We all know the struggle of being out on the water fishing on a sunny day and looking down at your fishfinder to check the location of a school you may have spotted earlier, only to not be able to see a thing thanks to the sun glaring on your screen, even after adjusting the brightness level in the settings ( which can quickly kill your battery in a short period of time if left on full brightness for too long) or the angle of the screen it can still prove to be difficult to see much if anything.
The LCD displays have a somewhat polarized effect, but not horizontally like sunglasses are, which makes the issue of not being able to see the screen without a fish finder sun visor even worse as opposed to improving it as one may expect.
In this article, we are going to take a look at several products that you can use to cover your fish finder to help improve the longevity of your battery and the visibility of your screen the next time you are out fishing.
Options for Reducing Sun Glare on Your Fish Finder Screen
There are many different options out on the market for products that help to reduce and prevent glare affecting your fishfinder screen while fishing, so below, we have listed several recommendations of different sun shades, visors, and shields, along with links to each individual product.
Fish Finder Sun Visor and Shade Options
Fishfinder visors are designed to keep the sun and water off your console screen when in an open environment. By using a visor, you can reduce your screen brightness and still see the screen clearly, thus prolonging battery life. The visor also reduces cleaning since it acts as splash protection.
This particular visor pictured is designed to fit the Lowrance Elite 7 TI / TI 2, made from hard-touch plastic. It has predominantly 4 and 5-star customer reviews, as one would expect from a product made by a company such as BerleyPro. Options for other Lowrance models can be found via the links below:
This sun shade visor reduces glare and reflections for better visibility, thanks to its elegant Flight Streamline design. Suitable for 7" GPS navigation and similar digital devices, it's easy to install and remove and provides a solid and reliable fit.
Fish Finder Shields and Covers
These products are specifically designed to cover the unit and protect from long-term sun damage and provide a different service to visors as they are used to cover your fish finder when you are not using it and want to protect it from the elements, whereas a visors main purpose is to be utilized while looking at your screen searching for fish.
It’s important to make sure you use a shield or cover that perfectly fits your unit ( i.e., not using a Lowrance-specific cover and putting it on your Helix, etc.) to prevent it from not fitting properly and potentially flying off while traveling at high speeds and having to go back to search for it.
Made from black silicone, this cover is compatible with every model in the Helix 8 and 9 G3N series and will help prevent damage if you accidentally drop your fish finder.
Crafted with superior quality liquid silicone gel, the TUSITA case offers a simple, flexible design that allows it to fit your unit with ease.
With its silicone sun cover, your fishfinder GPS screen is shielded from sun exposure, dust, and scratches at all times.
A hard-touch plastic cover that fits all Lowrance Hook 2 fishfinders and promises to stay on even at highway speeds; the only downside is it may be hard to clean due to the product's light color.
But given the many 5-star customer reviews, it will definitely be worth adding to your cart.
Other Options
Alternatively, instead of a visor, you could use a glass coating solution such as the DCP TS2 Glass Coating solution that aids in glare reduction and clarity and is very hydrophobic, which allows the water to run right off the screen without leaving any spots, making it easier to clean.
If you are the DIY type and enjoy investing time into a new project, doing your own customizations, and like a challenge, you can make your very own visor using some Kydex ( a type of hard touch thermoplastic) and a heat gun to mold and fit it based on the size and shape of the model you are currently using.
Below is a link to a video you can watch on how to make your own Kydex Visor :
There are many other videos online with great content and information on the subject that show how you can make your own; the only drawback to this is having to search for certain materials or tools you may need in order to do so.
Final Thoughts on Protecting Your Fish Finder and Screen From the Sun
Having the sun beat down on both your screen and fishfinder every time you are out fishing can cause the battery to overheat and will most likely end up with you having to send it in for service sooner than you would like.
So investing in some form of protection for your unit, like a visor or shield to protect it from the harsh sun, will deliver the desired results and pay off immensely by saving you the frustration of fishing blind because the glare from the sun is so bright you can’t even see what’s happening on your screen.
