I'm looking to buy my first fish/depth finder. i don't know much about them. I was looking for a less expensive model but still would like a quality piece. i only have a small jon boat but i do fish larger bodies of water were i feel a finder would really improve my catch rate. Any advice would be awesome

Check out the Eagle 320, great unit IMO for the price.  Very easy to use, good detail, and again very inexpensive.

i second that. for the price it cant be beat. it sells for $169 up here in mn. 1500 watts which is decent 320x320 pixels. and a very easy menu to operate. the fishmark 480 is pretty good to, basicly the same unit but with a 480x480 pixel screen. and it sells for $199.99

BPS has them for $149, and the portable unit is $199.