Author Topic: MarCum or Vexilar? (Read 14316 times)

icyveins · « **Reply #61 on:** Aug 01, 2012, 10:26 PM »

Quote from: ice dawg on Jul 23, 2012, 02:57 PM

Our buddy from Alabama is sending his honey to the party for Reb's enjoyment!!!(Image removed from quote.)t.

I may have the original of this picture, when my dad passed away I kept his wallet and everything inside of it. I remember as a child my dad would ask his buddies if they wanted to see a picture of his girlfriend and he would show them this pic. It even has a time and date stamp on the back of it! He told me when I was older that it was a picture of a woman that lived on the island of Guam! i will have to take a look at it again!

Rebelss · « **Reply #62 on:** Aug 02, 2012, 06:54 AM »

Leave it to ice dawg.....in fact , HE may have been on Guam...!!!

He's out hiding on vacation in Oahe now , so he won't tell us....

chfishon · « **Reply #63 on:** Aug 02, 2012, 08:49 AM »

whats up everyone was just reading through the sight and seen this topic was still going STRONG and thought what if the same old vex and marcum topic just got started back up instead of starting a new one how long do u think it would be?? And what new models are we to expect from them this year??

whitey5 · « **Reply #64 on:** Aug 02, 2012, 01:00 PM »

Been using my lx-5 for two years now and love it. Thinking about upgrading this season to a lx-7. Really liking some of the new features. I hear a lot of good about vex but i dont think i will ever need one after starting with a marcum.

Chris338378 · « **Reply #65 on:** Sep 12, 2012, 10:44 PM »

Marcum has my vote. They have more power than the Vexilars and are more reasonably priced.

ice dawg · « **Reply #66 on:** Sep 13, 2012, 11:44 AM »

Quote from: Rebelss on Aug 02, 2012, 06:54 AM

Leave it to ice dawg.....in fact , HE may have been on Guam...!!! He's out hiding on vacation in Oahe now , so he won't tell us....

I'm not going to Guam!!! Some brilliant politician said it could turn over if ya get too many people on one side of the island. I wouldn't want to cause that to happen.

dkfry · « **Reply #67 on:** Sep 13, 2012, 10:58 PM »

Marcum is the preferred brand.............for sitting on the shelves in the Cabela's bargain cave.

Fishin_Chip · « **Reply #68 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 10:59 AM »

Here is a dumb(?) question.

I read a flasher review last winter. In it, the author suggested that fish (especially the larger ones) could be sensitive to the sonar signals, and he noticed a pronounced difference between a lower powered flasher located at one end of the shack and a high powered unit at the other end. He suggested that the larger fish tended to avoid the stronger signals, as if they were somehow annoying to them. Switching flashers from one hole to the other made no difference, the larger fish continued to avoid the stronger signals.

Now, this does sound like a "fish story" to me, and I realize that perception = reality, but...

Does anyone out there have any opinion on this? Have you seen anything similar? Remember, we are talking shallow water (say 12 feet or less).

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Incidentally, this was one of the factors (not the deciding one, but a factor none the less) in my decision to purchase the Vex FL-22. I am not convinced, but if there is a chance.....

bart · « **Reply #69 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 12:26 PM »

MarCum

ice dawg · « **Reply #70 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 12:30 PM »

I remember years ago when manufacturers started boosting the power in sonar units. My buddy bought a new Lowrance and when he would pull up on a fairly shallow bar he would see fish on the screen and when he went back across the same bar with a jig the fish were gone. He called Lowrance and they sent him a schematic as to where to solder a strap to cut the power in half. That ended his problem with burning fish out of the shallows. I feel that a powerful sonar can annoy fish to the point they will move a distance away. Probably not all fish at all times though.

RWD12 · « **Reply #71 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 01:32 PM »

Larger fish meaning...? walleye, pike? I have had 15in crappie, 3.5ft pike under my cone angle. Big catfish too!

Quote from: Fishin_Chip on Sep 16, 2012, 10:59 AM

Here is a dumb(?) question.

I read a flasher review last winter. In it, the author suggested that fish (especially the larger ones) could be sensitive to the sonar signals, and he noticed a pronounced difference between a lower powered flasher located at one end of the shack and a high powered unit at the other end. He suggested that the larger fish tended to avoid the stronger signals, as if they were somehow annoying to them. Switching flashers from one hole to the other made no difference, the larger fish continued to avoid the stronger signals.

Now, this does sound like a "fish story" to me, and I realize that perception = reality, but...

Does anyone out there have any opinion on this? Have you seen anything similar? Remember, we are talking shallow water (say 12 feet or less).

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Incidentally, this was one of the factors (not the deciding one, but a factor none the less) in my decision to purchase the Vex FL-22. I am not convinced, but if there is a chance.....

da man cave shack · « **Reply #72 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 03:31 PM »

So what this means that if you have a powerful unit its almost better to use it to find the fish and what depth they are at and then turn it off???

hnd · « **Reply #73 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 03:49 PM »

sounds like a vexilar salesguy.

buy a mustang! less hp less speeding tickets!

Fishin_Chip · « **Reply #74 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 06:18 PM »

I knew this would stir things up!

Anybody who fishes much at all knows that there are very few "always" in fishing. Anything can happen at times.

It may well be that this is complete hogwash. Or it might be that under certain conditions, it can be a factor. I was just wondering if there was anybody out there who had observed a similar pattern.

It is obvious that the high powered sonar units work very well under most circumstances and quite likely better in many cases. I do find it unlikely, however, that more power is better in all circumstances.

This question was not intended as a "brand bashing", but I guess that was an inevitable result given human nature.

WalleyeTom · « **Reply #75 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 06:56 PM »

I was going to suggest a tin foil hat to combat those waves .....

The sad part of "brand bashing" is a guy ask a honest question and would like some honest replies with true facts to help make a decision on a product.
There are some helpful responses but far to many "garbage" replies.

Gillfisher · « **Reply #76 on:** Sep 16, 2012, 07:16 PM »

Quote from: Fishin_Chip on Sep 16, 2012, 10:59 AM

Here is a dumb(?) question.

I read a flasher review last winter. In it, the author suggested that fish (especially the larger ones) could be sensitive to the sonar signals, and he noticed a pronounced difference between a lower powered flasher located at one end of the shack and a high powered unit at the other end. He suggested that the larger fish tended to avoid the stronger signals, as if they were somehow annoying to them. Switching flashers from one hole to the other made no difference, the larger fish continued to avoid the stronger signals.

Now, this does sound like a "fish story" to me, and I realize that perception = reality, but...

Does anyone out there have any opinion on this? Have you seen anything similar? Remember, we are talking shallow water (say 12 feet or less).

Last winter two guys I know were fishing in the same portable for walleye, one had a flasher the other did not and the guy without the flasher was rippin walleye out of his hole while the guy without struggled to catch a couple, I was fishing only a short distance from these two and marked fish but they would leave without even a look at my bait. We were all using a #5 gold pimple fishing in 7 feet of water, the only thing we could determine to be different was the one guy not using a flasher. This is the only instance that we could recall that the guy without the flasher was out catching the guys with one. So nothing scientific but sure seemed like that particular day it made a difference.

hnd · « **Reply #77 on:** Sep 18, 2012, 09:06 AM »

you can never be too sure exactly whats going on down there. the only test would be to turn off the flasher. in the years of ice fishing, i've rarely seen a guy without a flasher fishing the same area or near the same area outfish someone with one. i don't doubt there are instances where its possible but they always seem fluky. there are so many other factors that come into play. jigging action, line type, etc.

slamminsam · « **Reply #78 on:** Sep 18, 2012, 09:20 AM »

MarCum or Vexilar = Coke or Pepsi..........To me it's just personal preference. They both work well, do what they're suppose to and have great reputations. Won't go wrong with either. Next question.....(this one gets beat to death each year)

bee · « **Reply #79 on:** Sep 18, 2012, 04:44 PM »

None of them catch fish. Thats up to you. The flasher you had 10 years ago will help you get just as many as todays gotta have it will.

pikemaster1 · « **Reply #80 on:** Sep 18, 2012, 08:02 PM »

Quote from: bee on Sep 18, 2012, 04:44 PM

None of them catch fish. Thats up to you. The flasher you had 10 years ago will help you get just as many as todays gotta have it will.

x2 but everybody knows vex is better

dkfry · « **Reply #81 on:** Sep 18, 2012, 09:25 PM »

I figure if I can hear the "ping" from the sonar the fish can also. Since water is more dense than air it has to sound louder under water. Some fish may spook because of it some may not I figure there are a lot of variables involved.

MichiganMan · « **Reply #82 on:** Sep 26, 2012, 07:54 AM »

Iv'e had vex and marcum, they both work great but I prefer the marcum. Marcum has a better target separation and is quieter and clearer. Also the marcum works way better in shallow water (3' to 8' deep) than any of the others did. The vex has a little bettery battery life. I and wife both use the LX5 and have for about 5 yrs. Prior to that we used vexilars and a humming bird. Prior to that I had a clearwater classic and an old green box Lowrance. My son has an LX-3 and we frequently all three of us use them in the same shanty without interference issues. 2 friends with humming birds cannot fish close to us and still read their units, it's all interference for them. If on a budget the LX-3 is one heck of a good unit and every bit as good as the LX-5 but without the dual transducer angles. Regardless of what you get, ice fishing will never be the same for you.

Mike47 · « **Reply #83 on:** Oct 26, 2012, 08:40 PM »

I would vote for the Marcum lx-5( but I like my Humminbird Ice 55 better) I sent the LX-7 back.

Chris338378 · « **Reply #84 on:** Oct 26, 2012, 08:49 PM »

Marcum because of more power and better target seperation.

wv_ice · « **Reply #85 on:** Feb 19, 2015, 05:06 AM »

That looks like one of them German female Olympic runners.

DR.SPECKLER · « **Reply #86 on:** Feb 19, 2015, 06:37 AM »

ive had 3 vexilars fl8se/fl20/flx28 the flx is brand new no problems yet.3 marcums vx1pro/lx3tc/troller 2.0 2 of those had to be sent in for motor repair.vexilar for me and I sold all my marcums and will never buy another one.

Mr.Harry · « **Reply #87 on:** Feb 19, 2015, 10:01 AM »

So far so good with the Marcum 5.6 dual beam showdown I picked up. No drips, no slips, no errors. Only used it a few times though. Love it as of now. Would highly recommend as an 'entry level' or even 'advanced intermediate' piece of sonar for someone new to the ice electronics game. For me, with no experience reading dial flashers, there was virtually no learning curve using it straight out of the box. Now, because I started with LCD vertical display, I will likely always look for this kind of a display in future purchases because why would I want to turn around and have to 'learn' dial flashers? Just my opinion.

Mr.Harry · « **Reply #88 on:** Feb 19, 2015, 10:14 AM »

More On-Topic or To The Point though - Marcum. Why? Because Vex doesn't do digital.

Bull Herbie · « **Reply #89 on:** Feb 19, 2015, 09:50 PM »

Why go digital when it works, Fl 8- 12 years, Fl 20- 3 years. I've had to buy one battery. I have never had to send one in or update them!

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Author Topic: MarCum or Vexilar? (Read 14316 times)