Portable Fish Finder

kdubracing · March 06, 2020, 01:54:49 PM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 06, 2020, 01:39:31 PM
I dont have my own, i rent a Jackson Coosa a handful of times to float the Shenendoah, but those mounts wont work on a john boat.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Sorry, forgot about the original post. I've seen a few guys that have made their own portable transducer mounts. I believe they used pvc and/or pool noodles. That may be a good way to go for you.

TheLastRodBender · March 06, 2020, 02:55:07 PM

Quote from: kdubracing on March 06, 2020, 01:54:49 PM
Sorry, forgot about the original post. I've seen a few guys that have made their own portable transducer mounts. I believe they used pvc and/or pool noodles. That may be a good way to go for you.

Yeah i think i got my setup, it's a multi-piece deal, but could end up being very easy to move around if it comes together the way i hope. If it works out on Sunday, i'll post some pics illustrating some of the versatility.

apiazza · March 07, 2020, 04:33:13 AM

Quote from: kdubracing on March 04, 2020, 08:18:00 PM
I'm going to get a 4 plus no matter what. Not the regular Striker 4. The plus models have the mapping feature and the regular 4 does not. That's the most important feature to me. So I will get either the Striker 4 Plus or the Striker 4 Plus CV.

My question is whether it is worth it to get the CV. You say it isn't much better than the regular sonar. Why do you say that? That's the info I'm interested in is whether the CV is worth the extra little bit of money or not. This will be going on my kayak. I will be getting a boat next year and will definitely put better equipment on that. I just want one on the kayak to play around with and map some of the smaller places I go.

So to make a short story long, any insight anyone can give on the CV vs. regular sonar is appreciated.

The mapping is something I really want too. Several of the reservoirs I fish are not mapped so it should be great to map some details for the future. I dont believe the lowrance hook2 mapped, but the new hook reveal does and that was is a potentially deal breaker.

If some believe the clearvu isnt great in the entry models that could definitely save me $50. It would be nice to have and learn though.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

apiazza · March 26, 2020, 08:54:17 AM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 06, 2020, 02:55:07 PM
Yeah i think i got my setup, it's a multi-piece deal, but could end up being very easy to move around if it comes together the way i hope. If it works out on Sunday, i'll post some pics illustrating some of the versatility.

What did you end up coming up with? I was thinking about it the other day and you could almost use the ice fishing kit and then just use a suction cup or some other mounting setup for the transducer itself.

I just bought an echomap 63cv for a bargain that i need to get rigged on my kayak.

TheLastRodBender · March 26, 2020, 09:18:29 AM

Quote from: apiazza on March 26, 2020, 08:54:17 AM
What did you end up coming up with? I was thinking about it the other day and you could almost use the ice fishing kit and then just use a suction cup or some other mounting setup for the transducer itself.

I just bought an echomap 63cv for a bargain that i need to get rigged on my kayak.

I actually have been meaning to get on here and update. I will post pictures this weekend, I'll actually try to do it this afternoon but with what's going on, i'm on kiddo duty.

So, the day I was actually supposed to get out and test my little setup.... it went horribly wrong

. Got over to my Aunts house, boat hooked up, pull it out of the garage and notice a bit of a squeak. Took a mental note, but didn't think too much about it. Got about 2 miles down the road and one of the bearings exploded. Got the trailer home on a flatbed.. woohoo $100 down the tube. Pulled the hubs apart and the setup on this thing was comical at best. The bearings were open style and appeared to be designed for a washing machine. The whole day we were running around trying to put something together that would work... my efforts were unrewarded. Finally ordered a complete set of hubs for both sides and they went together in under an hour.

Fast forward 2 weeks... and now you can't access any parks so we have nowhere to launch the boat...

again.

Long story short, i haven't had a chance to test my system, but it looks like it's gonna work. I'll see about getting some pictures up with some descriptions and a total out of pocket expense.

apiazza · March 26, 2020, 09:25:43 AM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 26, 2020, 09:18:29 AM
I actually have been meaning to get on here and update. I will post pictures this weekend, I'll actually try to do it this afternoon but with what's going on, i'm on kiddo duty.

So, the day I was actually supposed to get out and test my little setup.... it went horribly wrong . Got over to my Aunts house, boat hooked up, pull it out of the garage and notice a bit of a squeak. Took a mental note, but didn't think too much about it. Got about 2 miles down the road and one of the bearings exploded. Got the trailer home on a flatbed.. woohoo $100 down the tube. Pulled the hubs apart and the setup on this thing was comical at best. The bearings were open style and appeared to be designed for a washing machine. The whole day we were running around trying to put something together that would work... my efforts were unrewarded. Finally ordered a complete set of hubs for both sides and they went together in under an hour.

Fast forward 2 weeks... and now you can't access any parks so we have nowhere to launch the boat... again.

Long story short, i haven't had a chance to test my system, but it looks like it's gonna work. I'll see about getting some pictures up with some descriptions and a total out of pocket expense.

Damn that's a bummer. I'm little baffled by Virginia's decision to close ramps. New York just made them all free to encourage people to get out. We are open up here in PA if you need to get out. I'm on the PA/MD state line so if you come up give me a shout. I can show you the areas I know.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

TheLastRodBender · March 26, 2020, 09:29:36 AM

Quote from: apiazza on March 26, 2020, 09:25:43 AM
Damn that's a bummer. I'm little baffled by Virginia's decision to close ramps. New York just made them all free to encourage people to get out. We are open up here in PA if you need to get out. I'm on the PA/MD state line so if you come up give me a shout. I can show you the areas I know.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

lol yeah it's kind of goofy, problem is that most ramps are controlled by Park Authorities, and they also have areas that people can congregate to like pavilions, play grounds, and other places that people can't have the self control to avoid. Golf courses are open though....

wbrad01 · March 26, 2020, 09:46:54 AM

Yep, goofy. Here in Texas the state parks are open for boat ramps, camping and hiking trails. They just closed the day use areas, playgrounds and swim beaches.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

kdubracing · March 30, 2020, 09:44:50 PM

I finally got the kayak out today and played with my Striker 4 Plus CV. I debated on whether or not to spend the extra $40 for the CV. It is worth much more than another $40. The CV worked really well, and was very handy to have in conjunction with the sonar. I recorded my trip on the Quickdraw Contours, but haven't looked back at it yet. I'll update when I do. I had to turn on the surface noise filter and put the gain to Auto Low to eliminate the clutter. Man, I was impressed with the CV. You can see the bottom very detailed. Especially for a sub-$200 unit. And I didn't have a problem seeing the split screen on the 4". I set it to horizontal split.

fivebyfive · April 14, 2020, 03:15:31 AM

Quote from: TheLastRodBender on March 06, 2020, 07:29:23 AM
So when I got my fish finder, i picked up a 'portable' transom mount. I mounted it to the boat yesterday to double check how it was going to work ahead of going out on the water Sunday, and it came apart. The round disk that makes contact with the mounting point as you screw it into place came off, and the gear shaped handle that you wind in order to tighten it down came looks and unscrewed off. I had to use channel locks to get it loosened up.

I will be taking it back with the intention of exchanging it, but I don't know if i'm 100% happy with how it mounts. The mount is great for the small aluminum boat that I will be fishing out of regularly, but I don't see how I can mount it on a Kayak.... may have to go back to the drawing board on this one.

I know with the Striker 4 plus you can buy the ice fishing package that comes with a carry bag for the unit and the transducer. I assume you can with the CV as well. It's very portable, obviously, since it's geared towards ice fishing. But from what I can tell it's the very same graph unit, and it works the same. It just comes in the canvas carry bag. I often thought that carry bag set-up was slick and would be very useful if I wanted to take my graph from boat to boat easily.

I didn't get the bag when I bought mine and I've been trying to buy just the bag ever since. I can get the entire package, but I can't seem to find j
ust the bag itself. Since you are taking it back to exchanghe anyway, maybe inquire as to whether you can upgrade to get the carry bag?

apiazza · April 14, 2020, 05:05:22 AM

Quote from: fivebyfive on April 14, 2020, 03:15:31 AM
I know with the Striker 4 plus you can buy the ice fishing package that comes with a carry bag for the unit and the transducer. I assume you can with the CV as well. It's very portable, obviously, since it's geared towards ice fishing. But from what I can tell it's the very same graph unit, and it works the same. It just comes in the canvas carry bag. I often thought that carry bag set-up was slick and would be very useful if I wanted to take my graph from boat to boat easily.

I didn't get the bag when I bought mine and I've been trying to buy just the bag ever since. I can get the entire package, but I can't seem to find j
ust the bag itself. Since you are taking it back to exchanghe anyway, maybe inquire as to whether you can upgrade to get the carry bag?

This would work for either of you, within reason I supposed. The price is high because it includes a battery and suction mount for transducer.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/543361#inTheBox

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk