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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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  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
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How to Install a Chartplotter

For this how to install a chartplotter article I will be removing a older Northstar 6000i and replacing it with a new Garmin 740s chartplotter fishfinder combo unit. An Icom VHF radio will be retained. All the gear is to be flush mounted on a panel in the boat’s center console.

Because this installation will have the 740s display flush mounted in a console under a T-Top I decided it would be best to also install an external GPS sensor. To begin this marine electronics installation I carefully removed the old display, VHF radio, and the panel in which the gear was mounted.

garmin 740s and icom marine vhf radio flush mounted on grady white center console

Here is the completed job with the Garmin 740s and the Icom radio installed in the Grady White center console.

Care was taken to not damage the VHF radio as it would be reinstalled. I also wanted to save the panel in which the gear was mounted so I could use it as a template to cut out a new panel or reuse it if possible.

Install External GPS Sensor

The first part to arrive for our install a chartplotter operation was the new Garmin GA30 external GPS sensor, so I’d begin here. There was an external GPS sensor already installed on an aluminum stanchion on the T-Top for the Northstar unit.

My first job was to unscrew the GPS sensor from the stanchion while saving the connected cable so I could use it to pull the new cable.

From inside the console I used electrical tape to connect the old cable to the new one.

Then I pulled the new cable up from the center console through an aluminum tube supporting the T-Top into view on top of the T-Top. From here I screwed GPS sensor base onto the stanchion, attached the sensor cable, and finally snapped the sensor in place.

Pulling Cables and Wires on a Boat

Pulling wires and cables on a boat are never easy and a GPS antenna cable with the terminal ends already attached can be really troublesome. However, this time because of the short cable run and the large inside diameter of the aluminum pipes the job was easy and straightforward