July 26, 2019
By Drew Warden
Some of the most impressive developments in the fishing world in recent years have been found in the electronics category. Most often, this has meant advances in fish finder technologies; however, other electronics items have also progressed as well.
In terms of fish-finding capabilities, though, anglers probably have more power at their fingertips than they ever have before. Technologies that were groundbreaking mere years ago are now often expected as standard on quality electronics. And manufacturers are, of course, also developing newer and more impressive tools to assist anglers on the water.
The crop of new electronics debuting at ICAST 2019 was no exception. Here are just a few of the hottest new items manufacturers announced this year.
Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 126SV Garmin’s latest is the new ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv. Featuring a 12-inch keyed-assist touchscreen, this unit provides CHIRP traditional sonar with included transducer, as well as Ultra-High Definition ClearVu and SideVu scanning capabilities. While not included, support is built in for Garmin’s full line of popular Panoptix sonars. BlueChart g3 coastal charts and LakeVu g3 inland maps are preloaded into the ECHOMAP Ultra 126sv, and both feature integrated Navionics data and Auto Guidance technology. It includes NMEA 2000 connectivity, and the unit can be wirelessly integrated with Garmin’s new Force trolling motor. $2,800
Aqua-Vu Multi-Vu Pro Underwater Camera System Aqua-Vu Multi-Vu Pro Underwater Camera System Ever wanted to see, in real time, what the fish marked on your sonar were actually doing? That’s exactly what Aqua-Vu’s new Multi-Vu Pro Underwater Camera offers. This turnkey sonar- or TV-to-camera adaptor system upgrades any video-enabled sonar or LCD TV with live, HD or analog (RCA) underwater video functionality. The camera apparatus can be directly wired into your boat’s 12-volt system, or, if you’re an ice-fisher, it can also be connected to the TV in your ice-fishing house. $700
Deeper Smart Sonar CHIRP Deeper Smart Sonar CHIRP Deeper Sonar has made a name for itself with innovative, castable fish finders that anglers can use from shore or through the ice or from smaller watercraft such as kayaks and canoes. New for 2019 is the Deeper Smart Sonar CHIRP model, which the company states is the first ever castable fish finder to utilize CHIRP sonar technology. This new model is set to provide clearer and higher resolution than its prior traditional single-pulse sonar models courtesy of its CHIRP (Compressed High Intensity Radiated Pulse) triple-beam sonar capability. It can scan from 6 inches to 330 feet deep. $300
Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging One of Humminbird’s exciting new debuts for ICAST, and winner of the best in show electronics category, is the company’s MEGA 360 Imaging. This takes Humminbird’s MEGA imaging, which provides over three times the clarity of standard Side Imaging, and pairs it with the manufacturer’s 360 Imaging transducer for a high-resolution 360-degree view up to 125 feet around the boat. Because it can be mounted independently of the trolling motor, it leaves anglers free to use all of the features of their trolling motor without interfering with scanning tasks. Pricing Unavailable
Raymarine Element 9 HV Sonar-GPS System Raymarine Element 9 HV Sonar-GPS System The new Element 9 HV Sonar-GPS system boasts an array of key scanning and navigational tools for anglers. In terms of fish finding, anglers benefit from DownVision, SideVision, RealVision3D, conical CHIRP. It includes 1.2 MhZ down, side and 3D sonar, all built in to this powerful system, which features very fast quad-core processors for instant redraw and smooth rendering. The new Element is compatible with Navionics, C-MAP, LightHouse LNC2 and many other charts. The Element also features user-friendly oversized controls with quick access points to favorite, most-used screens. Price includes transducer and LNC2 North America charts. $1,280
A Different Kind Of Electronic… While the item below falls into a slightly different category than those products above, it does seem a noteworthy electronics product to mention.
ScentLok OZ Radial EZ Marine ScentLok OZ Radial EZ Marine Under many circumstances, fishing can be a smelly endeavor. ScentLok Technologies has become very well known in the hunting industry for its odor-controlling technology employed in clothing and in its ozone generators, which uses an emitted stream of ozone molecules to seek out and destroy odors. This ozone technology has now been brought over specifically to the fishing side with the new OZ Radial EZ Marine and OZ Radial Nano Marine. Both are portable, rechargeable ozone generators that destroy odors, mildew, mold and fungus. Both distribute ozone in a 360-degree pattern, and both can charge mobile devices courtesy of a built-in USB port. The Nano is smaller in size than the EZ for odor control in smaller areas. $250 (EZ); $180 (Nano).
