Among the thousands of electronic gizmos and gadgets displayed at the Miami International Boat Show, you will find an array of fish finders that use sonar and other water-piercing technologies to reveal the locations of fish.

Furuno, for example, offers a dual-frequency fish finder featuring a five-inch high-definition LCD screen for detailed pictures of fish and structures on the ocean floor. The company also has a 10.4-inch color multi-frequency model that can identify small fish, fish species and fish swimming close to the bottom.

Several exhibitors feature products to keep boaters tied to land even when it is out of sight. Syrens Onboard sells a cellular wireless device that includes an Ethernet router, WiFi radio, amplified Cingular radio and access to local area WiFi networks.

Cobra Marine offers a handheld VHF radio that doubles as a two-way radio on land. You can even record calls on the built-in digital voice recorder.

And, forget old-fashioned, folded maps. C-Map is among several companies selling electronic charts. C-Map upgraded its catalog to include charts that cover the entire eastern United States, which previously took up five individual cards.

Don't let a little thing like darkness stop you from cruising either. Night Vision Technologies Inc. is among a handful of businesses that can add thermal imaging to your boat's high-tech gear.  Night Vision’s latest offering can see through rain, and even snow.

"This technology is just 10 years out of the military," said NVT's technology director Michael Embree. "This is what was used to chase MiGs." 

Though most boaters don’t have to be worried about Russian fighter jets, there is a great cause for concern about running into something in the darkness.  "At night now, the big boats don't have to anchor," Embree said.

This should leave a whole lot more time for fishing.