Pontoon Boat Fish Finder?

Going to be doing much more stillwater angling this year, just wondering about fish finders:

1- Do you use one?
2- Is it beneficial to your success?
3- What brand/model do you currently use or have used that you would recommend, and why?
4- How do you mount the unit on your toon?
5- How much did you pay or would you pay for a toon mounted unit?

I have to watch funds, but feel like the addition of a fish finder could increase my odds of success. Henry’s Lake is where I’ll do most of my fishing and it runs around an average of 20-feet deep or so. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Kelly.

Mine is an old model that I doubt if it is made any more so won’t go into that.

I was disappointed that I couldn’t accurately determine if I was over fish. I really didn’t want it for fishing success but wanted mostly to just determine number of fish in this particular stillwater.

It worked for determining depth.

I thought that Henry’s hot spots were pretty well known?

Kelly, Humminbird, Eagle just about any good name brand will work. If you use it to see water depths, the bottom structure, drop offs, etc. If you use it to find fish, you’ll be disappointed. I have an Eagle 320 I got a couple years ago, Joni has a Humminbird with the wider cone she’s had for years. Black and white, color screen, it’s all about the Benjamin’s. Get the highest pixels you can find for your price. The higher the pixel count the better off telling you whats underneath your boat
I have a Ram mount and use it on both the X5 and the Renegade. Transducer mounting can be tricky. Try a bicycle kickstand and mount it to your frame. Kicks up out of the way when not in water. Or you can play with PVC pipe.
And if you don’t use an electric motor, get a small SLA battery. 12v 7 or 8 ah. I get mine at NPS for about 50 cents a pound. These batteries are the same you find at Sportsmans Warehouse for $25 or so. You have to get a small charger that just clips on the terminals. The battery looks like this.
http://www.batteries.com/ups-units/apc/330xt-plus-battery_R-400898-202012.html

This is probably a D.A. question, but it’s not the first one I ever ask, but using a depth finder on a pontoon on a stream aren’t you looking at where you have been mostly? I can see using one on a lake when you can row or troll over an area and then turn around and fish it, I am not terribly experienced on stream, especially out west.

Uncle Jesse, I’ve never used one on moving waters. Never heard of one being used by anyone either, although I suppose it’s possible. For me it’s strictly stillwaters. Kelly is talking stillwater too.

I use a Hummingbird Fishin’ Buddy 120. They run about $160. The Fishin’ Buddy is not the most hi-tech, but all you need is the depth, lake bottom contour, and possible fish detection. They are really portable and completely easy to set up. I try not to depend on it for just finding fish, but wouldn’t be without it when trying to find depth changes within a lake.

Loufly

Thanks, all. The jury’s still out, and I’m looking at several options. Mojo gave me some great helps with some transducer mounting options.

Kelly.

I have a Hummingbird Fishin’ Buddy as well. It solves the transducer problem and getting in and out of the tube is a breeze.
I got the tube-strap-on holster from Cabelas and it workd like a charm.
Totally portable it can be used on a tube. toon .canoe or runnabout with ease.
Side view technology and bottom structure are the main features but it shows fish a well.
Best option for a tube or tune in my opinion.

DuFf

I use the Hummingbird Fishing Buddy as well.
Attached to the tube with the strap-on Holster from Cabelas.
The transducer is in the telescoping tube so no problems. Whole unit slips in and out of the tube with ease.
Best option for Tube or Toon in my opinion.

DuFf