Southwest Florida Kayak Angler's Association

My kayak comes rigged with a center console built to equip a GPS/fish finder. I would love to hear some feedback from the group on:

1. Should I even get one
2. Recommendations

Thanks!
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My Yak:
Feelfree Lure 11.5

frequently hooksets rocks.....

Will you ever be fishing deep water?

I have one, but I only use it if I'm going offshore.

No point in using one if all you ever do is fish flats.

One of my Hobies has a Lowrance Elite4HDI. It was included wit the kayak when I bought it, but it's performed fairly well. The maps are pretty inacccurate for the inshore areas I've fished, but it's accurate enough to get you back to launch in an unfamiliar area.


If you only fish places you know, it's probably not worth it. I don't really use it when I'm going to places I've been before, unless I'm going somewhere I haven't been before and want to keep track of distance/path to calculate distance later.


Mostly and more than the GPS, the depth finder is convenient at times when you think you're 2-3ft deep but are actually 4-5ft in an area with clear water.

I will be fishing some deep waters from time to time, although flats will be most of my fishing.

Because I am new to the waterways down here, I thought the GPS might be a good idea for not getting lost/tracking distance/marking good areas.

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My Yak:
Feelfree Lure 11.5

frequently hooksets rocks.....

The only place I find I need my GPS is when I go to Chokoloskee Is. /10,000 Is. Other than that, a GPS here is good for knowing your position in an emergency, to relay to CG, FWC, etc.

I second the GPS.. but also see no real need for FF unless going offshore and looking for bait, or a drop-off, wreck, or rock pile. You, or at least I can, remember good spots after a few paddling fishing trips with no technology devices.

I have a simple handheld GPS, older Lowrance H20 color with a navionocs chip. I previously had the black&white version and liked it better for daylight use. The GPS comes in handy when navigating through mangrove tunnel and creeks, and leaving a bread crumb trail to find my way back.. the mangroves and creek turns all look alike after a while and some completely change when the tide rises or drops.

I sometimes take the handheld on the power boat and use it for marking lobster spots or for quick reference for depth, we typically head out 11 to 20 miles and like to fish along a dropoff that goes fomr 1000' down to about 1200' and the buddies FF sometimes looses its depth brains after about 800'. Although my budy recently replaced his GPS/FF on the boat with a much better one and it does the job, but the handheld is our backup.

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Old Fugger who just likes to fish, have tackle will trave

Going to hijack this thread to ask for more advice on the subject.

I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a OK Big Game II. It will be here in about a week. I'm not going whole hog on rigging it right away, taking the advice of many and plan to paddle "naked" until I figure out where I want to put things. But that doesn't stop the planning and research, does it?

I plan to mainly fish skinny water to include the many mangrove nooks and crannies around Pine Island. However I will venture offshore occasionally. The only thing I currently have besides my cell phone with gps capability is an older-than-dirt Magellan handheld that is entirely inadequate for showing me the detail I want to find my way around until I get a better feel for the area. So my first priority, electronics wise, is to acquire a GPS. What do you folks use for finding your way around unfamiliar waters?

Since I will be going into deeper water occasionally, a fish finder will come in handy. So a combo unit may be what I'm looking for. The chart plotters with the Navionics card do look pretty cool. I like the level of detail that the software provides and some of the units give you the ability to review your tracks after your trip. Is this sort of thing overkill for the area or is it something you find useful? Not even sure if I'm asking the right questions but thanks for your patience and advice anyway!

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Hobie PA 14
FeelFree Moken 12.5

Problem I see with on water electronics is ability to see the screen due to sunlight. I have the Garmin Map76, and while it is great for holding downloaded info on different areas, actually seeing the display on the water is brutal. I'm guessing a lot of the other units are the same. Maybe someone has offered a shaded box/covering that will help with that. If you're going offshore, a fish finder/depth display would be a must.

I have a Hummingbird Helix 5 on my OK BG2. Mounted dead center in front of the cockpit. I have no problem seeing it even is bright sunlight. Hummingbird now offers them loaded with a bunch of maps. I love the GPS function and waypoint function.