Sonar choice and mounting

Well I've just bought an outback and I'm ready to try and install a depth finder. I'm going to go with something basic ( around 100$)I was considering a hummingbird piranha 175 bc I like the image. Soes anyone have any experience with these or similar models? I need something simple and durable. So after I cross that bridge I need to mount it . I'm curios as to where and how. Port or starboard? How close to me? I like to land fish on the right side of the boat si in thinking of mounting it on the opposite side. Do I need to buy a special mount for this? I have zero experience using or mounting these things.

If you expect to do much trolling, I suggest that you mount your fish finder on the same side of your kayak as the tip of your rod, so you can monitor the fish finder and the tip of your rod without constantly turning your head from one side to the other.  If you like to land fish on the right side of your kayak, consider mounting a rod holder for a trolling rod someplace in front of you at right angles to your kayak, with the tip pointing to the right.  Then mount the fish finder on the right side of your kayak, close enough to you so you can see the screen easily and operate its controls without stretching forward too much.  If you do this, you'll be able to monitor the tip of your rod for strikes and the screen of your fish finder without moving your head.

When choosing a fish finder mount, I suggest that you look for a mount which can be removed from the gunwale of your kayak when you're transporting the kayak, to protect the mount from wind, rain, and being banged on your roof rack and other things and possibly broken.  I have gear tracks on the gunwales of my Revolution, and mount my fish finder on a Scotty Gear Head and universal sounder mount.  I have a short section of gear track in the cockpit of my kayak, and before I transport my kayak I move my fish finder base into the cockpit and cover it with a nylon stuff sack.  Put dielectric grease on the contacts of your fish finder to protect them from corrosion.  It's available at automotive stores.

Another question is whether to go basic and cheap, or to spend a little more money for a better fish finder.  If you go cheap, after a couple of months you may wish that you had spent a little more money for a more satisfactory fish finder.  What features you need in a fish finder depends on the kind of fishing you expect to be doing.  You might consider upgrading to a medium-priced fish finder with a color screen which is big enough to view easily, basic sonar, and GPS.

To give you a better idea of what I'm suggesting, here are a couple of picture of how I've set up my kayak.



My rod holder is mounted far enough back so my left toe doesn't hit it on the backstroke when pedaling.  I try to avoid raising my rod holders on extenders because they put more stress on the base of your rod holder.

If you expect to do much trolling, I suggest that you mount your fish finder on the same side of your kayak as the tip of your rod, so you can monitor the fish finder and the tip of your rod without constantly turning your head from one side to the other.  If you like to land fish on the right side of your kayak, consider mounting a rod holder for a trolling rod someplace in front of you at right angles to your kayak, with the tip pointing to the right.  Then mount the fish finder on the right side of your kayak, close enough to you so you can see the screen easily and operate its controls without stretching forward too much.  If you do this, you'll be able to monitor the tip of your rod for strikes and the screen of your fish finder without moving your head.

When choosing a fish finder mount, I suggest that you look for a mount which can be removed from the gunwale of your kayak when you're transporting the kayak, to protect the mount from wind, rain, and being banged on your roof rack and other things and possibly broken.  I have gear tracks on the gunwales of my Revolution, and mount my fish finder on a Scotty Gear Head and universal sounder mount.  I have a short section of gear track in the cockpit of my kayak, and before I transport my kayak I move my fish finder base into the cockpit and cover it with a nylon stuff sack.  Put dielectric grease on the contacts of your fish finder to protect them from corrosion.  It's available at automotive stores.

Another question is whether to go basic and cheap, or to spend a little more money for a better fish finder.  If you go cheap, after a couple of months you may wish that you had spent a little more money for a more satisfactory fish finder.  What features you need in a fish finder depends on the kind of fishing you expect to be doing.  You might consider upgrading to a medium-priced fish finder with a color screen which is big enough to view easily, basic sonar, and GPS.

To give you a better idea of what I'm suggesting, here are a couple of picture of how I've set up my kayak.



My rod holder is mounted far enough back so my left toe doesn't hit it on the backstroke when pedaling.  I try to avoid raising my rod holders on extenders because they put more stress on the base of your rod holder.

Wow looks awesome! I've was leaning towards a more basic sonar unit w/o color or GPS due to budget and I'm told the battery life tends to be better. I really like your set up. Where did you pick up the tracks? I'm assuming that allows for some adjustability forward and aft? I haven't trolled with my outback yet but I guess the forward rod holders don't cut it? How do the sonar units hold up to saltwater? I figure that thing will get sprayed during use. I intend to fish halibut, rockfish, and salmon. Thanks!

Wow looks awesome! I've was leaning towards a more basic sonar unit w/o color or GPS due to budget and I'm told the battery life tends to be better. I really like your set up. Where did you pick up the tracks? I'm assuming that allows for some adjustability forward and aft? I haven't trolled with my outback yet but I guess the forward rod holders don't cut it? How do the sonar units hold up to saltwater? I figure that thing will get sprayed during use. I intend to fish halibut, rockfish, and salmon. Thanks!

I have been using various Humminbird fish finders, and battery life isn't a problem.  They will handle a long day and most of a second day before the battery poops out.

The tracks are YakAttack wide (1.75 inch) gear tracks.  They are hideously expensive, but I like the wide tracks because they are better at resisting the twisting forces placed on them by rod holders and other equipment than the narrow tracks, and because they can be mounted from the outside with screws.  The advantage of tracks as opposed to fixed bases is that they give you a lot of flexibility about how you set up your kayak, both from one day to another, and during a single day, and they can accept mounts made by a variety of manufacturers.  They also provide you with the flexibility in the future to outfit your kayak for kinds of fishing which you don't currently know anything about.  You won't be able install tracks just like mine because Outbacks have trays on their gunwales.  A lot of members of this forum use Outbacks, and I suggest that you look at pictures and videos of their kayaks to see how they outfitted them.  Before you decide where to mount tracks on your Outback, feel around under and inside the gunwales to determine if there is anything there which would interfere with the installation of tracks.

I don't like the angle at which the Outback's front rod holders hold rods.  They stick up too straight, and don't point the rods out to the side very much.

I'm a freshwater angler, so I don't know how different brands of fish finder hold up to salt.  Hopefully other members will have opinions about that.

Wow looks awesome! I've was leaning towards a more basic sonar unit w/o color or GPS due to budget and I'm told the battery life tends to be better. I really like your set up. Where did you pick up the tracks? I'm assuming that allows for some adjustability forward and aft? I haven't trolled with my outback yet but I guess the forward rod holders don't cut it? How do the sonar units hold up to saltwater? I figure that thing will get sprayed during use. I intend to fish halibut, rockfish, and salmon. Thanks!

I have been using various Humminbird fish finders, and battery life isn't a problem.  They will handle a long day and most of a second day before the battery poops out.

The tracks are YakAttack wide (1.75 inch) gear tracks.  They are hideously expensive, but I like the wide tracks because they are better at resisting the twisting forces placed on them by rod holders and other equipment than the narrow tracks, and because they can be mounted from the outside with screws.  The advantage of tracks as opposed to fixed bases is that they give you a lot of flexibility about how you set up your kayak, both from one day to another, and during a single day, and they can accept mounts made by a variety of manufacturers.  They also provide you with the flexibility in the future to outfit your kayak for kinds of fishing which you don't currently know anything about.  You won't be able install tracks just like mine because Outbacks have trays on their gunwales.  A lot of members of this forum use Outbacks, and I suggest that you look pictures and videos of their kayaks to see how they outfitted them.  Before you decide where to mount tracks on your Outback, feel around under and inside the gunwales to determine if there is anything there which would interfere with the installation of tracks.

I don't like the angle at which the Outback's front rod holders hold rods.  They stick up too straight, and don't point the rods out to the side very much.

I'm a freshwater angler, so I don't know how different brands of fish finder hold up to salt.  Hopefully other members will have opinions about that.

That's a bummer, I was looking forward to ordering those . I like how beefy they are. However you were right, they really ass blast you on that price , wow. I'll have to see about fitting tracks somewhere or just use Scotty mounts. I've noticed some people troll with the rod on the opposite side of them facing across there body and the depth finder on the other side.wouldvthevrod mount and depth finder on the Sam side work? Then face the rod directly out in the water, not across the body to the other side? Well hopefully that makes some sense.

Hi Ferns, if you intend to do much fishing in the salt, I recommend something that can be quickly and easily mounted and detached.  Fishfinders are generally rated IPX7 which is supposed to hold up to water jets, but nothing holds up through surf launches very long, and especially bad landings.  The way around this is to keep it inside the hull on the way out and the way back in.  To that end, I recommend using the Hobie wedge ball mount that fits in the mast hole in front of the pedals of your outback, then use a RAM mount.  This makes the fishfinder very adjustable and it can be quickly removed/mounted.  You can also install an extra ball under your front hatch to attach the fishfinder to during launches and landings so it doesn't get all banged up. 

I know the thought of having it within arms reach sounds nice, but for trolling or bottom fishing, you don't really need to be messing with it on a constant basis, and it's best if left out of arms reach (so long as you can still see it)

This shows it a little better

Hi Ferns, if you intend to do much fishing in the salt, I recommend something that can be quickly and easily mounted and detached.  Fishfinders are generally rated IPX7 which is supposed to hold up to water jets, but nothing holds up through surf launches very long, and especially bad landings.  The way around this is to keep it inside the hull on the way out and the way back in.

Stashing your fish finder head inside your kayak when going through the surf is a good idea.  When I'm transporting my fish finder head, I put it in an inexpensive plastic dry box which I bought at Walmart, which I have padded to protect the fish finder.  If you don't take the entire base off your kayak like Lee does, you can at least take the head off its base and stick it in the dry box.

My Revolution came with a through-the-hull fitting inside the mesh pocket next to my thigh, and I've been using that fitting for my fish finder cables.  If I added a new through-the-hull fitting at the front of the cockpit and ran my fish finder cables through that fitting, when transporting my kayak or going through surf I could move the entire base inside my front hatch like Lee does.  I ought to do that.

I know the thought of having it within arms reach sounds nice, but for trolling or bottom fishing, you don't really need to be messing with it on a constant basis, and it's best if left out of arms reach (so long as you can still see it)

On my 13' Trident, my fish finder is mounted in the sonar pocket in front of my feet.  On my 13' Revolution, my fish finder is mounted next to my right knee.  I find that I use the features of the fish finder on my Revolution a lot more effectively than I use the features of the fish finder on my Trident, because the fish finder on my Revolution is easier to reach.

My Revolution came with a through-the-hull fitting inside the mesh pocket next to my thigh, and I've been using that fitting for my fish finder cables.  If I added a new through-the-hull fitting at the front of the cockpit and ran my fish finder cables through that fitting, when transporting my kayak or going through surf I could move the entire base inside my front hatch like Lee does.  I ought to do that.

No need to have that fitting, you can run the cables right under the hatch.  The rubber gasket in the Revo 13 is plenty forgiving and eliminates the need to add holes or fittings.

One other side note:  If you're fishing the salt, any salmon worth keeping, decent cabezon, or large lingcod, can potentially break a fishfinder when they start flopping around.  That's another reason it's good to have it out of reach.  An angry salty beast in your lap can do some good damage.

If you're fishing the salt, any salmon worth keeping, decent cabezon, or large lingcod, can potentially break a fishfinder when they start flopping around.  That's another reason it's good to have it out of reach.  An angry salty beast in your lap can do some good damage.

I've been beating lake trout into submission while they're in the water next to my kayak, either in my net or lipped. I haven't been pulling them into my lap, mostly to avoid getting slimed.  But I don't catch many lake trout over 36 inches.  For big fish, do you find it better to drag them onto your lap in order to beat them into submission?  How do you handle really big fish like large halibut or sturgeon?

If you're fishing the salt, any salmon worth keeping, decent cabezon, or large lingcod, can potentially break a fishfinder when they start flopping around.  That's another reason it's good to have it out of reach.  An angry salty beast in your lap can do some good damage.

I've been beating lake trout into submission while they're in the water next to my kayak, either in my net next or lipped. I haven't been pulling them into my lap, mostly to avoid getting slimed.  But I don't catch many lake trout over 36 inches.  For big fish, do you find it better to drag them onto your lap in order to beat them into submission?

Beating them in the drink would great increase the risk of losing them. I don't catch huge fish but around 30lbs and I drag em aboard to bonk them. I guess if you had them in a net or secured somehow outside of the boat you could do it.

If you're fishing the salt, any salmon worth keeping, decent cabezon, or large lingcod, can potentially break a fishfinder when they start flopping around.  That's another reason it's good to have it out of reach.  An angry salty beast in your lap can do some good damage.

I've been beating lake trout into submission while they're in the water next to my kayak, either in my net or lipped. I haven't been pulling them into my lap, mostly to avoid getting slimed.  But I don't catch many lake trout over 36 inches.  For big fish, do you find it better to drag them onto your lap in order to beat them into submission?  How do you handle really big fish like large halibut or sturgeon?

Always pull them into my lap and try to lock them down with my legs.  Lingcod in particular will twist and thrash until they rip their own jaw apart if allowed to move around much.  Rory has some footage of a chubby ling destroying some fish grips too (and promptly escaping)

Hi Ferns, if you intend to do much fishing in the salt, I recommend something that can be quickly and easily mounted and detached.  Fishfinders are generally rated IPX7 which is supposed to hold up to water jets, but nothing holds up through surf launches very long, and especially bad landings.  The way around this is to keep it inside the hull on the way out and the way back in.  To that end, I recommend using the Hobie wedge ball mount that fits in the mast hole in front of the pedals of your outback, then use a RAM mount.  This makes the fishfinder very adjustable and it can be quickly removed/mounted.  You can also install an extra ball under your front hatch to attach the fishfinder to during launches and landings so it doesn't get all banged up. 

I know the thought of having it within arms reach sounds nice, but for trolling or bottom fishing, you don't really need to be messing with it on a constant basis, and it's best if left out of arms reach (so long as you can still see it)

Mind if I ask what you're using to keep the fish hooked to the kayak, looks like an aluminum ring of of sorts?
Thanks

Hi Ferns, if you intend to do much fishing in the salt, I recommend something that can be quickly and easily mounted and detached.  Fishfinders are generally rated IPX7 which is supposed to hold up to water jets, but nothing holds up through surf launches very long, and especially bad landings.  The way around this is to keep it inside the hull on the way out and the way back in.  To that end, I recommend using the Hobie wedge ball mount that fits in the mast hole in front of the pedals of your outback, then use a RAM mount.  This makes the fishfinder very adjustable and it can be quickly removed/mounted.  You can also install an extra ball under your front hatch to attach the fishfinder to during launches and landings so it doesn't get all banged up. 

I know the thought of having it within arms reach sounds nice, but for trolling or bottom fishing, you don't really need to be messing with it on a constant basis, and it's best if left out of arms reach (so long as you can still see it)

Mind if I ask what you're using to keep the fish hooked to the kayak, looks like an aluminum ring of of sorts?
Thanks

Looks like a fish clip that spear fisherman use, just my guess

It's a fish stringer of the kind used by divers.  See, for example, http://www.scuba.com/scuba-gear-251/041525/Trident-Stainless-Steel-Fish-Stringer.html . I use them both while spearfishing and while kayak fishing.



Here's a 43-inch 24-pound pike I whacked last year.