If you haven’t caught burbot so far, they look something between catfish and eel. Photo speaks for itself. But despite their rather ugly appearance, they’re really tasty fish. So, if you would like to try something new, and burbot are on your list, here are a few words about their diet, habitat, and some tackle tips.

Where to Catch Burbot

Burbot are specific to the 40°N latitude, most common in lakes and streams of North America and Europe, quite common in the Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie. Although they prefer, and they’re usually found, in cold rivers, lakes and water reservoirs, they can also live in brackish waters. They’re bottom feeders, crepuscular and night hunters, highly piscivorous. They tolerate quite a variety of bottom compositions, their feeding grounds can include sand, silt, rubble, gravel or mud. They spawn during the winter months, when they migrate to shallower waters near shoals, or leave the lakes for rivers.

Since burbot are bottom feeders, evidently you’re going to have to look for them on lake or river bottoms, and during summer, in deeper, colder water substrats. They can live at depths up to 300 m (over 950 ft.). On the Great Lakes, but also in general, the best burbot fishing is done from December to March. Within this interval, they move from the deepest parts of the lakes, to the gravelly and sandy shoals, to reproduce, and they can be caught in a depth range of 50-30ft. So, if you really want to score one or two decent burbots, you kinda have to prepare for some cold, late-winter nights.

Fishing Techniques for Burbot

There are two main fishing techniques for burbot: still-fishing with rather heavy sinkers and stink baits, dead or live bait, or active fishing with heavier lures, of various types. Of course, since burbot are winter fish, ice fishing is another method, which calls for a different approach and tackle, however, baits are the same.

Baits and Lures for Burbot

Since burbot fishing is night fishing, it’s always a good idea to provide some sort of glow-in-the-dark buzz. So, consider using glowing lures, jig heads, or small glow sticks tied near the hooks.

Live bait. Burbot are highly piscivorous, thus many anglers have reported better results with live baits rather than dead or stink baits. If you’re going with live bait, nightcrawlers, whitefish, minnows, eels, crayfish, leeches, freshwater mussels or snails are great choices. Also, whatever small benthic fish (bottom feeders) dwell in the lake or river you’re fishing for burbot, should be an excellent choice. But in general, they’re not very picky when it comes to food. Don’t forget though to check the regulations regarding live bait for in a new area you’re fishing at, though.

Dead baits. Among the dead baits, you can always try any type of fish strips available, like herring, salmon, sucker, carp or liver strips etc. It’s not a bad idea to prepare your dead bait one or two days before, adding some fish attractant (SmellyJelly – Crayfish is a great choice) to whatever fish strips or small dead fish you’re going to use, and letting them imbibe well.

An important aspect to know about burbot is that they will almost always grab their food head first, so, if you using small fish, no matter how you fix them on the terminal tackle, the hook should be near the tail of the bait fish.

Lures. Glow in the dark jigs, spoons and spinners are excellent for catching burbot, if you want to go with lures. For jigs, the classic 3/8 is always a good choice, especially if paired with twister tail grubs – Yamamoto curly tailed grubs are the ones I usually go with, however, small tubes, cover craws, or double-tailed worms work as well. Make sure that any rubber / plastic bait you’re using is glowy. If you’re fishing in deeper waters than 30-40ft., from a pier, from the shore of from a boat, you might want to use heavier jigs, up to 4oz.

Other lures I’ve had great results with were glow in the dark tandem spinners or Cleo spoons or Swedish Pimples.

In general, no matter what lure you use, you will considerably increase it’s productivity and buzz by adding a piece of natural bait on it, whether is a small minnow, a fish strip, a nightcrawler or red earthworm. They have taste organs on the small barbel underneath their mouth, and sometimes they check the lure. If it doesn’t taste right, they will move along.

Tackle for Burbot

Rods. Depending on the fishing method you’re using for catching burbot, you can use different types of rods. For example, if you’re still-fishing and you’re not handling the rod too much, a longer (9’6″ – 14′), slow action rod is better. In case you’re jigging, a shorter rod (6’6″-8′), fast or medium-fast action is best, as it will allow you to feel the jig, or whatever lure you’re using, better. Of course, for ice fishing, you’re going to need a short, ice stick, so a 34-36 graphite rod, with quite a bit of a backbone will do excellently.

Reels. The optimal lb. test line range for burbot is 10-15 lb., therefore, have your rod paired with a small / medium size reel, with a spool appropriate for this line range. Best recommendations I can make here, are Penn spinning reels, such as Penn Battle Spinning BTL5000, or BTL4000, an Abu Garcia Orra SX30 Spinner, or a Daiwa Exceler HA 3500.

Line. As I mentioned above, 10-15lb. test, monofilament, is a good choice for catching burbot. However, if you find a spot with bigger ones, you should go with 20lb. Also, depending on how snaggy the bottom is, braided might be a better alternative in some cases.

Hooks. Burbot have big mouths, so don’t be afraid yo use bigger hooks. No. 4 – 7 should do. However, depending on the bait you’re using, you may need hooks with long or short shank. For example, if you’re fishing with mussels, you’ll need short shanked hooks, while if you’re using fish strips or nightcrawlers, longer hooks with medium or longer shanks are better.

Rigs. When it comes to rigging for burbot, first it’s best to be informed about the rules and regulations of the area you’re fishing at. You may not be allowed to use more than a certain number of hooks, or specific rigs. But in general, the classic rig, with the sinker (4 to 8oz.) at the end of the line and the hook attached a 10 inch leader should do. Since they have small teeth, it’s not bad to have a braided or fluoro leader, as these types of line are more resistant to abrasion. Also, it’s important that the bait lays on the bottom, so using a small sinker on the hook, or a small jig headed hooks is not a bad idea.

Source: humminbirdfishfinderreviews.com

385ci DI Combo

Among the Hummingbird fish finders in the 300 series, the Hummingbird fish finder 385ci DI Combo is one of the newest models, and clearly one of the most performant. The price of this unit is also not bad, considering all its capabilities.

Although it’s one of the small fish finder units from Humminbird, the 385ci DI Combo is endowed with a full color screen with LED backlight. It features a diagonal of 3.5 inches, having a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.

The 385ci DI Combo is also one of the best Hummingbird chartplotters. It has quite a reliable and precise GPS, and it comes with the UniMap mapping package, which covers the whole continental U.S. coastline, providing you with accurate charts in almost any location you want to wet your line.

It’s also compatible with the Navionics Gold and HotMaps, and LakeMaster, featuring a memory card slot for this type of upgrade.

The Hummingbird Fish Finder 385ci DI Combo has great capabilities for finding fish. It has DualBeam Plus sonar just like the Hummingbird fish finders in the 800, 900 and 1100 series, which allows you to observe in split screen both the returns of the sonar from the 60° and the 20° sonic beams, or even blended together, for a much better appreciation of the bottom and of the game or bait fish that pass under your boat.

Of course, the 385ci DI Combo fish finder has Down Imaging technology, which is even better than the SwitchFire display that most fish finders have, allowing you to see images of the underwater world close to the clarity of a photo. With this piece of technology, fish will literally have nowhere to hide.

It’s memory can store up to 2,000 waypoints, so you can save the location of each and every great fishing spot that you wish to revisit in the future. Plus, you can add therer up to 50 routes and 50 tracks.

Like all the other Hummingbird Fish Finders, the 385ci DI Combo has a one year warranty.

However, even though this method would seem friendly to the fish, eco-friendly in general, just by hooking a fish you can cause it a lot of damage, and by releasing it you actually sentence it to a very long and painful death. So, if you want to do this right, here are a few tips.

Aspect #1: Hooks

First of all, you probably have heard that certain hooks are made of specific alloys that are quickly degradable, especially in salt water. That might be true, but releasing the fish with a hook in its throat or in its stomach is far from being the right thing. Even if the hook will rust and decompose rather quickly, and even if the fish gets another chance to lay or fertilize eggs, the hook inside it will most likely cause a bacterial infection, and the fish will eventually die.

I once caught quite a big northern pike, it was about a 109 cm (3.5 feet) long, but it was so thin, I first thought it was an eel. The fish was evidently sick, and not surprisingly, I found a big, rusty hook in its stomach, surrounded by an extensive infection. The fish would have probably died eventually. I wonder for how long the poor thing had been struggling with that inside it.

So, as a conclusion to this, if you’re practicing catch and release, it would be best to go with bigger hooks than the number appropriated for the fish you’re targeting, so that they won’t swallow them easily, even though this may diminish the number of fish you’ll land. Also, use barbless hooks, even if there’s a bigger chance for the fish to spit them out, or unhook themselves. And when it comes to treble hooks, well, these can cause quite a lot of damage to the fish, so it would be best not to use them.

Aspect #2: Fishing Line

The second important aspect about catch and release regards the fishing line. Sometimes line can snap and the fish goes away with 20-30 feet of line, or even more. Evidently, the line can (and probably will) get tangled in weeds and tie the fish in a certain spot, making it vulnerable to predators, or making it impossible for it to feed. Or, it can wrap around its fins, considerably impair its movement, damaging its slime coating, making it vulnerable to infections.

On the other hand, even if fish can eventually spit the hook and releave itself from the piece of fishing line attached to the hook, the line can still be very dangerous to other wild life. Aquatic birds or mammals like beavers or otters can tangle into it, and even lose their limbs trying to releave themselves.

Now, to avoid line from snapping and to prevent the fish getting away with it, first, polish your technique and never make any mistakes that will allow the fish to break the line. Thoroughly check the condition of the line on all your setups before any fishing session. If it’s to worn off, replace it. Also, you even though some fish are really spooky, you might consider using stronger (and most likely easily visible) line, to avoid the line to break. Fluorocarbon line, for example, is less visible in the water, and even if it’s more expensive, it might be the best solution.

Aspect #3: Fish Slime Coating

Some fish, especially the ones with small scales, like the Salmonidae (trout, salmon etc), Esocidae (pike, muskie etc), or Siluriformes (all catfish species) which don’t have scales but just a thick skin or bony plates, strictly depend on their slime coating. That coating acts as a protection against fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms and parasites. If you catch a pike, for example, and handle it too much, you will most likely ruin its slime coating, the fish will become susceptible to infections, and might die.

Therefore, it’s best to not bring the fish to the boat if possible, handle it as less as possible, and even consider unhooking it while it’s still in the water. If you still want to photograph the fish, make sure you wet your hands to remove as less slime as possible. Also, when practicing catch and release, it’s best not to use a net.

Source: http://hummingbirdfishfinderreviews.com/

In this post I’m going to try to cover an all-purpose tackle for largemouth bass, tackle that should allow you to be effective with any type of bait. But first, especially if you’re not exactly an expert when it comes to largemouth bass, here are a few words about their habitat and habits.

Where to Catch Largemouth Bass

First of all, bigmouths are fresh water fish, present in lakes and water streams of various sizes. They’re the easiest to catch in early spring, when water temperature is around 45°F (7°C), and at this time you’ll find them at depths between 2-10 feet.

As the water temperature rises up to 55-60°F (12-18°C), they will start searching for a spawning place, usually in shallow water, with direct access to sunlight, not very far from the shores or riverbanks, and at depths up to 6 feet. They are strenuous defenders of their spawning beds, just like walleye and other predatory fish, and even if they’re not hungry, they will bite almost anything that passes by. Therefore, in this period, you should use the most visible and noisy lures, that will be attacked by the bass.

As the summer sets up, and the water temperature climbs over 80°F (26°C), largemouths will reduce their movements, to conserve their energy. Also, by this time, you’ll find the larger ones deeper than the smaller ones, but even if the water is quite warm, you can still catch them in shallow waters, especially in the morning.

During the fall, as water temperatures begin to drop, their feeding activity will increase. Using fast and noisy lures this time, and also colorful lures, brings great results, especially near structures, ledges, at the ends of the weeds, or near steep shorlines.

In winter, evidently largemouths are more lethargic, so just as fishing for any fish in winter, you’ll have to look for them. When ice fishing for largemouth bass, there are higher chances to find them on the base of deep drops, green beds or where you know there are submerged logs.

Fishing Techniques for Largemouths

I’ll try to be brief here. It’s pretty obvious that active fishing with various types of lures is the most attractive technique for catching largemouth bass. However, you can still catch them by still fishing using various rigs, float fishing or trotting down rivers, wobbling live baits, or trolling.

Fly fishing works as well, of course, but in this case, catch and release will be problematic. There’s a reason they’re called largemouths. You should expect them to swallow your flies completely, being very difficult to un-hook without causing them internal damage. And releasing a fish with hooks inside them is just barbaric. Even if you release the fish and you see it swim away with no problem, you actually sentence it to a slow and painful death.

Live Bait and Lures for Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass are predatory fish, they like their food on the move and they will grab almost anything that fits in their mouth. In fact, they can eat prey that’s up to 30% of their body lenght. If you want to use live bait instead of lures, minnows and shiners are a great choice, and you can catch them yourself to have them fresh, on the lake or river you’re fishing on. Frogs and tadpoles are also great.

However, one of the best live baits that you can use and get excellent results are nightcrawlers. These are pretty much the universal bait, which can catch almost any fish, from bluegills to premium bass.

When it comes to lures, there are 3 types of lures that are considerably better than others on bigmouths fishing. These are:

Spinnerbaits. These lures can be used with success the whole year. However, there are a few specifics. In clear and shallow water it’s best to use smaller lures, up to 3/8, with for deeper waters, over 20 feet, 3/8 should be the smaller size used. In spring, bigmouths seem to be more insterested in smaller spinners, so it’s best to go with single-bladed Mepps spinners, silver or yellow. In very cold water, or when temperature goes over 25°C, bass become sluggish, so retrieving should be slower. If you’re using tandem blades, always go with Indiana blades, rather than Willowleaf.

Crankbaits. These are lures that are best used in waters with plenty of structures, stump fields, ledges and drops, rocky bottoms or places with a lot of vegetation. They trigger a lot of baits when they bump into stuff. Choose crankbaits with a higher wobble and warmer colors if the water has a higher grade of turbidity. As opposed to that, go with natural colors and less wobble in clear water. Best crankbait sizes for largemouth bass are between 3-5 inches.

From this class of lures, you might want to try out:

Lucky Craft Fat CB Crankbait (BDS4) (Original Tennessee Shad), Koppers LIVETARGET Gizzard Shad Crankbait (Silver Pearl), Lucky Craft Rick Clunn Rattlin’ Crankbait (White Shad), SPRO Fat John 60 Crankbait (Chartreuse), Ultra Light Cranks, Matzuo Kinchou Minnow, Uncle Wesley’s Minnow.

Jigs. Although jigs can bring excellent results on bass year round, they’re best used in spring, or on cold water, since they seem to be more alluring when fished slowly. Also if you prefer fishing from docks, the jig should be head of your list. Of course, jigs are very productive when fishing in grassy, gravelly or sandy bottoms. Since they don’t have such a buzz output into the water as crankbaits or spinners, it’s best to use jigs in clear water. The most popular weight for a largemouth jig is 3/8, but depending on the depth you’re targeting you can be more flexible, choosing the more appropriate weight, between 1/16 and 1/2. Flipping jigs are the best, I usually go with 3/8 brownish, black and blue, or cola, or if the water has some turbidity, with white or chartreuse. When it comes to soft baits, Cover Craws, tailed worms or minnows have also worked greatly for me so far.

Poppers and buzzers work as well, of course, but it’s best to use them when you see there’s a lot of bass feeding activity, in shallow waters or near the surface. And from this class of lures, you should go with hula poppers, skitter pops and skitter walks (Rapala are the best).

Tackle for Largemouth Bass

As I said in the beginning of this post, I’m going to try to cover here an all-purpose “recipe” for a rod-reel-line for largemouths. However, most anglers will tell you that there’s no such a thing, that you should have multiple set-ups for any type of lure/bait that you’re using. But if you don’t really want to go pro, here’s a balanced setup that should cover as many bass fishing techniques and lures as possible.

You’ll be needing a 6’6″ – 7′ medium rod, moderate action, rated for 10-20# line, a spinning or baitcasting reel, rated for line in similar range 10-20#, and at least 150 yds of 10-15lb. pound test monofilament line. If the water is too clear and also snaggy, you might want to go with fluorocarbon though. It resists better to abrasions and it becomes invisible in the water.

A good example that should fit to the above “recipe” is the following:

Shakespeare Two-Piece Medium Action Ugly Stik Spinning Rod
Penn SSG Graphite Series Spinfisher Spinning Reel
Berkley Trilene Big Game Monofilament Custom Spool (15lb)

The whole setup should be less than $100. And as you can see, I went with spinning gear, as a baitcaster reel might give a headache to a beginner angler.

Now, if you want to invest in some decent tackle, and multiple sticks for various baits, here are a few rods and reels to give a look to:

Rods:

G Loomis Classic Bass Spin Jig Rod (6′ Light / Fast) – SJR721 GLX
G. Loomis Classic Flipping Stick Bass Rod FSR904X(GL2)
G. Loomis Bass Crankbait GL2 847C CBR
St.Croix MBC66MF Mojo Bass Casting Fishing Rod
St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Casting Rod TBC73MHF
St. Croix Triumph Casting Rod TRC70MF

Reels:

Abu Garcia Black Max Low Profile Baitcast Reel (12-Pound/145-Yard)
Abu Garcia 6500C3 Ambassadeur C3 Baitcast Round Reel
Abu Garcia Orra SX30 Spinning Reel
Okuma Trio High Speed Spinning Reel (Trio-55S)
Shimano Baitrunner D Spinning Reel
Daiwa Exceler 2500 TSH

Line. I always keep the line within the 15-20lb. range, and always go with fluorocarbon.

Hooks. In case you’re going with live bait, don’t be shy on using bigger hooks even if the bass you’re targeting aren’t that big. I usually go with 1/0 – 2/0 octopus hooks, Owner or Gamakatsu, or Aberdeen-type (long shank) when using nightcrawlers. As the hooks on lures, the most popular size for treble hooks is 2/0.

Where to Catch Flatfish

The shape of their body speaks for itself. Flatties are bottom fish, waiting for their prey on the sea (or estuary) floor, sometimes buried in the sand or gravel, with only their eyes bugging out. They prefer long expanses with sandy or muddy bottoms to camouflage better as they wait for their prey. Flounders (and other species as well), for example, can be caught in very short ranges from the shore, sometimes less than 10 meters. Also, flatties can be caught in estuaries, and sometimes they swim quite far up on rivers, and so can be caught in fresh water, along fresh water fish.

Although flatfish prefer sandy bottoms, they can also be caught in places rich in seaweeds, which usually are richer in food sources.

Fishing Methods

Still fishing from the shore or piers is one of the most common ways for catching flatties. They can also be caught by float fishing on a slow tide, and in this case, you should conduct firs some rigorous measurements of the depth, to be sure your bait will always be on the bottom, or at least very close to the bottom. On estuaries, flatfish can be caught on lures, especially on jigs. Finally, trolling against the current, and using either heavy lures or various rigs, is another way to catch these nice fish.

Bait and Lures for Flatfish

Some of the best baits used for flounder in the UK, are peeler crabs and ragworms. However, flatfish show a lot of interest in many other baits. You can be sure you’ll catch at least a few ones, using mackerel, herring or squid strips, mussels or other shellfish, minnows, mullets or shrimp. Although a big flattie won’t shy away from a big bait, they like their food smaller, especially when it comes to crustaceans, since they don’t possess a lot of crushing strength to break their shells. They prefer their food fresh and neatly looking, so, especially if you’re practicing still fishing from the shore of from a pier, change the bait more often if it becomes raggedy. They also like their bait on the move, and even for still fishing, chances are you’ll get the most hits when you’re recovering your rigs to check on the bait.

In terms of lures, spinner baits and jigs of about 1-2 oz., brown, yellow and red colored, have brought the best results for me. I’ve seen anglers catching flatfish though, with just an empty red hook and a few red beads on the line, right on top of the hook.

I haven’t tried crankbaits so far, but the ones that mimic shrimp should bring some results in waters where there are plenty of shrimp and flatfish feed on them. The thing is, depending on the water depth and conditions, it might not be that easy to drag a plug at the right depth.

Flatfish Tackle

Rods. Since fishing for flatfish is mostly done from a beach, you’re most definitely need a surf fishing rod. These are usually 3.6 to 4 meters long, medium, or medium-heavy power, and medium action. Here are two recommendations (quite cheap) for a surf rod:

Okuma Longitude Surf Graphite Rod
Okuma Tundra Surf Glass Spinning Rod

On the other hand, if you’re fishing on an estuary, from a longer dock or from a boat, a shorter stick about 7′=8′ long, medium or medium heavy and moderate action, should be more handy, especially if you’re actively fishing with jigs or live baits. You can always go with Ugly Stiks, Daiwas, Calstar Grafighter, or St. Croix rods of within the specs mentioned.

Reels. Since the most suitable test line for flatfish is somewhere between 15-20 lb., it’s best to use an appropriate reel for such line. Here are some recommendations:

Line. The ideal line for flatfish should stand somewhere between 15-20 lb. test, braided if possible, because it has superior abrasion resistance. However, if you’re not expecting bigger fish, you can drop it to 12-14lb.

Rigs. When it comes to the rigs used for flounders, there’s quite a variety to be mentioned. I usually go with the basic 2-hook rig, on a 20lb. fluorocarbon leader, with a 4 oz. sinker. However, if you prefer active fishing, recuperating the line more often, here’s a different rig: diamond jig rig.

Hooks. Choose the size of your hooks depending on what bait you’re using. Bigger bait, normally calls for bigger hooks. Also, if you’re using fish strips or ragworms, it’s best to use hooks with a longer shank. But as a general idea, never go with hooks smaller than no. 4, or bigger than 6/0, if flatfish are on your fishing list for the day.

Source: http://hummingbirdfishfinderreviews.com/

Monofilament

The monofilament fishing line is the most used type of fishing line today. It’s called monofilament because it is made from a single fiber of plastic material. One of its most important properties is its stretch, monofilament line being more elastic than other types of fishing line. Therefore is more “forgiving” when the fish bites. However this diminishes the ability to feel and control the bait. Due to its stretching properties, it’s most indicated for still fishing.

Monofilament line has a lower abrasion resistance than braided and fluorocarbon line, thus will wear out more quickly, but that’s one of the main reasons it is usually cheaper. Monofilament line knots are often slippery and may come loose from a hook, or can be cut by the sharp edges of the head of an eyeless hook. Also monofilament line has “memory”, retaining the shape of the spool after a while, which sometimes can make it difficult to cast.

Fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon fishing line is actually a type of monofilament line, but has a couple of additional properties which make it superior than the common monofilament line. First of all, fluorocarbon line has the same refractive index as water and becomes invisible in water. This being said, fluorocarbon is very effective when fishing for fish that are easily spooked by the fishing line. It does not have the stretch of the regular monofilament which enables the angler to feel the lure and the bite of a fish better. It’s usually more expensive than regular monofilament.

Fluorocarbon line is less buoyant, in other words it sinks better, being more effective for fishing with jigs and crankbaits. That’s why it’s not recommended for surface baits, since it can pull down the bait. It has slightly higher abrasion resistance than monofilament, however, it has a higher degree of brittleness, breaking more easily than regular monofilament.

Just like regular monofilament, fluorocarbon line is also very slippery, can easily come off a hook or can be vut by the sharp edges of the eyeless hooks heads.

Braided

Braided fishing line or multifilament line is made by weaving strands of tough materials like Spectra or Micro-Dyneema. Maybe the most important trait of braided fishing line is its strength. A given pound test braided line is usually thinner than a similar pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon line.

Braided line is also highly resistant to abrasion, does not have the “memory” specific to mono or fluoro lines. However braided line is abrasive itself and it can cut into the rod’s guide lines and the reel’s spool, if these aren’t made from stronger materials. It has a low elasticity index which allows the angler to feel the bait or lure much better.

On the other hand, braided line is opaque and it’s easily seen in the water, therefore might not be the best choice when you’re fishing for skittish fish. It’s very slippery, making it quite difficult to tie knots using braided line, and it also requires special scissors to cut it. Braided line knots are very strong though.

PiranhaMax 165

One of the newest Piranhamax models, and also one of the simplest and the cheapest (under $100), the Piranhamax 165 is still an excellent fish finding unit. Although it doesn’t offer a thick bundle of options, it’s still a great unit for what an angler needs to know the most: where the fish are, what’s the water temperature, what’s the depth and the structure of the bottom.

The head unit of the Piranhamax 165 is similar to the other PM models released in 2013. It has a monochrome display, 8 level grayscale, 4-inch diagonal screen, 240×160 pixel resolution. It has the Fish ID feature which makes it easier to see the depth of the fish.

Although it has only a single beam sonar (455kHz / 28°), this unit is listed to be reliable for depths up to 600 feet. I wouldn’t recommend it for fishing at such depths, though. However, on a lake that’s only 150-200 feet deep, this unit should be quite useful. The power output of this unit is 100 Watts (RMS).

Comes with a 1 year warranty.

PiranhaMax 175 Portable

The PiranhaMax 175 PT is also an inexpensive fish finder. On most dealers it’s usually under $140. Evidently with the small price also comes a smaller number of options.

First of all, it’s a monochrome fish finder. It features a 4-inch diagonal display, 16 level grayscale, with a 240×160 pixel resolution. However, it provides all the features needed for tracking fish and improving your data gathering for your fishing conditions. In other words, it measures depth and water temperature, along with the main function of tracking fish. Like most units, it has the Fish ID+ feature, which simplifies the returns of the sonar by a lot, showing on the screen which ones of the objects detected are fish, also pointing out the depth where they’re located.

The Humminbird PiranhaMax 175 PT has Dual Beam sonar, having two sonar modes, one for a wider coverage (200kHz / 28° coverage) and a more powerful one, but with a more condensed sonic beam (455 kHz / 16° coverage). It’s reliable for depths up to 600 ft, and has a power output of 200 Watts (RMS).

Since it’s a portable unit, comes with the specific portable case, suction cup transducer, 7AH battery and charger. It’s an excellent unit for fishing in lakes where you have to rent a boat, since the tansducer can easily be mounted/dismounted via the suction cup. However, make sure you attach it on a clean, metal surface if possible, so it doesn’t detach.

Like all other fish finders from Humminbird, it has 1 year warranty.

Source: http://hummingbirdfishfinderreviews.com/

Piranhamax 196ci

The Humminbird PiranhaMax 196ci is also a new model released in 2013. It’s one of the smallest units featuring GPS and trackplotting. And when it comes to its trackplotting capabilities, it can store up to 2,000 points, and 500 waypoints.

Since it’s a new released model, it has the new flat layout, and even though it’s a small unit, it has color screen (256 color). Like most fish finders in the Piranhamax series, it has a small screen, 320X240 pixel resolution 3.5″ diagonal.

Has a narrow Dual Beam sonar, 455 kHz (16° beam) / 200 kHz (28° beam), with a power output of 200 Watts (1600 PTP). This makes it reliable for depths up to 600 ft.

Among other useful features can be numbered: Fish ID (a more user-friendly display which interprets the returns for you, telling you which are fish and which aren’t showing their depths as well), depth alarm, fish alarm, water temperature display, tilt and swivel mount.

Just like all the other fish finders from Humminbird, the 196ci Piranhamax comes with a 1 year warranty.

Source: http://hummingbirdfishfinderreviews.com/

386ci Combo

The Humminbird 386ci Combo is one of the smaller units which have quite a bundle of options. First of all, even though it has a small screen, 3.5″ diagonal with a 320×240 pixel resolution, it has a LED display, 256 color TFT. Of course, if you’re using a fish finder just for tracking fish, a monochrome can be just as effective. However, if you want to take advantage of the chartplotting features, color helps a lot. And yes, this unit has chartplotting and trackplotting features, being equipped with the UniMap chart package. It’s also compatible with Navionics Gold/Hot Maps and LakeMaster Maps, but these SD cards don’t come with this fish finder. If you want one of these upgrades, it’s an additional purchase.

The 386ci Combo can store up to 50 tracks (20,000 pts. each), 50 routes and up to 2,500 waypoints. It also has Precision GPS allowing you to see your current position, based on the signals received from various satelites.

This unit comes with DualBeam Plus sonar, 200kHz (20° beam) / 83 kHz (60° beam), and you can run both these options and see the returns in split screen. It does not have Down Imaging or Side Imaging. Also the Chart View can be displayed in split-screen with the sonar view. The sonar of this unit reliable for depths up to 1500ft., having a power output of 500 Watts RMS (4000 Watts Peak-to-Peak).

Last but not least, the 386ci Humminbird has a quick disconnect mounting system, which allows more flexibility when operating it.

Source: http://hummingbirdfishfinderreviews.com/