Deeper Smart Sonar Pro, Pro Plus and Pro Plus 2 Review – A Comprehensive Guide

When a castable fishfinder is mentioned one of the names that’s most likely to come up is Deeper, the company has a wide range of castable fishfinders as well as a very good rating on all their different castable fishfinders. The Pro series which consists of the Deeper Pro, Deeper Pro+, and Deeper Pro+ 2 are three well-designed fishfinders that can help you find and catch fish easily. Each of the models in the Pro series is very compact and easy to use. You just need to pair with the Deeper fishfinder app, then cast the sonar in water and you will be able to view fish arches and more right from your phone. This Deeper Pro series review takes a look at the Deeper Pro, Pro+ and Pro+ 2. We’ll talk about the respective features that you get with each of these fishfinders as well as features of the Fish Deeper app.

Deeper Castable FishFinders – How it Works

Irrespective of whatever model of Deeper Sonar you decide to purchase, it must first be paired with the Fish Deeper app. Once successfully paired, you can either troll the sonar from a boat or kayak or you can cast it out (be very careful about casting out the sonar as it can hit a hard surface say rock, and this will most likely affect the functions of the device). Once the sonar is in the water and successfully paired with your phone, it will continuously ping out frequencies into the water and all scans from the sonar are displayed on the Fish Deeper app over Wi-Fi. It’s as simple as that.

Deeper Pro vs Deeper Pro+ vs Deeper Pro+ 2 Compared

Fish Deeper App

All fishfinders from Deeper will have to pair with the Fish Deeper app in other to show you what’s beneath the water. That’s is to say that the Deeper app works as your sonar display. It’s a very intuitive app that’s well designed and constantly being updated with new features that can improve the fishing experience of an angular. The app pairs with Deeper Pro sonars via Wi-Fi which allows for fast connectivity.

Compatibility

The Fish Deeper app is compatible with Android 6.0+ and iOS 13.0+ devices. Depending on what phone you’re using, the respective app store Google Playstore or Apple app store will tell you if your phone is compatible. If you’re using a Huawei phone, you can also get the app in the Huawei app gallery. Deeper sonars don’t require internet connectivity to transmit scans over Wi-Fi to the deeper app. So, even when there is no internet connection on your phone, the Deeper app can still show you whatever is going on under the water.

Fish Deeper App Features

The Fish Deeper app is loaded with lots of features that can improve your fishing experience. Some of the features of the app include;

• Choose Your Preferred Color Palette

The app allows you to choose your preferred display color depending on the time of the day you’re fishing. This will allow you to get the best viewing experience irrespective of the ambient light conditions of the environment. You can also turn on the night fishing feature to enable you to see the sonar scans better in the dark. The night fishing feature can only work with the Deeper Night Fishing Cover which is sold separately.

• Choose Sonar Display Mode

The app also allows you to choose the display mode. You can choose between basic that shows only vegetation and water depth or raw that shows more detailed images of fishes.

• Adjust Display Sensitivity

You also choose the display sensitivity. You can choose between high and low sensitivity. Low sensitivity is best for dirty water while high sensitivity is best for clear water.

• Fish Icons

The app will also allow you to choose to enable or disable fish icons. You can show fish icons on the screen, their depth in the water as well as turn on or off the fish alarm that goes off when a fish is detected.

• Choose Beam Angle

You can select your preferred beam angle depending on the sonar type you’re using. You can select from low or high for the Deeper Pro series, while you can select from low, high, or mid if you own a Deeper CHIRP sonar. The selected beam angle determines the area scanned as well as the quality of the sonar return. A low beam angle offers the best clarity but a smaller area is scanned while a high beam angle will allow you to scan a wider area, but with less clarity.

• Choose Fishing Types

The app also allows you to choose your preferred fishing type. There are four fishing types; standard, ice, boat and onshore fishing. The fishing type selected will determine the amount of information shown on the display.

• Mark Favorite Spots and Log Your Catches

Just like a regular fishfinder, the Fish deeper app will allow you to mark your favorite fishing spots, and you can also log your catches. This will allow you to plan better and save more time.

• Download and Use Offline Maps

The app also gives you access to download and use offline maps. This can serve for reference purposes. Some of the available maps are premium, will require payment to access.

• Create Bathymetric maps

All Deeper sonars except the Deeper start will allow you to create a bathymetric map of the water where you fish. Deeper sonars like Pro+ 2 which has inbuilt GPS can create a bathymetric map directly from the device while those without inbuilt GPS like Deeper Pro will connect to your phone GPS to generate a bathymetric map.

• Explore Full Scan History

You can explore a full scan history from your Deeper sonar in the app. This allows you to see what you might have missed. There is now a live scan history that allows you to access scan history without pausing the sonar.

• Automatic Sonar Update and Continuous Fish Deeper Updates

The Fish Deeper app will enable automatic updates for your Deeper sonar, while the app is continuously being updated with more features and bug fixes. These are the many features you get with the Fish Deeper app which explains while it’s one of the best-rated fishing apps on Playstore.

Deeper Smart Sonar Pro Review

The Deeper Smart Sonar Pro is the cheapest model in the Deeper Pro series. It’s a very compact fishfinder that lacks inbuilt GPS, yet is equipped with a lot of features that can help you catch more fish.

• Design and Setup

The Deeper Pro sonar is very compact and lightweight, it weighs only 100 grams. It’s also easy to setup for the first time. It has a casting range of 330ft, a minimum scanning depth of 19ft, and a maximum scanning depth of 260ft. That’s greater than the 200ft scanning range and 150ft scanning depth of the Garmin Striker Cast. The Deeper Pro features two beam angles, low and high. It also can show the water temperature and has a target separation of only 1 inch.

To setup Deeper Pro is a straightforward process that requires you to fully charge the sonar before pairing with the Fish Deeper app. Once the sonar is paired successfully with the app, you can choose to troll the Deeper Pro from a kayak or boat or cast it out to scan an area. All scans from the Deeper Pro are shown on the Fish Deeper app.

• Connectivity

The Deeper Pro has Wi-Fi as its means of pairing and connecting to the Fish Deeper app. Wi-Fi allows for faster transfer of data between the sonar and the app. And it can also transfer data even without an internet connection on your phone.

• Transducer and Frequencies

The Deeper Pro also offers you the option to choose from two beam angles, a narrow 15° and a wider 55° beamscope. The smaller beamscope allows you to scan a smaller area with a high 290kHz frequency that offers greater precision and clarity, while the wider beamscope will allow you to scan a wider area with a 90kHz frequency that has a greater depth penetration but lesser clarity when compared to the smaller beamscope. And with a target separation of 1 inch, Deeper Pro can show you really clear images of fishes and other objects under the water.

• Bathymetric Maps

Although the Deeper Pro lacks inbuilt GPS, it can still generate a bathymetric map of the water by connecting to your phone GPS.

• Battery Life and Power Rating

The Deeper Smart Sonar Pro comes with a 3.7V replaceable lithium polymer battery. It has a battery life of about 5 – 6hrs when fully charged, and it takes about 2 hours to fully charge the device. So, you will have to charge this sonar every time you decide to go fishing. It has a power rating of 110-240V and can easily be charged with a micro-USB cable. In other to prevent the battery from going dead, it’s recommended that you charge the Deeper Pro at least once every 6 months even when not in use. This will prevent the battery from getting damaged.

Deeper Smart Sonar Pro Plus Review

A step further from Deeper Pro is the Deeper Smart Sonar Pro+, it’s a well-designed castable fishfinder that’s very compact, easy to setup and offers great clarity that can help you find and catch more fish. This sonar has almost the same technical specifications as Deeper Pro, but it has an inbuilt GPS that lets you create maps directly from the device.

• Design

The Deeper Pro+ is a very durable sonar, it has a case made of ABS material and weighs only 100 grams. It is also very compact and easy to setup. This sonar has a maximum scanning range of 330ft which is one of the longest ranges you can expect from a castable fishfinder. It also has a minimum scanning depth of 2ft and a maximum depth of 260ft.
The setup process for Deeper Pro+ is similar to that of Deeper Pro, you just need to charge the device to full, put it into the water, then pair it with the Fish Deeper app. You can then cast or troll the sonar which scans the water at a very fast rate of 15 scans per second, the scans can be viewed from the Fish Deeper app.

• Connectivity

Just like Deeper Pro, the Deeper Pro+ has Wi-Fi that allows it to connect to your phone. This is faster than Bluetooth and allows for fast transfer of data from the sonar to the Fish Deeper App. The Deeper Pro+ doesn’t require internet connectivity to work as well, all scans are sent to the app over Wi-Fi, so you don’t need internet connectivity to catch fish with this sonar.

• Inbuilt GPS

The Deeper Pro+ has an inbuilt GPS that allows it to generate maps of your fishing waters directly from the device. So, if you fishing on the shore, you don’t need to turn on location tracking on your phone to generate bathymetric maps.

• Transducer and Frequencies

The Deeper Pro+ also comes with a dual-beam transducer just like Deeper Pro. This transducer offers two frequencies at 90kHz and 290kHz. The 90kHz has a beamscope of 55° that allows you to scan a wider area with less precision but greater depth penetration. To get better clarity and precision, you can apply the 290kHz which has a smaller beamscope of 15° and a lower depth penetration but offers greater clarity.

• Bathymetric Maps

The ability to create a bathymetric map is also available on the Deeper Pro plus. It has an inbuilt GPS that allows it to generate a bathymetric map directly from the device. This map can serve for reference purposes.

• Battery Life and Power Rating

The Deeper Pro Plus has a battery life of about 6hrs which is similar to what you get with Deeper Pro. It comes with a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that has a capacity of 850mAh. This sonar has a power rating of 110-240V, it can be charged with a micro-USB cable, and the recommended power supply is 5V and a maximum current of 450mA. When this sonar is not in use, you are expected to charge it at least once every 6 months to prevent the battery from getting damaged.

Deeper Smart Sonar Pro Plus 2 Review

The Deeper Pro+ 2 is the most advanced sonar in the Deeper Pro series. It has an inbuilt GPS, a longer casting range as well as a longer battery life. This explains why it’s priced even higher than the other two sonars mentioned above. From reviews on this product, the connection between the sonar and app is very stable.

• Design

Just like other models in the Deeper Pro series, the Deeper Pro+ 2 is also very durable and compact, it’s easy to use as well. It has a body made of solid ABS and titanium materials and weighs just 90 grams. This sonar offers three frequencies and has a maximum casting range of 330ft. The minimum scanning depth is 6ft with a maximum scanning depth of 330ft.

• Connectivity

The Deeper Pro+ 2 connects to your phone via Wi-Fi, and it doesn’t need internet connectivity to transfer data to the Fish Deeper app on your phone just like we mentioned earlier. So even if there is no internet connectivity, the sonar will scan and you’ll be able to view fish arches and other structures underwater.

• Inbuilt GPS

There is an inbuilt GPS in the Deeper Pro+ 2 which allows it to generate bathymetric maps without connecting to your phone GPS. So, if you decide to go fishing on the shore, this sonar will be able to generate a map that can be viewed in the Fish Deeper app.

• Transducer and Frequencies

Unlike the other two models in the Deeper Pro series, the Deeper Pro+ 2 comes with a transducer that offers three different beam frequencies. It pings at a fast rate of 15-scans per second with a target separation of 0.4 inch which will allow you to see clearer images of objects underwater. It offers 3 sonar types, 675kHz with a narrow beamscope of 7°, 240kHz with a beamscope of 20° and a wide 100kHz with a beamscope of 47°.

• Bathymetric Maps

The ability to create a bathymetric map is also present on the Deeper Pro+ 2, and it does this directly from the sonar without connecting to your phone GPS. Generated maps are stored in the Fish Deeper app which you can view later. You can also mark your favorite spots on the map.

• Battery Life and Power Rating

The Deeper Pro+ 2 comes with a 950mAh li-ion replaceable battery. It has up to 9hrs of battery life which is longer than that of Deeper Pro and Pro Plus. It also supports fast charging. it only takes about an hour to fully charge this sonar. The device can be charged via a micro-USB port and the power rating is 110-220V.

Conclusion

In rounding up, there is no doubt on the effectiveness of Deeper fishfinders considering the durability, ease of use and features that can really improve your chances of landing more fish. In this regard, the Deeper Pro series are some of the best castable fishfinders on the brand’s lineup of which Deeper Pro+ 2 is the most advanced of all three models in this series. The Pro+ 2 has the most features, offers three beam frequencies and has longer battery life. If you want CHIRP frequencies that can show you even clearer images of objects in the water including fish, then you might want to check out the Deeper CHIRP Plus 2.

FAQs

1. Question: How does this sonar connect via Wi-Fi without a Wi-Fi connection?

Answer: It has its own access point. For example: go into your Wi-Fi settings, it’ll say deeper dffo. Connect to that as you would with your Wi-Fi router. They do have a password but it’s default and can be seen in the quickStart guide.

2. Question: Does the Deeper Pro give the water temperature?

Answer: Yes, each model in the Deeper Pro series has a temperature sensor that shows the temperature of the water surface.

3. Question: Do I need an internet connection on my phone to use Deeper Pro?

Answer: No, you don’t need an internet connection or a mobile connection to use your Deeper Pro, Pro+ or Pro+ 2. Any of this will work anywhere in the world. The devices themselves are fitted with a Wi-Fi connection which they use to transmit data to your phone or tablet, this works independently of any network. All you have to do is to turn on the Wi-Fi on your smartphone or tablet and connect to the signal from your Deeper app.

4. Question: When viewing the scan how do you determine the direction?

Answer: Note that the newest information is always on the right side, while past events are shown on the left side.

5. Question: Is Deeper Pro easy to use?

Answer: Deeper Pro, Pro+ and Pro+ 2 are very easy to setup and use. All you need to do when you first receive the sonar is to charge it to full, then turn on Wi-Fi on your phone and connect to the sonar (the sonar automatically turns on when in the water and off when not in the water). You can then troll or cast the sonar and this will transmit scans to your phone which can be viewed from the Fish Deeper app.

6. Question: How many smartphones can the sonar connect to at one time.

Answer: Deeper Pro, Pro+ or Pro+ 2 can connect to a single smartphone at a time.

7. Question: What App does Deeper Pro work with it?

Answer: Just like every other fishfinder from Deeper, the Deeper Pro, Pro+, and Pro+ 2 need the Fish Deeper app to function. The app is available for free on Google Playstore and the Apple app store.

8. Question: What phones can connect to Fish Deeper App?

Answer: Deeper PRO can connect to any iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod) running iOS 13.0 or later, and Android devices (smartphone or tablet) running Android 6.0 or later. Deeper connects via Wi-Fi to your smartphone/tablet and does not require any Internet connection.

9. Question: Can the Deeper Pro be used in unclear water?

Answer: Yes, Deeper Pro, Pro+ or Pro+ 2 can be used in muddy water. However, you have to reduce the “Sensitivity” setting on the side-tab menu, so that the sonar would not pick up all the trash and other murk.

10. Question: Will the Deeper sonar break if I cast over 50yards?

Answer: As long as you’re casting into the water, I don’t see why it would have a problem. However, care must be taken when casting in certain types of water as the sonar can hit a rock which will most likely affect the device.

11. Question: Will this work for ice fishing?

Answer: Yes, the Deeper Pro will definitely work for ice fishing. It has a durable design that can withstand harsh conditions that enable Deeper smart sonars to operate perfectly in temperatures as low as -4 F/-20 Celsius. Moreover, there is an ice fishing mode on the app that represents a traditional flasher.

12. Question: How many hours does the battery last?

Answer: Deeper Pro and Pro+ will last up to 6hrs with continued usage while in water. Meanwhile, Deeper Pro+ 2 has a battery life of up to 9hrs. Deeper sonars are programmed in a way that it switches off when it is taken out of the water and switches on again when it hits the water. Thus, prolonging battery life significantly.

13. Question: What if the battery cycle ended can the battery be replaced?

Answer: Note that “Battery Charge Cycle” in the description, is the time it takes for the battery to drain completely, while the item is unused. In other words, you should re-charge your Deeper PRO, Pro+ or Pro+ 2 every 6 months, just to keep the battery alive, even if you did not use Deeper at that time. If the battery does not charge anymore or does not hold any charge for a long time (i.e., “dead battery”), it is possible to change it for a new one.