Lowrance HOOK2 4X Review

Quick Overview

Finder finders are a boon for those who lack the experience and skills to locate the best fishing spots.

Thanks to this technology, even amateur anglers can have a fun and successful fishing trip.

With several decades of industry experience, Lowrance is among the most established brands in marine electronics.

In this Lowrance HOOK2 4X – 4-inch Fish Finder With Bullet Skimmer Transducer review, we’ll talk about one of its best releases.

Lowrance HOOK2 4X – 4-inch Fish Finder with Bullet Skimmer Transducer Review

Lowrance markets the HOOK2 as the “world’s easiest fish finder.”

It has been available since 2017, with multiple package variations that offer additional functionalities and accessories.

For the most part, this fish finder doesn’t have any significant updates to its original design.

All in all, you’ll find that you won’t need to do much tinkering with the settings.

As such, you can start catching fish immediately instead of wasting your time finding the best spot to fish in.

Who Is This Product For?

The Lowrance HOOK2 4X – 4-inch Fish Finder With Bullet Skimmer Transducer is ideal for those who have prior experience using traditional sonar equipment.

Novice anglers shouldn’t have too many difficulties navigating the settings because the interface is similar to phone-like menus.

Due to its compact size, this device works best with kayaks and small boats with limited space.

What’s more, it’s within the price range of standard fish finders, so you won’t be spending too much.

What’s Included?

Every package comes complete with the unit, a transducer, mount, screws, and paperwork.

As you can imagine, you won’t need to buy additional tools to install the device on your kayak or boat.

Overview of the Features

This Lowrance HOOK2 4X review will discuss this unit’s most notable qualities in detail.

This way, you’d be able to decide if this is the fish finder you’re looking for.

• Autotuning Sonar

Arguably the most impressive feature of the HOOK2, the autotuning sonar technology makes fishing straightforward.

You can expect the best possible images, as the device will automatically fine-tune its settings based on the water condition.

Essentially, it is similar to many plug-and-play devices because you can immediately fish after mounting it.

• Clear Display

When it comes to fish finders, having a clear display is essential.

Not only will it provide you with the visuals you need to locate fish but also what’s exactly underneath.

You’ll find that it uses a high-resolution Solarmax display to deliver such quality.

Its excellent clarity and impressive daylight visibility ensure crisp and crystal-clear visual details of fish and fish-holding structures.

• Wide Sonar Coverage

CHIRP (or Compressed High-Intensity Radiated Pulse) is a cutting-edge technology used by the military for decades.

Because of the convenience it offers, the CHIRP technology eventually made its way into recreational sonars.

And the Lowrance HOOK2 4x With Bullet Skimmer Transducer makes full use of it.

When you compare its capability to conventional fish finders, you’d be impressed that it can provide double sonar coverage.

• Navigation Feature

If your fishing spot doesn’t pose much of a challenge to navigate, you will need a user-friendly device.

For that, there’s a good chance that the Lowrance HOOK2 might just fit the bill.

This model exhibits a precise and straightforward plotter that allows you to input waypoints, track trails, and travel to your favorite fishing areas.

However, the lack of GPS might discourage those who want to have a more dynamic fishing experience.

• Optional Mapping Upgrades

There are three mapping options available for the HOOK2: Navionics, C-MAP, and C-MAP Genesis.

They can boost the maps’ level of detail, which will deliver a more accurate estimate of where to sonar scan.

Thanks to this, you’ll be able to plan where you should fish even before you start navigating.

As such, it will be easier to focus on your fishing once you head out on the water.

That said, keep in mind that upgrading your mapping will significantly increase the cost of this fish finder.

• Flasher Option

If your fishing spot is covered in ice, the flasher will help determine the fish’s location.

Basically, it uses sonar to detect objects in the water column underneath the ice.

It has some similarities and differences regarding functionality to a traditional fish finder, which prompts some anglers to purchase both gadgets.

You don’t have to look for a flasher if you get the Lowrance HOOK2 4x With Bullet Skimmer Transducer because it already has the flasher option.

All you have to look for is an ice transducer to make this capability operational.

How To Use the Lowrance HOOK2 4X

If you have a Lowrance-ready kayak, you can check out this in-depth guide to easily install this fish finder.

Other transducer attachment alternatives are available for kayaks that do not have a Lowrance-ready design.

There are three recommended methods for installing the Lowrance HOOK2 4x With Bullet Skimmer Transducer to your kayak.

These are trolling motor mount, shoot through-hull, or via transom-mount.

However, many would simply insert and secure the transducer within the kayak hull with a flexible and strong waterproof glue.

While it’s an effective method, make sure that air bubbles will not appear in the adhesive.

The presence of air bubbles might negatively impact the performance of the fish finder.

Alternatives

This Lowrance HOOK2 4X – 4-inch Fish Finder With Bullet Skimmer Transducer review has summarized most of its essential features.

Still, the lack of some features or challenges on reading CHIRP maps might be deterrents that are hard to overcome.

With that in mind, we’ll highlight two fish finder models that could be a better fit for your preferences.

Garmin STRIKER 4

The STRIKER 4 fish finder offers exceptional convenience for finding fish.

The difference is you’ll be able to save and revisit your favorite fishing hotspots, ramps, and docks without upgrading.

You’ll be able to share your go-to waypoints and routes with other STRIKER models and echoMAP combinations.

This functionality is not possible with the Lowrance HOOK2 4X because the base model is a standalone device.

Additional features like the sonar history rewind allow you to look back over sonar photos and note waypoints that you may have missed in the past.

As you might have guessed, this function is also absent with the HOOK2 4x with Bullet Skimmer Transducer.

It will cost you a bit more, but it’s fair to conclude that it is a worthy investment with all its bells and whistles.

Garmin is also a reputable fish finder manufacturer, which makes it more considerable.

Let’s highlight some of the STRIKER 4’s most notable qualities.

• Garmin CHIRP Transducer

The STRIKER 4’s transducer boasts a 77/200 kHz capacity, which could deliver a higher level of visibility and clarity than traditional units.

Because of this quality, fish and structure within range will be more defined than usual.

• Multiple Modes

The Garmin STRIKER 4 has four modes for you to take advantage of.

In the Traditional mode, you may quickly determine where an obstruction lies beneath the water.

The second is the Split Frequency mode, which displays the 70 kHz and 200 kHz readings next to each other.

Best used for ice fishing, the Flasher mode provides you with depth levels.

Lastly, you may quickly backtrack to a marked location using the Waypoint Map mode.

Ovetour Portable Wired Fish Finder SDK-FF88E

Do you want a more affordable entry-level fish finder than the HOOK2?

If so, you might want to consider the SDK-FF88E from Ovetour.

It incorporates a standard sonar detecting technology, which is commonly used in fish finding and depth measurement.

What’s more, it is designed for a variety of fishing situations, including five sensitivity grades.

Similar to most models under 100 bucks, its sonar transducer detects up to 200 kHz and casts a 45-degree beam.

Here are the most significant advantages that this Ovetour fish finder has over the Lowrance HOOK2.

• Ease of Use

Not everyone can read a CHIRP map, especially those who have just started using a fish finder.

Navigating via a marine chart could also be a challenge, as you need some prior knowledge to understand its details.

For this reason, the Ovetour Portable Wired Fish Finder SDK-FF88E features a simpler interface.

Its display clearly shows the bottom contour, how deep it is, the location of the fish, and their size.

•  Straightforward Installation

Operating the fish finder requires only a couple of steps.

Firstly, either drop the transducer into the water or attach it to a swivel, hull, or other parts of the kayak.

Once the sonar sensor sends out a soundwave signal, the LCD shows all the necessary information, such as water depth and the position of nearby fishes.

If you see these details, you can start fishing immediately.

Is the Lowrance HOOK2 4X Any Good?

Despite its lack of GPS and mapping options, this version of the HOOK2 4X should give more than adequate detecting capabilities for many fishing scenarios.

Overall, the Lowrance HOOK2 4x With Bullet Skimmer Transducer is an excellent fish finder that delivers a lot of value at a very affordable price.