For your boat or your buddy's. This is the highest-ticket gear on the site, so the tags matter more here than anywhere: we run sonar, a bow-mount with Spot-Lock, a shallow-water anchor and a kill switch; the models below are our picks. The transom motor and the lithium battery we haven't run, and it says so.
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Fished real days on it We use one our pick in a category we carry Research pick not used yet, doubt stated
Who it's for: the first real unit — 7" screen, side and down imaging, and lake maps you'll actually use to find the points and breaks the Guides talk about. Best-looking screen in the price class. Downside: the touch version costs more and the buttons version is fine in a splash; either way, learning to read side imaging takes a season. Budget tier: the Striker Vivid 7 — same brand, no maps.
Who it's for: any real bass boat. Spot-Lock holds you on a point in wind while you fish instead of steering; the remote means the trolling motor isn't tied to your foot. Downside: the price of a good used jon boat, and 24V means two batteries. The tournament version (Ultrex) costs more and you won't miss it from the bank.
Who it's for: jon boats, kayaks and the buddy's aluminum boat with no bow mount. Simple, cheap, and the one every forum tells a first-boat owner to buy. Downside: we haven't run one — it's here because it's the default answer everywhere else. No GPS, no remote; you steer with the tiller.
Who it's for: replacing a 60-lb lead-acid trolling battery with a 14-lb one that lasts thousands of cycles. Downside: we haven't run lithium yet. The 54Ah is backordered as we write this, and a 24V Terrova needs two — budget accordingly. Bass Pro's Tracker Lithium is the in-store alternative.
Who it's for: holding on a flat, a bed or a dock in under 8–15 ft without an anchor rope. Push a button, stay put. Downside: expensive for a stick that goes in the mud; pick the length for your water (8 ft covers most ponds and small lakes).
Who it's for: everyone with an outboard. The lanyard is the law in most states and the reason a fall overboard isn't the end of the story; the kit covers the throwable, whistle and flares the warden asks for. Downside: none. Clip it on.
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