The dad with a tinny or a runabout still running a bare depth sounder, or nothing at all. Not the kayak or land-based fisher, where a portable unit makes more sense.
What it is
A five inch fishfinder with built-in GPS and Garmin’s ClearVü scanning sonar, supplied with the GT20-TM transducer. Marks waypoints so a spot can be found again, and the Vivid range adds selectable colour palettes for reading the bottom in different light. Sold new by an Australian marine dealer.
Why we picked it
The difference between a sounder and a sounder with GPS is the difference between finding a spot and being able to return to it, which is the entire skill a boat owner is trying to build. ClearVü gives a near photographic picture of structure underneath, so the bait school and the snag stop looking the same. Five inches is the screen size that is still readable in glare without taking over the dash.
