10 Best Shallow Water Fish Finders 2025 in the United States

The Lowrance Eagle Eye™ 9 Live + C-MAP® is a feature-rich shallow-water fish finder with a lot to offer. One of its standout features is the 9-inch IPS screen, which provides clear and bright visuals from all angles, even if you wear polarized glasses. This is particularly useful for long fishing days under the sun. The Eagle Eye™ transducer supports four sonar views—Live Forward, Live Down, CHIRP Sonar, and DownScan Imaging with FishReveal—without needing additional modules. This makes it versatile for different fishing conditions and helps you identify fish more effectively through its enhanced imaging capabilities.

Autotuning live sonar ensures that the transducer adjusts to the best settings automatically, saving you time and effort. The included C-MAP® Discover microSD card provides detailed charts for the US and Canada, which is a big plus if you fish in various locations. The twist-lock connector system is user-friendly, allowing for easy and secure installation on your boat or kayak.

On the downside, this fish finder is battery-powered, which means you’ll need to keep an eye on the power level to avoid running out of battery mid-trip. Although it may not be the top choice for everyone due to its higher price and the need for regular battery charging, it's wise to consider if its benefits align with your specific fishing needs.

The Lowrance Elite FS 7 Fish Finder is designed for anglers who frequent shallow waters, offering a comprehensive set of features to help locate fish with ease. Its standout feature is the Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar, which combines CHIRP, SideScan, and DownScan technologies to provide detailed images of underwater structures and fish. This makes it particularly useful for identifying ledges, drop-offs, and other fish-holding areas.

The 7-inch multi-touch LCD display is user-friendly and provides high-resolution visuals, aiding easy navigation and precise mapping with the preloaded C-MAP Contour+ charts. With these charts, anglers can access high-resolution 1-foot contours on 8,900 U.S. lakes, enhancing their fishing strategy. The system is also ActiveTarget Ready, meaning it can support high-resolution live images of fish in relation to structures and lures, offering real-time feedback that can be invaluable during fishing trips.

This fish finder does have some limitations. Its maximum measuring depth is capped at 40 feet, which may not be sufficient for deeper fishing environments. Also, additional components like the Active Imaging HD require an S3100 module, which may involve extra costs. On the connectivity front, the full networking capabilities, including NMEA 2000 and Ethernet, allow for system expansion with radar and other devices, but users should note it requires initial setup and integration.

The Lowrance Elite FS 7 is excellent for shallow water anglers looking for advanced imaging capabilities and detailed mapping. Its user-friendly design and robust connectivity options make it a versatile choice, though it might not meet the needs of those fishing in deeper waters without further investment in additional modules.

The GPS City Lowrance Elite FS 9 Fish Finder offers several features that are beneficial for shallow-water fishing. With a 9-inch touchscreen LCD display, users can easily navigate and view underwater details. The included Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer enhances fish detection, providing clear images of fish and underwater structures.

The preloaded C-MAP Contour+ charts and GPS capabilities aid in precise mapping and navigation, which is useful for finding fishing hotspots and marking them for future reference. The device supports Navionics, C-Map, and Lowrance cartography, providing versatile mapping options. CHIRP technology enhances detection by utilizing multiple frequencies, offering detailed and accurate readings that are crucial for shallow waters.

Battery power ensures portability, but users should note the maximum measuring depth is 120 feet, which is adequate for shallow-water fishing but might not be suitable for deeper environments. The product weighs around 4.54 kilograms, making it relatively lightweight and easy to manage on small boats. Those seeking a comprehensive, user-friendly fish finder with strong imaging and mapping capabilities for shallow waters will find this model suitable, though it may not meet the needs of those fishing in deeper waters or requiring higher frequency detection.