Have you been scrolling through all the Garmin fish finder reviews trying to work out which Garmin fish finder will suit you best?
Well, you can stop all that marine electronics research. I’ve already scrolled through all the Garmin fish finder reviews to bring you the best Garmin fishfinders around.
Have a quick look at the top three Garmin fishfinders from the lineup…
Modern fish finders like Garmin fishfinders are some of the best on the market. They also make some of the best portable fish finders available.
Garmin FishFinders help you find fish with ease. You will quickly become a pro at finding fish with Garmin fish finders.
They’re durable, reliable, and give great images of what’s beneath the surface, but which is the best fish finder for you? Keep reading to find out.
The Best From The Review
Top Pick
Garmin Striker Plus 5cv
A unit that has most of the Garmin features. It has a good screen size while also being affordable for most.
Garmin Striker Plus 5cv
The all-around best Garmin fish finder is the Striker Plus 5cv.
It has GPS, great scanning features, gives awesome detailed images and the screen is a solid size of 5 inches for easy viewing.
It does all this while still being quite affordable for all.
Best Value
Garmin Striker 4cv
Small and portable, it has GPS, gives you small but detailed images, and has flasher mode.
Garmin Striker 4cv
The best Garmin fish finder for those on a budget is the Striker 4cv. It’s affordable while being versatile.
This Garmin is portable so you can use it anywhere, gives you awesome images, and comes with some of the best features like GPS, ClearVu, and flasher mode.
Editor’s Choice
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv
One of the best Garmin fishfinders around. Comes with great scanning sonar features and the GPS fishfinder feature lets you load charts and maps via an SD card port.
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv
The best Garmin Fish finder in my eyes is the Garmin echoMAP Plus 93sv. It is the most expensive of them but it also has the best features.
The screen is the biggest at 9 inches, the GPS lets you add maps and comes with LakeVu maps preloaded, and it does every kind of scanning you could ever want, down scanning, side scanning, and CHIRP.
Our Best Garmin Fish Finders
Garmin Striker 4 Plus with Dual Beam
Affordable and durable fish finder that comes with dual-beam CHIRP technology to give you crystal clear imaging of what’s beneath the water
Garmin Striker 4 Plus with Dual Beam
The Garmin Striker 4 Plus fish finder is one of their most affordable units, and this fish finder comes with a portable kit so you can use it anywhere on any vessel from a boat to a kayak.
The transducer comes with an easy to install suction cup mount so you can put it anywhere from your hull to your trolling motors.
Then just whip it off and take it home at the end of the day.
The portability of this unit makes it a good choice as a fish finder for a small vessel or a kayak.
Sonar
The Striker 4 comes with a dual-beam CHIRP technology that gives you a nice clear image of what’s beneath the surface on the display.
The Striker 4 Plus fish finder comes with a 4-inch screen that’s easy to see.
It also splits so you can view GPS and the scanning sonar at the same time.
GPS
The built-in GPS system lets you plan routes, mark waypoints, and it’ll even map contours for you. You can’t add maps to it however.
The display of the Striker 4 fish finder is both durable and waterproof but the mount it comes with doesn’t last very long annoyingly.
Specs
- Size Display: 4.3 inch
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: No
- Waterproofing: IPX 7
- Power: 200 W RMS
- Frequency: 50/77/83/200 kHz
- Sonar: Dual-beam CHIRP
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: NA
- T-ducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 1600 ft fresh, 750 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes
- Water Temp: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- Easy to read color display
- Portable for use on a small boat, kayaks, and ice fishing
- Split-screen to see GPS and sounder at once
- Comes with a GPS included
- Includes Garmin Quickdraw Contours Mapping for custom maps
- Durable and waterproof
- Comes with a dual-beam CHIRP transducer
- Provides accurate and detailed images
Cons
- You can’t add maps to the GPS
- The display mount isn’t very durable
Garmin Striker Plus 7Cv
The Striker Plus 7Cv fish finder is another one of the Striker Series.
Like the 4, it’s easy to use but this fish finder features more useful technology, a bigger screen, and better reviews.
Display
The Striker Plus 7Cv fish finder comes with a 7-inch screen, making split-screen and viewing data a lot easier than on something smaller.
It uses Garmin CHIRP scanning sonar technology to give you a crisp detailed image quality and uses high-frequency waves for the ClearVu feature.
Sonar
ClearVu is there to provide a means to focus on what’s on the bottom directly under your boat and offers high-definition images that are way more detailed than what you’ll see with CHIRP technology.
It’s the best for drift fishing or when you’re on anchor as you’ll see every fish that comes along.
GPS
Being part of the Garmin Striker series, this fish finder also comes with GPS capabilities for marking waypoints, seeing your speed, plotting routes, and mapping contours. Unfortunately you can’t add any maps to it though.
You can also connect your mobile to this unit to see notifications on the fish finder via the ActiveCaptain app.
Specs
- Size Display: 7 inch
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: No
- Waterproofing: IPX 7
- Power: 500 W (RMS)
- Frequency: 50/77/200 kHz, CHIRP (mid and high), ClearVü 260/455/800 kHz
- Sonar: Chirp, Traditional sonar, ClearVü
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: NA
- Transducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 2300 ft fresh, 1100 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes, and ClearVü
- Water Temp: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- GPS mode gives accurate location and speed
- Large display for use in all-weather conditions
- ClearVu gives super-accurate picture like images
- Simple and easy user interface
- Split-screen into 3 to see multiple displays
- Waterproof and durable build
- Connects to your smartphone
- Includes Garmin Quickdraw Contours Mapping
Cons
- You can download any maps to the GPS
Editor’s Choice
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv
One of the best Garmin fishfinders around. Comes with great scanning sonar features and the GPS feature lets you load charts and maps via an SD card port.
Garmin echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv
The echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv fish finder is one of the best Garmin fishfinders around.
This is not only based on the reviews, it’s also because the GPS on this one lets you load charts and maps via an SD card port, rather than having to make your own like with the striker series.
Sonar
The echoMAP CHIRP Plus 93sv fish finder comes with both Garmin CHIRP scanning sonar, ClearVu, and SideVu, the best scanning sonar features around.
Garmin CHIRP is perfect for cruising, ClearVU gives you bottom detail, and SideVu lets you scan to the side of your vessel to search for fish that you haven’t disturbed with your trolling motor yet.
Display
The color display on this Garmin Echomap is one of the best.
Firstly it’s the biggest with a 9-inch screen, and you can split into 3 or even 4 views. It’s also easy to use, and you see all the details so you can catch the fish you’re after.
While larger screens allow you to see more and the image is often clearer, this also makes the entire unit larger. If you’re in a kayak or a smaller vessel, then a larger model might not be suited for you.
Maps
A bonus to this fish finder is that it comes with LakeVu pre-loaded mapping for free, giving you the charts for some of the best lakes to fish in North America.
The only downside is the user manual, it’s not that easy to understand. Plus this fish finder is quite expensive due to all the technology in the scanning sonar and the large 9-inch display.
If you want, you can click this link to check out an alternative option to the Garmin echo Map Plus.
Specs
- Size Display: 9 in.
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W (RMS) / 4,000 W (peak to peak)
- Frequency: 50/77/200 kHz
- Sonar: Dual, CHIRP, ClearVu, SideVu
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: 32Gb micro sd card
- Transducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 2300 ft fresh, 1100 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- Great transducer for detailed images
- SideVu and DownVu let you focus on
- Large display that’s easy to read
- Great in-built GPS and you can download charts to it
- Great memory and easy data transfer with the SD card slot
- Comes with LakeVu maps preloaded for free
- Simple to install
- Intuitive interface
Cons
- Not the best user manual
- Expensive
Garmin Echomap UHD 74Cv
One of the best Garmin fish finder for sea fishing as the GPS part comes with blueChart® G3 coastal maps preloaded.
Garmin Echomap UHD 74Cv
The Garmin Echomap UHD 74Cv fish finder does well in reviews and is one of the best Garmin fish finder for sea fishing as the GPS part comes with BlueChart® G3 coastal maps preloaded, so you don’t have to buy any.
It’s almost the same as the Echomap 93 above except the screen is a little smaller and it doesn’t have SideVu, but it is less expensive.
Sonar
The transducer uses Garmin CHIRP Sonar and ClearVu to give you some of the best fish finder images around on the large 7-inch screen.
The screen splits into 3 and you can have the sounder on one, GPS on another, and ClearVu on the last one, to see all the data at once.
It’ll also tell you the tides for your area, lets you record and replay sonar, and you can use Quickdraw to map the bottom for yourself.
GPS
The GPS is super accurate and comes with an SD card slot for saving and transferring all your data. Though it should come as no surprise, as Garmin makes some of the best handheld GPS for fishing.
You can also use it to upload data and add maps too.
The only negatives are that it is hard to get your head around how to work all the features at first.
You can read this review of another 7-inch fish finder if you’re looking for an alternative or want to compare the EchoMap 74Cv to its competitor.
Specs
- Size Display: 7 in.
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: Yes
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W (RMS) / 4,000 W (peak to peak)
- Frequency: 50/77/200 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, Dual-beam, ClearVu
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: 1 microSD card
- Transducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 2,300 ft freshwater, 1,100 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes
- Wi-Fi: Yes
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- Shows you the tide tables
- Records sonar and you can rewind to review the data
- Excellent images
- Large easy to read display
- Simple to use and navigate with
- Split the screen to see multiple views
- Great GPS and comes with blueChart® G3 coastal maps preloaded
- Includes Quickdraw Contours custom HD mapping software
Cons
- Takes a little while to understand all the features
Best Value
Garmin Striker 4CV
Small and portable, it has GPS, gives you detailed but small images, and has flasher mode.
Garmin Striker 4CV
The Striker 4CV is similar to the 4 plus we checked out at the start except they swapped out contour mapping for ClearVu, which is probably more useful, I’d rather be able to focus down than have a contour map.
The display in this unit is not the best, it’s the smallest of them all at 3.5 inches which does make it hard to read.
GPS
It is, however, portable, has GPS, gives you detailed but small images, and has flasher mode, making it a fish finder perfect for ice fishing.
Flasher mode is the best for stationary fishing, like ice fishing or jigging.
Flasher
The flasher will show you the bottom, your bait, the depth of fish as they swim through the sonar, and if fish swim towards or away from your bait.
It’s a great portable fish finder overall, you’ll just have to get past the small screen and the fact you can’t add maps to the GPS.
If you want to know more details about the Striker 4, here’s an in-depth review of the Garmin Striker 4.
Specs
- Size Display: 3.5 in.
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: No
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 300 W (RMS)
- Frequency: Traditional: 50/77/200 kHz, CHIRP (mid and high), ClearVü: 260/455/800 kHz
- Sonar: Dural, CHIRP, ClearVu
- GPS: Yes
- Transducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 1,750 ft freshwater, 830 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- Use the GPS to mark and return to docks, ramps, and fishing spots
- Portable for use anywhere on any vessel
- Comes with flasher mode for bottom fishing
- Easy to navigate with and shows speed, heading, and more
- Split the screen to see multiple views at once
- Gives detailed images
Cons
- The size of the screen is a little small
- You can’t add maps to the GPS
- No contour mapping software included
Top Pick
Garmin Striker Plus 5cv
A unit that has most of the Garmin features. It has a good screen size while also being affordable for most.
Garmin Striker Plus 5cv
The Striker Plus 5cv is probably the best fish finder of all of the Garmin Striker series, and the reviews think so too.
It has most of the Garmin fish finding features, it’s affordable for most and the screen is a good size too.
Display
It has a 5-inch screen, it’s not huge but 5 inches is better than 4 and way less expensive than 7. The 5-inch screen is easy to read and you can split the 5 inches into 3 so you can see 3 different views at once.
Sonar
The Striker Plus 5cv uses both CHIRP and ClearVu to give you awesome detail when cruising and when you want to focus on the bottom. The GPS is simple to use and includes QuickDraw contour mapping, but you can’t add other maps like with all the Striker finders.
Specs
- Size Display: 5 inch
- Display: Color
- Touch Screen: No
- Waterproofing: IPX7
- Power: 500 W (RMS)
- Frequency: Traditional: 50/77/200 kHz, CHIRP (mid and high), ClearVü 260/455/800 kHz
- Sonar: CHIRP, Dual, ClearVu
- GPS: Yes
- GPS Memory: Internal
- Transducer: Included
- Maximum Depth: 1,750 ft freshwater, 830 ft saltwater
- CHIRP: Yes
- Wi-Fi: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Water temperature: Yes
Pros
- Built-in Garmin Quickdraw Contours mapping
- Built-in GPS lets you mark waypoints, create routes and view the boat’s speed
- Super detailed images
- Easy to read 5-inch display with a good screen size
- Durable waterproof build
- Easy to use
Cons
- Can’t download maps to it
Garmin STRIKER Plus 7sv
King of the Garmin Striker units with the biggest screen around and all the scanning and GPS features
Garmin STRIKER Plus 7sv
The Striker 7sv Plus is the king of the Garmin Striker units with the biggest screen around, has all the scanning like down scanning to side scanning, and has GPS features, but it is the most expensive Garmin Striker too.
Display
The Striker 7sv lcd screen display takes it up a notch from 5 inches to 7 and splits into 3 for multiple views. It’s a simple unit to use and the interface is intuitive for anyone, even my mum understands it.
Sonar
The Garmin Striker 7sv comes with all the tech you could want including; CHIRP, SideVu, and ClearVu. This means you’ll have the best images for cruising, looking down and to the side of your vessel while searching for fish.
GPS
The GPS is like all the others in the Striker series and comes with QuickDraw for contour mapping, escort with the 7sv you can connect it to your phone via wifi connectivity to utilize the Active Captain app for sharing contour mapping with others, and you can get notifications on the display too.
Pros
- Comes with a transducer for CHIRP traditional sonar plus ClearVü and SideVü scanning
- With the GPS you can create routes, view your speed, and mark waypoints
- Wifi connects to your phone for notifications
- Connects to the Active Captain app
- Comes with Quick Draw
- Large split-screen for easy viewing
- Easy to use
Cons
- You can’t add maps to it
Who Are Garmin?
Garmin is a US-based company that’s a leader in depth sounding and GPS technology. They specialize in building devices for anyone from pilots and boat captains to fishermen and hikers.
If you need to know what’s beneath you, where you are, where you’ve been, and where you want to go, then Garmin has a device for you.
They make GPS watches, chart plotters, fish finders, and more.
History
Garmin was founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
Since then has sold over 13 million devices around the world to a bunch of happy customers.
They have constantly innovated their products…
They have constantly innovated their products to the point that they came out with Autoland in 2019 that can land a plane without any assistance from a pilot.
With technology like this inside them, you can be sure your finders are going to cut the biscuit too.
Are Garmin Fish Finders Popular?
Garmin fishfinders are one of the most popular finders on the market.
If you go to a marina and take a look at the fish finders in all the boats, you’re likely to see Garmin devices in at least 25% of them.
Check a Garmin Fish Finder in action on the video below…
Why Are They Popular?
Garmin’s popularity comes down to three things: reliability, excellent products, and great customer service.
Garmin fish finders don’t have malfunctions and freeze on you and they do exactly what they say they’re going to do, making them some of the best finders on the market.
There are no overselling or disappointed customers. And if something goes wrong, their customer service department is great at fixing it.
Is Garmin Better Than Lowrance?
It doesn’t take long while reading reviews of both Lowrance and Garmin fishfinders to realize how much better they are than Lowrance.
Garmin fish finders don’t glitch and if there is ever a problem, you can speak to someone at Garmin.
The fish finding seems good as well on Lowrance fish finders, but they glitch all the time and malfunction, rendering them unusable, and it can take you months to even hear from one of their customer service staff.
Why Buy Garmin Fish Finders?
Price & Quality
Garmin makes a great range of fish finders to suit everyone’s budget.
You can pick up a simple unit for just over 100 bucks, or you can spend over 500.
No matter what you spend, the quality doesn’t differ just the amount of features available.
The quality of each Garmin fish finder is excellent.
They do exactly what they say they will and have very few moments when they need some maintenance.
Features
The feature set offered by Garmin across their range of fish finders is second to none.
If you want to see side scanning images, down images, detailed shallow water sonar images, or what’s at the bottom of the deep blue sea, there is a Garmin fish finder that can do some of it or all of it.
Their fish finder features don’t end there though.
GPS
All of their fish finders come with GPS, and some of them let you add charts too, so you can mark, save, and return to your fishing spots with ease.
The GPS fishfinder also includes intelligent features that let you build a sonar map of the area you fish and can link to your phone or smartwatch for notifications, remote waypoint marking, and more.
If these features interest you, I wrote about marine GPS units in more detail here.
Warranty & Customer Support
Ever Garmin fish finder comes with a 1 or 2-year warranty against defects in materials or workmanship.
If something does go wrong, their customer service team is on hand to quickly resolve any issues you have.
What To Look For In A Fish Finder
Display
The display of your fish finder is probably the most important part as it’s where you see what’s happening beneath the surface.
Luckily, all the Garmin FishFinders in the review come with a color screen for target separation and are readable in bright sunlight, so all we need to think about is size.
Size
The bigger the fish finder screen size the easier it is to see. Simple right?
Not when you add the price tag, as the larger the display the more expensive the unit.
You also have to bear in mind that most Garmin units come as a GPS combo, and the screens split so you can see the GPS and sounder view at the same time.
RECOMMENDATION
My advice is to go for the largest screen you can afford, it’ll make seeing all the data a lot easier.
Transducers & Sonar Technology
Most Garmin sounders come with a transducer.
Transducer
The transducer is the part that does all the detecting and the sonar technology within it defines how detailed an image you’re going to see.
The state of the art high-end sounders uses multiple frequencies from 50-800 kHz.
Sonar waves of low frequency transducers penetrate to the bottom while high-frequency sonar waves pick up all the details in shallow water.
Sonar
There are three types of tech you need to be aware of when it comes to a Garmin fish finder; CHIRP sonar, SideVu, and ClearVu. The best fish finders have all three of these to give you a high definition image quality with incredible detail.
CHIRP Sonar
CHIRP sonar is the function you’d use the most while cruising around.
The military uses CHIRP sonar because it’s simply far more effective than dual frequency sonar.
It sends out both sonar frequencies at high and low-frequency waves at the same time, to give you a full image from bottom to top, so you can see most of everything beneath you.
ClearVu
ClearVu is a feature you’d use to focus on what’s beneath your boat.
It focuses the waves to give a more detailed image quality and can even show you a picture like representation so you can see the branches of a fallen tree or even ID the types of fish under your boat.
SideVu
SideVu is similar to ClearVu except it does side imaging instead of down imaging.
It lets you see what’s to the left or right of you, but as the waves go to the side, it won’t give you a depth reading.
I know there’s a lot of info on the fish finder screen, and some of you might not know what those data mean. Don’t worry. I got your back! Here’s a guide to reading fish finder data. Be sure to check it out and make the most out of your fishfinder.
Sounding Out
I hope you managed to find this article before you looked at all the best Garmin fish finder reviews and we managed to save you some timely research.
If you’ve ever pondered a more detailed answer to the question “what is a depth finder?” I can save you some time there as well.
Garmin does make great products that you can trust. I’ve used their watches, GPS’ and their fish finders, and they have never failed me.
If you’re still wondering which are the best Garmin fish finders from the review, let me lay them out for you.
Top Pick
The top allrounder is the Striker 5cv thanks to its sizable 5-inch screen and the great sounding premium features it has, plus it’s affordable for most.
Best on a Budget
The best budget fish finder option is the Striker 4cv thanks to its affordability, portability, and excellent features including ClearVu and flasher mode. You can take this unit anywhere and it’ll serve up crisp images no matter what.
Editor’s Choice
My personal favorite is the Echomap Plus 93sv.
It’s a chart plotter and sounder all in one that you can add maps to and comes with every bit of sounding technology you could ask for on your fishing trip. It’s the all in one unit that means you won’t have to buy any extras, like a chart plotter down the line.
Thanks for reading the article, the world of Garmin fishfinders is hopefully a lot clearer now. You can never know enough about these kinds of products before you buy, good on you for doing your research.
If you want to know more about other fishfinders check out our articles around the best Lowrance fish finders and Humminbird Helix 9 series review for some more info. And please share this around with your fishing mates if they need to clue up on Garmin too.
Happy sounding.
