Part of any expert angler’s basic fishing gear is a fish finder, a sonar device that provides necessary information (like water depth) to help determine the best fishing techniques for each situation. However, not everybody can afford dedicated sonar instruments. They can be pretty pricey or unnecessary if you’re planning to go fishing just for the weekend with family and friends.
Fortunately, technological advancements have led to the development of thousands of fishing apps, all designed for specific purposes and to turn your smartphone or tablet into a makeshift fish finder. It’s a more convenient solution, especially since most anglers bring their smartphones with them before getting on a boat. You can use it even when you level up and start trolling for fish or ice fishing for pike.
In this article, we’ve featured a handful of the top-rated fishing apps, including the best free fishing apps, so you won’t have to waste your time downloading useless ones.
Best Fishing Apps for iPhone & Android Users
Fishidy
Compatibility: iOS and Android
Fishidy is a free app that allows you to share fishing locations, track fishing data, record catches, and many more. The app certainly makes fishing easy as it uses advanced algorithms and unique technological features to help you determine patterns or fishing trends from your own fishing record without having to update it. It can even discover fishing hotspots, so you’ll know exactly where you should be headed before you even get on the boat. And if you ever need to check your progress, the app provides records from your previous fishing trips. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, it’s easy for everyone to use and enjoy for a more fulfilling and challenging fishing trip.
Pro Angler
Compatibility: iOS and Android
For saltwater fishers, the Pro Angler is the ideal choice. The app aims to be the one-stop solution that provides everything from weather updates, information on more than a hundred species of fish, tips from local pros, weekly updates on the latest catches, GPS information to help find hotspots, the latest fishing reports in specific areas, and many more. Its major advantage is that it allows you to catch more fish than ever before, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned angler. It even helps you determine the size and bag limits of the area where you’re fishing. If you want to start learning about fishing knots, this app also has you covered.
Navionics
Compatibility: iOS and Android
When it comes to marine charting, Navionics beats all the rest. This app might be a little more complicated for beginners as it provides a high-end database of charts and a complete library of bathymetric maps. When you purchase a subscription package to their premium services (Navionics+), you get more features—including the Sonar Chart that helps you upload sonar data logs and create a more customized chart that will support your work. But even by sticking with the free version, you gain access to the same maps that are found in more high-tech GPS units. Access the app anywhere in the world—even when ice fishing in remote areas.
FishHunter HD
Compatibility: iOS
The company that created this app, Fish Hunter Inc., uniquely developed this cutting-edge app to work with the latest hardware technology in hopes of producing the most accurate fishing system out there. Along with your one-time purchase, the FishHunter HD is a portable device—a floating ball that helps provide surface data and several other statistics like the direction of the current, water temperature, and water flow speed. It is able to gather crucial information with the help of a sonar transducer that’s built inside the rubber polymer device. It also offers an incredible view of the topography underwater to provide ease in hunting down your desired fish.
Deeper Sonar
Compatibility: iOS and Android
Deeper Sonar is another free app that provides a wide range of features, including a camera, weather forecast, solunar forecast calendar, sonar data control, advanced offline mapping techniques, and social media sharing. This brilliant app also comes with a submersible ball to provide more statistics that will greatly benefit every angler. The only real difference between the Deeper Sonar and FishHunter Finder balls is that the latter has a protective rubber exterior. Nonetheless, the Deeper Sonar ball is designed to be sleek, stylish, and extremely reliable in providing data like temperature, wind speeds, current direction, fish hot spots—even the current air temperature.
