What To Look For
Combination GPS units/fish finders combine a sonar unit that can find fish and a GPS unit that can help you plot your course in a marine environment. Most come preloaded with U.S. coastal chart information; others can be bought for freshwater lakes and rivers, with combo U.S. coastal/inland charts, or for foreign waters. Check the GPS first to make sure it has the charts that you need. Other things that will set the more expensive units apart are larger displays with higher pixel counts and XM weather information.
Common Pitfalls
One possibility is the depth range of the sonar; most of the common GPS fish finders available have variable depths, from 600 feet to more than 1,500. The GPS capabilities are also available in chartplotter and trackplotter versions; a chartplotter version puts your position over a moving map so you can always track where you are going; the trackplotter version will allow you to store a datapoint so you can reverse course to the previous location. Chartplotters are more useful but also more expensive.
Where To Buy
Many outdoor gear and fishing stores sell a variety of GPS fish finders. There are also several online stores, including thegpsstore.com and bestfishfinder.com, that carry most of the major brands.
Cost
Fish finders come in a variety of price points, from compact units that go for $399 to more advanced ones that will work for commercial boats that sell for up to $6099.
Comparison Shopping
Some of the more popular brands of GPS fish finders are Garmin, Lowrance and Humminbird. Garmin offers the GPSMAP 431S for $599 for freshwater anglers and the 441S for $699 for coastal areas. Humminbird has the compact 383c T/M for $449, and Lowrance makes the M68C for $399. Boaters looking for more performance could check the Garmin GPSMAP 541S for $899, which has both coastal and inland areas, the Humminbird 788ci coastal/inland unit for $699, and the Lowrance HDS 5 for $799. For even better capability, including XM or Sirius satellite weather info, choose the Furuno 7000F NT ($1,599), Lowrance HDS 8 ($1,949), the Humminbird 997c SI ($1,999), or the Garmin GPSMAP 4008 ($1,899), all of which have 8-inch screens.
