One of the most noticeable things about the Humminbird Helix 5 is the size. This sonar fish finder is compact in size. This offers true fisherman the advantage when they are ready to pack up their tacklebox and favorite fishing pole for a day out on the lake or river. The compact size of the Helix allows you to easily pack away with your gear. When on the boat, it can easily be held in your hand or mounted wherever you feel most comfortable. This gives you a great view of what’s happening below without having to deal with bulky equipment that can quite often disrupt a great day of fishing.

One of the biggest issues a person that loves being out on the water enjoying their favorite pastime may experience when choosing the fish finder best suited for them is the need to keep the finder connected to a power source. Unfortunately, Humminbird wasn’t able to get away from this struggle when they created the Helix 5. The Helix requires a direct current of 10 to 20 volts running constantly. This unit then changes this into sonar power that averages around watts. Whether you are a kayak lover or prefer the use of a boat, with the Helix 5 you will find yourself in need of power to make the best use of this product.

Most reviewers consider the Humminbird Helix 5 to be easy to mount. Featuring a gimbal mount, this fish finder can easily mount to your boat or kayak, leaving your hands free to cast your line in hopes of catching the biggest fish in the area. This hands-free tool can make any fishing experience more enjoyable for enthusiasts whether you are out in search of your next meal or simply fishing for the pleasure it can bring you.

Another place the Humminbird Helix 5 excels, for a fish finder of its price, is displayed. The Helix offers a landscape of 800 x 480-pixel, 256 color TFT display. Yes, there are other fishfinders on the market that offer a clearer, sharper, image but most can’t compare to what this more affordable version offers at the retail price. The Helix offers a feature called SwitchFire. This allows a color coding for objects near the boat. Things that are closer, of course, have a different color. The farther away an object to you is, the colors will change in coalition with their location.

The sonar used by the Humminbird Helix 5 can penetrate to a depth of 1,500 feet. This provides great range when you find yourself in search of the best fishing spots. You can easily see what lies below and decide whether the area you are navigating is worth your time or if you should move on to better waters. Knowing what is taking place at depths beyond the visual of the naked eye can also give you the heads up on whether there are dangerous obstacles in the water below you where your line or favorite fishing lures could end up getting tangled or lost. For the price you pay for this fish finder, these depths can be considered quite impressive.

When out on the open water, many people want to feel connected to a GPS or other ways of interacting. Several fishfinders on the market offer this ability but the Helix 5 isn’t one of them. With all the features this compact tool offers, Humminbird has steered away from connectivity with this model. Yes, if this feature is a must for you, the 5 series offered by Humminbird has other options you can take a look at but expect to pay a much heftier price for the advanced connectivity.

When talking about the terrain where you can use a fish finder, that answer can be quite simple. Anywhere you can find water. As any fisherman will tell you, fishing in different areas opens up the types of fish you can catch. Whether you find yourself fishing on the river, lake, or even deep seas tools such as fish finders can come in quite useful. Humminbird understands this and has ensured their Helix 5 is compact enough to take with you no matter what type of water you are planning on adventuring in that day.

The sonar used by the Humminbird Helix 5 provides decent accuracy for a fish finder of its magnitude. In most cases, you’ll find the relay from the sonar may be slightly off on the display but after using the finder a few times you will easily find yourself being able to make the adjustments that coincide with what you are being shown. By being given an idea of where things are with the accuracy you would expect from one of the less expensive fish finders available, you’ll easily be able to make your day of fishing fun and productive.

One of the biggest pros of choosing the Humminbird Helix 5 is the price you’ll pay for this handy piece of equipment. Many fish finders on the market run at much higher price ranges and come with long lists of extras you may find yourself not actually needing. If you are a fan of the simpler fish finding gear that can be mounted to your boat or kayak, but still offers good accuracy and depth readings, the Humminbird Helix 5 may be the one you’ve been hoping to add to your fishing arsenal.

Although the Helix 5 is not networkable, using a LakeMaster or Navionic Gold/Hot Maps MicroSD cards you can easily add GPS to your fish finder. It is also possible to change out the transducer to enhance your depth and display.

The Helix 5 fish finder may seem like a piece of equipment that may be a bit hard to operate. The key with this fish finder, as with any advanced piece of equipment you buy is to read your directions and instructions carefully before attempting to operate. Once you have an idea of what to do, you’ll find yourself able to quickly put your Helix to use. This makes getting out on the water not only faster but more fun.

The Humminbird Helix 5 offers a few advanced features any fisherman will find themselves excited to use. Here, we will discuss a few of these so you know what to expect when purchasing one of these tools.

The Helix 5 features a landscape display. This allows you to make the most of both the finder’s GPS and side/down imaging capabilities. This display puts an end to issues with scrunched images and also makes seeing in all angles around your boat or kayak much easier and your trip more enjoyable.

Uses a gimbal mounting system that allows your fish finder to stay connected to your boat or kayak with no issues about falling off. This mounting system is a clear upgrade to systems of old that often caused issues when out on the water.

Offers GPS mapping that allows you to choose the area in which the sonar will launch. This will provide you with a more precise area on where the fish are. Once you figure out where the fish are biting, you can easily make your way to that area for the day.

Features DualBeam Plus 2D Sonar that has the ability to transmit at amazing depths for a fish finder of this low price. This comes in very handy for those who want to have the assistance of a fish finder but don’t want to pay all the additional money for fancier, more advanced equipment.

Another feature of the Helix 5 is the ability to add accessories. By adding an SD card you can easily add true GPS features. Another great accessory to add to this fish finder is the upgraded transducer that is easily ordered from Humminbird. Although the Helix 5 already comes with its own transducer if you are in the market for more advanced capabilities they can easily be changed out.

The Helix 5 is the flagship fish finder of the Helix series brought to you by Humminbird. This version is the lowest cost, most compact version. It also comes with the most basic of features. For those who find themselves in need of a more advanced piece of equipment, the Helix series features several options that may be more up to your speed. If you are a simple lover of fishing, then the Helix 5 may easily offer you everything you’ve been hoping for when you find yourself on the water with the need to know exactly where the big fish are hiding.

Most reviewers who have tested the Helix 5 have regarded it as a very durable fish finder. With its advanced mounting system, this fish finder can easily be moved from boat to boat without any issue. The sonar and display will easily last you quite a while if you take the care expected for this type of equipment. This means tucking your fish finder away properly when not in use and keeping it protected from breaks and an overabundance of drops.

Being a fish finder, the Helix 5 has to be able to stand up against water. When out and about enjoying a day or night of fishing, the last thing you want to worry about is what could happen if your equipment gets wet. Luckily, Humminbird thought the same thing. Although, with such an advanced piece of equipment it is important to try and keep it safe and secure. This means, attempting to keep it as dry as possible when you can.

The Helix 5 is a compact fish finder. This allows it to easily be taken anywhere you want to go. If your preference is small rivers and streams where you can fish in the peace and quiet, the Helix 5 will gladly go along for the ride. If you are more adventurous and prefer deep sea fishing, then this easy-to-mount piece of equipment can be added to even the bigger boats needed to go on these full-fledged fishing expeditions.

The bottom line when talking about the Humminbird Helix 5 is that this is a great little piece of equipment. The Helix 5 is a compact fish finder that packs quite a bit into such a small package. Of course, with the small price you will pay for it in comparison to other fishfinders on the market, you’ll find yourself needing to accessorize it to get the full benefit of the features it offers. This should be expected when it comes to such an affordable gear addition. If you want to save a bit of money but experience the benefits of what a fish finder can bring to your fishing experience, the Helix 5 is a great starting point.