Top 5 Editorial Picks

Five current fishfinders chosen for distinct buyer needs—from compact value to a premium expandable system. These are editorial selections, not Amazon or reader ratings.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  1. 1
    Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv Fishfinder with Transducer - 4-inch LCD Display - Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar - Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces (010-02550-00) | Transducer, 4-inch LCD Display, Easy-to-Use Scanning Sonar, Color Palettes, 11.2 Ounces 4 Inch STRIKER Vivid 4cv Transducer

    Best Compact Value

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 4cv

    A straightforward sonar and GPS unit for kayaks, jon boats, and small boats.

    • CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar in a compact package
    • A sensible pick when you do not need a chartplotter or SideVü
    • Best fit for budget-conscious small-boat anglers
    Check Price
  2. 2
    Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv, Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder and Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes (010-02553-00) | Easy-to-Use 7-inch Color Fishfinder, Sonar Transducer, Vivid Scanning Sonar Color Palettes 010-02553-00 7 Inch STRIKER Vivid 7sv Transducer

    Best All-Around 7-Inch Fishfinder

    Garmin STRIKER Vivid 7sv

    A capable sonar-first choice for anglers who want a useful 7-inch display without moving into a full chartplotter system.

    • CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü sonar for fish and structure
    • Simple setup with a practical 7-inch screen
    • Strong value for most general boat anglers
    Check Price
  3. 3
    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv with GT54 Transducer, 7” Touchscreen Chartplotter, Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland 7' Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland with GT54 Transducer

    Best GPS & Chartplotter Upgrade

    Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv

    The mapping step-up for buyers who need confident navigation as well as high-quality scanning sonar.

    • Garmin Navionics+ U.S. Inland mapping and touchscreen control
    • Ultra High-Definition ClearVü and SideVü sonar
    • A better fit than STRIKER when charts matter
    Check Price
  4. 4
    Humminbird XPLORE Series GPS Fish Finder MEGA Side Imaging+ & HD Touchscreen Display Transducer Included) 9-Inch Display

    Best Side-Imaging Upgrade

    Humminbird XPLORE 9

    A current 9-inch imaging platform for anglers ready to build around serious side imaging and boat integration.

    • MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+
    • 9-inch display with touchscreen and keypad control
    • Recommended configuration: 9-inch, transducer included
    Check Price
  5. 5
    Lowrance HDS PRO Fishfinder/Chartplotter with Smartphone Integration and Preloaded C-MAP U.S. & Canada Charts 10 Inch ActiveImaging HD 3-in-1

    Best Premium Expandable System

    Lowrance HDS PRO 10

    A larger-boat platform for buyers who want premium sonar, mapping, networking, and a serious expansion path.

    • Active Imaging HD and C-MAP charting
    • Wide networking support for integrated electronics
    • Ready to expand with ActiveTarget 2 and the Lowrance ecosystem
    Check Price

Furuno LS6100

The Furuno LS6100 has been proving itself a viable performer as a member of the Furuno fishfinder lineup for nearly a decade. As an entry level 300-watt dual frequency monochrome fishfinder this unit has been a reliable fishfinder even as it faced newer competition. I reviewed this Furuno fishfinder several years ago and thought is was time to revisit.

Buy this Furuno fishfinder here.

The LS6100 display unit has a nearly square panel front that measures 7.7 inches high and 7.2 inches wide, depth is 3.3-inches. The unit ships with the display unit, power cable, owner’s manual, beefy tilt-only mounting bracket, protective front cover, and hardware to flush mount the display.

furuno ls6100 fishfinder sounder

Furuno LS6100

All essential electronics are internal to the display. The only remaining component needed get full use out of this bottom machine is a transducer.

Several transducer options are available ranging from plastic transom-mount units with water temperature sensing to a bronze thru-hull with both water temperature and speed sensors.

For our on the water testing we mounted the display using the accompanying bracket and found that it held the display unit securely.

Ports on the case back connect to a power and transducer cable using twist-lock connectors. A single ground wire connection is on the back too. This fishfinder can interface with a Furuno GPS sensor as well as some other NMEA0183 capable devices.

Screen Size and Viewability

The Furuno LS6100 has a monochrome LCD screen measuring 4.7-inches high and 3.5-inches wide. On the diagonal the portrait layout screen is 6-inches across. Screen resolution is 320 pixels vertically and 240 pixels on the horizontal plane.

We viewed the screen in open sunlight and found it to be fairly bright and adequately sharp with good contrast when viewed from straight-on. I gave it a good rating for daytime viewability. When viewed at night I rated the screen excellent.

Obviously, because it is a monochrome screen it only has two color selections to choose from, white background is for daylight viewing