Garmin’s new marine tech lets you "see" underwater in real time

On my early fishing trips, decades ago—my last, as it turned out—fish finders were rare and had small, mostly monochrome screens. Today’s systems use high-resolution color displays and offer advanced features, and Garmin—best known for its GPS technology and smartwatches—is now a major player with its LiveScope 2.

Fish finders work by sending ultrasonic pulses and creating an image from the returning echoes. This image helps anglers locate fish or detect underwater obstacles that could ruin a trip. Designed for boat use, Garmin’s LiveScope 2 requires a 10–35 V DC power supply and draws up to 32 W. Technical specifications can be difficult to interpret; for example, the system offers a target separation of 32 cm at a distance of 30 m, meaning two objects must be at least that far apart at that range to appear as separate targets. The live view is usable up to 38 m, although the effective range depends heavily on water conditions such as temperature and salinity.

Priced at $2,000 and available to order starting July 10, the LiveScope 2 HD package includes only the transducer and essential accessories—a compatible chartplotter must be purchased separately. For those who prefer an integrated solution, more affordable all-in-one fish finders are widely available, including on Amazon.