The first things needed to go fishing are fishing rods and bait that should work to catch the fish an angler is looking to catch. When fish are not biting, usually the thing that is required before fish bite again is patience unless if the bait is not the right choice. Patience may not pay off as some anglers are not willing to or do not have enough time to wait for many hours before any potential for results to come through. With an electronic portable fish finder, an angler can determine if it is possible for fish to bite. If there are no bites despite seeing fish on the fish finder display, deciding on the adjustments to make becomes the next step. Sometimes the answer is patience; sometimes the answer is new bait or fishing technique. Without a fish finder, it is harder to predict why the fish are not biting or whether or not patience is needed.

Predicting where to fish becomes easier by having a portable fish finder on fishing trips at lake cabins. When anglers give up and go to a different area of the lake to fish, sometimes it is a wrong decision to end patience. It is a good decision if no fish are underwater, but guessing games would have to be played without an electronic fish finder. It is truly hard to predict where fish may be spotted at times, so when the intent is to have good days without as much of a risk of a bad day; it is great to have a portable fish finder if you fish at lakes off the boat and dock.