Choosing The Eagle Fish Finder

Nothing is more heartbreaking to a fisherman than going home empty handed. Instead of leaving your haul to chance, consider including a fish finder with your fishing gear. These fish locators scan the water to help you find schools of fish that are feeding so that you never go home without a great catch again. Among the most popular choices is the Eagle fish finder. This sturdy, lightweight piece of equipment can help you hook the greatest catch of your life. In this article, we'll review this great fishing tool and help you decide if it's the right fish finder for you.

There are several different models of the Eagle fish finder and all are very easy to use and are affordable. Because of its size and lightweight design this fish finder can be used on small watercraft like kayaks, canoes or even or float tubes. The transducer, the working part of the fish locator, mounts onto the craft using a suction cup.

Due to its sturdy and waterproof casing, this portable fish finder can be used in both freshwater and harsh saltwater environments. Another big benefit of this device is the design of the screen. It's bright and readable - even in direct sunlight. The Eagle ranges in price from approximately $100-$500 and comes with a 1-year manufactures warranty.

Like the Garmin fishfinders, the Humminbird fishfinders and the Lowrance fishfinders, the Eagle fish finder depends on the transducer for its effectiveness. The transducer emits the sonar signal that detects fish, weeds and underwater structures beneath your boat.

The signal bounces back to the boat and is read on the screen. With its 20 degree cone angle transducer mounting, the Eagle offers up to 60 degrees of fish detection and also has a high sensitivity setting to allow you to locate more fish.

One of the Eagle's biggest selling points is ease of use. Once you have arrived at a potential fishing site, turn on your fish locator. The device will display the depth and water temperature to approximately 600 feet in the corner of the screen.

The sonar chart will scroll and display what's directly beneath the boat as you drift or troll for schools of fish. By using the menu options you can adjust the sensitivity of the device. The fish will show as a straight line when you are stopped.

As good as the Eagle fish finder is, no device is foolproof. To get the most out of your fish locator, you must determine which frequency to use. One rule of thumb is to use the 83 kHz option in very deep saltwater and the 200 kHz option in shallow water up to about 300 feet. The 200 kHz frequency gives better detail and definition, but its depth penetration isn't as good.

The sonar can be fooled, so watch for false readings if you use the fish display option--often called Fish ID--instead of the actual fish echoes. Fish ID displays symbols on the screen.

For example, a small fish symbol will appear when the device "thinks" the target is a small fish, a medium icon when it "thinks" it has hit a medium fish etc. In spite of this, the Eagle is still a great device that will definitely improve your game.