The STRIKER lineup of fish finding technology from the folks at Garmin have always been relatively bare-bones compared to the other more “full-featured” fish finding options – like the ECHO lineup, for example – but anglers all over the world have flocked to the STRIKER series because they flat out performed.
Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder Review
The most affordable of all the STRIKER fishfinder option on the market today, the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder also happens to be one of the most compact fish finding solutions you’ll find today with built-in CHIRP Sonar calling the shots.
Quality across the board the end with the kind of legendary GPS/Sonar capabilities you’d expect from a brand like Garmin, we think you are going to be pleasantly surprised by everything that the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder brings to the table.
Let’s dive right into this quick Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder review!
Important specifications
- A 3.5” diagonal 480 x 320 pixel HVGA color LED screen allows you to read the information on your fishfinder quickly and efficiently in any lighting situation, especially thanks to the antiglare protection applied to the screen itself
- Dual frequency CHIRP Sonar is advanced as it gets today, and it’s remarkable that the folks at Garmin have been able to shoehorn as advanced a sonar technology as this into such a compact and affordable system
- The sonar works at 200 kHz with a 15° sweep and at 77 kHz with a 45° sweep, providing total 2-D coverage so that you understand exactly what’s going on beneath the surface of the water
- This affordable and compact fish finding solution as a depth capability of up to 1600 feet in freshwater and 750 feet in saltwater
- The CHIRP 77/200 kHz transducer is powerful, reliable, and ridiculously accurate
- Onboard GPS technology is as good as it gets, with precise and accurate internal mapping technology from industry leader Garmin
- Up to 5000 waypoints can be added to the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder
Here’s what you get
Right out of the gate, you are going to be incredibly impressed by the precision and accuracy of the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder, but you’re also going to be pleasantly surprised by everything that this fish finding solution comes with as far as accessories are concerned.
For a comparatively “bare-bones” kind of set up, the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder comes with a hard carrying case with full waterproofing capabilities, power cord set up, 25 feet of cable for the transducer, and a host of other accessories that are going to make utilizing the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder about as easy as can be.
The instructional manual not only provides details about how to best use your new fish finder from Garmin, but it also provides links to online videos that can help you squeeze every drop of power and performance out of this incredibly advanced but still inexpensive fish finder.
Of course, you’re also going to be able to enjoy full protection from the legendary and industry-leading warranty from Garmin. You won’t ever have to worry about your system failing you and not receiving repairs or replacements from the manufacturer!
Standout features of the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder
The biggest standout feature of the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder has to be the inclusion of the Mid and High Range CHIRP Sonar system.
This is the exact same kind of technology that you are likely to find in much larger and much more expensive fishfinder option and the exact same kind of technology that acts as the backbone for nearly all of the fish finding solutions available from Garmin at every price point.
You’ll be able to effortlessly scan depths upwards of 1600 feet in freshwater and 700 feet in saltwater, though you’ll have to take advantage of extension transducer cables (sold separately) to reach those kinds of depths. With the transducer that comes with the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder, you’ll have capabilities to scan up to 800 feet deep right out of the box.
The CHIRP Sonar that is the heartbeat of this unit produces the most accurate images of any of the ultracompact and affordable fishfinding options out there. This is a unit that isn’t just going to help you find fish underwater, but it’s also going to help you read and identify structures, track movement, and get real-time feedback about the sonar scans on regularly updating basis.
It just doesn’t get a whole lot better than that!
You’ll have the ability to flip the identification of the CHIRP Sonar readings from actual scans of the images to the Fish Simple ID system. This analyzes each individual sonar return and assigns fish icons to any return that is determined to be a fish, helping you to better understand where the fish are at a glance while also clearly differentiating them from structures and debris that might be picked up by the sonar system as well.
The navigational tools provided by the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder are impressive, though you’ll have to utilize your own mapping system with this STRIKER unit. There aren’t any maps baked right into this fishfinder, though there are numerous ways (outlined online) to add your own maps or to chart your own plots using the waypoint system.
You will be able to add up to 5000 individual waypoints before they start recording over themselves, plenty enough to add waypoints for an entire year of fishing before you start all over again!
Drawbacks of the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder
It’s important to remember that this unit is in affordable and relatively bare-bones option, even as far as the bare-bones STRIKER lineup is concerned. If you’re looking for something to plot a course on all of your favorite water or completely strange and foreign water, and then basically steer the boat as well you’ll want to look somewhere else.
But if you’re looking for an advanced sonar system that helps you find fish and identify structures under the water without any headache, without any hassle, and without any frustration – all without breaking your bank account into tiny little pieces along the way – it just doesn’t get much better than the Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder.
Final Verdict
All things considered, the folks at Garmin have knocked it right out of the park with this fish finding option.
A perfect entry point for those that are just getting started with fish finding technology, as well as casual or more recreational style fishermen and anglers, this is the kind of fish finding solution that will certainly improve the quality of the time you spent out on the water while at the same time never putting an oversized dent in your bank account.
The Garmin STRIKER 4 GPS Fish Finder really is something special!
