8 Best Fishfinder Models For [SHALLOW WATER]

Many fishermen are not convinced that a fishfinder will help them out all that much when they are out fishing in shallow water. I for one totally disagree with them. My experience with them is that they can at least point you in the right direction and give you a better chance to catch some fish on any given day. High frequency sonars in ranges like 200kHz, 455kHz or 800kHz don’t cover a wide area but they do provide great fish and bottom structure detail.

Do they guarantee success when fishing in shallow water? The answer to that is No; but neither does the best boat, the best lure or the best rod and reel setup. That is just the way fishing goes and what makes it a fun challenge. One thing I do know for sure is that fish finders in the above-mentioned frequencies work very well in shallow water.

In my humble opinion, a fish finder can boost your chances of success by providing you valuable information about the location of fish. You can use the data from the fish finder, combine it with your skills, and experience to maybe getting some great catches. Reliable fish finders are designed for fishing in shallow waters.

So what is the best fishfinder for shallow water? I really like the Garmin Striker 7SV with a transducer. The large, 7-inch screen, on the Striker 7SV, is beautifully detailed to allow you to monitor multiple frequencies simultaneously.

The screen is so crisp and clear that you feel more like you are looking at a live feed of the water column, rather than trying to decipher blob looking shapes that could either be a fish or a boot. The screens provide a higher degree of accuracy thanks to the Garmin CHIRP ClearVü 260/455/800 kHz, and SideVü 260/455/800 kHz that are almost perfect for uncovering all the best hiding spots and fish populations in shallow water.

Best Fishfinder for Shallow Water in 2020 – Our Selection

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Key Characteristics the Best Fishfinder for Shallow Water MUST Have

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You will find many different features on fishfinders. Some of them really help in your quest to find fish and others are mostly just bells and whistles that are nice to have. That being said, there are three important features that best fishfinder for shallow water MUST have.

# High-Frequency Sonar 

A fishfinder that will work well in shallow water should have a sonar frequency in the 200kHz or higher frequency range. The higher the frequency, the higher the resolution that fishfinder will show you. This frequency range will also better enable you to position your boat over the fish.

# Good Display Screen Resolution

We have already told you that sonar on your boat that works in the 200kHz or higher range will help give you better fish and bottom structure detail. You can take that one step further with a display on your fishfinder that has good resolution. The higher your resolution the more you can assume about the fish you find and the more accurately you can get right over them with your boat.

With a higher screen resolution on your display, you have a chance to do such things as distinguish the size of the fish you are over and in some cases, you can even take an educated guess as to what species those fish are most likely to be.

This is a huge advantage for you and your companions when fishing in shallow water. It will help keep you from wasting time going after a different species of fish than the ones you were hoping to catch.

# Side Imaging/Down Imaging Radar

These are some of the newest radar technologies for fishing in shallow water. They work with sonar frequencies that are found in the 455 or 800 kHz range.

How does side imaging sonar help you? We mentioned that one of the downfalls of higher resolution sonar like 200kHz, 455kHz or 800kHz is that they don’t cover a lot of areas.

Side imaging sonar helps to compensate for this. Since it shoots at a sidewards angle along both sides of your boat it will cover more area than just standard down looking sonar does.

It will enable you to map the bottom of a body of water much faster. Side imaging radar also gives you more of a 3D view of an area so you can judge bottom structure locations better.

Down imaging radar has its advantages too. It will provide you with specific and more vivid details about an area of structure you are fishing.

You will be able to tell if that structure you are directly over is a rock outcropping, a fallen tree or a sunken ship. This can be really useful in determining exactly how you will fish the area you are casting in.

Any fishfinder that has these key characteristics will give you a better chance at finding where the right fish are in shallow water.

Best Fishfinders for Shallow Water – The Reviews

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1. Garmin 010-01809-00 Striker 7SV Review – Best Overall Pick

 Seamless picture to find the deep spots hidden in shallow waters

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The Garmin Striker 7SV features Garmin’s exclusive CHIRP ClearVü™ and Garmin CHIRP SideVü™ technology in a large 7†diagonal screen to give you an incredibly clear view of the both underneath and around your boat as you cruise your favorite waterways in search of the catch of the day.

The impressive 260/455/800 kHz side and down scans give you such a clear picture of the water column that you will think that you’re almost watching a video of the passing lake bottom.

The installed Smooth Scaling™ software easily transitions between depths to provide a seamless picture to find the deep spots hidden in shallow waters.

The GPS system of the Garmin Striker 7SV includes the ability to map and save your favorite fishing areas, that includes saving waypoints to mark hotspots, spawning areas, entry and exit points. Being able to easily update your custom waypoints helps save time so you can cast more and search less.

You can also use the sonor history rewind feature to review sonar images from your scanning to create a series of waypoints to return to as you set up your fishing day. This is a nice addition that removes the regret moment of overpassing a good area, as you search for the best area to fish.

The Garmin Striker 7SV GPS actively tracks your trolling speed to help you make sure you are trolling your lure at just the right speed to be able to attract active species without going so fast that you outrun them, or too slow that they lose interest.

As you troll the sonar sends you constant imagery to help you make sure that the fish are actually following, and you’re not wasting your time, and bait.

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2. Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 Review – Best Value

Excellent CHIRP sonar system

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There is a reason why Garmin is a leader when it comes to fish finding products. They are known for building products with many nice features and then selling them at a very fair price. The Garmin Striker 4 compact model fishfinder is an excellent example of that.

You don’t often see fishfinders in its price range that have all the features this model has and a built-in GPS navigation system too.

It features an excellent CHIRP sonar system that operates at both 77kHz and 200kHz. This is the perfect combination to help you get to where the fish are and bring in a boat full of them. With this type sonar setup, there is no reason you should ever get shutout again on any fishing trip.

The display on this model fishfinder is not fancy but will still easily get the job done. Its 3.5-inch display will give you a good view of where the fish are and also help keep you safe by showing you the bottom terrain where you are.

The included GPS navigational system is an excellent bonus feature. It will help you safely navigate your way around unfamiliar shallow areas and you can also mark your favorite fishing spots with waypoints.

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3. Humminbird 410210-1 HELIX 5 G2 Review – Best Seller

Dual channel CHIRP sonar

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You are already aware that I am a big fan of this excellent shallow-water fishfinder. That being said, my reviews are always based on the information and not emotional inclinations. This is one of Humminbird’s best-selling fishfinders for a reason. That means many other people share the same opinion as me.

It all starts with the excellent sonar that this model has. Its dual-channel CHIRP sonar will easily help you locate large schools of fish and then position yourself directly over them.

One of the better features of this model fishfinder is the high-resolution display. Even the best sonar can do you no good unless you have a quality display to show the information it gives you. This display is also nicely backlit for easy daytime viewing.

The GPS navigational aid is a nice bonus with this unit also. It can help you safely navigate your boat around in unfamiliar areas and you can even waypoint where your favorite fishing spots are.

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4. Humminbird 409640-1 HELIX 5 SI Review

Full 180 degree image of the water column underneath your boat

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One of the first endearing features of the Humminbird Helix 5 SI is the micro SD card slot that gives you the option and flexibility to add additional maps to the built-in GPS to expand your fishing territory.

The micro SD also gives you the ability to save waypoints to better track and navigate to and from entry points, and remember the best areas to cast. The waypoint saving is just one part of the expansive chart plotting system enabled by the precision GPS that also plots your speed.

In the water, the Helix 5 has side imaging and down imaging sonar that has dual cone coverage at 20°, 60°, and 85° options. When combined, the sonar gives a full 180-degree image of the water column underneath your boat.

The power of the high-frequency transducers is able to acquire target separation down to 2.5 inches of distance, giving you a more accurate view of what is actually lying in the water column, and how many fish you have to target.

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5. Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Review

The best affordable fish finder for beginners

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If you to find the best fish finder for beginners that does the job without breaking the bank, then Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder is an excellent option. The wired sonar sensor transducer makes this fish finder ideal for shallow waters.

Venterior VT-FF001 Fish Finder features a green backlight anti-UV LCD that allows you to read the transducer even on bright sunny days. With this fish finder, you can identify weeds, rocks, and sand on the river bank. Although you can locate the fish; however, you cannot judge the size of the fish.

Venterior VT-FF001 Fish Finder is ideal for all kinds of fishing, including ice fishing, as it actively operates in all temperatures between -20 to 70 degrees Celsius. The fish finder has a speed limit of 5mph and a 45° sensor beam angle, which works well in lakes, ponds, small rivers, and shallow water.

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6. LUCKY Portable Fish Finder Review

Efficiently provides instant depth readings.

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For a reasonable price, LUCKY Portable Fish Finder is another fantastic fish finder for shallow waters. The fish finder comes with an attractive fish lamp for shore anglers, making it easier to detect fishes in the dark.

LUCKY Portable Fish Finder is designed to show the fish location, water temperature, water depth, bottom contour, and others underwater. With LUCKY Portable Fish Finder’s stimulation feature, you can easily locate fishes underwater even if the transducer is not in the water.

With an operational temperature between -10°C to 50°C. LUCKY Fish Finder is an excellent device for sea fishing, ice fishing, river fishing, kayak fishing, fishing off the shore, or fishing in the night.

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7. Lowrance 000-12635-001 Hook-3X Review

Affordable price and easy to install

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Lawrance is a very popular name among fishermen because of the quality fishfinders they produce and this model is no exception. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s not a quality fishfinder because you can buy it for an affordable price. It will do the trick nicely for you and this is an extremely small boat, friendly model.

It has sonar frequencies of 83kHz to help you find where the fish are and 200kHz to help place you over and identify those fish. It is a very simple but effective system to get you to a fishing spot that increases your chances for success.

Not only will this unit help you find your next fish dinner but it’s very easy to install too. It even comes with all the mounting hardware you need to do that. You can literally have it set up and running in less than one hour. This is true even if you are not mechanical like me.

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8. HawkEye Fishtrax 1C with HD Color Virtuview Display Review

 Portable finder that helps you fish everywhere

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The Hawkeye Fishtrax is the fishfinder for the angler that loves to cast a lure in different types of water, and on different types of boats. The transducer has three different options for placement; a portable mode that lets you fish from the shore or a kayak, a shoot-through for smaller vessels, and a boat mount for larger boats.

You can quickly and easily change the position of the transducer to meet changing conditions and locations quickly and easily. The transducer can be used for trolling or floated to further increase the portability and flexibility of this finder.

The screen on the Hawkeye Fishtrax 1C is an HD color display that is glare-free and is White SoftGlowâ„¢ backlit to provide ultra-clear readability in cloudy or sunny conditions. The readout gives you a highly accurate reading of the dual beam sonar. Built-in adaptable software uses the data received to learn topography and fish forms to reduce the occurrence of false fish readings.

In addition to finding fish and displaying depth, the Hawkeye also measures and displays water temperature as it changes through the depth of the water column. This is handy, as fish tend to prefer to hang out in thermoclines, which are the areas where different water temperatures meet.

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The Conclusion – Give Yourself A Better Chance For Success When Fishing In Shallow Water

I was one of those fishermen that were skeptical at first about spending the money on a fishfinder. Now, I will never leave my dock without one on board. Having a fishfinder is the only sure way of knowing that there are even fish in the area where your boat is.

All of these model fish finders reviewed here will do the trick nicely for you and are not considered expensive as far as fish finders go. Once you add a fishfinder to your boat, it will significantly add to your confidence that you will catch fish every time you are out on the water.