target Separation: YES
- Mounting Options: Easy front-dash or gimbal-bracket mount
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle: Can purchase US lake maps as an additional purchase
- Fishreveal: YES
- Autotuning sonar: YES
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: Ongoing as it needs to be connected to a power source
- Battery recharge time: N/A
- Charts: C-Map US Inland Charting
- Sonar Type: Autotuning
- Warranty: 1 Year + 4 additional years of upgrade options Totaling 5 years
- Others Features:
- Night fishing feature
- 8-way directional keypad
- Zoom capabilities
Pros
- Large screen, perfect for a Jon boat.
- Night mode option.
- FishReveal technology is included.
Cons
- The number of features can be overwhelming and, at times, confusing.
- Lowrance tech support isn't great.
When it comes to quality fish finders for jon boats, nobody makes a better device than Lowrance. Starting off with display and interface, the Hook Reveal 5 features a beautiful SolarMAX screen that produces clear well-backlit images. While it’s only a 5” display, it’s perfect for a small group of anglers to enjoy.
The included TripleShot transducer is powerful and versatile. It’s a CHIRP transducer that sends out a pulse of various frequencies to get more accurate results and more effective target separation, making accuracy a priority.
When it comes to imaging, you’ve got fairly powerful DownScan capabilities and great charting options like waypoints, routes, tracks, etc. Overall, if you’re looking for a fish finder for jon boat, these are among the best money can buy.
5. Best portable fish finder for Jon boat - Humminbird Helix 5 Chirp GPS G3 PT
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Hummingbird Helix 5 has a display size of 7 inches which is far better than you’d expect from models described as portable. This isn’t portability like you’ve known it with your smartphone; it’s way better. This fish finder enjoys a wide range of frequencies and has an impressive max depth of 3,000 feet.
- Brand: Hummingbird
- Color: Gray
- Material: Plastic
- Model Year: 2021
- Dimensions: 13.25 x 5 x 12 inches
- Weight: 7.98 pounds
- Display Size: 5″
- Display Type: Color TFT
- Resolution: 800 x 400
- GPS: YES
- Maps: YES
- Wifi: NO
- Bluetooth: NO
- Compatibility:
- Waterproof: NO
- Portable: YES
- Frequencies: 50/80/200 kHz
- Side Scanning: YES
- Down Imaging: YES
- Maximum Depth: 3000 feet
- Transducer Angle: cone
- Target Separation: NO
- Mounting Options: Suction cup mount available
- Touchscreen: NO
- Bundle: ??
- Fishreveal: NO
- Autotuning sonar: NO
- Flasher: NO
- Battery Life: 10 Hours
- Battery recharge time: 4 hours
- Charts: YES
- Sonar Type: Dual Spectrum CHIRP 2D Sonar
- Warranty: 1-year limited warranty
Pros
- Portable
- Great additional items like a shuttle, bag, suction cup mount, gimbal mounting bracket, and power cable.
Cons
- Not waterproof
The last of the fish finders we want to mention that are perfect for Jon boats is the Hummingbird Helix 5. It’s the only portable option from any of the brands mentioned. In terms of models of fish finders available, it’s perfect for taking on your boat when you go fishing. While you don’t need your Helix 5 mounted onto your boat, it can be done with the included suction cup mount. This level of portability makes it perfect for some solo trips or passing around the boat to other anglers.
With Hummingbird, you’re getting access to a large selection of easy-to-read maps, showcasing contours, highlighting depth range, and so much more. This is made possible with LakeMaster. SmartStrike helps you determine the best time of the year for you to get in your boat and catch some fish. All these features make this not only a great choice, but a highly intriguing one as it has more to offer than you’d expect.
How We Decided - Our Testing Process
When deciding what is considered the best fish finder for Jon boat, we take a look at all fish finders on the market. We consider everything and put the products to the test to ensure our choices are the best of the best. By understanding the fish finder and its capabilities, we know we can recommend the best for your Jon boats, kayaks, and all other types of vessels.
Our choices take into account the price, quality, accuracy, technology, and a host of other factors surrounding the fish finder. We want you to save money by having the best choices available to choose from.
Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Fish Finder Features For Jon Boat to Consider
There are several important features to consider when looking at fish finders:
- Transducers
- Screen Display & Size
- Screen Resolution
- Power
- Frequency (Single/Dual/Multiple)
- Water Resistance
Transducers
A transducer is one of the most important parts of fish finders, as they’re what send and receive sonar waves. So make sure you look for the best kind of transducer, such as a transom mount, which is the easiest to install. For bigger boats, you’d need a more serious transducer, such as a thru-hull mount.
Screen Display & Size
When it comes to screen displays, you want to look for color displays as they can provide more detail than a simple black-and-white display. Furthermore, you want to ensure your screen size is adequate to get a full picture.
Screen Resolution
The more pixels, the more detail you’re getting in your display. Aim for a minimum of 240 x 160 pixels, it’s not the recommended resolution, but it’s a good place to start. In addition, the higher definition will provide a more clear picture of what’s in the water.
Power
High wattage translates to faster and deeper readings. Lower wattage means it’s better for shallower waters but is slower overall.
Frequency
A transducer, for the most part, works with dual frequencies. So you’ll usually have 200, 192, 83, or 50 kHz frequencies. Shallow water requires high frequencies like 192 and 200 kHz. Deep water, 50 kHz, is advised.
Water Resistance
You’ll be out on the water; therefore, you’ll want something that can handle getting slightly wet. Of course, you’re not going to be chucking it in the lake, but things happen, so water resistance needs to be a priority focus.
Questions & Answers
What is the best fish finder for Jon boat to consider purchasing in 2023?
The best fish finder for Jon boat in 2022 is easily Lowrance’s HOOK Reveal 9 TripleShot with CHIRP, SideScan, DownScan & US Inland charts. It’s a stellar fish finder from a stellar brand.
Which factors are important to consider while purchasing a fish finder for Jon boat?
The most important thing to consider when purchasing a fish finder for Jon boat is the transducer, frequency, and aspects of the screen display.