The Garmin Fishfinder 300C is the first of the high-end of the price range for the Garmin’s sonar fishfinder units. However, this is one time you will definitely get what you pay for. Featuring one of their best screens in this niche, you are sure to be pleased with what you see in a variety of ways.
Screen
The screen is, admittedly, not at the level of modern-day smart phones or even some portable camcorders. But with a three-and-a-half inch QVGA color display, offering 320 x 240 pixel resolution, it is superior in the sonar display category niche.
The view is ultra bright even in full sun light and offers the thousands of colors you would expect from the QVGA display technology. For comparison, the otherwise fine Fishfinder 160C offers only sixteen colors. Making it even more useful, the Fishfinder 300C offers both automatic and manual 2x and 4x zoom.
Transducer
Thanks to Garmin’s dual-beam transducer, what the fishfinder has to display is equally clear and detailed. It’s user-selectable for either a Narrow (15 degree) beam or a Wide (45 degree) beam to explore the shallows or the depths with equal clarity.
The depth range is considerable, as well. The Fishfinder 300C can measure depths accurately in water less than one foot deep. Yet, housing electronics that produce 1200 watts of power output (peak-to-peak, 150 watts RMS), it can operate effectively down to 900 feet.
The AutoGain feature ensures you won’t have to worry about adjusting the screen across the depth range. The unit will automatically select the appropriate gain to most clearly show the right level of detail. However, it is manually adjustable, if so desired. Users can also turn off or on the Fish ID and the Whiteline feature (which shows how thick the bottom is).
The case is both robust and modest sized, so you can take the Fishfinder 300C literally anywhere. Drench it and it works just as well as when perfectly dry. Come in after dark and you’ll see the screen just fine. At a slender 4.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.4″ it won’t take up much room, either.
Installation
With Garmin’s simple mount kits you can install this model on anything from a 40-foot fishing boat to a kayak with equal ease. And, since it weighs only 9.6 ounces, it wouldn’t be a big burden to move back and forth between them, either.
Garmin’s mounts aren’t just easy to install, however. They operate well, too. You get a great view in any scenario. Tilt the screen up with ease then lock it down for a stable view. Give it a firm sideways nudge and the swivel lets you turn it to face you at all times.
Overall Opinion
The company makes several other sonar units that are more expensive with larger screens and more bells and whistles. But, even at this mid-range price, the Garmin Fishfinder 300C offers a number of high-end features, not least a superb display. For freshwater lake fishermen, this could be an ideal choice.
Click here to purchase the Garmin Waterproof Fishfinder 300C from Amazon
