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.

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  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
  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
  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
  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
  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

Raymarine A-Series Main Page

Raymarine A-Series chartplotters and chartplotter fishfinder combos are available in a number of combinations covering two model generations.

The A60 and A65 were the first pair of chartplotter fishfinders introduced in the A-Series lineup. Both were some of the first units packaged to sell with cartography onboard.

These highly regarded units shipped with Navionics Silver chart cards.

The Raymarine A60 uses a 5.7-inch display screen and can be purchased as a standalone plotter or as a chartplotter fishfinder package.

Big brother to the smaller screen A60 is the Raymarine A65 which uses a slightly larger 6.5-inch screen with much higher resolution than its sibling. Again it can be bought standalone or as a chartplotter fishfinder package.

Both the A60 and A65 couple to the Raymarine DSM25 black box sounder to give the unit sounder capability.

A-Series Next Generation

Raymarine is offering large cash rebates. See the individual review pages for details.

The newest Raymarine A-series lineup has three different chartplotter models with various screen sizes that can be ordered as standalone chartplotters or specified as a chartplotter fishfinder by adding an internal sounder.

The Raymarine A50D is the smallest screen version yet still features a 256-color 5-inch LCD display with 640 by 480 pixel resolution. When equipped with an internal 500-watt sounder this unit becomes the Raymarine A50D chartplotter fishfinder.

The mid-level unit in the line is the Raymarine A57 which is equipped with a 5.7-inch display. Again, adding fishfinder capability makes this the Raymarine A57D combo unit.

The biggest screen in the A-Series lineup, at 6.4-inches, is fitted to the top-of-the-line Raymarine A70, when this one is outfitted with fishfinder capabilities it becomes the Raymarine A70D model.

All A-series next generation units feature an internal GPS sensor and the ability to use an external GPS unit if desired. They also have two high-speed data ports and can be ordered with or without onboard cartography.