best side imaging fish finder for the money

Having the proper equipment is one of the most reliable factors to become a successful fisherman. You’ll be going to need a fishing rod and reels, but the addition of fish finder will make your fishing experience joyful. The best side imaging fish finder can give compelling advantages as you head out on the water.

You might be interested in: Best GPS Fish Finder for the money in 2020

Fishing is almost dependant on guesswork, but a reliable fish finder will enable you to make a more efficient guess. There are numerous options available in the market and all of them are different from one another to some extent.

Top Pick: Due to the wide range, reliable feature, and the affordable price, this Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder is the top pick in our list.

S No	Best Side Imaging Fish Finder For The Money	Feature	Price
1	Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder	Dual spectrum CHIRP sonar system	Check Price
2	Humminbird 409640-1 Helix 5 SI	Upgraded processor	Check Price
3	Humminbird 410230-1 Helix 5	Can withstand harsh weather conditions	Check Price
4	Humminbird 410160-1 Pirhanamax 4 DI	Can produce a narrow and wide beam	Check Price
5	Garmin Striker 4 Fish Finder	Affordable Price	Check Price

Our Recommended! Best Side Imaging Fish Finder For The Money

We gathered some of the best available options in the market. So, if you’re looking for a reliable option for yourself, then read this post until the end.

#1. Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 CHIRP MSI (MEGA Side Imaging) Fish Finder

 This Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder comes at the first position in our list. This particular model gives great side-scan features. As compared to other devices of the same lineup this one has a quite affordable price and a rota of reliable features.

When the powerful dual-spectrum CHIRP sonar system combines with the GPS and the Lake Master Plus features, it gives a pretty reliable down imaging that suits the crisp images coming from the excellent side-scan function. Moreover, it includes a map as well as the slot for the SD card for updating and exporting information. 

Coming to the connectivity options, it supports both ethernet cable as well as the Bluetooth. Being a part of One Boat Network, it’ll receive upgrades quite regularly. It is a pretty collaborative effort by Hummingbird for its product’s improvement.

The display screen size is somewhat around 7-inch and offers 800 x 480p resolution for giving the user a crisp viewing of everything underwater. Moreover, the frequency range is also very high, that automatically blocks the interrupting signals, and give user 125-feet deep view as well as on the sides.

Conclusion

This Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder is models are pretty reliable for fishing. It has a huge frequency range and gives huge coverage. Moreover, the display screen is pretty bright and very easy to read.

#2. Humminbird 409640-1 Helix 5 SI Fish Finder with Side-Imaging and GPS

This Humminbird 409640-1 Helix 5 SI is one of the most reliable picks for those users who don’t have very deeps pockets as well as do not want to settle on lesser than the best. It is an extreme product that efficiently meets the requirements and delivers excellent performance.

The pre-built GPS is pretty reliable, moreover, the UniMap Cartography feature plots the chart on the screen for better comparison. With these features, you can easily relocate the same killer spot that you have found during your lasts visit.

Talking about the construction, then it is pretty strong as well as durable to ensure long-lasting performance. It doesn’t include a built-in memory, that’s why the manufacturer provided an SD card slot for saving waypoints and to load the optional maps, but it’ll only imagine flawlessly if your kayak boat speed is 3 to 4 mph.

Conclusion

This Humminbird 409640-1 Helix 5 SI is a quite reliable fish-finder with GPS that can create waypoints. Moreover, the UniMap feature gives an effortless re-locating, the construction is long-lasting, and the price is affordable.

#3. Humminbird 410230-1 HELIX 5 CHIRP SI GPS G2 Fish Finder

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This Humminbird 410230-1 Helix 5 is quite reliable to use in any kind of weather conditions. It sends both regular as well as high-quality CHIRP sonar signals to produce the sharpest images, that help to distinguish between structure, cover, and fish.

It is built to perform in every season, as you can plot the graph with the dedicated ice fishing view option, while the 2D display mode for fishing in the summertime. It offers the huge side-scanning ability to give a dedicated view of the sides, and down-scanning for seeing the water column right beneath your boat.

For better comparison, you can also plot a graph with the included digital chart program. Moreover, you can drop waypoint to mark the specific spot during a quick scouting mission. In case, you’re looking for a new killer fishing spot, this fish finder will make this happen in just a couple of hours.

Conclusion

This Humminbird 410230-1 Helix 5 is a very reliable product to be used in all seasons. It can plot the graph, while the GPS function helps easily locating the waypoints. The overage is pretty huge and the smart trike feature is great for fishing. Anyhow, the software is a bit older but works efficiently.

#4. Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI

The best feature of this Humminbird 410160-1 Pirhanamax 4 DI is the ability to produce narrow as well as the wide beam. These different beam patterns cover the largest area and give pretty easy identification of the cover, structure, and fish.

The down-scanning or down-imaging gives covers the large area and helps the user to see the water column right under the boat. Moreover, it comes with a mounting bracket, and when attached with the bracket it gives horizontal pan as well as the vertical tilt.

The display screen is bright and has around 4.3-inch size, which gives the user a clean interface and clear view in the daytime as well as in the night.

Conclusion

This Humminbird 410160-1 Pirhanamax 4 DI offers down-scanning for clearly seeing the waterbed and distinguishing between the structure and fish. Moreover, the price tag is pretty affordable and the performance is reliable.

#5. Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, GPS Fishfinder

The Garmin Striker 4 Fish Finder comes with a very affordable price tag. Moreover, reliable scanning performance clearly shows everything in the water, such as the structure, fish, and cover. Talking about the construction, then it has a large display screen located right above the dedicated buttons.

Overall, the operation is quite simple and it comes in three different screen sizes—you may see the slight variation in the price tag. The range is pretty long in both fresh and salted water, and it can easily distinguish between structure as well as fish.

Conclusion

This Garmin Striker 4 Fish Finder is a reliable and affordable option in the market. It comes in different screen sizes and gives the widest range in fresh as well as salted water. The operation is quite simple and the use is pretty reliable.

Best Side Imaging Fish Finder Buying Guide

There are a lot of things that you should consider before buying any Fishfinder.

1-      Frequency Range

Traditional fishfinders transmit signals ranging from 15 kHz to 200 kHz, but in the most modern models have the lowest frequency of 50 kHz. If you’re using fish finder into wider as well as deep water, then the lower frequency is considered as reliable, while the high frequency is reliable if you want to check the water column beneath your boat.

2-      Display

Even if the transducer receiver gives the best performance, but the poor screen display would not be able to tell you that what are you looking at, then it is nothing but frustration. Most modern collars include a bright as well as a large display screen to let the user know everything efficiently.

3-      Portability and Durability

The fish finder should be enough solid to withstand the harsh weather conditions, sunlight, and water. In other words, the device which supposed to be used near the water should be waterproof. However, the weight doesn’t make much difference, as these finders can be mounted on the boat.

Which fish finder has the best down imaging?

There are various options available in the market, all of them are different from each other in terms of price, range, and performance. Some of the best available options are Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder, Humminbird 409640-1 Helix 5 SI, and Humminbird 410230-1 Helix 5.

Is side imaging worth the money?

Comparing to down-scanning the process is a little different and takes some time for learning. Moreover, side-scanning is more reliable and worth extra money. The Hummingbird 410950-1 HELIX 7 Fish Finder and Humminbird 410230-1 Helix 5 are the best options.

Which is better side imaging or down imaging?

For the larger proportional range, side-imaging is better, but when it comes to depth range the down-scanning finders are more reliable. However, some brands offer both. The only con is the higher price tag.

Can you see fish on side imaging?

As from the working mechanism the down-scanning is different than the side-scanning. The side scanning feature sends beams out on the sides of the boat, while down-scanning uses a transducer for directing the sonar waves. These both can help to find the fish.

For more info keep visiting FishInGreens.com