# Portable fish finders



## RiverRanger (Aug 23, 2006)

I can't really fit into my budget a Vex or any high ticket electronic fish finder and I keep reading how good these things are and keep reading "I don't know how I fished without one" So with that said this leads me into my question of this portable fish finder I saw on Ebay, Has anyone used one, if so what can you tell me about them good or bad, yeah or ney and before you say it, I know you "Get what you pay for" 










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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I'd shy away from that one for sure, you'll be disappointed in it.

How much is your budget?

Start looking for an LCD sonar at garage sales. You just need a 12V sealed gel cell battery, a piece of PVC pipe to mount the transducer to and put it in the hole and your ready.


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## sigman (Nov 2, 2006)

Me and Crappie Depot use a cheap Eagle graph with the tranducer mounted on a broomstick. I am sure he could post a picture. Under a $100 graph and we can see our bait on it and any fish that comes in. I can see it good enough to put my bait right in front of there face. Can even see them just as they take your bait. Dont need a Vex in my opinion. We can see all we need. Fish comming in dont show up as a mark but a black line flowing across the screen because you are not moving. You will see the black line go up and down as the fish does. Guy has a chepo here like me and Crappie Depot use for $75. Might could get it less. www.michigangunowners.org Ours uses the 12v but this one can run on regular batteries or 12v. Go to the forums and then the "anything for sale" thread Some of these cheap graphs you can get new at retail stores under a $100


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

Back the 70's we rigged our Lowrance Fish Lo-K-Tor ( the "Green Box") with motor cycle or lawn tractor batteries. They were good enough to mark bottom, fish, and most times our lures (depending on lure size and depth).

If you could find an old Lowrance or Zercom flasher that works it would be better than nothing.


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## headbanger421 (Jul 1, 2005)

I used something like that when I first started ice fishing. The one I used was made by Zebco and had a small transducer on a float. It wasn't a Vex or anything like that but it worked okay. If money's tight, it could be a good place to start.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Be sure you don't use a 12V battery with liquid acid inside like tractor or lawn mower batteries, because it will eventually spill acid out of the breather hole and ruin your stuff. Acidic fumes also come out of the breather hole and corrode electronic gear. Been there done that and I ruined some electronic gear. This was before sealed gel cell batteries were available at a reasonable price.


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## kjpenka1 (Jan 30, 2009)

I don't know about the classifieds but on ebay the price of used vexilar's etc. seems to be pretty inelastic. The secret is definitely out about how good of a tool these things are and even used ones seem to cost a good amount of money. If you do happen to find one at a reasonable price however, it is definitely the only way to go. Static type finders may work okay but they cant compare to being able to see live real time movement.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

kjpenka1 said:


> I don't know about the classifieds but on ebay the price of used vexilar's etc. seems to be pretty inelastic. The secret is definitely out about how good of a tool these things are and even used ones seem to cost a good amount of money. If you do happen to find one at a reasonable price however, it is definitely the only way to go. Static type finders may work okay but they cant compare to being able to see live real time movement.


All of them show real time movement, turn the ping speed and chart speed up fully. Its kind of amusing and sad that there are still people who fall for the spinning wheel flashers "only real time sonar" myth.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I was just looking through the Bass Pro sales circular and they have an Eagle Cuda 300 for $80. That would get you going nicely for the hardwater season.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

We still use motor cycle batteries(liquid acid) when we go to canada, no power there.

They have the ability to run 3.5-4 days on a single charge. Granted they are a pain in the butt compared to a 12 volt gell battery


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Contact Vexilar, i know they have referbished units that i believe are pretty reasonably priced. Thats if the stock isnt already gone with the upcoming ice season fast apon us. Doesnt hurt to check. Good luck with your purchase.


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## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

Here is my Eagle Cuda 242 that I converted for hardwater last year. Picked up the finder off eBay used for pretty cheap, made the holder, and picked up the battery from eBay, do a search for UPS battery, same battery as the ones they sell with the Vexilar sticker on them, but they use them for computer backups and security/emergency lights. The arm holding the transducer was scavenged from a snakelight flashlight.


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## kjpenka1 (Jan 30, 2009)

> All of them show real time movement


If the inexpensive unit shown by the original poster moves the little pictures of fish on the screen as soon as the fish moves i would be extremely surprised. Perhaps it is a good alternative to more expensive sonar units.



> Its kind of amusing and sad that there are still people who fall for the spinning wheel flashers "only real time sonar" myth.


I own a Lowrance x67 and im very aware that it is in real time, helps me catch quite a bit of fish in fact, and the reason why i said vexilars, etc.


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## kjpenka1 (Jan 30, 2009)

Oops my bad im kind of new to posting and never posted quotes. Both quotes originally by ih772


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

cbgale2 said:


> Here is my Eagle Cuda 242 that I converted for hardwater last year. Picked up the finder off eBay used for pretty cheap, made the holder, and picked up the battery from eBay, do a search for UPS battery, same battery as the ones they sell with the Vexilar sticker on them, but they use them for computer backups and security/emergency lights. The arm holding the transducer was scavenged from a snakelight flashlight.


Nice looking set up, cool way to mount the transducer. A guy can make up a pretty decent ice sonar for less than $125 if they shop around. No need to spend $400 - $500.


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## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

ih772 said:


> I was just looking through the Bass Pro sales circular and they have an Eagle Cuda 300 for $80. That would get you going nicely for the hardwater season.


 
Cabelas has them on sale for $70 right now, I might pick one up since I sold my 242 with my boat this summer. And just so everyone knows these converted softwater sonars are called Rednexilars. :lol: Or so I call mine.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

That's an even better deal!

Does Cabelas charge for shipping on electronics? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to go to their site and look right now..lol

Rednexilar is a pretty funny name and quite appropriate for the creations we come up with.


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## kjpenka1 (Jan 30, 2009)

wow thats beautiful looks like something you would buy right from the store. I especially like the snake arm, never seen it done like that, betcha the big companies will copy you haha.


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## redear (Jan 13, 2009)

ih772 said:


> I was just looking through the Bass Pro sales circular and they have an Eagle Cuda 300 for $80. That would get you going nicely for the hardwater season.


 scratch that, the cabelas deal would be alot better, actually im heading in there in about an hour to work in the marine dpt. i will let you know if we have any in stock, it seems like i rembers seeing some on mmonday


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## redear (Jan 13, 2009)

ih772 said:


> Does Cabelas charge for shipping on electronics? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to go to their site and look right now..lol


i believe there might be some codes on the websight, but if you come in the store and if we dont have what your looking for and we carry it in the store then you can get free shipping to your house


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## Crappie Depot (Jul 6, 2007)

Quig7557 said:


> I used my lowrance x125 last year with no success. It didn't like the cold and wouldn't mark my bait or fish.
> 
> I may not have had the ping and chart speed maxed though.
> 
> Do the cheaper units mark the lure and bottom as good as the more expensive ones?


 Yes sir. They will show the bottom. What you do is turn the fish tracker off. When you do that your lure will show on the graph as a line in real time. When you pull the line goes goes up. When a fish is interested you see another line appear on the graph. You can tell the fish is going to bite when the fish line starts aligning with your lure. Im telling you save yourself $300. After you get the graph you need a 12v lead core battery($30) and some other rift-raft. I would say total price to build around $150. I already had the battery wood and other stuff around so I dont know exact cost.


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## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

Got my new rig all setup today. Picked up an Eagle 350s from eBay and a Cabelas Lowrance/Eagle Ice pack (bag, battery, ice ducer) for a total cost of $100. This 350s has GPS on it, I am very impressed how far in it zooms in and has all the little tiny lakes around me on it. When I find me a honey hole, just push a button and its marked, come back a week later and it shows me right where I was. Cant wait to get this thing on the ice.

Funny story..... my buddy (who still uses a Vexilar), called me yesterday and was telling me how he limited out that day, I asked him where he was fishing and he told me If he took me there he'd have to blindfold me. Told him thats fine, I'll just mark it on my GPS when i get there. :lol:

Was just curious but which model Vexilar has built in GPS?


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## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

cbgale2 said:


> ...... which model Vexilar has built in GPS?


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I think they are STILL workin' on that one...LOL
Nice buy on the 350!!
Now go get 'em!!
(And don't forget the blindfold)
:evilsmile


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## Pointerguy (May 22, 2006)

If your looking for a flasher I just picked up my first one off ebay recently. I bought a eagle silent sixty for $50 bucks with shipping. I bought a small 12 volt battery @ gander and made a custon box. I was able to hit the saginaw river this evening with it and I am very happy with this unit, I was able to see top, bottom, fish and my jig as well. If your looking for something under $100 bucks that works like a vex then you should give this unit a try.


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## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

Pointerguy said:


> If your looking for a flasher I just picked up my first one off ebay recently. I bought a eagle silent sixty for $50 bucks with shipping. I bought a small 12 volt battery @ gander and made a custon box. I was able to hit the saginaw river this evening with it and I am very happy with this unit, I was able to see top, bottom, fish and my jig as well. If your looking for something under $100 bucks that works like a vex then you should give this unit a try.


No blinky lights for me, but thanks anyways.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

cbgale2 said:


> Was just curious but which model Vexilar has built in GPS?


 They give you a topo map and a compass to mark your spots.


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## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

ih772 said:


> They give you a topo map and a compass to mark your spots.


Maybe Vexilar could rig up one of those landscaping paint can sprayers next to the fishing pole holders and cup holder. That would be an extra $100 option though. Then they can just make a big orange X on the ice. Stores wouldnt be able to keep them on the shelves.


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