Fishing can be much easier with a smartwatch. Instead of carrying a ton of equipment with you every time you go fishing, you can use a single gadget with many features.
In this post, I want to help you find the best smartwatch to give you the ultimate fishing experience!
To do so, we are going to look at some key features you should look for in a smartwatch and then we are going to look at some of my favorite options on the market.
Let’s get started…
Table of Contents
4 Features To Look For In A Fishing Smartwatch
There are some features you need to look for before buying a smartwatch for fishing.
Sunlight Legibility
Since fishing is mostly done during daylight, you need to get a smartwatch with a display that offers good readability in direct sunlight. Look for a smartwatch that comes with an LED backlight to boost sunlight Legibility.
Tide Times Monitoring
A smartwatch that’s suitable for fishing should come with a tide times monitor. Basically, the watch informs the fisherman at what time to expect low and high tide.
Being informed about the tide times is important for fishing since it affects how and when the fish move.
Durability
Using a smartwatch during fishing can expose the watch to harsh conditions. It’d be a good idea to get a rugged smartwatch to make sure it lasts for a long time.
A durable smartwatch is usually made of a combination of polycarbonate plastic and steel.
You also need to make sure that the display is covered with a strong coating, preferably Gorilla Glass.
Water resistance is another handy feature to look for.
Navigation & Built-in Barometers/Altimeters
A smartwatch with a built-in GPS and compass would make navigation quite easy for you.
Additionally, having a smartwatch with a built-in barometer and altimeter is pretty useful. It can help you find the best fishing spot with the highest level of underwater life activity.
The Best Smartwatches For Fishing – My top 6 picks
With so many smartwatches around, making a choice isn’t so easy. To help you choose, we’ve reviewed six of the best smartwatches for fishing.
Let’s take a closer look at the key features that make these options stand out
Suunto 9 Baro
Features:
- GPS – Breadcrumb navigation
- Glass Material: Saphire Crystal
- Bezel Material: Stainless Steel
- Barometer
- Sunrise and Sunset Times
- Weather/Storm Alarm
- Weight: 2.86 ounces
- Altimeter
- Compass
- Intelligent battery modes
- US military standard 810
- 100 meter water resistance
The Suunto 9 Baro is designed for fishermen who prefer to rely on their watch in everything including navigating and fishing in different weather conditions.
It features a high resolution, anti-reflective display that maximizes readability direct sunlight.
It’s also equipped with a barometer pressure detector, a digital thermostat, and weather/storm alerts, to help you determine the underwater life activity level during fishing.
Simply, keep scanning the region and the watch will help you find the best fishing time in your area.
One feature that I really like is the built-in GPS. What really makes it unique is the breadcrumb navigation so that you can see exactly where you have been and where you are going.
With this watch, you can never use the excuse “I got lost in the woods” to stay out longer.
One common complaint that many smartwatch wearers have is battery life. For that reason, this watch is equipped with 4 predetermined battery modes. They are Performance, Endurance, Ultra, and Tour. Providing you anywhere between 25 hours and 120+ hours of battery juice. Keep in mind that is with GPS tracking on.
Of course on the display, you will get an estimate of how much battery you have left, so if you want more you can simply change to another mode.
Oh did we mention that the Suunto 9 Baro been tested against the US military standard 810H and passed with flying colors?
Yes, with that being said, you know that the Suunto 9 Baro is a durable watch, designed to withstand some of the toughest conditions.
What We Like
- Stylish
- Excellent sunlight readability
- Built-in barometer and thermostat
- GPS navigation
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
Ticwatch Pro 3 GPS
Features:
- Built-In GPS
- IP68 waterproof rating
- Snapdragon 4100 +
- US Military Grade Durability
- Gorilla Glass – Anti-fingerprint
The Ticwatch 3 Pro Ultra is a budget-friendly smartwatch that’s full of features that any fisherman would appreciate. It features a military-grade, rugged design for withstanding extreme conditions.
Hey, let’s face it, sometimes hiking back into the woods to get to that secret fishing spot is going to require some trudging through the woods. The last thing we want to have on our mind is having to be extra careful in order not to scratch our watch.
We just want it to be there and do its thing.
That is what you can expect with the Ticwatch Pro 3 with its military-grade durability and gorilla glass. Simply put, this smartwatch was built to last.
In addition, it is equipped with an IP68 waterproof rating. What exactly does that mean? IP stands for ingress protection. The 6 means that it is protected against dust. The 8 means that it can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters (normally for 30 minutes).
The 1.4 inches AMOLED high contrast display is protected with Anti-fingerprint Gorilla Glass.
Featuring a built-in GPS, you’ll never lose your way with this watch on your wrist.
Lastly, it is equipped with a fast Snapdragon 4100 processor.
What We Like
- Military-grade rugged design
- IP68 waterproof rating
- GPS
- Decent price
- Google Wear OS – Lots of apps to download
- High contrast display
What We Don’t Like
- Battery life not as good as others
Garmen Instinct Solar Tactical
Features:
- Built-in GPS
- Digital Compass
- Altimeter
- Barometer
- Gorilla Glass
- Military Standard 810
- GPS mapping
- Waster Resistant down to 100 meters
- Solar Charging
The next on our list is the Garmin Instinct Solar Tactical and boy does it have a lot of cool features to offer.
Like others on this list, this smartwatch is equipped with the essential, altimeter, barometer, and compass. It also has the ability to create waypoints. This can be a handy tool for let’s say when you want to hike to a secluded fishing spot. Well, before leaving your car you can use your watch to create a waypoint. That way, once you are done fishing, you can find your way back to your car.
Additionally, it was built to the Military Standard 810 and the Garmin Instinct is water-resistant down to 100 meters.
What exactly is the Military Standard 810?
This is a military specification that guarantees a level of durability. In order to meet this standard a piece of equipment has to go through a series of 29 tests. Such tests include, shock, vibrartion, heat, cold, humidity and more.
If it passes, you know that you have one durable product on your hands.
Well. the Garmin Instinct has meant the Military standard 810, so what does that mean for you?
It is a durable watch, that can be taken just about anywhere you go to go fishing.
Lastly, this smartwatch is equipped with solar charging ensuring that as long as you have some good sunlight you can keep it fully charged.
What We Like
- Up 100 meters water resistance
- Built-in thermometer, compass, barometer, and altimeter
- Solar charging
- Durability
What We Don’t Like
- a little bit on the pricey side
Amazfit T-Rex
Features:
- Built-in GPS
- Water resistant 100 meters
- 15 military-grade tests
- 1.3 inch AMOLED screen
- 18 day battery life
The next one we are going to take a closer look at and probably one of the most affordable options is the Amazfit T-Rex Pro.
What are you going to get with this watch?
Well similar to others you are going to get the standard, which includes a compass, barometer, altimeter, a weather tracker, sunrise and sunset monitor, a current moon phase display.
In addtion, it has pass 15 military grade tests, giving you the confidence that it durable enough to take just about anywhere. And by anywhere I also mean in the water. In fact, it is water resistant up to 100 meters.
Lastly it features a whopping 18 day battery life with moderate usage.
Not a bad watch with an affordable price tag.
What We Like
- Rugged and stylish design
- GPS for easy navigation
- Good battery life
- Water-resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Missing some high end features
You May Also Enjoy Reading: Choosing The Best Fishing Watch 2020 – Timing Out The Perfect Catch
Garmin Fenix 5X Sapphire
Features:
- Rugged design
- Built-in GPS
- Scratch Resistant Sapphire lens
- Compass
- Gyroscope
- Altimeter
- Barometer
This rugged smartwatch comes with all the features a fisherman would expect, including GPS (and GLONASS), a 3-axis compass, barometer, and altimeter.
These features help you navigate and pick the best spot and time for fishing
It features a LED-backlit high resolution, full-color display that allows for great readability in direct sunlight.
It features a Sapphire lens that is scratch resistant.
The smartwatch is also highly customizable.
It’s available in three sizes (42mm, 47mm, or 51mm) and two crystals (glass or sapphire edition). There are extra features that can be added if you want, like the heart rate bundle and extra maps.
The Garmin Fenix 5X is running on Android Wear software. It’ll provide you with real-time surf and snow conditions.
You can use Google voice search and activate it by simply saying “OK, Google” so you can search handsfree. Other perks are centered around google apps like google play and maps.
What We Like
- Android wear software offers many useful apps
- Good readability in direct sunlight
- Highly customizable
- Easy navigation
- Weather conditions updates
What We Don’t Like
- Bulky design
Garmin Tactix Delta Solar Edition
Features:
- GPS
- Made with premium materials
- Abc Sensors
- U.S. military standard 810
- 1.4 inch display
- Solar charging
- Kill switch
- Climbpro
- Federal Public Maps
- Golf Course
- Waypoints
- Turn by turn navigation
- Advanced sleep monitoring
If you are looking for a premium smartwatch, then look no further, the Garmin Tactix Delta Solar was designed with you in mind.
The Tactix features a rugged, sophisticated design, with a black DLC coated steel bezel and a scratch-resistant sapphire glass. It also features solar harvesting technology to keep your watched charged when outdoors.
There are so many features that I would like to highlight, but let’s just take a look at a few of them.
The first feature that I want to talk more about is the Federal Public Maps feature. Yes, with a simple glance on your watch you can tell whether or not you are on federal public land. This can be an important feature when fishing or hunting.
It also can do a acclimation reading. Let’s say for example you are hiking in high elevation, by looking at your watch you can see your respirtation rate and heart rate. This can give you a pretty good gauge as to how you are doing in high elevation.
As I mentioned these are just two of the many, many features that this watch has. For example, it also includes such features as: stealth mode, night vision capability, kill switch, dual format GPS, heart rate reader, animated workouts and so much more.
Lastly, it has passed the U.S. military standard 810, giving you the confidence that you are getting a smartwatch that is durable for the back woods.
What We Like
- GPS
- Durable, military-grade design
- Solar charging
- Water resistant
What We Don’t Like
- Pricey (but its awesome)
Final Thoughts
So, what is the best smartwatch for fishing?
The winner is the Suunto 9 Baro. It’s got everything any fisherman would need for navigation and fishing, like GPS and a built-in barometer and altimeter.
Not to mention the beautiful design.
Now it is your turn. Which one is your favorite? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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