If you fish on large bodies of water like the Great Lakes or in the ocean, then you know how hard it can be to find fish in and navigate around these huge areas.
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For The Money
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For Small Boats
There is so much room for the fish to hide in, and you never know when some weather might hit which can make getting back to the dock a bit of a dangerous guessing game.
Why Get a Fishfinder GPS Combo?
Having the best fishfinder GPS combo onboard your vessel makes life a lot easier and safer than traditional fish finders.
With GPS mapping you’ll always know your position, be able to navigate home with ease, and be able to find and see fish with the imaging sonar.
You’ll never spend time in a fish-less spot again, and when you do find them, you’ll be able to send your baits down to their exact depth.
Don’t get caught in the storm of opinions as I take a look at the best fishfinder GPS combo below…
The Top 3 Fishfinder GPS Combos From The Review
Let’s take a quick look at the Top 3 combos from the lineup…
Top Pick
Lowrance HDS-9 Live
One of the most comprehensive fishfinder GPS combo units for a larger boat and fishermen who want the opportunity to expand their boating electronics progressively.
Lowrance HDS-9 Live
The best fishfinder GPS combo overall is the Lowrance HDS-9 Live.
This device has the power to do it all and allows you to build your electronics set up in stages.
It comes with awesome sonar features including CHIRP, down, side, 3D, and forward scanning, plus a GPS with charts and awesome networking including wireless.
Over time you can also add radar, autopilot, and more to the model.
Best Combo For The Money
Simrad Go-9 XSE
One of the best fish finders for offshore fishing because of its accurate gps,awesome charts, and sonar features.
Simrad Go-9 XSE
The best fishfinder GPS combo for the money is the Simrad Go-9 XSE fish finder.
This device has an accurate GPS, awesome charts, and sonar features that scan to the bottom, down in detail, and to the side.
You can also add to the device model as you go with the option to network radar, autopilot, and more, all for half the price of other fish finders with similar capabilities.
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For Small Boats
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
A great middle ground fish finder GPS combo. It’s small enough for a kayak, small boat, and even a large boat
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
The best fish finder GPS device for small boats is the Humminbird Helix 5.
This fish finder is light, small enough for kayak and canoe anglers, has accurate CHIRP sonar, GPS, is easy to use, and is compatible with excellent charts like Navionics.
You can also purchase a portable kit for the fish finder so you can take it anywhere and switch it from boat to boat.
Our Best Fishfinder GPS Combos
Now let’s proceed with the entire lineup…
Garmin Striker Plus 4
The Garmin Striker 4 is one of the most affordable fish finders with GPS and the most versatile on the market. The Garmin Striker 4 is portable and works on small boats, large boats, kayaks, and you can even carry it ice fishing.
The Garmin Striker 4 comes with a display unit, transducer, battery, charger, transom mount transducer, mounts, and a protective carrying case.
Everything you need to get started fishing with it the day it arrives.
Display
The display size on the Garmin Striker 4 is 3.5 inches.
This is a little smaller than average, but it’s a convenient size for portability and when fitting it on a small vessel such as when kayak fishing on local lakes.
The screen is in color and has excellent brightness and resolution so that you can read it in all light conditions, even direct sunlight.
You can also split the screen on the Garmin Striker 4 into two so you can see for example your GPS and scanning sonar at the same time, ideal when navigating and looking for fish.
GPS
The GPS on this Garmin Striker fishfinder GPS combo is accurate to 20 meters and quickly puts a fix on your position. With it, you can plan routes, see your tracks, and mark waypoints of any good fishing areas you find.
You can’t use charts with any Garmin Striker fishfinder GPS combo but they do come with Garmin Quickdraw that creates 1ft bottom contour maps for you while you fish, giving you super detailed charts of the areas you spend time in.
This Garmin Striker fish finder GPS combo uses dual spectrum CHIRP sonar to give you detailed images of what’s beneath you up to 1,600 ft freshwater and 750 ft saltwater.
Sonar
The CHIRP sonar is super accurate, has a wide cone angle, and when combined with the Fish ID feature, you’ll be able to see what fish are under you, what depth they are at, and what the bottom looks like, and if there is any fish-holding structure down there like a sunken tree.
The Garmin Striker fish finder GPS combo also comes with a built-in flasher that is perfect for any vertical fishing or ice angling. When using the flasher, you’ll be able to see the bottom depth, your bait depth, and any fish that swim by.
You can even watch the fish follow your bait and eat or refuse it so you can plan your fishing tactics accordingly.
Specs
- Size Display: 3.5 inches
- Display: Color
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 200 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/77/200 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP
- Flasher: Yes
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: Internal
- Charts: No
- Transducer: Portable
- Depth: 1,600 ft freshwater, 750 ft saltwater
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temp: Yes
Pros
- Portable, durable and waterproof
- Included flasher for vertical jigging and ice fishing
- Comes with a protective cover for ice fishing
- Perfect for kayaks and small boats
- Accurate GPS for navigation and marking good fishing spots
- It makes contour maps for you with Quickdraw
- Good Fish ID feature helps you read the imaging sonar
- Accurate sonar images with CHIRP
- A-scope lets you watch the sonar in real-time
- Affordable
Cons
- The screen is a tad small
- It doesn’t work with any charts
Lowrance Elite-7 Ti2
The Lowrance Elite-7 Ti2 fish finder GPS combo is one of the best fish finder GPS units for small and large boats with a 12-volt battery to power it with.
It’s not portable, and it is a little large for vessels like kayaks and will likely take up too much hull and console space.
This Lowrance fish finder GPS combo comes with a screen size of 7 inches, which is about average in the fish finder GPS combo world, and more than enough for easy reading.
Display
It is sunlight readable, waterproof, durable and you can split the screen into 4 views.
This Lowrance GPS fish finder is easy to use thanks to the touch screen.
You can scroll through all the features with ease, just like you would on a tablet, and it’s all pretty intuitive once you get going.
The features and capabilities of the fish finder device are however a little tough to get your head around at first and you’ll want to spend some time learning how to use it.
Sonar
The Elite Ti2 GPS fish finders and capable of a lot of different scanning sonar features including CHIRP, DownScan, and SideScan.
The dual spectrum CHIRP sonar on this fishfinder works to a water depth of 1000ft with a wide cone angle and gives you super-accurate readings of the entire water column.
Down and SideScan don’t go quite as deep as CHIRP but give you way more detail and are perfect for when you want to hone in on something.
Downscan
DownScan will show exactly where game fish are sitting for example, around a wreck you have found, while Side Scan shows you if there are fish you might have missed on the left or right of you.
Downscan works with the included HDI transom mount transducer but SideScan is only included with the upgrade to an Active Imaging fish finder transducer.
GPS
The GPS tech on these fish finders is super accurate and with it, you can save 3000 waypoints,100 routes, and 100 trails with up to 10,000 points per trail on to the included C-Map US charts.
The charts give you 1ft contour maps with hazards and features of freshwater and coastal regions of the US.
Mapping
You can also use Navionics or Insight maps with these fish finder GPS combos if you prefer them, and use Insight Genesis for self-mapping using your sonar data.
To top it all off, this GPS fish finder also has wireless that you can use to link it to your smartphone for on-screen notifications, download software updates, link to Insight Genesis, and download new charts.
Specs
- Size Display: 7-inch
- Display: Color touchscreen
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/83/200/455/800 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, DownScan
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 1000ft
- WiFi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temp: Yes
Pros
- Large screen size that is easy to read
- Touch screen display for easy use and menu search
- Accurate sonar images with CHIRP
- Super detailed sonar with DownScan
- SideScan is available with an Active Imaging transducer (upgrade)
- Accurate GPS capabilities for route planning and waypoint marking
- Built-in wireless for mobile notifications, easy software updates, and more
- Comes with C-Map US charts and works with Insight and Navionics charts
- Self-mapping technology with the Insight Genesis feature
- Control Power-Pole® anchors and MotorGuide® Xi5 Trolling Motor from the display unit
- You can split the screen into 4 views for all your info in one place
- Fish Reveal feature makes spots fish on the sonar a lot easier
- Broadband sounder enhances image clarity for better definition
Cons
- The price range is a little high
- No built-in flasher for vertical fishing
- Hard to understand at first
- Not portable
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For Small Boats
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
A great middle ground fish finder GPS combo. It’s small enough for a kayak, small boat, and even a large boat
Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2
The Humminbird HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 is a great middle ground fish finder GPS combo.
It’s small enough for a kayak, small boat, and even a large boat, plus you can buy a portable kit for it if you want a fish finder GPS combo for ice angling.
Display
This Humminbird Helix fishfinder combo has a display size of 5 inches, large enough to see all the on-screen details clearly, and small enough to mount in tight space on a small boat or kayak.
You can split the screen into two views and the excellent contrast and backlight make it readable in all light conditions, even direct sunlight.
Sonar
This Humminbird Helix fish finder comes with CHIRP sonar for accurate images in depths up to 1500ft. It’ll show you everything from fish, debris, bottom type, and any fish folding structures you go over.
You can also use the SwitchFire feature to control exactly how much detail you see, allowing you to remove clutter and focus specifically on targets like fish and structure.
Are There Map Options?
The GPS feature is accurate to 20 meters and with it, you can see your position, heading, boat speed, and save up to 100 routes, tracks, and 3000 waypoints on the included Humminbird basemap.
You also have the option to add your own charts and the fish finder is compatible with both LakeMaster and Navionics. You can also create your own charts with the self-mapping technology called AutoChart Live.
This fish finder is easy to use for beginners. The software is intuitive and the installation of the included transom mountable fish finder transducer is easy, just drill some holes in your boat for the transom mount, lock on the transducer and connect it to the display.
Specs
- Size Display: 5-inch
- Display: Color
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/83/200 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 1500ft
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- Shock-resistant and waterproof display
- Accurate GPS capabilities for navigation
- Works with multiple charts
- The included basemap is very detailed
- Excellent sonar images with CHIRP sonar
- Good screen size that is easy to read in all conditions
- Self-mapping with the Autochart Live feature
- SwitchFire feature lets you control how much sonar detail you see
- Simple and easy to use
- Affordable
Cons
- No flasher for vertical fishing
- No wireless networking
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For The Money
Simrad Go-9 XSE
One of the best fish finders for offshore fishing due to its accurate gps, awesome charts, and sonar features.
Simrad Go-9 XSE
The Simrad Go-9 XSE fish finder GPS combo is one of the best fish finders for offshore fishing with offshore feature add-ons like radar and auto-routing that make crossing heavily trafficked areas a lot easier which aren’t that useful in freshwater but great to have in the ocean.
Display
The Simrad Go-9 XSE comes with a large 9-inch touchscreen that is crystal clear and easy to read in every light condition.
The touchscreen is incredibly responsive and helps you work through the abundant features logically which are super helpful as there are so many to get your head around.
This fishfinder comes with an abundance of scanning sonar features including traditional sonar, CHIRP sonar, Down Imaging sonar, Side Imaging sonar, and is even capable of forward scanning with an updated transducer.
Sonar
It works down to a max of 1000ft and has every angle covered where a fish could want to hide.
The fishfinder also comes with a scanning sonar feature called StructureScan HD which merges both sides and down scans into one image to give you a fully rounded view of everything that is under your boat, ideal when you want to know where fish are sitting around a wreck for example and even how big they are.
How’s the positioning system?
The GPS and navigation capabilities on this fishfinder are better than most. It does the usual route planning, tracks, and waypoints plus you can set up Auto-routing with Navionics or with the included C-Map Pro that will plan the quickest and safest route for you.
You can also use radar to navigate heavily trafficked areas and use TripIntel that will let you know how far you can go on your remaining fuel, and record all your trip information like distance traveled, the route taken, max speed, fuel used, and more.
Connectivity
To top it all off, this fishfinder also has wireless.
You can connect it to a tablet to see and even control it from there, or mirror it on your smartphone so you don’t have to sit next to the screen the whole time.
The wireless also makes downloading software updates, new maps, and syncing data on the self-mapping tool Insight Genesis a breeze too.
Specs
- Size Display: 9-inch
- Display: Color Touchscreen
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W RMS
- Frequency: 83/200/455/800 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, Down and Side Imaging
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 1000ft
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- Large easy to use and read touch screen
- Multiple sonar features for excellent imaging
- Super accurate GPS for easy navigation
- Includes C-Map Pro charts and the model is compatible it many others
- The model works with radar and auto-routing
- You can control a MotorGuide Xi5 Trolling Motor with it
- Comes with wireless for easy software updates, map downloads, and connecting to your phone or tablet
- Capable of forward scanning with an upgraded transducer
- Day planning with TripIntel technology
- Self-mapping with Insight Genesis
Cons
- It’s quite expensive
- Takes a while to learn all the features
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 93sv
Comes with all the navigation and sonar features you need to find fish in lakes, rivers, and the ocean.
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 93sv
The Garmin Echomap UHD 93sv fish finder comes with all the navigation and sonar features you need to find fish in lakes, rivers, and the ocean.
Display
The Garmin Echomap fish finder has a large 9-inch display that is readable in all conditions.
You can split the screen into 4 views too so you can watch multiple sonar views and your chart at the same time, showing all the fish finding info you could need in one place.
Sonar
The Garmin Echomap fish finder comes with CHIRP sonar, ClearVu, and SideVu and will read depths of up to 2300ft.
CHIRP gives you detailed images of the entire water column while ClearVu is ideal for focussing on fish-holding structures where extra detail is a must, and SideVu ensures you don’t miss any fish that are on either side of your boat.
This Garmin fish finder will even record your sonar data so you can rewind and review it later to study where you caught fish and even go back a mark as a waypoint you might have missed.
GPS
The GPS on this Garmin Echomap fish finder is accurate to 20 meters and does everything you’d expect like route planning, tracking logging and waypoint marking.
The fish finder comes with U.S. LakeVü g3 charts preloaded giving you 1ft contour maps of over 17000 US lakes, so you can plan your fishing experience based on depths and fishy areas, and navigate with ease.
Mapping
If you’re a sea fisherman, you can add coastal charts like Navionics, and the fish finder will even create charts using your sonar data with the Garmin Quickdraw feature.
In terms of networking, the Garmin Echomap comes with NMEA ports for engine data and wireless for easy updates, map purchases, linking it to your phone or tablet for mirroring, notifications, and remote control.
Specs
- Size Display: 9 inch
- Display: Color Touchscreen
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/77/200/260/455/800/1200 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, ClearVu, SideVu
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 2300ft
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- Large, crystal clear touchscreen display
- All the sonar features to see everything around your boat
- Excellent max depth of 2300ft
- Comes with U.S. LakeVü g3 charts preloaded
- Accurate GPS for easy navigation
- Records sonar history so you can review it
- NMEA networking for engine data
- Self-mapping with QuickDraw
- Wireless for linking to your smartphone and easy updated
- Easy to navigate around the software with the touchscreen
Cons
- A little expensive
- Quite large for a small boat
Humminbird Helix 10 G4N MEGA Di+
A big fish finder suited for a large boat. This unit has a great display and sonar features that can help make fishing a breeze.
Humminbird Helix 10 G4N MEGA Di+
The Humminbird Helix 10 G4N MEGA Di+ is another big fish finder suited for a large boat, as it’s a bit too big for slotting onto a smaller console or a kayak.
Display
This Humminbird Helix fish finder comes with a huge 10-inch display making it as easy as possible to see all the sonar details, especially when you split the screen into 4 for multiple views.
The sonar features on the Humminbird Helix 10 are very comprehensive and include CHIRP sonar for trolling and protecting down to 1200ft, plus down, side, and Mega down scanning that gives you up to 20% more detail than normal down scanning.
With all these features, there will be nowhere left for the fish to hide and you’ll see every part of every bottom structure with ease.
Mega 360 Imaging
You can even use Mega 360 imaging that scans 125ft in every direction to give you a holistic view of everything that’s sitting under your boat.
You can also tailor how much detail the sonar shows you on the screen with SwitchFire mode, helping you eliminate clutter like debris and focus on the important things like fish.
GPS
The GPS on this fish finder lets you plan routes, see your tracks, and mark waypoints on the included Humminbird Basemap. The Basemap has a lot of detail including shallow water shading, bottom contours, hazards, buoys, and day markers to help you cruise around safely and identify good fishing spots.
Mapping
With its mapping capabilities, you can also add your own charts like LakeMaster and Navionics to the fish finder for easy GPS plotting and charting.
It will also self map or create maps of your fishing areas with AutoChart Live, giving you the most detailed maps of the areas you frequent on the device.
This fish finder also comes with good networking options including NMEA for engine data, ethernet for linking two units together, using radar and autopilot, and Bluetooth connectivity for smartphone notifications, software, and map updates on the device.
Specs
- Size Display: 10-inch
- Display: Color
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/83/200/455/800/1200 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, Down Imaging, Side Imaging, Mega DI, Mega 360
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 1200ft
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- A super large 10-inch screen that is easy to read
- Excellent networking options to link to add ons like radar, autopilot, engine data, and more
- Bluetooth connectivity for easy updates and smartphone notifications
- Awesome sonar features including Mega Di and Mega 360 for the ultimate detail
- Control how much sonar detail you see with Switchfire
- Self map your fishing areas using AutoChart Live
- Accurate GPS plotter for navigating with easy and marking fishing spots
- Comes with a detailed basemap and is compatible with other charts like Navionics
Cons
- It’s very expensive
- Understanding and using all the features is a bit complicated
Top Pick
Lowrance HDS-9 Live
One of the most comprehensive fishfinder GPS combo units for a larger boat and fishermen who want the opportunity to expand their boating electronics progressively.
Lowrance HDS-9 Live
The Lowrance HDS-9 Live is one of the most comprehensive fishfinder GPS combo units for a larger boat and fishermen who want the opportunity to expand their boating electronics progressively.
You can add modules like weather, radar, auto-routing, autopilot, and more to build your ultimate boat electronics network from one fish finder.
Display
This Lowrance HDS Live fish finder comes with a crystal clear touchscreen display for ease of use and easy reading. It’s clear as day in all light conditions thanks to the brightness and excellent contrast.
With a large size of 9 inches, you can split the Lowrance HDS display screen into 6 different panels if you want to, and see every bit of sonar, navigation, and more on the device all at once.
Sonar
The sonar features included with the Lowrance HDS seem never-ending
You can use the CHIRP sonar for a detailed image of the entire water column, get extra details of fish and structure and what’s to the side of your boat with DownScan and SideScan, plus overlay them all together in 3D with StructureScan.
What does StructureScan do?
StructureScan 3D will give you almost picture-like details of the bottom in 3D showing you exactly what bottom structure you’re seeing, such as a wreck or a pinnacle, and exactly where the fish are sitting around, what depth they are at, and even how big they are.
A tool like this will enhance your fishing experience to no end as you’ll have the ability to target your catch with pinpoint precision on this device.
In addition, these Lowrance HDS Live fish finders also come with Live Sight that scans in front of your boat.
NOTE
It’s a great tool for night fishing so you don’t hit any shallow water, and is handy for seeing what’s coming in terms of fish life so you can adjust your speed accordingly.
GPS
The Lowrance HDS fish finder also comes with accurate GPS for route planning, marking waypoint, saving tracks, auto-routing, and autopilot. It works with Navionics, Insight, and comes with C-Map US preloaded giving you 1ft contour maps of 4000 US lakes. It’ll even make custom maps for you using your sonar data and the Insight Genesis feature.
Networking
From a networking perspective, the Lowrance HDS 9 Live has it all including NMEA, ethernet, wireless, and Bluetooth.
You can link the device to see engine data, add radar and weather, download maps, software, and connect it to your phone or tablet for notifications, mirroring, and remote control.
All these awesome features do come at a price though, in both struggling to understand them and by burning a large hole in your wallet. But, if you want the best fish finder GPS combo, you’ll have to spend a bit to get it.
Specs
- Size Display: 9-inch
- Display: Color Touchscreen
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: Up to 1000W RMS
- Frequency: 50/83/200/455/800kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, DownScan, SideScan, Structure Scan, Live Sight
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: 2 x SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 1500ft
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- Large waterproof touchscreen display that splits into 6 panels
- Accurate GPS for easy routing planning
- You can add modules to the device including weather, radar, auto-pilot, and more
- Awesome sonar capabilities with CHIRP, Down, Side, StructureScan, and Live Sight
- Works with a large range of charts and has C-Map US preloaded
- Excellent networking for creating a single vessel network
- Wireless and Bluetooth for linking your phone or tablet and easy software updates
- Self-mapping with Insight Genesis
Cons
- All the features take a while to understand
- It’s an expensive device
- A little too large a device for smaller vessels
Raymarine Axiom 7
A serious device that has all the sonar and navigation features any fishermen needs plus the ability to expand into radar, autopilot, and more.
Raymarine Axiom 7
The Raymarine Axiom 7 fish finder GPS combo is a serious device that has all the sonar and navigation features any fishermen needs plus the ability to expand into radar, autopilot, and more.
Display
The fishfinder combo device comes with a 7-inch color display that uses glass, excellent brightness, and resolution to deliver superb image quality. You can view the screen in all light conditions and easily spot fish or anything else on the sonar image.
It’s also a touchscreen display, making it easy to navigate around all the features, just like you would on a tablet.
Sonar
This fishfinder combo comes with all the sonar features you might need including CHIRP sonar, DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D.
You’ll be able to see everything from fish to debris that’s beneath you, to the side of you, plus all together in a picture like 3D view.
From a navigation perspective, this fishfinder combo has an accurate GPS with route planning, tracks, and the ability to make over 4000 waypoints.
Mapping
This GPS plotter and fish finder comes with Navionics+ charts that give you maps of 20000 US inland lakes and rivers plus US coastal coverage.
You can also link radar, autopilot, and more into it, ideal for navigating long distances and in high trafficked areas.
Networking
In terms of networking, this fishfinder combo has it all.
You can use wireless and Bluetooth for software updates, phone notifications, mirroring, and remote control.
There’s also NMEA and ethernet ports for engine data, syncing up radar and autopilot.
While this fishfinder GPS combo is impressive, it does take a while to learn how to use and all the awesome features make this high end fish finder rather expensive.
Specs
- Size Display: 7-inch
- Display: Color Touchscreen
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 600 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/83/200/455/800kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, DownVision, SideVision, RealVision 3D
- Flasher: No
- GPS: Yes
- Memory: 2 x SD card
- Charts: Yes
- Transducer: Yes
- Depth: 900ft
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Water Temperature: Yes
Pros
- Crystal clear glass touchscreen display
- Easy use of all the features thanks to the touch screen
- Every type of networking for creating a one vessel network
- Awesome sonar features for seeing excellent detail in every direction
- Lifelike clarity of what’s beneath with 3D sonar
- Comes with Navionics+ charts with maps of 20000 US lakes and the US coast
- Pair with your phone for notifications, mirroring, and remote control
- Accurate GPS for navigation and route planning
- Supports radar, autopilot, thermal cameras, audio integration, and more
Cons
- It takes time to learn how to use all the features
- The device is expensive
What are Fish Finder GPS Combos?
Fish finder GPS combos are devices that give you the ability to see and track your location and have sonar technology that provides you with detailed images of what is under your boat.
You’ll be able to see fish, bottom type, underwater structures, and navigate around marking good fishing spots on the GPS as you go.
They are a combination of a global positioning system and fish finder.
What’s Different from a Regular Fishfinder?
Your regular fish finder won’t come with an in-built GPS, meaning you won’t be able to know your position, mark waypoints of good fishing spots, plan routes, see your tracks, and know your speed.
Which fishfinder GPS combos are right for me?
The answer to this comes down to where you fish, your fishing style, your budget, and the size of your vessel.
If you’re on a budget or have a smaller vessel like a kayak or a 14ft center console, you won’t have space for a large unit, and you should stick with sizes of 7 inches and under.
Location
If you fish on lakes alone, then you might not want to have the ability to add extras like radar, and autopilot that comes with more expensive fish finders, as you’re not likely to use them in less trafficked areas or when covering smaller distances.
If you fish in the ocean and on larger vessels like 30ft sport fishers, then 9 inch plus models with the ability to add tools like radar, autopilot, and weather updates will be the most useful to get you from A to B safely.
Things to Consider When Looking for the Best Fish Finder GPS Combo
Display Quality, Type & Size
All the displays are clear and easy to read in all light conditions and what makes them clearer is their size. The displays in the review ranged from 3.5 inches to 10 inches and the bigger they are the easier it is to see the details.
We’d all like to have the largest screen possible, but do you have the space for it on your vessel, and is it within your budget?
Make sure to pick a screen size that fits on your vessel’s console with ease, and pick the biggest one within your budget.
When it comes to the type of display you have two options, touchscreen or keypad. Touchscreens are more expensive, but almost a third, but they are easier to use.
RECOMMENDATION
If your budget allows it, I’d recommend going for a touchscreen.
Integration of Navigation & Charts
Every unit in the review comes with an accurate GPS tech that lets you plan routes, see your tracks, and mark waypoints, but only the best fish finder GPS combos integrate charts of your area, autopilot, and auto-route planning.
Charts
Every unit in the review can use charts bar the Striker 4, and if your budget allows, picking a fish finder that is compatible with charts is highly recommended.
Charts like Navionics, C-Map, and Insight give you the bottom contour mapping of your area along with marinas, hazards, and more.
They make it easy to navigate safely, and you can read the bottom contours to find good fishing areas.
Self-Mapping
All the fish finder GPS combos in the review come with a self-mapping feature that uses your sonar data to create the most detailed bottom contour maps of where you fish.
This is an incredibly useful feature as you’ll begin to see the underwater terrain of where you fish and why more fish sit in certain places or not, giving you a greater understanding of their behavior to catch more of them.
Watch the self-mapping feature in action below…
Sonar Features
There are 4 types of sonar features that’ll come with most fish finders, and the one you must have is CHIRP. CHIRP sonar gives you the most detailed images of what’s beneath you in the entire water column and is the sonar feature you’ll use the most.
It’ll show you fish, structure, and even debris between your hull and the bottom so you can find fish and target them with ease.
Types
Beyond CHIRP is down, side, and 3D sonar.
The best fish finder GPS units will include all of these fishing tech and they are useful features for seeing more detail of structures like wrecks, where fish are holding, and if there are any fish holding on either side of your vessel.
They do add to your fishing experience but they are only included on expensive units, and may be outside of some budgets.
Networking and Finders
Not all of the units out there will come with networking, and if you want it you’ll have to pay a bit extra, but it is useful. With NMEA ports, ethernet ports, and wireless connectivity you can monitor your engines, add radar and autopilot, download maps and software updates easily, and even watch and control the unit from your phone.
Wireless
The most useful networking tool is wireless as being able to update the software, download maps, get phone notifications, view your display on your phone, and even control it means you don’t have to sit by the display the whole time and can move around the boat.
Sounding Out
Thanks for reading my article, I hope you enjoyed it and found the right unit for you.
It all comes down to balancing budget with size, features, and add ons.
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For The Money
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For Small Boats
If you have quite decided which marine electronics is right for you, here are the two I’d go for and why.
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For The Money
For anyone who fishes in the ocean, the Simrad GO-9 XSE is the most affordable unit with all the sonar, navigation, and possible add-on features you could need.
It scans in every direction for finding fish, uses excellent charts, has every networking option, and you can slowly add things like radar, weather, and autopilot.
Best GPS Fishfinder Combo For Small Boats
If you have a smaller vessel, fish in lakes, or are on a budget, then the Humminbird Helix is the one for you.
It’s a budget fish finder, uses great charts, has an accurate sonar, and isn’t too big for slotting into a mini console or put on a kayak.
Thanks again for reading, I hope you found it useful and I answered any questions you might have.
Please feel free to share the article around with anyone looking for a great fish finder, and if you’re ever looking for something new for catching fish, we’ve probably covered it.
Good luck finding all those fish.
