How to choose a winter depth sounder? Echolotes for winter fishing: reviews. What firm to buy a winter depth sounder?

Fans of fishing in the cold season, of course, will be interested to know how to choose a winter depth sounder. This unique device will help avid athletes to return home with a significant catch and forget about disappointment in the absence of the desired prey. Let's talk about what requirements are imposed on such an instrument, what brands are more preferable and what must necessarily be paid attention when buying.

General information about the device

Before answering the question of how to choose a winter depth sounder, it is necessary to determine what a similar device is in general. Regardless of the type, brand, seasonality and manufacturer, instruments of this kind have one general purpose, which consists in determining objects and living creatures in the water column at a considerable distance from the fisherman.

In common parlance, the echo sounder can be called a locator, which emits ultrasonic pulses - signals. They penetrate through the water and fix the surface and structure of the bottom of the reservoir, as well as the accumulation of living inhabitants in it, they show a picture inaccessible to the eye of the fisherman. In addition to the basic tasks, the echo sounders can perform additional functions, for example, determine the water temperature and the direction of the fish movement.

Basic characteristics of the device for the cold season

So what are the characteristics of a winter echo sounder? Of course, any device is unique and has its own technical parameters, but a number of common physical and practical characteristics that a device for frosty weather should have, yet can be distinguished. These include:

• Ability to perform tasks and perform work in minus temperature (even significant).
• The presence of a powerful battery that allows you to ensure long-term trouble-free operation even in the most difficult weather conditions (if necessary, the device is provided with a special cover).
• The presence of a special sensor for the hole in the ice (is a distinctive feature).

What should I look for first?

When choosing a winter depth sounder, be sure to consider the depths of the reservoirs on which you plan to fish in the near future. The thickness of the water largely determines the power of the device: for shallow water it will be enough to purchase the simplest and most affordable models, for a considerable depth it is optimal to give preference to special means that are quite expensive.

The principal difference is also in the presence of the so-called well sensor. With its help, you can quickly locate the fish and track its movement in the depth of the ice-bound pond.

Rules for choosing the best device

So, we choose the depth sounder for winter fishing. The process of determining the appropriate model should be treated as carefully as possible, paying attention to various, even the smallest nuances. If you are not familiar with such devices, be sure to read the additional literature or consult an expert. It is especially important to consider the following characteristics:

• Size and weight. If possible, it is recommended to give preference to compact models, this will facilitate their transportation in difficult natural conditions and will make fishing even more enjoyable.
• Resistance to negative temperatures. This requirement applies to all components of the device, including cables, batteries, sensors, a screen. If you purchased a summer model, then it is more likely that it will not work properly in the frost or will not work at all.
• Number of display pixels. Is a universal requirement for both winter and summer devices, this characteristic should be paid attention in any case. This determines the quality and clarity of the picture displayed by the screen.
• The presence of gray color in the picture on the screen. Such a shade, depending on the degree of intensity, determines the structure of the bottom and provides the fisherman with the most complete information about the reservoir.
• Availability of additional functions. Wishes are not required, but highly desirable. So, some models of the device can be equipped with a navigator, a temperature sensor and many other useful and pleasant functions.

Popular winter models

Let's talk about what manufacturers are the most popular echosounders for winter fishing. User reviews contain positive information about the following types of device:

• "Garmin Echo." Has a large screen, simple and intuitive control, an abundance of shades of gray on the display. It is two-beam.
• "Garmin Fishfinder-250". Characterized by an excellent display resolution, the presence of two beams, considerable battery endurance.
• "Hummingbird-180". Three-beam device, the most easy to use. It features excellent image quality, displayed screen, as well as the ability to use at night, with low visibility, which is a particularly valuable quality for many fishermen.
• "Eagle Treefinder-2." Designed for fishing in shallow water. The maximum depth of its beam is 10 meters, suitable for beginners, as it is quite easy to use.
• "Fisher" - a compact device for beginners, allowing you to master the basic principles of working with the echosounder. Its main characteristics are in the depth of the beam to 1 meter and the radius of coverage to 20 degrees.

Reliable domestic developments

Winter depth sounder "Praktik" developed by domestic designers and is successfully used for fishing in the cold season. The most popular model under this brand is "Practitioner ER-6 Pro" (there are models "ER-4 Pro", "ER-4 Pro-2", more simplified). This device is considered one of the most optimal when used on the territory of our country. The device has the following qualitative characteristics:

• The presence of one ray.
• Slight weight.
• Easy and intuitive operation.
• Availability of batteries that provide uninterrupted operation for 200 hours (finger batteries).
• The ability to work even at significant negative temperatures, since all the components of the device are resistant to frost (up to minus 20 degrees).
• Black and white display panel.

The depth-finder "Praktik" for winter fishing is most simple in application, its main advantages include several operating modes. So, they distinguish:

• Magnification mode. Approaches depth range up to 2 times.
• Flasher mode. It consists in displaying the bait and finding the horizon.

Popular foreign models

"Lawrence Elite-4" is another excellent winter echo sounder. Reviews of this device indicate that it is excellent for fishing in both warm and frosty weather. The operating temperature range for such a device is from minus 50 to plus 28 degrees. Due to this property, the echo sounder can be used in the whole territory of the globe. This winter echo sounder is single-beam, its main purpose is to find fish, determine the depth of the pond and the unevenness of the bottom.

Flasher - quality and reliability

Flashers - popular and original echo sounders for winter fishing. Reviews of such devices often contain a large amount of enthusiastic information from amateur fishermen and professionals. What is the difference between this model and existing analogues? First of all it is:

• Significant cost.
• A round display showing the movement of fish in a natural way.
• The ability to adjust the intensity of the beam, and hence the ability to use the device both at considerable depths and in shallow water.
• The possibility of changing the width of the radiation manually, which allows to cover different in size areas of the reservoir.

The main difference between the echosounders for the seasons

What is the difference between winter and summer echo sounders? Universal devices suitable for catching in the summer are not adapted to severe weather conditions. Using a similar device in frost, you can observe the ripples, fuzzy picture on the display or its complete absence. As we have already found out, the means designed for the winter season have the appropriate unique elements, including a battery, a protective cover and a sensor for holes in the ice.

Advantages and disadvantages of winter devices

Let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of echosounders for winter fishing? Feedback from fishermen using similar devices will help us to decide on this rather complicated issue. So, according to users, the significant disadvantages of the device are as follows:

• Minimal review. The scope of the echo sounder is limited only by the size of the hole and does not pass through the ice thickness.
• The risk of a more active discharge of the power supply (battery) due to low temperatures.
• Limited ability to work (each device has its own range of action, some models can work at minus 50, others with less significant negative temperatures).

As for the advantages, most models specially designed for cold conditions do an excellent job of such tasks as:

• Determination of the structure of the bottom of the reservoir;
• Depth determination;
• Finding fish;
• Determination of the trajectory of the movement of fish.

The importance of using the echo sounder by season

What is the purpose of the winter echo sounder? Feedback from developers and users contains data that the device is successfully used to determine the presence of fish, as well as its size, to study the depth and structure of the bottom, water temperature. Deciding to use the summer sounder for winter fishing, you make a big mistake, because you subject the device to significant overloads and do not receive the necessary positive result (the screen will give out noise and simply refuse to work). A wide range of products designed specifically for winter fishing, allows you to choose the right device and to achieve with its help significant results.