Portable Depth Finder for a Kayak.

[JHow]

Hey guys! this is my first post here, but I've already learned a ton! My primary fishing vessel is my kayak, a Pugo 120. I love it. Its very "fishable" maneuverable, and incredibly comfortable/easy to use. I mostly fish small ponds/lakes by myself. It weighs only 49lbs, so its a breeze to toss in the truck and go.


I like everything about it, but I need a depthfinder for it. from what I've read, and what i understand, on almost every fishfinder, you have to mount a transducer to the bottom of the boat or trolling motor. I don't think that would work for me, because I want something truly portable. What i REALLY want is a depth finder, just to get a feel for the water, find holes in rivers or dropoffs on lakes etc. the whole elaborate fishfinder would be cool, but I don't know if its practical for what I want.


I would like a real fishfinder, but I really don't want to clutter up or complicate my already small, beautifuly simple kayak.



depthfinder: pros: small light extra portable easy to use (hopefully) will not clutter the boat
cons: very little information given, but does give the depth
fishfinder: - Just the opposite



SO, here are my options:

Eagle Cuda 168 Fish Finder - just deal with the transducer or figure something out. - not the most portable, but looks like a decent fishfinder.

HawkEye Digital Handheld Sonar System -the most simple one for sure, and it can measure the depth though the bottom of the kayak. sounds like just what the doctor ordered, but I will be forgoing the screen. is it really that helpful? its really tempting because its just so dang convient and portable. does any one have any experience w/ one? http://www.landfallnavigation.com/digitalsonar.html -


Eagle CUDA 242 Portable- this looks nice fishfinder too. I like the way it's screen folds down and has a quick disconnect system. http://www.fishfinder-store.com/eacu242pofif.html



I guess what i need is either something that shoots a signal through the hull, or xducer that mounts on the back of the kayak at an elbow, just in the water, but still above the keel of the kayak, because when I Kayak the Big Black River in a few weeks (3 day 2 night trip), I'll want to monitor places to fish, but I'm regularly floating and scraping over logjam's that i imagine would tear up normal xducers.

Something like this would work maybe if I mounted it on the back of the kayak. http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.c..._1946_12988148


also power is an issue. How big of a battery do most of these require? I don't have space to store a big one (espicially on the camping trip)



Sorry for the rambling, but I have alot of questions. Does anyone else have a kayak that they use a depth/fishfinder with (I know at least one of you do)? or helpful ideas for mounting a transducer on the back of a boat or something?


again guys thanks for reading and all the information I've gleaned from this remarkable site.

[JHow]

Hey guys, I think I solved my own question.

but if anyone else has any personal experience with them, feel free to offer advice!

[jsharper]

I have a friend that fishes out of a small kayak. He mounted a transducer on a 1x4 and clamps it on the side. He uses a 12v deer feeder battery for the power source and says it will last all day. About $20 at Tractor supply. When disconnected, it all goes in a small tackle box. He mounts the screen on top of the box and just places it where he can see it. I haven't used it, but he says it works fine. Just a few ideas and a place to start.

Jim

[Wallbass]

Look in Bass Pro and find Bottom line Fishing Buddy... Clamps onto boat and runs on AA batteries.....Jeff

[BKS72]

Long, lightweight, telescoping stick.... Sorry, don't have any ideas much simpler than that...Good Luck!

Branden