I have a 2014 Jackson Cuda 12 and I am thinking about buying a fish finder for it.  I am looking at the Lowrance Chirp 5x or 7x.  Would these be a good fish finder for a kayak and does anyone have any advice or experience with these or other FF that they recommend specifically for a kayak?

There really are no limitations as to fish finder use in a kayak.  Now you will have to determine how you want to deploy your transducer and how large of a unit you want to use as the space is limited but other than that, there are no kayak specific FF to my knowledge. 

 

I am personally looking to upgrade to a Humminbird helix series when funds allow for it....

There really are no limitations as to fish finder use in a kayak.  Now you will have to determine how you want to deploy your transducer and how large of a unit you want to use as the space is limited but other than that, there are no kayak specific FF to my knowledge. 

 

I am personally looking to upgrade to a Humminbird helix series when funds allow for it....[/quote

True, and if it's a sit on top, then the scupper hole mount is the way to go

True, and if it's a sit on top, then the scupper hole mount is the way to go

 

I would only use a scupper hole mount if your kayak protects the transducer.  For me I would rather go with an arm style if thru hull is not an option as it is easier to keep the transducer protected from harm that way.  

I use a helix 5 SI   set up on my seaeagle 

Ive got the 7, its big and Im using a ram ball mount...the 5 is probly a better size and I think uses the replaceable slide back mount so it may be easier to mount. Both work well. As to the scupper mount some yaks are designed for Lowrance or Humminbird and not both so, take that into consideration. I had an arm for my first FF and it caught the vegetation when I went thru it and made splashing sounds. I now use scupper mounts. If your yak has a good scupper recess for the transducer, damage is not an issue.

I am rarely in water deep enough for a fish finder to work. Plus, it is even more rare for me to fish directly under the kayak.

I am rarely in water deep enough for a fish finder to work. Plus, it is even more rare for me to fish directly under the kayak.

Most of the lakes I fish are shallow, up to 12-14' and I use mine often.  And you might not fish directly under your kayak but that isn't what they are for as much as it is to indicate structure and depth contours etc and water temperature.  the signal also isn't a straight beam that gives a small window view of the bottom.  It is a cone and the deeper you are, the wider the cone but i will save that conversation but i recommend you do a little research and you may be surprised.I am still learning how to use my basic unit up to it's potential and it has really helped me in my fishing under different conditions.  Not to mention it validates what i think I know in regards to the structure at the bottom of the lake.

Most of the lakes I fish are shallow, up to 12-14' and I use mine often.  And you might not fish directly under your kayak but that isn't what they are for as much as it is to indicate structure and depth contours etc and water temperature.  the signal also isn't a straight beam that gives a small window view of the bottom.  It is a cone and the deeper you are, the wider the cone but i will save that conversation but i recommend you do a little research and you may be surprised.I am still learning how to use my basic unit up to it's potential and it has really helped me in my fishing under different conditions.  Not to mention it validates what i think I know in regards to the structure at the bottom of the lake.

That is why I am thinking about getting one. I want to know more about the area I am fishing, depth and structure as the areas I finish frequently don't have great maps.

When I updated the unit on my bass boat I put the old unit on my yak. Mounted the transducer inside, shoot through the hull, so I don't have to worry about damage. I didn't need anything fancy for the yak only want to see what kind of structure and depth.

I have Lowrance Elite 4Xs for my Ascend 128T & FeelFree Lure 11.5 (HAVE to have two just in case two of us go fishing...).  I picked the smaller display because I felt it would work best for the limited cockpits in my kayaks and I use it to determine depth and structure. I used Lowrance's scupper mount kit for the Lure's transducer and made my own mount for the 128T with a 3" plumbing flange & rubber cover.  

 

I use two Pelican cases just big enough for a 12V 7.4 aH battery and the Lowrance display itself.  I use industrial Velcro to keep the cases fixed in each kayak's hatch.  The batteries lasted all last summer.  I got out at least once a week from May to October.

 

 This is my second season using fish finders.  It took me a while to read them properly, though sometimes I still have doubts I'm doing it right.

 

I'd say pick the unit you like best and mount the transducer where it can't get damaged/torn off if you hit something in the shallows.

I have Lowrance Elite 4Xs for my Ascend 128T & FeelFree Lure 11.5 (HAVE to have two just in case two of us go fishing...). I picked the smaller display because I felt it would work best for the limited cockpits in my kayaks and I use it to determine depth and structure. I used Lowrance's scupper mount kit for the Lure's transducer and made my own mount for the 128T with a 3" plumbing flange & rubber cover.

I use two Pelican cases just big enough for a 12V 7.4 aH battery and the Lowrance display itself. I use industrial Velcro to keep the cases fixed in each kayak's hatch. The batteries lasted all last summer. I got out at least once a week from May to October.

This is my second season using fish finders. It took me a while to read them properly, though sometimes I still have doubts I'm doing it right.

I'd say pick the unit you like best and mount the transducer where it can't get damaged/torn off if you hit something in the shallows.

You have any pics on how the transducer sits on the Lure and where you mounted the battery.

Most of the lakes I fish are shallow, up to 12-14' and I use mine often.  And you might not fish directly under your kayak but that isn't what they are for as much as it is to indicate structure and depth contours etc and water temperature.  the signal also isn't a straight beam that gives a small window view of the bottom.  It is a cone and the deeper you are, the wider the cone but i will save that conversation but i recommend you do a little research and you may be surprised.I am still learning how to use my basic unit up to it's potential and it has really helped me in my fishing under different conditions.  Not to mention it validates what i think I know in regards to the structure at the bottom of the lake.

 

I am very familiar with how depth finder works. I have two on my boat. They are great on the deep lake I fish on in Canada. I have actually watched a fish come up and grab my drop shot on the screen of my depth finder.  I only use my kayak in the shallow rivers, less than 3' in most places, near my house. No need for a depth finder there. I can see, with my eyes and polarized sun glasses, the whole width of the river and the water is clear enough I can see any structure. Even where it is deep enough for me to use my boat the average depth is 4 to 5'. There are occasional deep holes of 15 - 20'. I know where they are and usually only fish them in the winter or the dog days of summer.

 

I just stated that my kayak fishing is limited to very shallow water and have no need for a depth finder on it. I never said no one needed a depth finder on their kayak.

 

12-14' is not "shallow" if I am in 14' of water I much rather fish out of my comfortable boat than a kayak. The Kayak is only for places I cannot get the boat. Unfortunately the river I fish a lot has changed. So I had to buy a kayak to get where the fish are.

Look into the raymarine dragonfly series, affordable and the downscan is top notch

That is a much different situation than saying i am rarely in water deep enough for a fish finder to work and again, fish finders are not just for fishing directly beneath your boat as you are implying but if that is your use of them and that is works, then more power to you.

 

And yes 12-14' is not shallow per se but i figured i didn't have to spell it out that those were the deeper portions and the majority of the lakes are much shallower as a whole and my depth finder still works just fine.

I have a 2014 Jackson Cuda 12 and I am thinking about buying a fish finder for it.  I am looking at the Lowrance Chirp 5x or 7x.  Would these be a good fish finder for a kayak and does anyone have any advice or experience with these or other FF that they recommend specifically for a kayak?

GAD, if you're looking into the Lowrance 5x, do some research. Although Lowrance makes some good units, I've heard the Elite 5 is miserable in shallow water, just as my Elite 4 HDI is. I don't have any personal experience with the 5x, but my unit is virtually worthless for downscan imaging in shallow water. For depths greater than 12, it's fine.