Sonar Use With A Canoe

[Rick Bancroft]

I want to set up the canoe with a portable transducer so that it can be used in the boundary waters and portaged, etc.  Anyone have ideas on the set-up and what sonar would be a good choice?

 

I probably don't want too hi-tech so I can conserve battery life.

[AlwaysFishing23]

Welcome Rick! I use a Humminbird piranha max 4 (non DI). I mounted it in a vexilar Genz case and I use the genz soft pack on it to help protect the screen from scratches. I used it all last summer in the kayak and it worked PERFECT. I use the humminbird suction cup mount and it works well. Even used it on a smaller aluminum boat and it never came off even on plane. This setup to me is ideal for anyway wanting a cheaper rig that works very well IMO.

Edited December 14, 2018 by AlwaysFishing23

[Rick Bancroft]

I just saw this online.  What would be the best way to mount the transducer?  Could it shoot through the floor of the canoe?

 

Humminbird® PiranhaMax™ 4 Sonar PT

Portable tranducer, case, rechargeable battery and charger

Tilt-mount base makes the screen easy to view

256-color 4.3" 480 x 272 screen

DualBeam explores down to 600 ft.

2,400-watt peak-to-peak power output

Featuring a portable transducer, portable case, rechargeable battery and a wall charger, Humminbird's PiranhaMax 4 Sonar with PT delivers a compact package for on-the-go fishing adventures. Tilt-mount base and a 256-color 4.3" screen with a 480 x 272 resolution make it easy to explore underwater terrain. DualBeam operates at either 200kHz with a 28° beam or 455kHz with a 16° beam to deliver depth capabilities up to 600 ft. Peak-to-peak power

[AlwaysFishing23]

It should be able to I can shoot through my kayak if I wanted. Canoe should be the same. There great units. Good price and a solid fish finder

 

[leech~~]

I found a old trolling motor at a garage sale for like $5-10 bucks, cut the head and motor off of it and used the pole and bracket to clamp on the ducer on my last canoe.

[brrrr]

I shoot through the bottom..  Use plumbers putty to make a ring and use some to keep the diversity in place.   I just add enough water to make a good conductor.  Works great.  No worries about snagging the ducer outside the boat.  As for finders I have an old fish eagle, buddy just picked up a battery operated color unit from amazon says it worked good.  

[Duffman]

This is my set up. Transducer just sits in a little water on the floor of the canoe and shoots thru the hull. 

Some fancy locators would be nice. But all I really need is the depth and to mark some fish while fishing out of the canoe.

6 AA batteries, and they seem to last forever as long as I remember to shut off the backlighting.  I use it quite a bit and install new batteries maybe twice a year?

If I'm very stationary, I can mark my bait on it,  but don't count on that being the norm.

 

It also gets year round use for checking depths ice fishing, easier than hauling the flasher around as you pop holes and look for a spot. But once located, I switch to the flasher.

 

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by Duffman

[Wanderer]

No motor and no color are the best battery conservation choices.  And as duff said, keep the backlight off.  I’m impressed AA batteries will keep a unit running that long.

 

Otherwise I’d be looking at packing 1 9Ah per every 2 days I wanted to run my LX5 or bring a solar charger and 1 extra battery.

 

Any sonar with a healthy transducer can shoot through fiberglass or aluminum hulls with good connectivity like water or epoxy.  Silicone deadens the signal.  

 

My LX5 flasher and 522 graph work equally well shooting through but the wide face of LX5 ducer stays upright much easier.  In the kayak (sit on top) I use the 522 cuz the ducer can fit in a scupper hole.  Can’t shoot through the hollow void of a SOT yak hull! 

[delcecchi]

I have an old monochrome that I run off two lantern batteries, lasts a week, maybe more.   Suction cup for transducer.  

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, Uiamamano said:

Can I ask you something? Can you say the cold affects the trolling motor's battery? I am planning a fishing trip in Canada this winter and I need to know, my canadian friend says it's true. I looked up some reviews here. What do you think?

 

Welcome to the forum.

I would worry more about the trolling motors ability to troll through Ice in the winter up in Canada then that battery lasting? Good Luck! 

[Wanderer]

I suspect the trolling is already happening. .

 

Here’s a tip: the click bait didn’t work real well.

 

Otherwise; hell ya cold diminishes battery life.