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As an avid fisherman, having quality gear is absolutely integral to a great catch. One of my most important pieces of gear is my fish finder. Fish finders use sonar technology to locate fish and identify their size and trajectory, as well as to map the underwater topography of a given body of water. The Garmin Striker 7SV is a new fish finder on the market that seems like it would be perfect for any fisherman’s needs. I’ve done a great deal of research on this new product. In this article I will share my assessment of its pros and cons.
Garmin Striker 7SV Features
Practicality and Accuracy
The Striker 7SV is relatively affordable. It’s particularly affordable because its capabilities are comparable to those of a much more expensive fish finder. It appears to be very user friendly overall. The Striker 7SV’s high-quality color screen measures 7 inches, and is bright enough that even on sunny days, you can read it clearly. It’s also portable, weighing 1.5 pounds. It has a CHIRP transducer, which provide extremely detailed results. By sending out a range of frequencies, and then reading all of those frequencies’ results, the CHIRP transducer is in a league of its own. (Note that many fish finders send out only one frequency, which is naturally much less effective and provides a lower level of detail.) Its DownVu and SideVu scanning sonar technologies, incorporated into one transducer, are very impressive–they allow you to see 750 feet below and 750 feet beside your boat, respectively. With technology this advance, you will likely be amazed by how clear an image you get of the water and fish below–truly crystal clear. This is not the case with all fish finders, in my extensive experience. Its maximum depths for readings are 1100 feet in salt water and 2300 feet in fresh water, which is very deep compared to a lot of other products.
Effective Mapping Technologies
In addition to its incredibly detailed readings, the Striker 7SV has a built-in GPS. This is an incredibly useful feature. It’s useful because it allows the user to immediately locate his or her position and mark spots, including physical landmarks along the way. This means that when you find a great fishing spot, you are able to mark it using the GPS and find it again later. I can’t overemphasize how useful a feature that is. The GPS also allows you to track your speed and, in map mode, figure out when you will arrive at a particular destination.
True Versatility
Yes, incredibly, the Striker 7SV has still more features worth mentioning. Not only does it function as a regular fish finder, it also allows you to use it as a flasher. (Flashers are a type of fish finder used primarily for stationary fishing.) This would be extremely useful for those who also like to ice fish. Instead of having to buy an entirely new fish finder, with the Striker 7SV, you would have all kinds of options for the types of fishing you could do. You can also purchase a Striker 7SV portable kit for fishing from a small boat like a kayak or canoe; this kit comes with a rechargeable battery and a mount for the transducer.
Based on my extensive research, I would recommend the Striker 7SV to any fisherman looking for an affordable, high-quality product. It clearly has an incredible number of extremely useful features for its price range.
