Staying in contact with others is important when you’re out fishing. Whether the communication is limited to your own party or others, the best walkie talkie options are useful. A mobile phone is an obvious choice for most people. However, the signal may not be reliable or even present at many popular fishing destinations. That’s where you need the best walkie talkies for fishing. Uninterrupted communication makes a whole lot of difference.
Choosing The Right Walkie Talkie For Your Fishing Trip
Walkie Talkies are easily accessible and can be purchased even with a small budget. Getting a walkie-talkie radio device for fishing, however, requires us to delve deeper into the niche. An obvious requirement in this scenario is waterproofing.
Something to remember here is that water-resistant and waterproof are not the same thing. A water-resistant device will handle some sprinkles, but won’t hold up being submerged in water. A good indicator here is the IP rating. It is usually presented as IP XY, where X represents dust proofing and Y represents waterproofing. Generally speaking, you’ll want the waterproofing grade to be at least 7.
There’s also a choice to be made between floating two-way radios or those that sink. Floating devices are helpful because you can just scoop them up if they fall in the water.
Range And Channels
The power transmission range and the number of channels can vary with your specific requirements. For example, if you’re out on a relatively small lake, a simple walkie talkie can do the trick. Those on the ocean or larger lakes will need a device with a stronger antenna and wider range.
In any case, keep in mind that the advertised range for most walkie talkies is usually much more than the “real” range. Though there are fewer obstructions on water, the practical range should still be considered to be under five miles in most cases.
It can be expected that many people use walkie talkies for conversation. In these scenarios, the use of channels can give you some privacy or at least a possibility of meaningful conversation.
Other factors worth considering are battery life, weight, and additional features like VOX and squelch.
Top 5 Walkie Talkies For Fishing
1. Motorola MS350R 35-Mile Talkabout
Motorola Talkabout series is a popular and well-regarded set of walkie talkies for the great outdoors. For our current scenario, Motorola MS350R is the right fit, given its rugged construction and solid waterproofing. This two-way radio is rated IP-67 waterproof, which means it can stay submerged in 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes, without losing its functionality. The solid dust proofing further highlights the construction quality of the device.
For communication, the walkie talkie has 22 channels with 121 privacy codes. This ensures that you can have a private conversation even in high traffic areas where many people are using walkie talkies. The claimed range is 35-miles, which is impressive, but it might be best to expect no more than 2-5 miles. A power boost feature can slightly extend the range at the cost of faster battery consumption.
2. Midland – LXT630VP3
Midland – LXT630VP3 is one of the favorites in terms of user ratings. It has great functions and is very reasonably priced. The two-way radio can communicate over 36 channels and has 121 privacy codes. It claims an impressive 30-mile range, though the actual range over water is limited to a few miles.
Speaking of water, this walkie talkie has is rated splashproof but not waterproof. It will be okay in some rain, but don’t expect it to survive being submerged in water. Apart from its communication duties, the walkie talkie can also scan 10 weather channels for NOAA weather alerts. It can be operated using a rechargeable battery pack or AAA batteries.
3. DEWALT DXFRS300 1W Walkie Talkie
Dewalt walkie talkies are built to be rugged and last a long time even with continuous use. Practically made for limited range but continuous communication, these walkie talkies use a 1W transmitter. That’s decidedly lower power than the several 5W transmitters that dot the walkie talkie landscape. However, in practical use, it does not make a huge difference where the range is concerned for walkie talkies.
The build quality is pretty great for the Dewalt DXFRS300. It is rated IP67, which represents an excellent dust proofing and waterproofing. Additionally, the device is shock-resistant and can withstand a 2-meter drop.
It uses the standard 22 channels for FRS/GMRS and preset privacy codes allow for a larger range of communication options. Power comes from a Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery.
4. Uniden MHS75 Waterproof Handheld 2-Way VHF Marine Radio
This is not a conventional walkie talkie. Uniden MHS75 is a marine radio operating on VHF frequencies and thus offers a greater range. Quite like walkie talkies, a marine radio does not require a license, but it transmits over VHF and has a larger range. These devices are especially important for people who go fishing in large bodies of water.
Uniden MHS75 is rated JIS8, which means it is submersible in water. Specifically, it can last 30 minutes in up to five feet in depth. Power use and range can be controlled by switching the transmitter power modes of 1W, 2.5W, and 5W.
5. Cobra CXT1045R-FLT-CAMO
This walkie talkie from Cobra is well made and has some interesting features in a budget price tag. Apart from the usual fare of VOX and squelch, this walkie talkie also has a “Rewind-Say-Again” feature. It can record up to 20 seconds of audio, including a live conversation. You can check the messages you received while you were away, or replay audio for better clarity.
Overall, Cobra CXT1045R has the usual feature list of 22 channels, 121 privacy codes, 10 weather channel scan for NOAA alerts, and good battery backup. It is rated at IPX7, so it does well with waterproofing. Additionally, this has a floating design and won’t sink in water, so retrieval is easier.
