Garmin is one of the leading brands of GPS technology, manufacturing different units for automotive, marine and outdoor activities. One of the first Garmin GPS devices produced was meant for marine use. This device was sold to the U.S Army and was used in the Gulf War in 1991.
Today these Garmins are used for professional and novice fishermen around the world. Serving one purpose: to find fish and reel them in. They have many benefits and features placed into one user-friendly platform giving you a better chance of catching fish.
With Garmin s advanced GPS technology, you have a minimal chance of getting lost and a maximum chance of bringing home your limit. There’s also less risk of losing any of the mapped-out locations you’ve previously used.
Benefits of Using Fish Finders
A fish finder is a device used to seek and catch fish using scanning SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging). It’s a form of echolocation that detects objects underwater by emitting an echo. The echo reverts back to the device to give you the position of any living creature or object. You will be able to tell the difference between an inanimate object and a living creature by the different colors it displays on the screen.
The technology of the fish finder device has improved quite significantly over the years. Most Garmins come with features so advanced you can measure the depth of water you’re in and even the speed with which your boat is traveling.
Fish finders can be used for the following types of fishing:
- Ice fishing
- Kayak fishing
- Inshore fishing
- Offshore fishing
- Freshwater fishing
- Saltwater fishing
CHIRP Technology
Garmin has improved its devices over the years by now incorporating CHIRP traditional sonar technology into the fish finder system. CHIRP is an acronym for Compressed High-Intensity Radar Pulse that gives you the ability to adjust the frequency used on your device. This is beneficial as it can give you a more accurate reading of what sort of aquatic life the signal allocates. CHIRP traditional sonar is much more powerful than pulse sonar.
Striker vs. Striker Plus
The newer version of the Striker series comes in a variety of different sizes with improved display screens and enhanced screen resolution. Three functions have been added to the Striker Plus series.
On the Striker Plus, they have an added feature called a Quickdraw Contours Map. This can chart up to 2 million acres of topographical mapping information. It’s optimal for finding and saving your waypoints on to the device. Using the Quickdraw contours map feature you can create your own routes, display boat speed and draw up custom maps.
Wi-Fi has now been added to the Garmin Striker Plus series which is available on the 7’’-9’’ models. This allows you to add applications to your device as well as receive push notification while you’re on the water. You can connect any communication device to your Garmin using Wi-Fi.
Active Captain App is an application that is also part of the Striker Plus series. You can use the Wi-Fi function to connect to the app when you need to. The Active Captain allows you to update your maps and routes. You can use this application to sync new waypoints and routes.
What is ClearVu?
ClearVu scanning sonar is a scanning feature on the Garmin which is excellent for displaying fish and structures below your boat. It’s designed for offshore, freshwater and inshore fishing. The images are almost photographic, giving you more definition of what’s beneath your boat which makes it suitable for ice fishing.
What is SideVu?
Much like ClearVu, the SideVu feature gives you high definition images of any lifeform located around your boat. This technology gives you the opportunity to identify the most ideal spots for fishing.
SV vs. CV?
SV is the acronym for SideVu which features both SideVu and ClearVu technology on the same Garmin. CV is the acronym for ClearVu and only displays Chirp ClearVu technology.
Garmin Striker Plus 9sv Review
It’s clear that Garmin kept the user top of mind while designing the Striker Plus 9SV and its built-in GPS & Wi-Fi capabilities drive this fact home. On top of being easy-to-read and operate, the 9” screen is also easy to see in the sunlight.
The Striker Plus 9SV also informs you of the temperatures of both your boat and the water that’s surrounding it which is very handy info for many boat activities. Other helpful information displayed on the WVGA color screen includes a fish symbol identifier, adjustable depth line, and an A-scope.
The device weighs 1.1 kg, measures in at 28.2cm x 16.5cm x 6.0cm and has an IPX7 waterproofing rating. Included with every purchase of the Striker Plus 9sv is a tilt mount, charging cable, transducer cable, the necessary hardware, documentation as well as a Garmin bumper sticker.
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Garmin Striker Plus 7SV Review
Triple image capturing, high resolution and brilliant scanning software make the Striker Plus 7SV sound pretty great, right? But that’s not all that this device has going for it. The Striker Plus 7SV is Wi-Fi enabled to allow for easy access to helpful apps such as Garmin’s ActiveCaptain app.
Its sunlight-readable screen supports split-screen zoom and its scanning sonar capabilities are 50/200 kHz dual frequency as well as 77/200 kHz dual-beam. The Striker Plus 7SV has an IPX7 waterproof rating and features Ultrascroll technology, Fish Symbol ID, adjustable depth line & water temperature sensors.
Weighing in at 0.8kg, it’s easy to transport the 23.5cm x 14.0cm x 5.8cm device. Every purchase comes with a transducer, power cable, transducer adapter cable, tilt mount, hardware, and documentation. There’s even a Garmin bumper stick to let the world know you’re a proud Garmin customer.
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Garmin Striker Plus 7CV Review
This IPX7 rated device’s 7” WVGA display screen has a display resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, so the days of trying to identify pixelated blobs are over. In addition to its Chirp ClearVu Technology, the device also connects to the ActiveCaptain app and provides users with access to the Quickdraw Contours Community data.
The Striker Plus 7CV has built-in GPS that allows for way pointing, route planning, and speed tracking. Using the Striker Plus 7CV is simple and its intuitive interface makes navigating the device as easy as the device makes navigating the water.
With a 0.8kg weight and dimensions of 23.5cm x 14.0cm x 5.8cm, the Striker Plus 7CV won’t take up too much dashboard space. With each purchase of the Striker Plus 7CV, you’ll receive its documentation, a power cable, transducer, transducer adapter cable, tilt mount and hardware.
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Garmin Striker Plus 5CV Review
View your boat speed on the 5” sunlight-readable WVGA color screen and never get caught speeding again. The Striker Plus 5CV has a waterproofing rating of IPX7 which makes it ideal for all fishing environments, not just the ones listed above.
Its built-in GPS plotter allows you to mark waypoints and create routes so that you can always find your way back to that perfect fishing spot you stumbled across accidentally. The same helpful features found in other Garmin Striker Plus models such as A-Scope, Ultrascroll, Autogain Technology, and Fish Symbol ID are all found in the 5CV, with the addition of Course over Ground (COG).
Weighing in at 0.5kg and measuring at 18.8cm x 11.6cm x 5.4cm, the Striker Plus 5CV is as portable as they come. A power cable, transducer, tilt mount, hardware and documentation all come with the Striker Plus 5CV as well as a Garmin bumper sticker for your boat or vehicle.
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Garmin Striker Plus 4CV Review
The extra thought that the Garmin team put into the design and development of the Garmin Striker 4CV is evident. Operating speed and IPX7 rating aside, the Garmin Striker Plus 4CV has a 4.3” QSVGA screen with a display resolution of 272 x 480 pixels.
With a variety of fishfinder features and impressive sonar capabilities including a dual-frequency of 50/200 KHZ & dual beam of 77/200 kHz, the Garmin Striker 4CV ticks the boxes of most fishermen. While its screen size may be smaller than some of the other models on this list, features such as its split-screen zoom eliminate the problems smaller screens have.
The Garmin Striker Plus 4CV weighs a mere 0.3kg and has dimensions of 9.8cm x 17.4cm x 4.5cm so if space is an issue, this model may just be your best bet at optimizing it. In true Garmin fashion, the Garmin Striker 4CV comes with a transducer, a power cable, a tilt mount, hardware, documentation and bumper sticker.
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Garmin Striker Plus 4 Review
If you’re looking for a fish finder to help you test the waters, so to speak, look no further than the Striker Plus 4. A 272 x 480-pixel QSVGA screen makes for easy viewing while its IPX7 rating and rugged design ensure that your fish finder won’t be beaten by a splash in the water.
Integrated GPS, waypoint marking abilities, a water temperature sensor and other fishfinder features help you make the most of your time on the water. Just note that the Striker Plus 4 only supports traditional 50/77/83/200 kHz frequencies.
With the exact same weight and dimensions as the Striker Plus 4CV, this too is a great option for those of you who are working with limited space on your boat or kayak. The Striker Plus 4 comes with everything you’d expect a Garmin product to come with but with the addition of a 20” dual-beam transducer cable.
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Final Thoughts - Which One is for You?
Whether you’re a professional fisher or a novice, a fish finder is an easy device to use in the water. They’re simple to understand as they have basic and user-friendly functionalities.
To choose the best fish finder, consider the type of component you’re looking for. What frequencies do you need for inland fishing or deep-water fishing? You will also need to decide on the display you prefer, especially if you live in an environment with erratic weather conditions.
If you use fishing for leisure and you spend most of your time in a small boat on lakes, then you will only need a standard Garmin fish finder. Any device that has ClearVu scanning sonar would be suitable for this kind of fishing.
If you are more of a deep-sea fisherman, a high-end Garmin would be more suitable as you will need to know the depths and water temperature. It’s advised that you get a Garmin with a network system as there would be a larger area to cover with deep sea fishing. It’s also good to take precautions, especially when you’re out at sea; because you want to be found easily in case of an emergency.
Each device is designed for the finest fishing experience. Instead of sitting in your boat in frustration waiting for the fish to come to you, you can find them instead.
The Striker series is excellent for finding fish in the deepest and murkiest of waters making your fishing trips a lot simpler. It’s also designed to function in any form of weather conditions.
If you’ve ever wanted to try out fishing but have no idea where to start, getting a standard or even an advanced fish finder would be a good start. With all the advanced scanning sonar technology, you’re able to excel during any kind of fishing expedition.
Who knows, maybe you could even turn it into a sport and become a professional angler? That’s the power of technology!