Thursday, April 2, 2009

Fish Finder - Choosing the Right One For Your Needs

By Phillip Flounder

Technology has made fishing a great deal easier. Just consider how difficult it must have been in the past when they had to use the trial and error method to locate fish and determine depth.

Fish finders are great devices that use sonar to locate the fish under the water and therefore maximize the fisherman's opportunities of catching fish. There are several different types of fish finders on sale today, so regardless of what type of fish you are looking to catch, a fish finder can be a great help.

Fish finders have two basic types of screens. The first type of screen is called the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and the second is known as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). CRTs are not as popular since the invention of the LCD screens. This is because LCD screens have the ability to display high resolutions. If you find a screen labeled as a TFT screen, it is just another version of the LCD screens.

For the recreational fisherman the CRT screen is the wisest choice. It's less expensive than an LCD unit, provides very good clarity and is easy to read in direct sunlight.

Another thing you need to consider when on the lookout for a fish finder is your budget; you do not want to get your heart set on something that is well out of your price range. The best way to approach this is to search only for those finders that are within your allowed price range and forget about the rest.

Remember when deciding on a budget that a colored screen will be more expensive than a non-colored screen. It is usually the case that a more regular fisherman will spend more on a fish finder than the occasional fisherman.

Another technical consideration of the fish finder is the frequency it employs. Frequency is measured in kilohertz (kHz) and is used in the water to locate the exact position of the fish and where the best place to cast a line will be.

The screen on the finder is unable to indicate the type of fish available, just where groups of fish are located, so it is important to know the depth. The best kHz is between 80 and 125 kHz, because the higher the frequency, the narrower the signal range cone is and the greater the detail available to you.

One more important factor to consider is the inclusion of a global positioning system. GPS fish finders are fantastic to use when you are going for a weekend trip and you don't know the area very well. They enable you to record any position in the system, which means you will be able to find it again any time you want, without any problems.

Whether you choose a regular fish finder or one with GPS, it will prove to be a fantastic addition to your other fishing equipment. Just imagine how many more fish you will be able to catch with a great fish finder and how easily you can get back to that ideal spot if you have to leave for any reason.

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