Humminbird Fish Finder Reviews Pt. 1

Hey, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Shhh! Be really quiet about this and don’t tell anyone.

Ok, here’s the secret: It doesn’t matter what rod you use, what reel you use, what bait you use, or how good you are if you aren’t casting to fish. All of that stuff is great, but you still can’t catch fish in empty water.

Luckily, modern technology has made the search so much easier. Today, we will be looking at a few fish finders from the folks over at Humminbird. On the whole, Humminbird offers exceptional value for the money.

Today, we will be looking at the entry level models that Humminbird offers. Just because these finders are inexpensive, doesn’t mean they don’t deliver exceptional value.

None of these fish finders cost more than $400, so if you are in the market to get a new finder, you may want to see what Humminbird has to offer.

1. The Piranha Max Series

The Humminbird Piranha Max series of fish finders comes very highly recommended. They are very basic, and very easy to use. I

Piranha Max 190c

have used both the 190c and the 160pt, and have found both the be very reliable.

The 190c offers an 800′ depth, a high resolution color display that includes the temperature, and features a single beam sonar with 1600 watts PtP power. Not too bad for a package that costs less than $250 is it?

Click here for more info on the 190c

Now, moving on to the 160pt, you are moving down slightly in features and power output, but are still getting a lot of quality. If you have never owned a fish finder before, this may be a very good place to start.

Since it is a portable finder, you can take it with you and use it on several different boats. The move down in features also makes this a less expensive model than the 190c, but a word of warning. The 160 will not give you any readings if your boat is traveling at speeds above 3 mph.

That means for trolling speeds, you will be just fine, but if you trying to run and gun all over the lake, this is not the finder for you.

Click Here to learn more about the Piranha Max 160pt

2. Humminbird 385ci Fish Finder

385ci

I’m quite partial to the 385ci. It’s a wonderful little combo that combines an excellent fish finder, with GPS chartplotting and a built in uni-map.

It’s very easy to get on and off the boat due to a very nifty quick disconnect mounting system. If you’ve ever had a finder that was just a pain to get off the boat, then you will know exactly how valuable this little feature is.

I do find one drawback to using the 385ci. The screen size is pretty small, and a bit cramped. I don’t wear glasses at all, and I still had to do a little work to view the screen accurately.

If you don’t mind that, then you have found an excellent all around option for less than $400.

Click Here to learn more about the 385ci.

3. Fish Finder 570 and 570pt

The 570 is my favorite of all of the finders being reviewed today.

While it doesn’t boast the integrated GPS and chartplotting of the 385, the screen is just perfect. It is a high resolution, 12 level grey scale that stands out in the sun, the clouds, or whatever conditions you may be fishing.

The only difference between the 570, and 570pt is portability. If you have more than one boat, or will be using it on more than one boat, go with the PT.

Click Here to learn more about the 570.

4. Humminbird Fishin’ Buddy

No discussion of Humminbird fish finders would be complete without the Fishin’ Buddy. This is one of the coolest portable fish finders on the market! It can be attached to a boat, kayak, float tube, or even a dock.

This little finder is really perfect if you have kids. You can head out to the dock, attach it to the side, and see what’s going on around you. If the fish aren’t biting, teaching a youngster how to use the electronics, and what to look for on them, can be just as fun and productive as if the fish were on all day.

If you are a float tuber, this one is definitely for you.

All of these finders are excellent values. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we continue our reviews of fishing electronics.

See ya on the water…