A castable fishfinder simply turns your phone into a fishfinder. Thus, allowing you to see what’s going on in the water so that you can identify and catch fish. In this regard, the Striker Cast from Garmin and Deeper Pro+ 2 are some of the best castable fishfinders. Each of these two is well designed, very compact, lightweight, and has an inbuilt GPS plus a decent battery life. In this guide, I’ll compare the Garmin Striker Cast vs Deeper Pro Plus 2 to help you make a more informed decision. We’ll discuss all the features present in each of these two fishfinders to give you a clearer picture of what both have to offer.
How a Castable Fishfinder Works
A castable fishfinder works by turning your phone into a fishfinder. It does this by connecting to your phone via Bluetooth or WiFi, then streams scanned data to your phone which can be viewed via a companion app installed on your phone.
In the case of Garmin Striker Cast, you will need to install the Striker Cast app which is available for both iOS and Android devices. Once the app is installed and the sonar is Cast into the water, you will be able to pair the phone and sonar.
Likewise, with the Deeper Pro+ 2, you’ll need to download the Fish Deeper app which is also available for both iOS and Android devices. This sonar connects to your phone via WiFi, once connected, you will be able to view images of fish right from your phone.
With the respective apps, you will find a handful of features like showing fish symbols, A-scope that lets you see real-time images of fish passing under the transducer and many other features that can enhance your chances of landing more fish. Both apps are well designed and also very easy to use.
Garmin Striker Cast vs Deeper Pro Plus 2 – Full Specifications Comparison
| Product Info |
 Garmin Striker Cast GPS Fishfinder - Specs and Features |
 Deeper Smart Sonar Pro+ 2 - Specs and Features |
|---|---|---|
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device Name | Garmin Striker Cast GPS | Deeper Smart Sonar Pro+ 2 |
| Device Type | Castable Fishfinder | Castable Fishfinder |
| Brand | Garmin | Deeper |
| Date Released | October, 2020 | September, 2021 |
| DESIGN | DESIGN | DESIGN |
| Case material | ABS | ABS/Titanium |
| Dimension | 75.8 x 75.5 x 57.87 mm | _ |
| Weight | 75g | 90g |
| Fishfinder Mounting Style | Trolling | Casting, Trolling motor |
| Waterproof Rating | IPX7 | _ |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display Type | via phone | via phone |
| Display Size | via phone | via phone |
| Input | via phone | via phone |
| SONAR FREQUENCY | SONAR FREQUENCY | SONAR FREQUENCY |
| CHIRP | No | No |
| Beam Frequency(s) | 260kHz, 455kHz | 100kHz, 240kHz, 675kHz |
| Beamscope | 22° x 63° (260kHz), 9° x 14° (455kHz) | 20° (240kHz), 47° (100kHz), 7° (675kHz) |
| Casting Range | 200ft | 330ft |
| Scanning Depth | 150ft | 330ft |
| Transducer Mount Style | Casting, Trolling motor | Casting, Trolling motor |
| Transducer Ping Power | __ | __ |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery Life | Up to 10hrs | Up to 9hrs |
| Charging Mode | USB charger | USB charger |
| MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS | MISCELLANEOUS |
| Inbuilt GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Map | Quickdraw Contour mapping | Bathymetric map |
| Preloaded Maps | No | No |
| Show Boat Speed | Yes | Yes |
| Water temperature | Yes | Yes |
| Show Water Depth | Yes | Yes |
| NMEA Support | No | No |
| Recommended for | Freshwater, Ice Fishing, Saltwater | Freshwater, Saltwater |
Garmin Striker Cast vs Deeper Pro Plus 2 – The Difference
Both Striker Cast and Deeper Pro+ 2 work almost in the same way. That’s to say, the mode of operation is very similar with differences in features. Each of these is a very durable and lightweight fishfinder. And there is also an inbuilt GPS in both that allows for user-generated maps. However, the difference between these two comes in the sonar types, casting range/depth, and battery life.
The Deeper Pro+ 2 has a longer casting and depth range than Striker Cast. It has a 330ft casting range and 330ft depth penetration which is far longer than the 200ft casting range and 150ft depth range of Striker Cast. Moreover, Deeper Pro+ 2 comes with a sonar that offers you the option to choose from three frequency modes; 100kHz, 247kHz, and 675kHz. This is unlike Striker Cast which offers two frequency modes of 260kHz and 455kHz.
Nevertheless, the Striker Cast has a longer battery life of up to 10hrs compared to about 9hrs of Deeper Pro+ 2.
While Striker Cast will allow you to generate a 1° contour map, Deeper Pro+ 2 will generate a bathymetric map. This is a user-generated map that will allow you to mark your favorite spots and create waypoints.
Garmin Striker Cast Review
Design
Garmin Striker Cast is a compact and lightweight castable fishfinder. It’s also very durable and water resistant. It has a waterproof rating of IPX7 which represents water resistance up to 1meter under water. So you shouldn’t have any problem using it on the water. The Striker Cast is suitable for both freshwater and saltwater, it doesn’t matter the water you are fishing on, the sonar will work perfectly well. Though it’s not ideal for deep waters above 150ft deep, and it doesn’t work well in water less than 3ft deep.
The setup process is easy and straightforward.
- First, you will need to charge the sonar to full.
- Install the Striker Cast app on your phone.
- Cast the sonar on the water.
- Then you can pair it with your phone.
That’s all it takes to get the Striker Cast working, this will allow you to see images of fish right on your phone. It’s a wonderful piece of technology from Garmin, and no doubt a useful tool for many anglers.
The design is awesome, it auto switches on when on the water and turns off when not on the water, this helps elongate the battery life.
From the Striker Cast app, you can choose to see fish as symbols, this makes it a lot easier to identify a fish. Although, I rather stick with the color pattern method. You can also turn on the A-scope, this feature will allow you to see real-time images of what’s passing under the sonar so that you can act quickly.
You have the option to choose between a 2D traditional display or select the ice flasher mode. The sonar will show the water depth, temperature, and battery level.
Sonar and Available Frequencies
With the Striker Cast, you have the option to choose from two frequency modes. A lower 260kHz with a beamscope of 22° x 63° and a higher 455kHz with a beamscope of 9° x 14°. This is unlike the Deeper Pro+ 2 which offers three frequency modes.
The Striker Cast connects to your phone via Bluetooth which is why it has a smaller casting range compared to Deeper Pro+ 2 which has WiFi. Nevertheless, the sonar transfer data seamlessly to your phone so that you can identify and catch fish in real-time. Moreover, the stability in connection is top-notch even when cast out far wide.
Although not a high-end transducer, the Striker Cast sonar offers a decent image quality. It has a maximum casting range of 200ft while the maximum penetration is 150ft. You might not be scanning up to these figures, but it is still awesome to know your sonar has these features. It’s even higher with Deeper Pro+ 2. To get the best sonar readings, you can get a flexible mount that will allow you to troll the Striker Cast from your boat or better still cast it out using a good line. If you choose to troll, the recommended speed should not exceed 8km/h. Don’t troll behind a power boat as the noise will most likely affect the quality of scans from the sonar.
Inbuilt GPS and Quickdraw Contours Mapping
The Striker Cast comes in two models, one that lacks inbuilt GPS and one with inbuilt GPS. If you choose the model with inbuilt GPS, you’ll be able to generate a 1° contour map as you move on the water. This map isn’t as detailed as preloaded high-end maps, but it allows you to mark your favorite spots as you travel on the water, this can serve as reference points. In other words, you can mark docks, both ramps, or spots where you caught the most fish so that next time you know exactly where to go. You can also download maps created by other anglers from the Garmin Quickdraw community.
Battery Life
A castable fishfinder with a long battery life will allow you to fish longer. It’s one of the main factors to be considered when choosing a castable fishfinder, and in this regard, the Striker Cast can last up to 10hrs when fully charged. The design of the Sonar programs it to automatically turn off when it’s not in the water and turns on when it’s in the water. This design help ensures you get a longer battery life.
The Striker Cast is rechargeable and it takes just over an hour to fully charge the Sonar. You are required to charge the Sonar up to 50% if you won’t be using it for a long time. This will help preserve the battery.
Deeper Pro Plus 2 Review
Design
Just like Striker Cast, the Deeper Pro+ 2 is also a durable and very compact fishfinder. It has a body made of ABS material laced with titanium. It’s slightly heavy at 90g, you might need a stronger line to be able to cast this sonar.
The setup process is very simple, it takes less than 20 minutes to be fully set. All you need do is to fully charge the sonar, install the Fish Deeper app, cast the sonar in the water, and pair it with your phone. If successfully paired, you will be able to see images of fish, vegetation and more right on your phone.
Deeper Pro+ 2 works like a champ in freshwater and saltwater, it also works fine for ice fishing. In my opinion, it’s a better castable fishfinder for ice fishing than Striker Cast. The Deeper Pro+ 2 will return false scans when you use it in water less than 6ft deep.
Sonar and Available Frequencies
Unlike Striker Cast, Deeper Pro+ 2 offers you three frequency modes. You can choose from 100kHz with a 47° beamscope, 240kHz with 20° and a very high 675kHz frequency with a 7° beamscope. It scans at a fast rate of 15scans per second and has a high target separation of 0.4 inch for the 675kHz frequency and 0.9inch for the other frequency modes.
The image quality from this sonar is topnotch, although, you need to be skilled to get the most out of it. Casting is easy and if you wish to troll, you can get a flexible arm mount that is sold separately and troll from your kayak or boat at low speed.
One interesting thing about the Deeper Pro+ 3 is the amazing stability in connection. It has WiFi which allows for faster transfer of data from sonar to your phone. Even better is that it will show you images of fish without an internet connection just like the Striker Cast. It doesn’t need any form of internet connectivity to show you fish.
Deeper Pro Plus 2 has a maximum casting range of 330ft as well as 330ft maximum depth penetration.
Inbuilt GPS and Bathymetric Mapping
There is an inbuilt GPS in Deeper Pro Plus 2. This enables the sonar to generate a bathymetric map of the water you fish on. This map serves as a reference point for marked spots like where you caught the most fish, ramps, and the deepest spots.
Battery Life
The battery life of Deeper Pro Plus 2 is not so amazing nor is it abysmal. This sonar offers you up to 9hrs of battery life, it’s a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and it takes just over an hour to fully charge thanks to the fast charging technology.
Just like Striker Cast, this sonar will automatically turn on when it’s in the water and turns off when it’s out of the water. This helps elongate the battery life. You can change the sonar using a micro USB charger that comes with the device. It’s required that you charge the device to full even when not in use to help prevent the battery from damaging.
Striker Cast or Deeper Pro – Which is Better?
These two make up our list of the best castable fishfinders. This is because each of these two meets all our criteria in terms of durability, sonar quality, long battery life, connection stability and richly designed apps. Each of these two is a durable and compact fishfinder with awesome sonar that can actually increase your odds of landing more fish.
However, Deeper Pro Plus 2 is a better equipped sonar than Striker Cast. It has Wi-Fi compared to Bluetooth on Striker Cast, this allows for faster transfer of data and a longer casting range. It also offers you three frequency modes. Moreover, in terms of ice fishing, Deeper Pro Plus 2 does it better than Striker Cast.
On the other hand, the Striker Cast is still one of my favorite castable fishfinders. It’s no doubt a great choice.