Best Crappie Fish Finder

Most crappie fishermen used to use knowledge and experience to catch fish, and over time, they knew which species were accessible in which season.

To find fish, you need to know the fish location where to look, and assuming it’s spring in your region and crappies are busy spawning in lakes. Such information should help, yet it can take a while to get it right.

Successful crappie anglers no longer rely on knowledge alone, and they are armed with the best crappie fish finders to deliver the best sonar for crappie fishing you can find.

The technology saves time and makes finding crappie with fish finder more successful, especially in unknown waters.

In our guide, we save you even more time for experienced and new anglers wanting to get into crappie fishing. (Find the Best Fish Finder For The Money)

Editor's #1 Choice
Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5" GPS Fishfinder with Chirp
Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder
Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Sonar Transducer and LCD Display
Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder, Black
HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder
Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5" GPS Fishfinder with Chirp
Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder
Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Sonar Transducer and LCD Display
Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder, Black
HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder
Editor's #1 Choice
Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5" GPS Fishfinder with Chirp
Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5" GPS Fishfinder with Chirp
Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder
Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder
Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Sonar Transducer and LCD Display
Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Sonar Transducer and LCD Display
Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder, Black
Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder, Black
HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder
HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder

We have a handful of the best crappie fish finders on the market, and by the end, with the crappie fish finder buying guide and tips, you’ll know what to look for.

By the end, you’ll know what do crappie looks like on a fish finder, and which is the best fish finder, and when to start crappie fishing for your next crappie fishing experience.

Contents

Why You Need a Good Crappie Fish Finder

Why buy a fish finder when you have so much gear? Here you can find an overview of why you need a crappie fish finder besides knowing how to identify crappie on fish finder.

Guidance:

Even if you are new to fishing, a fish finder helps. Professional anglers might also find them helpful, as it eliminates the guesswork. You won’t be paddling your kayak without a destination as your fish finder steers you to the right destination.

Time-Efficiency

Fishing to catch a fish can take hours. Finding the right spot and then understanding where the fish are leaves you without a catch until later in the day, or you are in the wrong location.

For example, finding crappie with Helix 7, and you can spend more time fishing rather than using the trolling motor to find your spot on the new water body.

Revisiting

Some fish finders can remember where you have been with the locating GPS. Using this feature, you can save your waypoints and return to the same fishing spots using mapping technology that often comes with them.

You can often find many top fish finders for crappie cover lots of deep lakes and bodies of water around the country. Most fish finders will offer one way of returning to base.

Top Crappie Fish Finder Reviews

Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer

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1. Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5″ GPS Fishfinder with Chirp Traditional Transducer

From the renowned Garmin brand, this device is a highly rated device that is quite popular among anglers.

This device has CHIRP technology and a dual-beam transducer. High-frequency sonar displays photographic standard images of objects, displays, and fish.

This fish finder is portable and comes with mounts for ease of usage. It also has features like GPS, water temperature, and Waypoint Map.

The 3.5” screen isn’t as large as other fish finders, yet the color display and 480×320 pixel resolution still offer a clear readout.

This fish finder’s 200W power can produce dual frequencies like 50, 77, and 200 kHz. Other CHIRP frequencies are included and make it ideal for shallower water and deep water fishing.

The device can scan to a depth of 1600 ft in freshwater and 750 ft in saltwater. It weighs only 0.5 lbs, is highly portable, and can be mounted in two ways. You’ll find the built-in flasher handy when ice fishing and an easy-to-use keypad (with gloves) make this a fantastic portable crappie fish finder.

Pros

  • Display clarity to 1,600′ Freshwater; 750’ Saltwater
  • CHIRP for crisper fish arches with better target separation
  • GPS waypoint map included
  • Water rating of IPX7

Cons

  • Only suited for a smaller fishing boat
  • No real GPS maps

With a guide price somewhere under $110, you have a capable fish finder ideally suited for the budget of amateur crappie fishers. The compact fish finder has cut-down versions of features you find on the best fish finders here.

Image quality is outstanding, yet when you want to know what do crappie look like on fish finder, some anglers could prefer a larger display to locate crappies.

Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder

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2. Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar Castable and Portable WiFi Fish Finder with Gps for Kayaks and Boats on Shore Ice Fishing Fish Finder

For crappie fishing, the fish Deeper Smart Sonar PRO+ is the best fish finder. It is equipped with innovative sonar technology. A tennis-ball-sized device can measure depth, find fish, record the journey, and communicate the information to a smartphone.

Despite its popularity with beach anglers, this fish finder is ideal for crappie fishing from your kayak or another small boat where you want to cast.

You need to cast a narrow beam sonar device into the water to catch crappie fish. The transducer scans fifteen times per second, and it passes the results to your smartphone.

You can cast this crappie fish finder up to 330-foot, and the sonar system sends down scan waves to 260 feet underwater. You can save all your crappie fishing activities and previous sonar settings on a cloud-based platform. (Learn How To Read A Fish Finder)

Pros

  • Works in all weather conditions
  • Can use GPS chart plotters using your phone for directions
  • Small-sized and compact design
  • Effective side imaging sonar and down imaging sonar

Cons

  • No CHIRP sonar technology on this model
  • It needs a smartphone to work

With a guide price of just under $180, you get fishing electronics like no other to locate fish. The battery is rechargeable using a USB B-type cable. If you want a portable device to help catch crappies, the Deeper Smart is a good fish finder for use in many areas.

Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Kayak Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Castable Sonar Transducer and LCD Display

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3. Venterior VT-FF001 Portable Fish Finder Handheld Fishfinder Kayak Fishing Gear Depth Finder with Castable Sonar Transducer and LCD Display

The Venterior VT-FF001 is a portable and cheap fish finder for crappie. It is a handheld device, runs on 4 x AAA batteries, and powers the sonar for 5 hours. You’ll find no need for mounting, and you can wear the display around your neck with the included neck strap.

To work, you’ll drop the device in the water where the floater holds the line and the portable transducer. The device shows you the water depth, fish location, and vegetation or brush piles on the bottom using a transducer 2D sonar. Side imaging is catered for with the 200KHz electromagnetic waves, which are dispersed at a 45-degree angle.

Shore anglers typically land crappies using portable fish finders, although you can use this device to catch crappie from a kayak, dock, or ice fishing, and many more areas. Boat speed needs to match the GPs speed and shouldn’t be above 5mph when using this fish finder.

Pros

  • Works in a range of temperatures from -14 degrees F to 122 degrees F
  • Fully operational and picks up the bed and other objects up to 328 feet
  • 2-year warranty
  • Perfect for saltwater and freshwater crappie fishing

Cons

  • Batteries not included
  • Small LCD screen

With a guide price of a little over $40, it is a cost-effective way to try out any fish finder. It has a basic display and lacks the construction of more costly models, yet it is an excellent introduction to using a fishfinder and often ranks high on fish finder crappie reviews.

Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder

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4. Humminbird 410160-1 PIRANHAMAX 4 DI (Down Imaging) Fish Finder

A big screen hinders kayak anglers as anything larger than a smartphone can be a hindrance. Humminbird has the PIRANHAMAX to resolve this, and while it has limitations, you get a great deal for yourself. (Find the Best Fishfinder For Ice Fishing)

The XNT9 DI T transducer powers the fish finder with dual-beam sonar at 200 kHz and 455 kHz.

It delivered excellent detail and depth on the 4.3-inch screen, where the down imaging delivers precise images compared to a typical sonar device for fishing crappie.

To send sound waves into the water, you can use narrow beams or wider beams, and many anglers find the 600-foot range more than suitable.

CHIRP, big screen, GPS, maps are all on offer, yet the PIRANHAMAX lacks any waypoints or auto chart mapping.

Pros

  • Decent screen size with 4.3″ LCD
  • Excellent depth and variety
  • Dual-beam sonar
  • You get powerful down imaging without gimmicks

Cons

  • No CHIRP or side-scanning
  • No GPS and no maps

With a guide price of just over $150, you may think a lack of features leaves you short, yet when you want to know what do crappie look like on sonar, this fish finder can make them clearer than many.

While it lacks chirp sonar, it is still one of the best fish finder for crappie options and deserves a place on this list of best fish finders.

HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder

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5. HawkEye FishTrax 1X Portable Dot Matrix Fish Finder

Simple in style, but loaded with advanced features, this high-end device is perfect for seasoned fishermen.

The HawkEye FishTrax 1X Fish Finder features many special technologies:

  • Fishid Target Depth for adjustable depth
  • Fishtrax Intelligent Sonar for precise readings
  • Traxnut Mounting System
  • VariableZone Temperature Sensor
  • EasyTouch programming

The device offers a very simplistic design and uses the VirtuView dot matrix display on an LCD screen with an LED backlight for readability at any time.

The transducer is highly versatile, and you can float it or mount it, so it is ideal for medium-sized fishing boats, kayaks, or fishing from the shore or dock.

Although no volume and zoom controls offer 10-level sensitivity adjustment for prey targeting.

The device offers a depth range of 240 ft and a dual beam sonar angle at 83 kHz, and 200 kHz is supported.

With a durable display and weather forecast use in temperatures from -18 C to 71 C.

Pros

  • Auto-switching with 10 sensitivity levels
  • Zoom tracking
  • Sonar side detection scan
  • 2-year warranty

Cons

  • Small screen
  • No color options

This fish finder has a rough reasonable price in the region of $115, which places it lower than many. Many features are missing, yet for any angler who wants to cover the basics to catch more crappie, this is an excellent fish finder for beginners and advanced anglers.

Best Crappie Fish Finder Buying guide

The features to look for in a crappie fish finder are listed below.

The display is one of the most important features of any fish finder for crappie. Regarding the screen, you must consider the following:

Screen Size

Fish finders come in sizes ranging from 4 to 16 inches. Larger screens are desired but more expensive, and you can save money by choosing smaller screens.

Screen Resolution

A higher resolution is also preferable. But, as with screen size, it costs more. Higher-resolution screens with more pixels can make the difference of being clearer or not. The minimum resolution to opt for is 240×160 pixels, but a higher resolution is preferred for more clarity and detail.

Screen Lighting

Anglers who fish in sunny regions need features like glare protection, but if a superb fish finder lacks anti-glare properties, they can use objects for shade.

Review for Best Crappie Fish Finder

Portability

Fixed fish finders are more advanced and larger. Portable fish finders are lighter , allow anglers to fish in different waters, and maybe carried between boats. Large boat and expert anglers may prefer fixed devices. (Find the Best Portable Fish Finder)

Beginner and intermediate anglers may prefer portable fish finders over high-tech fish finders.

Transducer

To find fish, this element of the device is important. When considering a transducer, consider both frequency and power.

Frequency

However, higher frequencies cannot penetrate deep water. A lower frequency can scan deeper water but produces less resolution. Deep-water fishing uses frequencies between 50 and 83 kHz, with 50 kHz being the most common. Shallow water fishing allows for higher frequencies up to 200 kHz.

Compressed High-Intensity Radar Pulse (CHIRP) technology allows for simultaneous transmission of multiple frequencies, although it is more expensive.

GPS and Mapping

While not required, GPS is an important feature when fishing in larger bodies of water.

Imaging

Side imaging and down imaging are the two types. Side imaging shows both sides of the vessel, while down imaging shows the vessel’s underside.

FAQ

How can you tell a crappie from a fish finder?

Crappies appear as white dots on fish finders near structures or cover. To see these dots clearly, you may need to zoom in on your sonar.

Is crappie a good fish to eat?

Crappie is tasty. For the greatest tasting white or black crappie, you’ll want to handle them properly.

Best Crappie Fish Finder - Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer

Final Verdict

When testing, it was a quick decision to see that the Garmin 010-01550-00 Striker 4 with Transducer, 3.5″ GPS Fishfinder with Chirp Traditional Transducer would come out on top. It offers all the features you could need, reliable GPS waypoints, and some of the best sonar readings you can find.

Wrap all this up in a compact-sized body with an easy-to-read screen, and you have the best crappie fish finder for any scenario.

Best Crappie Fish Finder

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