LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing Review

Quick Overview

Whether you fish in fresh or saltwater, investing in a fish finder can only bring good results.

Many anglers use fish finders to pinpoint the most bountiful fishing spots, leading to more successful trips.

With so many excellent fish finders on the market, we understand that picking one might be challenging.

If you’re unsure which model to get, we’ve got your back.

This LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing review will cover the most useful information for your convenience.

LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing Review

LUCKY Sonar has established itself in the market as one of the best makers of affordable fish finders and other water equipment.

One of its creations, the LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing, was first made available in 2017.

Like other LUCKY fish finders, this unit features a modest aesthetic with a monochromatic color scheme.

Despite looking so simple, the unit is functional when detecting schools of fish in most bodies of water.

It utilizes the capabilities of modern sonar technology to provide the necessary details.

For the most part, the LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing has remained consistent in its design and qualities.

Who Is This Product For?

As the name implies, this fish finder is primarily for those who are into ice fishing.

That said, there’s no reason why you can’t use it for fishing in rivers, lakes, and the open sea.

This fish finder is designed for most anglers regardless of their skill level.

The relatively basic user interface makes it excellent for everyone.

All in all, you’ll find that the buttons and display require little effort to understand and configure.

What’s Included?

Besides the fish finder and transducer, the LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing arrives with only two more items.

Also in the package are a neckstrap for the fish finder and an instruction manual.

You have to purchase four AA batteries to power up the device, which are not included.

Depending on how often you fish and your personal preference, you should either get heavy-duty or rechargeable batteries.

Since the fish finder cannot resist water damage, you might as well include a waterproof cover to protect it.

Overview of the Features

When it comes to other newer LUCKY fish finders, you might assume that its capabilities are a tad outdated.

Let’s go into the main points of the LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing to find out if it’s still a worthy purchase today.

• Auto Update

To help lessen the times you need to scan manually, the device is programmed to update the reading every 10 seconds.

With this feature, you’ll have a more hands-free experience because the need to execute the scan function is reduced.

• Detection Sensitivity

The LUCKY Start Fish Finder gives you the option to adjust the sensitivity levels for different water conditions.

If the water has low visibility, you should adjust the detection sensitivity to high.

On the other hand, if the water is clear, try to lower the sensitivity to get a better reading.

• Depth Coverage

The LUCKY Start Fish Finder is able to detect depths of up to 100 feet.

Compared to the average depth reading of standard fish finders, this model’s capability is not that impressive.

That said, if you’re fishing on ice, ponds, streams, rivers, or shallow lakes, this number shouldn’t impact your experience.

When sea fishing, though, this limitation will undoubtedly be an essential factor.

• Beam Angle

Most transducers today have a 45-degree beam angle, but the LUCKY Start Fish Finder has 90 degrees.

As you can imagine, the beam angle has a significant impact on the operation of your fish finder.

Most anglers would suggest that a wider beam angle means better coverage.

The reasoning behind this is that you should be able to detect more fish and other elements if you have a larger area of coverage.

While it depends on what kind of fish you want to catch, a 90-degree beam angle could fit your specific fishing needs.

• Durable Plastic Build

For its covering, the LUCKY Start Fish Finder uses an ABS thermoplastic polymer.

It is a popular plastic material because of its low manufacturing cost and machine compatibility.

Impact resistance, general toughness, and chemical resistance are all recognized properties of the material.

ABS is also popular because of its superior high- and low-temperature performance.

It is, however, susceptible to sun damage. Hence, don’t let the fish finder have prolonged exposure to sunlight.

• Improved Design

The sides of this fish finder model have ridges for improved grip.

Moreover, it boasts a foldable design that makes it even more compact and easy to pack.

How To Use the LUCKY Start Fish Finder

There are several measures you should take to enhance the detection capability of the LUCKY Start Fish Finder.

Here are important reminders to get the most use out of this device:

For Kayak Fishing

For kayak fishing, it’s easy to figure out what is the best position of its transducer.

Keep in mind that the device should be near enough to touch but still far to allow you to do paddling-related activities.

If you’re in a paddle kayak, you’ll want it in front of you but out of the way of your paddling area.

The transducer in a frontal position will also be ideal for pedal-powered kayaks.

For Ice Fishing

Ice fishing requires more effort than other types of fishing, but it definitely is rewarding.

Use the transducer directly on the top of a clean ice surface to determine which area is full of fish.

Once confirmed, drill a hole on top of the fishing spot.

Make sure that the holes you drilled are straight up and down while your transducer is positioned vertically beneath the ice.

There should be no slush under the transducer, as it will impair the transducer’s ability to detect.

In the center of the hole, place the bottom of your transducer. It should be slightly submerged.

Once the device identifies the bottom, carefully lower your bait down the hole and wait for the fish to bite.

For Boat Fishing

Because the transducer is light enough, you can use the LUCKY Start Fish Finder as a castable unit.

Feel free to cast it out to scan the hard-to-reach fishing spots while remaining discreet and silent to your prey.

Alternatives

The features of this model are sufficient for your fishing sessions. Even so, you will find other fish finders that could provide more.

Humminbird Ice Helix 5 Chirp GPS G2

If you want to go all out, this advanced fish finder for ice fishing could exponentially enhance your experience.

Let’s check out the Ice Helix 5 Chirp GPS G2’s most notable features below.

•  High-Level Sonar

The Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar developed by Humminbird is designed to provide you with crystal-clear details like no other.

The Helix 5 lets you see individual fish, bait, and structure while allowing you to reach deeper depths and ranges.

With high-resolution feeds on both the 1024-segment flasher and regular 2D sonar views, you can easily see fish, the bait, and movement along the bottom.

• Smart Features

With the AutoChart Live Ice, you can generate real-time one-foot contour maps of your fishing sites to help you discover fish faster.

You’re also free to use capabilities like Shallow Water Highlight, Depth Highlight, and Water Level Offset.

These features can produce maps on ice that highlight humps, drop-offs, or entire reefs.

The upgraded standard Basemap gives you a clear perspective of underwater topography and nearby objects of interest.

This way, you’d be able to fish and navigate the waters confidently.

Even better, you can also determine buoys, day markers, marinas, contours, hazards, and much more.

Also, there are more than 10,000 lake maps preloaded into the device.

Marcum LX-7 Digital Sonar System

The Marcum LX-7 combines the sonar design from LX Flasher and various Digital Fish Finding technologies.

As a remarkable breakthrough in ice sonar fishing, it provides anglers with a spectacular interactive experience on a panoramic eight-inch LCD.

• Detection Quality

This Marcum fish finder’s sonar technology generates clear images in a short amount of time.

The sonar detects objects beneath your fishing vessel in less than 0.2 seconds and delivers them to the LCD.

Its range can penetrate depths of up to 300 feet, which is a testament to its power.

• Screen Resolution

With its 5.7-inch display screen with an 800 x 600 resolution, the Marcum LX-7 can provide crisp images.

You will be able to see additional details that other fish finders with lower resolution may miss.

Is the LUCKY Start Fish Finder Worth It?

At this point, our LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing review has highlighted the unit’s most notable features and limitations.

Ice fishing offers challenges that not all anglers can adapt to, which makes owning a reliable fish finder even more critical.

While it has a price that is difficult to compete against, you’ll be compromising some aspects that could make your fishing more manageable.

Still, there are some merits in using the LUCKY Start Fish Finder for Ice Fishing.