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What is the best kayak fish finder battery? And how do you go about choosing one? In this post, we’ll take a look at what to consider when selecting a battery for your fish finder, and provide some tips on how to get the most out of your device.
So whether you’re just getting started with kayak fishing or you’re looking for an upgrade, we can help you find the best battery for your kayak fish finder with a list of our top picks.
Quick Picks:
- Expert Power LiFePO4 12V 20Ah Lithium Battery (best overall)
- Ampere Time 12V 50Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery (runner-up)
- Dakota Lithium 12 Volt 10Ah Rechargeable Battery (best value)
- YakAttack 10Ah Battery Powered Kit (best lightweight)
- Mighty Max 12 Volt 8Ah SLA Battery (best budget)
- Expert Power 12V 9Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery (2 Pack)
8 Best Kayak Fish Finder Batteries
1: Expert Power LiFePO4 12V 20Ah Lithium Battery (best overall)
- Type: Lithium Ion
- Weight: 5.8 pounds
- Size: 7.1 x 3 x 6.6 inches
- Rated at: 20Ah
This Expert Power LiFePO4 20Ah lithium battery can be the ideal battery to power your fish finder. It’s relatively compact, so it can be a convenient size for storing on a kayak or other small boat.
It’s a durable battery that’s designed to work in all temperatures, so can be great for both hot summers and cold winters, rated to work in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit and as hot as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it can only be charged at a minimum temperature of 32 degrees otherwise you could damage the battery.
This is a deep cycle battery that’s built to last for up to 2,500 charge cycles at 100% depth of discharge. As well as being ideal for powering your kayak fish finder, you could also use it to power a GPS or other gadgets.
It has a large 20Ah rating so it should definitely be able to power your fish finder all day.
Pros
- Durable
- High capacity battery
- Ideal for long fishing trips
- Great for fishing in all seasons
Cons
- Not the cheapest battery
2: Ampere Time 12V 50Ah LiFePO4 Lithium Battery (runner-up)
- Type: Lithium Ion
- Weight: 11.57 pounds
- Size: 7.79 x 6.53 x 6.69 inches
- Rated at: 50Ah
The Ampere Time LiFePO4 battery can be an excellent choice for powering kayak fish finders, as well as other gadgets. It’s compact, durable and lightweight for its capacity, weighing under 12 pounds. This means you can easily move it from place to place and kayak to kayak without it weighing your gear bag down too much.
However, although it has a much higher capacity, this battery is heavier than other options on the list and may be better suited to larger fishing kayaks.
A great feature of this lithium battery is that it has an IP65 waterproof rating, which means it’s resistant to dust and can withstand splashes (or spray from a hose), so it can be a useful feature for a kayak battery. But it’s not built to be submerged.
With a large 50Ah capacity, this durable battery can be ideal for powering a small trolling motor as well, so it can be a versatile option if you have more than one electronic gadget to power.
This battery takes around one to two hours to fully charge.
Pros
- Portable, compact battery
- Large 50Ah capacity
- Can also be used to power a trolling motor
- Water resistant and dust-proof
Cons
- May be more capacity than required for just a fish finder
3: Dakota Lithium 12 Volt 10Ah Rechargeable Battery (best value)
- Type: Lithium
- Weight: 2.83 pounds
- Size: 5.94 x 2.55 x 3.74 inches
- Rated at: 10Ah
The Dakota Lithium 12 volt battery offers excellent value for money. It’s very lightweight and can easily fit on your fishing kayak, saving you space compared to some of the larger batteries.
One of the best things about this lithium battery is its durability. It’s designed and engineered in the USA and comes with a reassuring 11 year warranty, plus US customer and technical support if you need assistance.
It has a battery management system (BMS) that benefits from high and low voltage cutoff, as well as offering temperature protection for your electronics. It also protects against short circuiting.
Another great feature of this Dakota battery is that it can be used in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. This can make it ideal for fishing in a range of climates and conditions, including ice fishing in winter.
The 10Ah rating of this battery can be ideal for powering a fish finder for at least half a day, possibly more depending on the draw of your particular fish finder.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Compact for easy storage
- Low temperature operation
- Extended warranty
Cons
- Not ideal for powering multiple high-powered gadgets all day
4: YakAttack 10Ah Battery Powered Kit (best lightweight)
- Type: Lithium Ion
- Weight: 1.4 pounds
- Size: 4 x 3.25 x 3 inches
- Rated at: 10Ah
If you’re looking for an extremely lightweight lithium battery, the YakAttack 10Ah Battery Powered Kit can be the ideal choice. This small, portable battery is powered by Nocqua and can be a great battery for powering your fish finder or LED lights.
This battery kit is crafted for kayaks and includes a 10Ah lithium ion battery along with a battery charger with a 12-inch long DC cable for convenient charging.
It is conveniently water-resistant and corrosion-resistant so you can use it while fishing in freshwater or saltwater. It features dual circuit board protection to protect against overcharging and monitor the transfer of energy.
A useful feature of this kit is that the charger can let you know the status of the battery, so that you know when to charge it and can estimate how much longer you can run your fish finder.
This is a very compact battery that’s about the same size as a baseball, so it can be easy to fit in your gear bag and on board your kayak.
Pros
- Extremely compact
- Very lightweight battery
- Includes a battery charger
- Water-resistant
- Great for saltwater fishing
Cons
- A little pricey
5: Mighty Max 12 Volt 8Ah SLA Battery (best budget)
- Type: Sealed Lead Acid
- Weight: 4.96 pounds
- Size: 5.94 x 2.56 x 4.02 inches
- Rated at: 8Ah
This Mighty Max 8Ah SLA battery can be a great fish finder battery if you’re on a tighter budget. This lightweight, compact battery is a sealed lead acid AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery.
The Mighty Max SLA battery is an affordable option that can take up minimal space on your kayak and can fit inside many battery boxes (not included) or a battery storage compartment in your kayak.
With an 8Ah capacity it can be ideal for powering most kayak fish finders all day or longer. Depending on the draw of your fish finder you may be able to power other gadgets as well, including your phone, for several hours.
This Mighty Max battery is resistant to shock and vibration, making it useful for kayaks with trolling motors. However, this battery is probably not sufficient to power a trolling motor in addition to your fish finder. You would likely need a separate battery for the motor.
It can also be mounted in any position, giving you freedom to find the best spot to store it on your deck.
Pros
- Affordable battery
- Compact for easy storage
- Multiple mounting positions
- Sealed Lead Acid battery
Cons
- Not the best for long trips
6: Expert Power 12V 9Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery (2 Pack)
- Type: Sealed Lead Acid
- Weight: 5.53 pounds
- Size: 5.94 x 2.56 x 3.7 inches
- Rated at: 9Ah
This Expert Power 9Ah SLA battery can be a great choice for long trips as the pack features two batteries. This means you can bring along a spare battery to extend your trip or power additional gadgets, such as a phone or LED lights.
The battery itself is a compact sealed lead acid battery with a capacity of 9Ah so it can run a fish finder all day. Each maintenance-free AGM battery features durable construction and offers high performance.
The 12-volt batteries can power a range of 12-volt electronics, including fish finders and GPS devices. These have a wide temperature range and can be used for kayak fishing in all seasons.
The batteries feature F2 terminals and do not come with cables.
Pros
- Two 12V batteries included
- Ideal for having a spare battery
- Useful for multiple low-power electronics
- Wide temperature range
Cons
- Not the lightest weight
7: Mighty Max 12 Volt 15Ah SLA Battery
- Type: Sealed Lead Acid
- Weight: 9.6 pounds
- Size: 5.94 x 3.86 x 3.98 inches
- Rated at: 15Ah
The Mighty Max 12V 15Ah SLA battery is a high-powered battery that can be great for powering your fish finder on long fishing trips. It’s a little larger and heavier than some of the other options but can still be considered lightweight and compact for an absorbed glass mat battery.
This durable Mighty Max battery features a heavy-duty calcium-alloy grid, is spill-proof and can be mounted in any position on your boat.
With a decent 15Ah capacity, this can power your fish finder, LED lights and charge your phone on the water for several hours. It can also be useful for extended fishing trips if you plan to power a fish finder only.
It does not come with any cables or mounting hardware. You may want to store it inside a battery box (not included) while on your kayak.
Pros
- Compact AGM battery
- Great for all-day power for fish finders
- Can be used with other electronics
Cons
- Heavier than others
8: Power Queen 12V 10Ah Deep Cycle Lithium Battery
- Type: Lithium
- Weight: 3.2 pounds
- Size: 5.94 x 3.86 x 3.74 inches
- Rated at: 10Ah
This Power Queen Deep Cycle Lithium Battery is a deep cycle battery that can be charged either using a solar panel charger or a standard battery charger, so you can charge it in a variety of situations.
A handy feature of this Power Queen battery is that it is water-resistant, with a waterproof rating of IP65. This means it can handle being splashed or sprayed and it’s also resistant to dust.
This can be an ideal battery for running a fish finder on your kayak for several hours or all day. With just a 10Ah rating, it’s not designed to power a trolling motor or other power-hungry electronics. But this battery can definitely be sufficient for a fish finder and a radio for many hours.
This Power Queen battery comes with a three-year warranty to protect against manufacturing defects and performance. It also benefits from having a built-in battery management system to protect from overcharging and over-discharging, as well as cell protection and high temperature protection.
Pros
- Compatible with a solar charger
- Three-year warranty
- Water-resistant
- Ideal for all-day power
- Built-in BMS protection
Cons
- Won’t power your trolling motor
Types Of Fish Finder Battery
Lithium Batteries
Lithium batteries can be found in a range of applications, from phones and computers to smartwatches and even electric cars. This type of battery can be a lot more efficient than other types of batteries, as it can charge quicker and last longer on a single charge.
One advantage of a lithium battery is that it can have a longer lifespan than a lead acid battery, as it can handle many more charge and discharge cycles – around ten times as many as an SLA battery. This means an SLA battery will need to be replaced sooner than a similar lithium one.
A lithium battery will generally weigh a lot less than a sealed lead acid battery of the same capacity. This can make it a better choice for use on kayaks, as these types of batteries also tend to be smaller in size so they’ll usually take up less room on your boat. And you can often fit them easily inside a hatch.
Another feature of lithium batteries is that they discharge at the same rate throughout the discharge cycle. This means that there’s no reduction of power as the battery discharges, so it delivers a constant level of power until it drains completely. An SLA battery, on the other hand, will begin to peter out as the battery charge begins to drain.
For example, if the batteries were powering lights on your boat, the strength of the light would gradually reduce if powered by an SLA battery. If the same lights were powered by a lithium battery, the lights would maintain their maximum brightness until the battery was empty, causing the lights to then turn off.
Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) Batteries
Sealed lead acid batteries can be commonly used for marine applications because of their resistance to vibrations and their leak-proof construction. These types of Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries can often be used to power trolling motors on kayaks but can also be used to run fish finders.
These types of batteries are generally heavier than comparable lithium batteries and they can often be larger in size.
These are deep cycle batteries that can withstand frequent charging and discharging but they can take longer to charge than a lithium battery of the same capacity. Additionally, you may also need to keep an SLA battery on a float charge if the battery is in storage, otherwise it can fail.
They come in various capacities to accommodate a range of uses. A sealed lead acid battery can be better suited to cold environments compared to a lithium battery. For example, in freezing temperatures, most SLA batteries will be able to accept a low current charge. You may not get a charge rate at the current you would expect in normal circumstances but it should still transfer some energy.
How Should You Store The Battery On Your Kayak?
The most important thing about storing the battery on your kayak is that you keep it dry. This could mean storing it inside a battery storage box or inside a dedicated battery storage compartment on your fishing kayak.
Video: Rigging Up A Fish Finder & Battery Box On A Kayak
There are various battery boxes out there that offer waterproof storage for your battery, as well as sometimes providing circuit breakers, USB ports, battery status lights, and accessory ports. These boxes can be useful for both lead acid and lithium batteries and can be secured to your kayak.
If you don’t have a dedicated battery storage hatch on your fishing kayak, you can store the battery in a box and place it inside a hatch at the bow or center of your kayak. You may need to add foam or velcro to the inside of your hatch to keep the battery box from moving around.
Battery Features To Look For
Water-resistance
A useful feature on any battery for use on a kayak is water-resistance. While most batteries won’t be completely waterproof, having a water-resistant rating can give you a little extra protection for the battery in case it gets splashed.
However, whether or not a battery is water-resistant, it can be a good idea to store it inside a waterproof battery box while you’re on the water.
Weight
Weight can be an important feature to consider when it comes to kayak fish finder batteries, as you’ll want to choose the lightest weight possible to keep your overall load down.
Sealed lead acid batteries will tend to weigh a lot more than lithium batteries and may not be as convenient to store on your kayak if there’s a risk of the weight of the battery throwing your kayak off balance.
Size
When you’re fishing from a kayak, you’re generally limited to what you can take, as your available space on board may be restricted. This means you’ll probably want to keep the size of your accessories to a minimum so that you have enough space to fish comfortably from the deck.
You should think about how much space you have on your kayak for a battery beforehand. For example, it can be a good idea to measure any hatches you have, so that you can make sure the battery will fit.
Lithium batteries can be smaller than AGM batteries, which may be better if your storage space is limited.
Amp Hours
Amp hours can be one of the most important features to look for on a fish finder battery. The higher the amp hour rating (Ah), the longer the battery will power your gadgets. Because fish finders generally don’t draw a lot of power, you can usually get away with a lower Ah rating than if you were looking to run a trolling motor.
However, if you also plan to run a trolling motor from the same battery, you’ll likely need a higher Ah rated battery.
Batteries with around 8 to 10 Ah ratings will generally keep a fish finder running for around three or four hours, depending on the draw of your fish finder. The time may be reduced if your fish finder also has GPS navigation running.
If you plan to fish for an entire day, up to 12 hours, a 20 to 25 Ah may be more suitable. Remember, if you’re powering other gadgets from the same battery, then the run time of the battery will be much less.
Finishing Off
After checking out some of the top fish finder batteries, we think the best one for kayak fishing is the Expert Power LiFePO4 because it has an excellent lifespan and can be ideal for powering a fish finder and other electronics all day long. It’s also compact and much lighter than an SLA battery of the same capacity.
Another good choice and fantastic runner-up is the Ampere Time 50Ah battery, as it can be an ideal choice if you also want to power a trolling motor with the same battery.
However, if portability and convenience is more important to you, another great alternative is the YakAttack 10Ah Battery Power Kit, as it’s super compact, lightweight, and comes with everything you need to keep it charged, along with a water-resistant case.
Remember, as with most things, the best fish finder battery for your buddy may not be the best one for you.
So, check the dimensions and weight of the battery beforehand to make sure it’ll suit your kayak storage space. And remember to think about any other gadgets you want the battery to run while you’re on the water, as you’ll need a higher capacity if you want to run multiple electronics.
