Sailboat Rides

If you are in the market for a sonar fish locator that has all the fabulous features of the high-end models at a fraction of the price, then you don't have to look any farther than the Garmin 400c and Garmin 300c Fishfinders. With either of these two models, you will can ferret out all the fish - and have a superb time doing it! Each of these models will work in either salt or fresh water and, although the units are very similar, they do have some slight differences, which I will outline in this product review.

While either Garmin Fishfinders work well in either lakes or oceans, the 400c is really exceptionaly strong in saltwater because of its capability to reach depths of 1500 feet with moment-by-moment accuracy. The 300c has the ability to reach a whopping 900 feet deep. The secret lies within the sonar equipment called transducers. The 300c uses a dual-beam transducer, while the 400c offers the ability to use either a dual-beam transducer or a dual-frequency transducer. I know, this can be confusing; let me see if I can explain it. The dual-beam (standard for 300c) uses a cone system that you can set to send out sonar beams at either 15 or 45 degree from the boat. Basically, this allows you to see the contours of the lake bottom and fish that are not directly under the boat. If I could draw a picture, it would look like a cone with the pointy end starting at the bottom of the boat and the wide end on the bottom of the lake or river. The dual-frequency transducer (an optional for the 400c) sends out a single beam but has two settings: high frequency, which allows for higher resolution in deep water, and low frequency, which is selected for shallower waters.

Each of these Garmin Fishfinder models has a 256-color, high-resolution (240 vertical by 320 horizontal pixels) screen, designed to be readable even in bright sunlight. This means an striking color readout that is crystal clear, making it simple to distinguish fish from debris. The 300c screen is 3.5 inches and the 400c is 4 inches. Either has a night mode, which gives excellent readability even in low-light circumstances. And, speaking of night viewing, the keypad on both units is backlit making it easy to operate at night without the use of additional lighting.

Both units features what is called, Ultrascroll. This gives you real-time sonar updates that show fish even when you are cruising across the water. No more passing over a school or fish while you are zipping to your favorite fishing spot! Another great feature is called whiteline, which shows whether the bottom is hard or soft. It also allows you to tell whether the debris on the bottom is really a fish or just an old boot. Fish Symbol ID is factory issue on both Garmin 300c and 400c fish locators. This helps you to know the different sizes of fish so you are not pursuing shad instead of sturgeon. Also, either units come with A-Scope. This allows you to see moment-by-moment data of fish passing through the transducer beam. Both of these great sonars have an auto gain feature. This automatically sets the sensitivity on the sonar depending upon the density of the water, or fish, and also has three settings to give you even more options. Either of these units also have audible alarms that can be turned on and off. They can be set to alert you of low battery power, shallow water (of any depth you want) and, of course, the presence of fish. This means no more sudden dead batteries, no more expensive damaged props, and lots more fish in the boat!

Both models feature a split screen function allowing you to completely take advantage of all the moment-by-moment data these fish finders offer. Data such as how deep the water is and how cold it is, water speed for river fishing, voltage readings plus many more choices of other data. On the other side of the screen, you can view moment-by-moment fish traffic, including determining large from small fish, bottom density, and even the ability to tell if fish are hovering over the bottom. Both models allow you to zoom in on targets -- both 2x and 4x. Of course, if you just want to see the fish you can simply toggle the rocker switch and the split-screen is disabled. Both models also have the automatic settings save feature. Once you have your model dialed in, when you moor the craft for the evening, just turn the unit off and your settings will be remembered.

This is where the Garmin 400c is different from the Garmin 300c. The 400c is CANet-compatible. CANet is a communication sytem that facilitates a faster transfer rate of information. This means you can share sonar data with other plotters in your craft making this part of your nav system system, not just a superb fishfinder. One satisfied customer said, "I have a Garmin GPSMap 496 and I use it in tandem with my 400c. The two units work together perfectly. Even in the middle of the ocean I can never get lost!" Another customer says "I recently got a Garmin 400c Fishfinder and was pleasantly surprised to find it works with my chart plotter." Where to buy the Garmin 300c and the Garmin 400c for the best price is Amazon.com