The Different Tiers of Fishing Electronics

Fish finders are an important aspect of boating. Navigation, sonar and boat control are basically done by these specialized computers. While they are extremely useful they often come in different models that confuse the average angler. I was there before and I have gone through multiple units before settling on what I have now. I still intend to upgrade in the future as technology changes.

In this post, I will explain the fundamental differences between the different tier of units and what kind of uses they have. As I am most familiar with Lowrance, I will refer to those units to explain the different tiers. From what I understand, many of the same principles apply to Garmin. Humminbird’s tiers are quite a bit different from to the other brands. Keep in mind, I will mostly go over the most defining features of each tier when it comes to fishing. There are some differences between models within the same tier at times. Fishing electronics are a complicated subject and for the sake not wanting to write a novel, there will be some omissions, generalizations and simplifications.

Entry Level Units

For Lowrance, the Eagle series are the lowest tier of fish finders. They are typically for budget anglers as they have low costs but also the least amount of features. Surprising though, modern entry level units are quite powerful. Most of them can do 2D, down imaging, side imaging and live mapping which gives you plenty of information.

There are quite a few prominent limitations of entry level units. Generally they do not have touch screen which isn’t a must but can be a little inconvenient. They have no networking capability which isn’t an issue for novices as they typically do not have multiple units or the need to network them. Single SD card slot might be an issue as you may need to switch chips manually depending on the situation. They generally cannot do forward facing sonar. The exception is the Eagle Eye 9 which offers entry level FFS.

Recommendations

If you fish casually but own a boat and don’t plan on owning multiple screens, I would consider the entry level units. Perhaps you don’t even fish but need something for your fancy pontoon just in case. Perhaps you’re technologically challenged. They offer a lot of features for the price and is a massive improvement from not having any electronics. Many of us caught fish before forward facing sonar and will continue to catch without it.

With their low power consumption and 2D sonar, these are excellent ice fishing units as well. Ice fishing requires low power consumption and light weight so these units tend to be used. A conversion kit can make them useful year round.

That being said there is still a use for advanced anglers. In the winter, many people outfit their winter transport with a GPS device. All you need is the mapping section and the other features are needed. These units are more than capable for navigation in the bush or snowy conditions. Backcountry boats also can make use of these units well where power and space is limited.

Mid Level Units

This is where the features really ramp up. Lowrance’s mid tier units are the Elite FS series. Generally these units are considered very cost effective as they can do nearly as much as the high end units for about half the price.

The touch screen is one of the defining aspects that entry level units do not have. Touch screen allows you to navigate menus way faster.

Mid tier units can network which opens a ton of possibilities. Ethernet allows for more specialized transducers (most prominently forward facing sonar) and connects to other networkable units (provided they are compatible). Data like map chips, waypoints and transducers to be shared across all networked units. NMEA 2000 allows the units to interface with devices like the trolling motor or your own outboard motor to monitor its vitals. Networking is a very useful tool that probably deserves its own post someday as there is so much to go over.

The sizes of mid level units can get bigger. The Eagle series only goes up to 9″ while the Elite FS can go up to 12″. Big displays do matter for some and it’s definitely nicer on the eyes.

The limitations would be the single SD card slot which is somewhat solved by networking to another unit. These units only have one sonar port which again can be somewhat solved by networking to another unit. The single ethernet port can be problematic as you can only connect to one other unit/device unless you use an ethernet hub. Processing power and screen quality aren’t the highest but generally most anglers aren’t bothered by this.

Recommendations

These mid tier units are best for more regular anglers who may want to use forward facing sonar or network to another unit. These are the cheapest units that can run full forward facing sonar. Though your networking options are limited with the single port. Sometimes hardcore anglers do use a mid tier unit as a secondary display depending on their needs.

For ice fishing where you need lower power consumption and have no units to network with, these are the most efficient units for forward facing sonar. High end units add incremental advantages for ice fishing and consume more power.

I find that most of these features are enough for me and in fact I have yet to fully utilize them all. I always felt like the Elite FS was the right kind of unit for people like me.

High End Units

This is basically the do-everything tier. For Lowrance, this would be the HDS Pro series. (I haven’t got around to getting one yet but I do have an HDS Live which is very similar.) These have the best screen quality, processing speed, internal memory and supports basically all add-ons. The screens can get bigger as the HDS can come in a 16″ size.

The back of the unit shows major differences. Having two sonar ports and two ethernet ports greatly expands your networking options. (Note: An ethernet hub is still highly recommended with many units as daisy chaining too many units can make networking a bit laggy.) Having two SD card slots is very useful when certain chip data can’t be shared (e.g. Genesis Live maps). Some people may want to use NMEA 0183 to support some devices like VHF radios. Some of the bigger units support HDMI and USB.

Something to note is that high end units are more likely to adapt to new technological advancements. I have an HDS Carbon which was released all the way back in 2016 and it’s still compatible with most new technologies and receives updates. Of course we can’t say for sure that will happen in the future but that is something to consider.

Recommendations

I feel like there is a bit of a diminishing return when it comes to value per dollar compared to the mid tier units. However, the network flexibility that high end units offer really help when you want to run multiple units. Sometimes it’s very nice to have maximum screen size and the highest performance. If you’re a very avid angler and have lots of cash, the obvious choice is to go for the highest end units. I would love to as well but the budget is a bit of a concern sometimes.

For ice fishing or portable setups I would generally not recommend these unless you already have them on your boat. Generally there isn’t too much advantage gained especially since there are no units to network to (aside from your forward facing sonar).

Final Words

Well there is the simplest explanation I could come up for all the tiers of fish finders. Definitely had to do a lot of simplifying as it’s such a stacked subject. In the end, selecting the right finder is all about considering your needs, your potential future needs and your budget. As these units are a big investment, it’s best to consult as many sources as possible. Asking others can be helpful but keep in mind their needs might be different than yours.

Technology is constantly evolving and all these things I’ve mentioned can be completely different in a few years. We saw how low end units can support advancements that previously only high end units supported. We still see old units that manage to keep up with the times. Though that’s kind of the beauty of fishing technology, it’s always fun to see what the companies come up with.