# What is the best small pond or lake fish finder?



## gsuga (Jun 4, 2011)

I am just curious if anyone uses fish finders on a jon boat in small ponds or lakes?  If so what are the best ones?


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## speechless33759 (Jun 5, 2011)

Same ones you use on your boat? I dont think there is a distinction. Get the best you can afford.


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## spotco2 (Jun 5, 2011)

I've got a $99 Humminbird on my jon boat and it works fine for small lakes and ponds. It tells me how deep the water is and teases me with pics of fish swimming under the boat.

I picked it up at Walmart and have been happy with it so far.

I saw no reason to spend a few hundred on something that I was going to use shallow water.


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## OldGuyAl (Jun 5, 2011)

with most fish finders, you're going to see a picture of the bottom about the size of coffee cup in water less than 6' deep.  Look at the "cone" of the sonar and you can calculate how much area you'll see at what depth.

I like the depth reading and water temp but, that's about all you're gonna get.   I've taken my unit - rigged as "portable" - out to several ponds we fish just to map the terrain of the bottom to get an idea of depth, humps, channels, etc. and have spotted some stump fields and big tree trunks on the bottom for future reference.   So, they aren't useless...you're just not going to find any fish with them until you get into at least 20' of water unless you are just very lucky.


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