fish finder

Can anyone recommend a fish finder for ice fishing in the 200$ mark? Would like it to come in portable case and colour would be a bonus but not required. I have 12v batteries from my dead marcum camera as well. Not looking for a flasher. Looking to buy new. Thanks guys.

I have a huminbird 570. Its not colour but it works awesome. I,d take it over a flasher any day. It was just a bit over 200.00 when I got it and its been worth every penny.

So i ended up buying the x4. Anyone have ideas of a case or box to stick everything in to make the unit portable/durable/insulated? What do you guys use to hold the "skimmer" transducer level in the hole?

You can use a small portable cooler to transport it and the battery. I used a skimmer transducer for years before I bought the ice version.

Thats a good idea. How did you keep the skimmer level?

I will have the x4 next winter as the new boat comes with one and we will be picking it up in april. I think you can get the portable bag, battery, and transducer for like $100

I use the showdown troller by marcum and love it. I like the vertical screen , it's small and portable and $200.

Most use a simple cross bar make from old hockey stick material or PVC pipe. If the woods too light, it will make it difficult to keep down and level. Some use a couple pieces of aluminum angle.

The final product.

I ended up using a door shutting arm to mount the transducer. No need for a cross bar as I can just sit the case next to the hole, stick it in, and it sits straight and level.

can you post some more pics/details on how you have that set up. looks pretty sweet and wouldnt mind doing something of the sorts for my HDS 5

Absolutely!
The case was from Canadian tire, $21.99 came with the foam which come perforated so you just pull out the pieces you don't need. I used a fillet knife to make it nice and clean. The actual unit I did not screw into the case and I'm unsure of whether I want to or not. If I do then it may take in water when sitting on the ice, so I think ill just use two hands to pop the screen up. Tucked the power/transducer wires under the foam, again to make it look nice and clean. Ran the power cable between the two batteries so if one dies you can easily just unplug and switch to the other without digging for slack. Zip tied the transducer cable to the door arm. The door arm used to pivot on a rivet which i drilled out and stuck a nut and bolt there. Where the actual transducer sits I stuck some foam beneath it so it don't get banged around too hard.

First Pic

Second Pic

Third Pic

Fourth Pic