If you consider yourself a hobbyist or professional fisherman, then chances are that you have heard of Lowrance. Unlike companies like Garmin or Humminbird that deliver products with an abundance of cutting-edge features and a lofty price tag, Lowrance offers products focused on the most base-level features at a much more affordable price. With the Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer, Lowrance delivers a Fish Finder that perfects this balance, offering sufficient base-level features at an extremely affordable price.
What is the Hook-4x?
The Hook-4x is an electronic Fish Finder equipped with CHIRP Sonar and DownScan Imaging technology. Unlike single and dual frequency Fish Finders, the Hook-4x uses these technologies to provide much more accurate sonar readings with a photorealistic display thanks to DownScan Imaging. These discrepancies in accuracy and photorealism grant fisherman far more insight into the bathymetry of their fishing waters, revealing previously untapped hotspots.
Components
The components of the Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer include:
- Quick Release Bracket for Elite/Mark/Ti/GO/I3005 Models: A mounting bracket for the Hook-4x that tilts and swivels 360 degrees once secured. It comes with a bolting set. Retail price: $20-$30
- Replacement Mount for DSI Skimmer: A replacement mount for the DownScan Imaging (DSI) transducer. It comes with a bolting set. Retail price: $35-$45
- Transom/Trolling Motor-mounted, 455 kHz/800 kHz DownScan Transducer: A Hybrid Dual Imaging (HDI) transducer that enables CHIRP Sonar and DSI to provide an exceptional view beneath your boat. It is capable of measuring both the depth and temperature of the water. It also comes with a mount perfect for transom or trolling motor mounting for all boats of varying hull type. Retail price: $120-$130
The contents of the box, and GPS capabilities, you will receive upon purchasing the Hook-4x are minimal relative to more expensive products such as the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV or the Humminbird Helix 5. However, the purchase of a Navionics card with the Hook-4x gives it most of the GPS capabilities of these products at a lower price even after the extra purchase.
Benefits
There are a multitude of benefits to the Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer that hobbyists, professionals, and those looking for an excellent holiday gift idea should take into account before purchasing an electronic Fish Finder.
- Affordability: The Hook-4x is remarkably more affordable than its competitors. Its price, $149.00 on Lowrance.com, pales in comparison to the price of competing products such as the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV, $949.99 on Amazon.com, or the Humminbird Helix 5, $567.50 on Amazon.com.
- Technology: The Hook-4x features the same CHIRP and DSI technology as these products, and with the extra purchase of a Navionics SD card, $149.99 on Cabelas.com, it also features about the same GPS capabilities as these products at a lower price even after the extra purchase. Although its features are minimal, there are still some impressive technological features on the Hook-4x. For instance, the TrackBack feature, which allows users to review their sonar history that is saved onto the SD card and mark waypoints, and the Multi-Window Display feature which allows the user to split the display into three panels.
- Compact Size: The Hook-4x’s compact size makes it perfectly suited for frequent portability and navigating small spaces.
Drawbacks
The Hook-4x’s compact size and affordability comes with the drawback that it simply does not possess as many features as its competitors. Its 4.3 inch display size is much smaller than competitors like the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV, which has a 9 inch display size, and both the Garmin Echomap Plus 93SV and Humminbird Helix 5, as well as other Lowrance Hook products such as the Hook 4, come with GPS capabilities.
There is also an alternate version of the Hook-4x, called the Hook-4x Ice Machine, which comes with an ice transducer that allows you to scan deep under icy waters. Although it is more expensive, $239.00 on Lowrance.com, some might find this feature to be worth the price and forgo purchasing the basic Hook-4x.
How to Use the Hook-4x
To use the Hook-4x, attach the mount for the transducer onto the stern of your boat and wire it to the mount for your Hook-4x, which you should attach to the dash.
Risks of Use/Purchase
Navico/Lowrance products are limited warranty products which means that the price of labor required to fix any broken parts is not covered by the company.
Who Should Buy the Hook-4x
Hobbyist fishermen who are looking for a starter Fish Finder product or professionals who are looking for an affordable product that still performs the necessary functions at an impressive technological level should purchase the Hook-4x.
Price
The Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer is listed on Lowrance.com for $149.00, but you can find the product on sportsmansguide.com for $99.99.
Customer Reviews
There are few reviews for the Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer online, but most of them skew positive. The reviews often mention the cost-effectiveness of the product and some even mention that the limited features actually make the product easier to use without constantly referring to the user manual. There are some negative reviews for the mounts that come with the Hook-4x that point to their flimsiness, however, some reviewers mention that this is a positive, as a mount that is too sturdy might cause damage to the boat in the instance of a collision. The reviews of this product appear to mainly represent the perspectives of hobbyist fishermen, although the more experienced fishermen, as indicated on Lowrance.com, praise the product more than the less experienced fishermen.
Final Thoughts
There are many electronic Fish Finder products on the market, but if you are looking for a cost-effective option, the Hook-4x with DownScan Transducer is one of the best options on the market. The product is extremely inexpensive compared to its competitors, technologically superior to single frequency Fish Finders that might be priced similarly, and very easy to set up and navigate.
This is a perfect product for hobbyist fishermen who are looking for a simple, effective starter Fish Finder, professional fishermen who are looking for a cost-effective Fish Finder, or even those who are simply looking for an affordable gift for their fishing-obsessive loved ones.
