Deeper Locator

Hi All,

I'm new to the site and looked around at old posts for a topic on this item and didn't see anything.

Have any of you considered using a Deeper as your locator? The Deeper is the castable locator that transmits back to your cell phone screen. For the float tube, I tether it off the side with a short length of cord clipped to a D ring.

I've been very happy with the detail. The beauty is that its about the size of a tennis ball. no power supply needed.

Just wondering if anyone else is using Deeper or I-bobber or any of these castable locators.

Thanks.

I saw these before I decided on a Hummingbird Fishing Buddy. I could not find any reviews on the I-bobber at that time. I can say I have dropped EVERYTHING I have ever carried onto my tube at one time or another, so I have taken cell phone off the list for now. I simply do not take my phone on the tube.

I really hope you can give a detailed report on how this little dude performs. And really hope for a compare and contrast to another model of fish finder.

Jerdon wrote:I saw these before I decided on a Hummingbird Fishing Buddy. I could not find any reviews on the I-bobber at that time. I can say I have dropped EVERYTHING I have ever carried onto my tube at one time or another, so I have taken cell phone off the list for now. I simply do not take my phone on the tube.

I really hope you can give a detailed report on how this little dude performs. And really hope for a compare and contrast to another model of fish finder.

EXACTLY! Why I don't wanna try to photograph fish out on the water. I don't need a "fish finder" anyway, I have a rod and reel!

I use one of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and hang it on a lanyard around my neck. Can't drop it and easy to use even with wet and slimy hands

I've just recently started using a "fish finder" and it's really more of a bottom and structure finder for me. Just last weekend I spotted a place where there was a deeper depression in the middle of shallower water, so I started working the edges and picked up a decent halibut. It's also nice to be able to see what sort of bottom you have. You can easily tell the difference between eel grass or kelp or sand or rocks and if you do see fish, you can see where they are in the water column and decide if you're better off working top water or the bottom.

Also, if you're working an area and you see fish on the finder, but you're not getting bit, then you know the problem is your bait/presentation and not the location.

I certainly wouldn't call it an essential, but it's nice to have. The more I know, the better off I am, and a fish finder gives me information I wouldn't have otherwise.

Nice Bob I love my Garmin and my Fish finder mount the battery last forever it works great

I like to at least know what depth I am at and get a feel for the lake.  At least half of these lakes in Northern WI have no name let alone have ever been mapped.  If they are too shallow I don't even waste my time because they probably winter-kill from time to time.  I'm looking for these small lakes to be at least 20 feet deep in the middle to know that they can survive a bad winter.

Like Bob mentioned, I have a waterproof case for my cell which is on a lanyard around my neck.  I take all my photos through that case and they look fine.  You have to clean it now and then.  The phone goes into a selfie-stick for fish shots of myself if I am alone.  

As far as the Deeper...I am really happy with it.  I'm sure a full sized locator has more detail, but for what we do I have to travel light.  We are walking in 1/2 to 1 mile and everything has to be in the pockets of the tube.  I chose the Deeper over the I-Bobber because the Deeper seemed to have more detail.  It looked more like the locator on my boat.  The shot below was from a harbored area of Lake Michigan.  The band in the middle was a school of Gizzard Shad and a Brown hanging below.  My buddy made two casts with an underspin and a white fluke and caught that fish.  Probably 30-31" Brown.

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So far I really like it.  When I'm not using it for the tube, I can cast it off the piers and breakwalls from shore and see what's going on or where the baitfish are.  If you are in a climate where there is ice fishing, you drop it in the hole and change the display to one that looks like a Vexilar flasher type look and it works great.  

The battery in it lasts several trips and I don't notice any unusual drain to my cell phone.  I does a lot of other things that I haven't even delved into yet.  I'm only slightly tech savvy.  This season I'll have my kids play with it and teach me all the other little things it will do.

Nice review, partycrasher.

I know a lot of tubers put in serious hikes to get to their water and a lightweight and easily portable fish finder is a great option and a good way to flat out catch more fish!

Thanx Partycrasher for the excellent fish finder review.

I still need to invest in one, thanks for reigniting my interest.

SP Dan <"))><

I can say this looks to have more features and detail than my FishingBuddy 120.
OrneryBob, how does this compare to you Raymarine?

The Raymarine Wi-Fish uses a different sonar technology, so it looks quite different. It's a more detailed picture, but the head unit is a tad bulky even though it doesn't weigh much. I could get by with a standard fish finder battery pack, but I'm also powering an iPad, so I'm using a motorcycle battery in a waterproof case. Not exactly a backpacking friendly setup, but it works for me