10 Best Fish Finder For Pontoon Boat 2026 in the United States

The Garmin Striker Vivid 9sv is a user-friendly fish finder featuring a large 9-inch color display that offers vivid sonar color palettes, making it easier to spot fish and underwater structures from your pontoon boat. It combines traditional CHIRP sonar with ClearVü and SideVü scanning sonars, providing detailed views both below and beside the boat. The built-in high-sensitivity GPS allows you to mark fishing spots, create routes, and keep track of your speed, which is handy for navigation on a pontoon. It also includes Quickdraw Contours mapping, enabling you to create custom maps of your favorite fishing areas.

With Wi-Fi connectivity, you can link the device to your smartphone via the ActiveCaptain app, making waypoint transfers and software updates simple. The package comes with a reliable transducer designed for thru-hull mounting, which generally works well on pontoon boats, though installation might require some care depending on your setup. Powered via corded electric connection, it’s energy efficient with a low current draw.

The device is highly capable, although the screen size and resolution might feel a bit large for smaller pontoon dashboards, and the button-based interface might take some getting used to if you prefer touchscreens. Also, transducer compatibility is important to fully benefit from the ClearVü and SideVü sonar features. This fish finder is an excellent choice for pontoon boat owners seeking clear imaging, easy navigation, and useful connectivity features without a steep learning curve.

The Humminbird XPLORE 9 GPS Fish Finder is a well-equipped device ideal for pontoon boat enthusiasts. Its 9-inch full HD touchscreen display offers high visibility and easy operation, with both touch and keypad controls. This makes it user-friendly, even in varying light conditions. The standout feature is the MEGA Side Imaging+ and MEGA Down Imaging+ sonar technologies, providing 200-foot range on either side and below the boat. This gives anglers a detailed view of their underwater environment and helps in identifying fish more effectively.

The Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar adds to its ability to detect fish with precision, offering both wide and narrow modes for different fishing scenarios. The built-in GPS with Humminbird Basemap covers over 10,000 lakes, and it also includes LakeMaster and CoastMaster VX map cards for detailed navigation in both the U.S. and Canada. The AutoChart Live feature is particularly beneficial for creating real-time maps of your fishing spots, which can be saved on AutoChart Zero Line SD cards for virtually limitless mapping.

On the connectivity front, the fish finder is equipped with high-speed Ethernet and Bluetooth, making it compatible with NMEA 2000 networks and allowing for integration with other marine electronics like Minn Kota and Cannon products. This enhances the fishing experience by unlocking additional features. However, the unit is on the heavier side at 9 pounds, which might be a consideration if portability is important. Additionally, its premium features come at a higher price point, which may not suit all budgets. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Humminbird XPLORE 9 offers advanced sonar, comprehensive mapping, and robust connectivity, making it a top choice for serious anglers using a pontoon boat.

The Lowrance Elite FS 9 Fish Finder is well-suited for use on a pontoon boat, offering a clear 9-inch multi-touch LCD screen that ensures good visibility and ease of use. The inclusion of the Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar, which combines CHIRP, SideScan, and DownScan with FishReveal technology, provides detailed images of underwater structures and fish, enhancing your fishing experience. Additionally, it's ActiveTarget ready, enabling high-resolution live images of fish, which is a significant plus for serious anglers.

The preloaded C-MAP Contour+ charts provide high-resolution details of key fishing areas, making navigation and fish location more precise. This model supports full networking, allowing for integration with other devices and sharing of data such as sonar readings and waypoints, which widens its functionality and utility on a pontoon boat setup. However, to utilize the Active Imaging HD features, an additional S3100 module is required, which adds to the cost.

The unit operates on a 12 Volt DC power source, typical for marine electronics, and its sturdy construction ensures durability. While the cost may rise with the need for additional modules, for those looking for a comprehensive, high-tech fish finding system, the Lowrance Elite FS 9 is a strong contender.