Best Fish Finder for Small Boat and Jon Boat Fishing: 5 Picks Compared

The best fish finder for small boat fishing fits the bench or console you actually have, runs from your boat’s battery, and ships with a transducer that suits where you will mount it: on the transom, or on a trolling motor with the Garmin units. We compared five units that meet both of our cutoffs: a transducer in the box and a screen from 4 to 7 in, per the listing or the maker. Our Best Overall is the Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv, which pairs a 7 in screen and GPS with a transducer that goes on the transom or a trolling motor. The other four picks each carry a label backed by a figure in this article, so you can match a unit to your boat.

Jon boats are covered here too. Every pick shows water depth along with the sonar picture, so each one also does the job of a depth finder for a jon boat. On a flat-bottom aluminum jon boat the questions are the same as on any small hull: where the screen will sit, where the transducer goes, and what powers it. We looked at screen size, sonar, GPS and maps, power input and current draw, head unit size, and how each transducer mounts.

This guide is general product information, not repair or electrical safety advice. Follow the installation, wiring, and charging instructions in your product’s manual, stop using any battery, charger, or electronics that overheat, swell, or smell of burning, and contact the manufacturer.

Our Top Picks at a Glance

• Best Overall: Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv. A 7.0 in, 800 x 480 pixel screen, GPS, and a GT20-TM transducer with transom and trolling motor mounts in the box, per Garmin, at a typical draw of 0.55 A against 1.52 A at 12 V for the other 7 in unit here.
• Most Compact Screen: Humminbird PiranhaMAX 4 DI. A 4.3 in display per the listing, the smallest here, with Down Imaging and a transom-mount transducer in the box.
• Smallest Screen With Maker-Listed GPS: Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv. GPS and ClearVü on a 5.0 in screen, per Garmin; the other units with GPS from their maker have 7 in screens, the HOOK listing does not spell out GPS, and the PiranhaMAX listing names none.
• Smallest Screen With Preloaded Maps: Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5 SplitShot. Preloaded C-MAP lake maps on a 5 in screen, per the listing; the only other unit here with preloaded maps has a 7 in screen.
• Only Pick With Side Imaging: Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv. Garmin lists built-in SideVü with the included transducer; the other four list no side imaging for the transducer in the box (the HOOK listing ties SideScan to a different transducer version).

Small Boat Fish Finders Compared

G = Garmin product page, transducer page, or manual; H = Humminbird help center; L = Amazon listing. Scroll sideways on a phone to see every column.

How We Chose

We started from fish finders sold new on Amazon in the U.S. and kept only units that meet two AnglerTechLab cutoffs for small boats and jon boats: the transducer comes in the box, so you are not shopping for a second part, and the screen measures 4 to 7 in according to the listing or the maker’s page, small enough for a bench or tiller mount and large enough to read from the seat. These are our editorial criteria. The makers do not define a “small boat” fish finder, and we do not claim they market these units for one.

For specs we read each listing plus Garmin’s product pages, transducer pages, and owner’s manual, which opened for us. Lowrance’s website blocked our requests, so the HOOK Reveal 5 figures come from its Amazon listing. For the PiranhaMAX 4 DI we added Humminbird’s help center to its listing, and the table marks each source. Owner comments come only from the listing for that exact model; two of the five listings had no owner reviews we could use, so those picks have no owner section.

Amazon owner ratings form the base of each AnglerTechLab Score, with a limited editorial adjustment explained on our How We Review page. We do not conduct our own product trials. One score includes a 0.2 deduction: the ECHOMAP listing shares its owner ratings with the 6 in ECHOMAP UHD2 63sv and gives a deeper maximum depth than Garmin lists for the included transducer.

Best Overall goes to the Striker Vivid 7cv. Under our published method it needs a strong owner rating with enough ratings behind it, a model its maker confirms is current, and both of our cutoffs met. The PiranhaMAX 4 DI and the Striker Vivid 5cv would also qualify, but each is already Best Overall in another of our guides (the PiranhaMAX in our down imaging fish finder guide), and we do not give the same model Best Overall in two guides. The ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv falls short of our Best Overall threshold, and we could not confirm the HOOK Reveal 5 with Lowrance. After the Best Overall, the order is editorial, not a ranking or a sort by score. More sonar coverage is in our fish finders section.

We earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page. Commissions never affect our rankings or AnglerTechLab Scores.

Best Fish Finder for Small Boat Reviews

Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv (Best Overall)

Who it’s for: Jon boat and small console boat owners with room for a wider head unit who want a 7 in screen for split views at a lower draw than the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv.

Standout features: Garmin’s Striker Vivid 7cv page lists a 7.0 in display at 800 x 480 pixels, traditional CHIRP and ClearVü scanning sonar, built-in GPS with 5,000 waypoints, Quickdraw Contours, and Wi-Fi. Input is 12 to 20 V DC with a typical draw of 0.55 A. The GT20-TM transducer in the box comes with both transom and trolling motor mounts and a 20 ft cable, per Garmin’s GT20-TM page, so it can go on a jon boat transom or on a bow trolling motor.

• Pro: A 7 in screen at 0.55 A typical, versus 1.52 A at 12 V for the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv, per Garmin.
• Pro: Transom and trolling motor mounts for the transducer, so you can choose where the sonar looks.
• Con: Garmin lists no preloaded charts and no SideVü for this model.
• Con: At 9.3 x 5.5 in, the head unit needs more room than the 5cv, so measure your bench or console.

What owners say: Two owners call the install easy, one noting that everything needed for setup came in the box. One owner says it is just the right size, another reads the screen easily in bright sunlight, and a kayak angler says it starts working as soon as the boat is in the water. The main complaint comes from an owner who expected built-in maps, found none once it was installed, and says the features take study time to learn.

Who should look elsewhere: If you want preloaded lake charts, the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv and HOOK Reveal 5 list them. If your boat has a tiller and a narrow bench, the Striker Vivid 5cv runs the same transducer and pixel count in a smaller case.

Humminbird PiranhaMAX 4 DI (Most Compact Screen)

Who it’s for: Anglers with a tiller jon boat, a car-top boat, or a kayak, where a 4.3 in unit can sit on a bench or a small dash, who want a picture of brush and rock under the hull and do not need GPS or charts.

Standout features: According to the Amazon listing, the PiranhaMAX 4 DI pairs Down Imaging, which shows timber, brush, bridge pilings, and rock below the boat, with dual-beam sonar that switches between a narrow beam for detail and a wide beam for coverage. The listing names a 4.3 in color display, Fish ID+, fish and depth alarms, zoom, a tilt and swivel mount, and an XNT 9 DI T transom-mount transducer in the box. The listing gives no power input. Humminbird’s fuse and power draw chart lists a 1 A fuse and a 180 mA steady draw for the PiranhaMAX series, and its PiranhaMAX series page says the PiranhaMAX 4 and PiranhaMAX 4 DI are the two models in the series still sold. Humminbird’s in-line fuse installation article says the amp size is listed in the installation guide for your specific product, so check the installation guide that ships with your unit for the exact fuse.

• Pro: The smallest screen here, per the listing, for a bench, tiller-side mount, or small dash.
• Pro: A transom-mount transducer and a tilt and swivel mount come in the box, per the listing.
• Con: The listing names no GPS or mapping, so you cannot count on saving a waypoint on a brush pile.
• Con: No power input or screen resolution in the listing.

What owners say: A kayak owner calls the menu easy to navigate and the screen easy to read in bright sun. Another kayak angler set the transducer in a scupper hole so no holes were needed, and found the screen visible in direct sunlight. A pontoon owner says it works great, and another finds the settings easy to move through. On the critical side, an owner who stays in plain sonar almost all the time says the down view has not paid off yet, since it builds one column at a time, and thinks it may take more practice.

Who should look elsewhere: If you want to save spots on a lake you fish often, the Striker Vivid 5cv adds GPS and Quickdraw Contours, per Garmin. If you want charts on the screen, look at the HOOK Reveal 5.

Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv (Smallest Screen With Maker-Listed GPS)

Who it’s for: Tiller jon boat and small skiff anglers who want GPS and ClearVü on a compact head unit that puts a light load on a small battery.

Standout features: Garmin’s Striker Vivid 5cv page lists a 5.0 in display (about 2.6 x 4.3 in) at 800 x 480 pixels, the same pixel count as the 7cv, along with traditional CHIRP and ClearVü, built-in GPS, and Quickdraw Contours. Garmin lists a typical draw of 0.40 A on a 12 to 20 V DC input. The box includes the GT20-TM transducer, and Garmin says the 5cv comes with a tilt and swivel mount plus transom and trolling motor mounting hardware. Garmin’s Striker Vivid owner’s manual, written for the whole series, says the unit will not turn on below 12 V DC, which is worth knowing if your battery also runs a trolling motor.

• Pro: The lowest typical draw of the three Garmin units here: 0.40 A, per Garmin.
• Pro: The smallest and lightest Garmin head unit here, at 7.4 x 4.5 in and 1.0 lb.
• Con: No Wi-Fi, SideVü, or preloaded charts listed.
• Con: The same pixels as the 7cv on a smaller screen, so split views get tight.

Who should look elsewhere: If you want to see the bottom off each side of the boat, the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv adds SideVü. If you can live without GPS and want the smallest screen, the PiranhaMAX 4 DI lists a 4.3 in display. Our Striker Vivid 5cv review covers its power needs and contour mapping on their own.

Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5 SplitShot (Smallest Screen With Preloaded Maps)

Who it’s for: Small boat anglers who trailer to different lakes and want charts on a 5 in screen from the first launch.

Standout features: According to the Amazon listing, the HOOK Reveal 5 SplitShot shows preloaded C-MAP maps of almost 4,000 U.S. inland lakes on a 5 in SolarMAX display, and its SplitShot transducer pairs wide-angle high CHIRP with DownScan Imaging. FishReveal places the CHIRP fish targets on the DownScan picture, and autotuning sonar adjusts settings as conditions change. The listing says Genesis Live builds custom half-foot contour maps in real time when you insert a blank microSD card, lists front-dash or gimbal-bracket mounting, and names a 12 V DC power source plus a mounting bracket, power cable, and fuse and fuse holder in the box. The listing does not spell out built-in GPS, and Lowrance’s site blocked our requests, so we could not confirm specs with the maker.

• Pro: Preloaded inland lake maps on a 5 in screen, per the listing.
• Pro: Half-foot Genesis Live contours recorded to a blank microSD card, per the listing.
• Con: The listing names no SideScan for the included SplitShot transducer; its description ties SideScan to the TripleShot version.
• Con: No screen resolution, current draw, or transducer mount type in the listing, and specs could not be confirmed with Lowrance.

Who should look elsewhere: If you want maker-confirmed specs on a 5 in screen and can skip preloaded charts, the Striker Vivid 5cv fits. If you want a larger chart view and side imaging, look at the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv. Our Lowrance HOOK Reveal 5 review covers this unit in more detail.

Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv (Only Pick With Side Imaging)

Who it’s for: Owners of a larger jon boat or a small console boat with room for a 7 in touchscreen, who want side imaging to search flats and banks and preloaded lake charts.

Standout features: Garmin’s ECHOMAP UHD2 7 in sv page lists the 73sv with a 7.0 in touchscreen with keyed assist (about 6.1 x 3.4 in) at 800 x 480 pixels, built-in traditional CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü, multi-band GPS, and Garmin Navionics+ U.S. lakes mapping, which Garmin says includes a 1-year subscription for daily updates. It takes 9 to 18 V DC with a typical draw of 1.52 A at 12 V. Garmin’s product name for this bundle lists the GT54UHD-TM transducer (its In the Box tab shortens it to GT54-TM), and Garmin’s GT54UHD-TM page lists a 20 ft cable and both a transom mount and a trolling motor mount in that transducer’s own box. According to the Amazon listing, the unit also connects wirelessly to a Garmin Force trolling motor.

• Pro: The only unit here that lists side imaging with the transducer in the box, per Garmin.
• Pro: Preloaded lake charts and multi-band GPS, per Garmin.
• Con: The highest typical draw here, 1.52 A at 12 V, nearly three times the Striker Vivid 7cv’s.
• Con: A larger head unit than either Striker Vivid, at 8.6 x 5.6 x 3.2 in, and Garmin’s box list includes no memory card.

What owners say: A kayak owner says the screen is small enough to stay out of the way but big enough to see well. An owner who replaced a 10-year-old 5 in Humminbird points to the larger screen, an easy menu, and much higher resolution, and another calls it easy to set up and use. One owner describes a straightforward install, notes the maps come preloaded, and says a blank 32 GB microSD card was needed to download software updates, while linking a phone was “a bit technical.”

Who should look elsewhere: If your battery is small or you do not need side imaging, the Striker Vivid 7cv gives a 7 in screen at a lower draw. If you want charts on a smaller screen, the HOOK Reveal 5 lists them. Our ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv review covers its charts and sonar in more depth.

How to Choose a Fish Finder for a Small Boat or Jon Boat

Pick a Screen You Can Read From the Seat

Start with where the unit will sit. A 4.3 to 5 in unit fits a bench, a small dash, or a mount beside the tiller. A 7 in unit wants a console or a wide seat: Garmin lists the Striker Vivid 7cv head at 9.3 x 5.5 in, against 7.4 x 4.5 in for the 5 in Striker Vivid 5cv. Pixels matter as much as inches. The 5cv and 7cv share 800 x 480 pixels, so the 7cv draws the same image larger, which helps when you split the screen between two sonar views and sit a few feet away at the tiller.

Transom or Trolling Motor Transducer

Every unit here ships with a transducer, but check how it mounts. The PiranhaMAX listing names a transom-mount transducer. Garmin supplies transom and trolling motor mounts with the GT20-TM on both Striker Vivid units, lists both mounts in the GT54UHD-TM’s box, and lists support for transom angles from 0 to 70 degrees on both transducers. On a bow-mounted trolling motor, the transducer reads under the bow where you sit while working a bank; a transom mount keeps it off the motor shaft and reads under the stern while you idle or drift. Garmin’s GT20-TM page says to follow the installation instructions carefully to avoid damaging your boat. Both Garmin transducers list a 20 ft cable, so measure the run from the transom to where the screen will sit before you drill anything. For placement, see where to mount a transducer, and for a bow setup, how to attach a transducer to a trolling motor.

Power From a Small Boat Battery

Garmin’s typical draws for its three units here run from 0.40 A (Striker Vivid 5cv) to 1.52 A at 12 V (ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv); the HOOK Reveal listing gives 12 V DC with no draw figure. The PiranhaMAX listing gives neither, and Humminbird’s fuse chart lists a 180 mA steady draw for the whole PiranhaMAX series, a series figure that Humminbird labels differently from Garmin’s typical draw, so we do not rank it against the Garmin numbers. If one battery runs both the fish finder and a trolling motor, a lower draw leaves more of it for the motor. Garmin’s Striker Vivid manual also notes that the unit will not turn on below 12 V DC, and it describes a device voltage alarm that sounds when the battery reaches a low voltage you set. If you are also planning a trolling motor on a jon boat, plan the battery around both loads.

Maps, GPS, and Contour Recording

Only the HOOK Reveal 5 and the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv list preloaded maps. The two Striker Vivid units record your own maps with Quickdraw Contours instead. Garmin’s series manual shows a green circle around the boat icon when depth and GPS readings are good and your speed is under 10 mph, so trolling speed or a slow idle on a jon boat suits recording. On the HOOK, the listing says Genesis Live saves its half-foot contours to a blank microSD card. The PiranhaMAX listing names no GPS, so it shows what is below you, but the listing gives no way to mark the spot and come back.

Is Side Imaging Worth It on a Small Boat?

Side imaging helps when you search wide flats, riprap banks, or timber lines rather than sitting over one spot. Among these five, only the ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv lists it with the transducer in the box, and it comes with a larger head unit and nearly three times the 7cv’s typical draw. If you mostly fish a few known brush piles from a jon boat, a down view (ClearVü, Down Imaging, or DownScan) under the hull may be all you need. Our side imaging vs down imaging comparison explains the two views, and our down imaging picks cover units built around the view below the boat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best fish finder for small boats?

For most small boats and jon boats, our Best Overall is the Garmin Striker Vivid 7cv: a 7 in screen, GPS, and a transducer that mounts on the transom or a trolling motor, at a modest typical draw. If space or battery is tight, match a label above to your setup: the smallest screen, the smallest screen with maker-listed GPS, charts on a 5 in screen, or side imaging. For boats of every size, see our full fish finder roundup.

How do you use a fish finder on a small boat?

Run a split view: traditional sonar for fish arches beside ClearVü, Down Imaging, or DownScan for the shape of structure. Garmin’s Striker Vivid manual describes a keel offset setting that corrects the depth reading for where the transducer sits, and advises using the lowest interference setting that clears noise, adding that fixing installation problems is the best way to remove interference. Our guide to reading a fish finder walks through the screen itself.

How do you wire a small fish finder to a battery?

Follow the installation instructions and owner’s manual for your exact model rather than a generic diagram. Check where the fuse goes: Garmin’s Striker Vivid manual places the fuse holder on the red wire of the power cable, and the HOOK Reveal listing includes a fuse and fuse holder in the box. Use the fuse rating your model’s manual specifies, and leave anything beyond those instructions, such as tying into existing boat wiring, to a marine electrician.

How do you install a fish finder on a jon boat?

Put the head unit where you can see it from the tiller or seat, mount the transducer on the transom or a trolling motor with the hardware in the box, and route the cable to the screen, following the maker’s installation instructions. Our step-by-step guide to install a fish finder on a boat covers the full job, the guide to a transducer on an aluminum boat covers aluminum hulls, and our fish finder mount picks cover brackets and arms.

Can you use a portable fish finder on a small boat?

Yes. A castable sonar or a self-contained portable kit needs no wiring to the boat and moves between boats. The five units here are mounted units with a wired transducer instead, which suits a boat you fish often. If you would rather not mount anything, our canoe fish finder picks compare castable and portable options.

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