Fishing can be the most relaxing and wonderful experience, allowing you to really immerse yourself in nature. But let's face it, whether you are by yourself, or with your 12-year-old granddaughter, if you're not catching any fish, you're not having much fun.
In the past, fishing seemed to be as much black art as it was a technique. There was always the question: which bait to use? How deep should I fish? Is there a secret cove where the big fish seem to congregate? Should I fish in the rain?
Enter the world of the modern fish finder. Fishfinders are a game-changer for freshwater fisherman because, whether you troll in a boat, fish from shore, fish from a kayak, or an inner tube, you have a much better chance catching game fish, or even landing a monster pike or walleye, if you know a lot more about what's in the water
How does a Hawkeye or other model of fish finder work?
Modern fish finders pretty much work in the same way. A sonar transducer is dipped in the water, and then a cone of sonar waves is sent below the water. Then, depending in part on the sophistication of the fish finder, using a sophisticated algorithm, the out of water display, reveals important information such as:
- The depth of the water
- Whether the bottom is a hard or soft surface
- The presence of large rocks, underwater logs and weeds
- The water temperature
- The presence of fish
All Hawkeye Fishtrax models, from the cheapest Fishtrax Model 1. priced at around $59, to the color model FishTrax 1C, reveal this, and more, and all have sensitivity settings to adjust from the clearest to the murkiest water.
Will a Hawkeye FishTrax Model guarantee I will catch fish?
Hardly. You could have the most sophisticated fish tracker in the world and there would be no guarantee a gamefish would jump at your bait. However, if you know how to use a fish tracker, you'll certainly be armed with plenty of indicators of where the fish are.
Fish like cold water, so if your fish tracker tells you the surface of the lake is warm, think of fishing deeper, where the climate is more comfortable.
At the same time, fish love rocky bolders and outcroppings, places where they can both hide and feed.
For the same reason, larger fish love to hide in weed clumps, waiting in prey for smaller fish to become their next meal.
Also, some fish love to bury themselves in areas of a soft lake bottom.
The whole point of having a fish finder is getting feedback on which are the best places to fish.
Fish Alert
Pretty much all fish trackers, but in particular the Hawkeye brand, also have audio fish alert notifications, so once you have the basic information on what to expect in terms of water temperature and bottom contours, it's not as if you have to have your eyes glued to the screen constantly.
Amazon to the rescue
We know customers love product featured on Amazon, for no other reason that good, bad or indifferent, the vast majority of products have significant customer reviews.
The Hawkeye Fishtrax 1C, the modlel with the color screen is prominently featured on Amazon. One review from a customer sort of summarized the overall depth and functionality of the unit:
- A great unit for remote fishing and very easy to use
- "Collectively, we determined the unit was a success and absolutely told us what we needed to know about the bottom structure, where the fish were suspended, how many fish were there, the size of the fish, and the water temp."
- What else could you ask for in a fish finder?
Incredible versatility
Another, fantastic feature of Hawkeye Fishtrax fish finders is their incredible versatility. The main display unit is lightweight, has a bright display that you can see from several feet away, and is waterproof.
Although Hawkeye sells optional mounting display equipment, practically any strong suction cup will work, and you can use a Fishtrax system just as easily from a kayak as you can affixed from a ski boat or fishing boat.
Part of what makes the display so light, is that it uses four, ordinary 4A batteries, that will last as long as 30 hours per use. There are no heavy features that weigh the unit down.
You can use Fixtrak fish finders for ice fishing as well, and we make a special combo unit, primarily for ice fishing.
Ice Fishing Essentials
At Hawkeye, we know that ice fisherman often make the same mistake. They assume that the deeper parts of the lake contain the most fish, or the biggest fish. And this is not necessarily true.
Whether its summer or winter, fish still like to feed and hide off rocks, and weeds, so it's a great idea, after opening up that ice hole to check the bottom contours of the lake. More likely you'll find fish close to shore, particularly, shortly after a deep drop-off.
Ease of use
Hawkeye Fishtrax fish finders are extremely easy to use. In fact, so easy that the vast majority of our customers initally only take a cursory look at the instructions. Many fisherman simply insert the batteries, mount the unit with an industrial suction cup, throw the line and attached transducer into the water and turn the unit on.
While Hawkeye has many features to its Fishtrax units, and you'll certainly want to know how to turn on and off the various features such as the audible fish alarm, once everything is clearly understood, a 10-year-old can easily operate it.
What about the warranty?
All Hawkeye Fishtrak units come with a 2-Year , You-Break-It - We Fix It, warranty, so you needn't fret over reliability.
What about price?
Hawkeye Fishtrak fishing trackers are very reasonably priced, starting at $59.99. For that, you get some of the best technology in the industry, as well as quality, customer support.
For the price, adding a Hawkeye Fishtrax unit is a great way to expand the thrill of fishing.