Bring your fish finder on your ice fishing trip – these tips will help you succeed
We asked our Facebook followers for their best tips on using a fish finder during ice fishing, and how they conveniently carry it with them. Here we've gathered the best tips and tricks on how to bring your fish finder along on your ice fishing trip.
Juha Salonen – Lowrance HOOK2 4X GPS All Season portable fish finder + rod holder
I started my ice fishing with a Lowrance 3X fish finder, and after several years of use, I upgraded to the Lowrance HOOK2 4X GPS All Season portable fish finder. I carry it in a shopping basket where I’ve attached a traditional rod holder.
I removed the standard mount and instead fixed the unit onto a wooden stick using a bolt. The basket is easy to lift out of the sled and carry from one hole to the next without constantly dragging the sled. This reduces noise under the ice and doesn't scare off shy fish as easily.
Juha Salonen’s tips for using a fish finder while ice fishing
Observe fish behavior on the screen:
• Lower the lure slowly instead of dropping it quickly to the bottom, as fast movements can spook the fish.
• Sometimes fish rise several meters toward the lure – patience is key.
• Also fish in the midwater zone, where the biggest and boldest fish often hunt. 😃
Use the fish finder's settings effectively:
• Auto settings are fine, but manual adjustments make fishing more enjoyable.
• Manually adjusting sensitivity and depth range only takes a moment and helps you interpret the screen better.
• For example, depth and lure size are reasons why adjusting sensitivity pays off.
Use a dual-frequency transducer efficiently:
• Lower frequency gives you a wider sonar cone – helpful for spotting fish farther away.
• Higher frequency is more accurate but covers a smaller area.
Remember:
• Shallower water = lower sensitivity.
• Deeper water = higher sensitivity.
Jukka Leppäluoto’s setup: Lowrance Elite-4X + Raymarine Wi-Fish
Jukka uses both the Lowrance fish finder and a Raymarine Wi-Fish, which wirelessly transmits sonar images to mobile devices like phones or tablets. This allows others to view the sonar screen by simply downloading the Wi-Fish app.
“If friends want to see the sonar image on the ice, they just need to download the app and enter the Wi-Fi password. The password was on a sticker on the box. I removed it and stuck it onto the device – now it's always easy to find and never lost.”
“With the tablet I get a better overview, and I can record and rewind bites if I want. The Lowrance clearly shows when fish start following the lure. The unit is equipped with an ice fishing transducer.” – says Jukka.
Toni Pohjalainen’s setup: Garmin 551dv + sled
Toni uses the Garmin 551dv fish finder. He swapped out the DownVü transducer for a standard one from the 550c model. The fish finder and other ice fishing gear are transported in a sled across the ice, with tip-up gear securely held in place using racks.
Toni’s key tips:
• Always set sensitivity manually to learn how to properly interpret sonar images.
• At 200Hz, 74% sensitivity works best for distinguishing small perch from pan-sized ones.
• At 77Hz, 65% sensitivity is best for the same purpose.
• At these settings, “pan perch” appear completely yellow on the screen.
• 200Hz is better for depths over 6 meters.
• 77Hz is ideal for depths between 1–6 meters.
• These settings have proven effective but can be adapted as needed.
Lure fish into striking:
• Tempt fish by keeping the lure just above them and varying your jigging technique.
• When larger fish approach, avoid big movements – these can scare the fish away. Try gentle lifts and subtle vibrations.
