Frank81 Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Thought I would ask for some opinions from NFN members before I buy anything. I have been looking at purchasing a portable fish finder, just wondering if anyone here uses a portable one? How does it work out for you? I am really starting to like the Humminbird Piranahmax 175 PT unit shown here ..... http://ca.humminbird.com/products/604331/PiranhaMAX_175_Portable I have only ever used fish finders on friends boats, but was thinking this unit for my canoe and in a couple weeks I am taking a small fishing trip in the North Bay area and renting a boat, and figured I can use it there too. Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topwaterjoe Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 I have the exact same model. It gets the job done without any issues yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank81 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 I have the exact same model. It gets the job done without any issues yet. Good enough for me! lol ... Thanks, I am on my way to pick it up now in Toronto, and I hope the weather holds out so I can try it out when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topwaterjoe Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Lol, I should have been in sales. I think you will be happy with it, I am. Several trips in the kayak and raft and it is still good as new with enough resolution to see what is going on down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Anyone still use the Buddy depth finders . They have the long tube and clamp on the side of tinnies . I won one ice fishing at Simcoe and it's toast now. A few friends had them , all not working after a few years . Anyone need parts let me know before I toss them out . I bought a new Hummingbird 2 yrs.ago but didn't realize it runs on 8 "AA" batteries & haven't used it yet . I'll have to give it a go to see how long the batteries last ..... Knightfisher informed me I should be able to get a single 12 volt rechargeable batter at an electronics store to run the depth finder instead of constantly replacing the AA batteries .....will be looking into this ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxco Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 I've got a Humminbird 570 portable FF. Have had it probably 4-5 years and it has worked very well. I have used it on my canoe, crawdad & several aluminums. Once you get one you will LOVE having it. It's nice to know the depth & topography of the water you're fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank81 Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 Got back home in Welland at 2:00 and assembled my fish finder, then loaded up the canoe and sitting around now to relax and cant wait to try this out, problem is, it says I should charge the battery for 8 hours first, so I guess i'll listen to the book and just go fishing without it today, which sucks lol I have a question for you guys that use the suction cup transducer for these portable fish finders on a NON square back canoe, where is the best place to mount the suction cup transducer? and does the sonar have to be facing straight down? or on an angle, any help is appreciated, because the instruction booklet isn't that easy to understand, they show two different ways to hook it up, but none for a canoe lol. Smerchly, I considered buying one of them fish buddies and was looking at the different models today, but the sales guy mentioned that people have been complaing about them, I guess the clamp mounting bracket falls off easy when the boat is trolling, however that was on some tinners, not sure about canoes though, they also are only good for up to 200ft or something like that I read on the box, the one I got is good for 600ft and the good buddie fish finder one was more expensive than the Humminbird 175 I bought, this really is a neat portable and I cannot wait to use it, hopefully tomorrow or Sunday, weather permitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topwaterjoe Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 The transducer is put in the water with the length parallel to the surface... if that makes sense... Its ok to stick it to the side of your canoe. Just adjust the wing-nut to get the angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxco Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Like Top water said, make sure the transducer is pointed as straight down as possible. I stick mine on the side of my canoe. It's obviously not going to be AS accurate if you're leaning side to side, but it gives you a good idea. Also, if you are using it on a boat I ALWAYS wrap the cord around something near the back of the boat so that if the suction cup does come undone you don't lose your transducer. It WILL come off from time to time if you are going faster, which you will be able to tell on the FF screen, or by looking back and seeing it dangle. My uncle borrowed mine and Didn't wrap cord around anything and the transducer fell off and pulled the cord right out of the unit and brought it back to me with just the unit, no transducer. He replaced it but for a few months I couldn't use it... Just a helpful tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smerchly Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Good tips guys . If you want to mount the transducer on the side of a canoe get a piece of 1" x 2" x16 approx. , enough to submerge the transducer & use a 2" "C" clamp to hold it tight on the canoe at the top , with a small piece of 1/4" wood or rubber on the inside to keep from scratching up the canoe . If it does not sit perpendicular , add a small piece of wood to the outside until it sits straight . It is very quick an easy to put on and take off . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank81 Posted July 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2013 Tomorrow morning is test day with new fish finder in Canoe (Weather Permitting) so I am going to just use the suction cup transducer mount that came with my Humminbird and see how that goes, IF I find it a pain in the behind with drag while trying to paddle then I will have to try something else, number one will be what Smerch said to do, and plan B, which is a skeptical one, is this one..... Click the link, and scroll down to look at the pictures if you don't want to read it all. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/warmwater/ww111708.php The just of what the guy says is that transducers can "see" through fibreglass (which my canoe is) and as long as you fill the foam transducer hull mount with water, it will apparently work as it if was on the outside of it. Who knows, one day at a time I guess. Thanks again for all the tips and ideas guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.