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.
You can’t carry everything you own on your fishing trip. You must think before getting in the water, study the lake, know the spanning spots, and only then pick the gear. You’ll get more room for good choices with a portable fish finder. Here are the best portable fish finder reviews for all anglers.
Best Portable Fish Finder Overall
- The battery life is more than nine hours, enabling anglers to have more fun
- Easy to interpret 2-D sonar
- Ice fishing is possible with this fish finder
Runner-Up
Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2
- Lightweight and easy to use interface
- Fish icons display help with identifying the species
- Better than handheld fish finder because you can see clearer on the smartphone screen
Best Budget Portable Fish Finder
- The battery life is more than nine hours, enabling anglers to have more fun
- Easy to interpret 2-D sonar.
- Ice fishing is possible with this fish finder
Table of Contents
- What is a Portable Fish Finder?
- How does a Portable Fish Finder Work vs Mountable?
- Portable Fish Finder - How to Use it?
- 6 Best Portable Fish Finders
- Our Recommendations
- Deeper Chirp 2
- Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2
- Garmin Striker Cast
- Deeper Fish Finder Start
- Garmin Striker 4 +
- Deeper Sonar PRO+
- Buyer's Guide
What is a Portable Fish Finder?
A portable fish finder is one that can be carried on the boat easily. Some conventional fish finders require separate transducers and there are wires connecting it to the other parts of the device. A Great portable fish finder will be easy to set up and will give anglers the convenience of carrying it anywhere.
How does a Portable Fish Finder Work vs Mountable?
The primary difference between a portable fish finder and a mountable fish finder is that the former does not come with a separate transducer that needs to be connected to any part of the boat. Moreover, portable fish finders do not have any wires or multiple parts that need to be connected.
The time consumed to start a portable device is much less than the time needed to set up a mountable device. Anglers can enjoy their fishing trips by using the technology of sonar transducers without having to spend time on setting up.
Portable Fish Finder - How to Use it?
You can use a portable fish finder by switching it on, and letting the sonar work to first map the location and then give you the images of the schools of fish beneath the boat or near it. Portable units can be mounted easily and the compact device will provide the images clearly on the LED screen. Most of these fish finders come with a suction cup mount, which takes almost no time to attach to the surface where you want to mount it.
Castable fish finders can be thrown in the water after connecting to the app through Wi-Fi. As the device works to find fish under the surface, your phone screen works as the display unit. These fish finders do not require any setting up and therefore, anglers who are not tech-savvy may find it easier to use them. Portable fish finders can be held in the hand also, which means that you will be able to see the maps clearly.
6 Best Portable Fish Finders
- Deeper Chirp 2 – Best Overall Portable Fish Finder
- Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2 – Runner-Up
- Garmin Striker Cast – Best Budget Portable Fish Finder
- Deeper Fish Finder Start – Cheapest Portable Fish Finder
- Garmin Striker 4 – Portable Fish Finder Bundle from Garmin
- Deeper Sonar PRO+ – Deeper Pro Plus 2 Alternative
Our Recommendations
Besides the most obvious criteria – portability, the fish finders in this list are selected by their reviews online, battery life, price, high-end features, and, of course, my personal experience using them. I’m sure you will find that fits your needs.
#1
Best Overall Portable Fish Finder
Deeper Chirp 2
WHY WE LIKE IT: We like this portable fish finder because of its castable property and the compatibility feature that enables android users and iOS users to connect with the fish finding device.
- Chirp sonar: Advanced
- Casting range: 394 feet
- Depth range: 330 feet
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Battery life: 15 hours
Pros
- Three beam frequencies to explore deep, and shallow water bodies
- Fifteen-hour charge means more adventure time
- Portable and lightweight for convenience
Cons
- The Wi-Fi signal can get weak when cast farther away
- Not completely waterproof
BUYING ADVICE: Anglers can use this fish finder without any difficulty as it connects to your smartphone and you can use that to easily zoom in or zoom out to see the maps. Moreover, the far cast will give you more information of fishing spots in a single go. The fast charging battery, and connection to the Fish Deeper app is going to get you ahead of others as you can sot the fish, and even see their depth. This is also the best portable fish finder for battery life.
#2
Runner-Up
Deeper Sonar PRO+ 2
WHY WE LIKE IT: We think this castable device is the best portable fish finder option for small boats. The cone scan is wide, which means more fish to see in a single cast.
- Triple frequency: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- GPS: Yes
- Sonar transducer: Great
- Temperature sensor: Yes
Pros
- One of the modern fish finders due to ease of use and easy connection with app
- Will help in finding fish because of the wide cone scan
Cons
- Cannot work as well in shallow water as it works in deeper water
- It is heavy so it causes a lot of noise when cast into the water.
#3
Best Budget Portable Fish Finder
Garmin Striker Cast
WHY WE LIKE IT: We like this portable fish finder because of its sonar technology, and easy to use interface. You can view the contouring and maps on your phone screen and that is a much more comfortable choice for most anglers.
- Built-in Receiver: Yes
- Displays Sonar: Yes
- Bluetooth Pairing: Yes
- Fish Symbol ID: Yes
Pros
- The battery life is more than nine hours, enabling anglers to have more fun
- Easy to interpret 2-D sonar.
- Ice fishing is possible with this fish finder
Cons
- The Wi-Fi signal gets weak with distance
- The Garmin Striker Cast is not waterproof for long periods
FEATURES: Garmin Striker Cast is an excellent fish finder as it is reliable. The best part about this fish finder is that you can use it on the shore, or in freshwater lakes. This device connects to the phone app and will give you clear map images on the phone screen. You can use this fish finder on a boat or even for shore fishing, and that is what adds to its portability advantage which makes it best portable fish finder in our list.
#4
Cheapest Portable Fish Finder
Deeper Fish Finder Start
WHY WE LIKE IT: You can cast the fish finder far from the boat and it will read the area in a short while and return signals to create map on your smartphone screen. It’s also very cheap fish finder that is great for beginners.
- Wi-fi: Yes
- Fish icon display: Yes
- Sonar type: Single beam frequency
- Sonar scan rate: 10 scans per second
Pros
- Lightweight and easy to use interface
- Fish icons display help with identifying the species
- Better than handheld fish finder because you can see clearer on the smartphone screen
Cons
- The Wi-Fi connection is not reliable
- Is better for anglers on small boat because range is not true to the range mentioned in specifications.
BUYING ADVICE: This portable fish finder is a great pick as it is one of the most reliable castable fish finders, and the reason is the advanced chirp sonar, and single beam frequency. You can use this portable fish finder for ice fishing, and kayak fishing too. It can be more convenient than mountable fish finders.
#5
Portable Fish Finder Bundle from Garmin
Garmin Striker 4 +
- GPS: Yes
- Chirp sonar: Yes
- Water temperature log: Yes
- Depth range shading: Yes
- Fish symbol ID: Yes
Pros
- Better than other fish finders because it comes as a portable kit
- The anglers can use the carrying case to hold the device to make it a mountable fish finder
- Is the best cheap portable fish finder
- Can be used easily on rented boat as no mounting or setting up is needed because of the carrying case
Cons
- Some anglers may be concerned about the size of the screen, which may be small to view from a distance
- The range is not as much as a castable sonar device
BUYING ADVICE: This portable kit is a great match for people who want to stay clutter-free. It is one of the best portable fish finders because it better than any conventional fish finder. The kit is complete with a bag that makes it handy for ice fishing. All ice anglers will be able to find fish without keeping their hands busy all the time.
#6
Deeper Pro Plus 2 Alternative
Deeper Sonar PRO+
- Fish ID: Yes
- Depth alarms: yes
- Color palettes: Yes
- GPS: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
Pros
- Higher specs than other Deeper models
- Dual beam sonar for accuracy
- This fish finder can give up to 15 scans per second
Cons
- Like most castable fish finders Deeper Sonar Pro+ can lose Wi-Fi signals when cast far from the boat
- Can misread debris and plantation as fish
BUYING ADVICE: Deeper Sonar Pro+ is the best portable fish finder for advanced users. Serious fishermen will save a lot of time with this fish finder, because it does not require any setup. You can detect fish in a larger area with this castable sonar device that that work in every water temperature. However, the range that this fish finder covers is ideal for shore fishing.
Buyer's Guide
Quality of the Transducer
A transducer is the component of the device that generates sound waves and receives them back to map the various bodies that the waves resonated with, and as a result the sonar converts these sound waves to an image.
Power Rating
Power rating of most fish finders is between DC 12-24 volts. This is a wide range and as long as the power supply is within this range, the fish finder will work well. Look for the device that has a wide power rating so that you can use it even when the power supply is on the lower side, but within the limit.
Connectivity
Whether you choose a castable device or a mounted one; be sure to select the fish finder that offers good connectivity. Shore anglers, and even ice anglers may have to cast the device far and if the Wi-Fi signals keep dripping, the purpose of the device fails.
Frequency
The frequency of the sonar will determine the depth of water that can be scanned. Dual beam sonar, or three-beam sonar frequency makes the fish finder a multi-purpose device to use in deep water bodies as well as shallow areas such as streams. You can adjust the frequency according to the depth of the water.
Cost
Cost is an essential feature of any device. Many recreational anglers do not want to spend a lot of money on technology. If you want to spend less, a portable fish finder will be a great choice because they are not as pricey as fixed fish finders.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best fish finder in the market is from among the list of portable fish finders that we ranked above. You can depend on Garmin Striker Cast as it is best among the fish finders due to its features. Moreover, the price of this fish finder makes it an easy purchase for all anglers.
GPS can be a useful tool as it helps mark waypoints and anglers can find their way back after some big catches. However, a portable fish finder without GPS also work well and its function of finding fish will not be impacted.
Yes you can use a portable fish finder on any boat.
A portable transducer can be mounted easily on the boat as it has a suction cup that does not require any screws, or any other kind of mounting mechanism. Moreover, mounting with a suction cup requires a few minutes only.
My Verdict
Choosing the best portable fish finder isn’t just a matter of grabbing the shiniest gadget off the shelf. It’s about finding the one that suits your fishing style, your needs, and your budget. Remember, it’s your underwater eye, your fishing buddy, and your ticket to epic catches. So, don’t rush into it. Consider the factors we’ve laid out, weigh your options, and make an informed decision.