readyto buy new electronics

[tgskidoo]

I know so many reviews I owned a vexilar 8 years ago got rid of it now getting back into it.

what does everyone recommend?  just a pan fisherman maybe walleye

Marcum or a vexilar?

Ive been looking and looking at reviews. 
 

[Rebelss]

Please go to the "Equipment" section, then the "Ice fishing with Electronics", then utilize the "Search" function...or use that to begin with. 

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?board=74.0

[da man cave shack]

HUMMINBIRD

[tgskidoo]

why humming bird?

forgot about that one

[SpitzoMT]

YouTube has tons of videos with all the big name electronics. It's nice to see them in action before making the decision of which to purchase. You can also "google" reviews for the particular units you are interested in. Also, as Rebelss said, there's a bunch of info in the electronics section of this forum. Good luck to ya !!

[nnelzon23]

Depends on what you want to spend? If opening price point I would go with a vex 8 or lowrance elite 4x ice machine. If you want to spend some cash I would with the Marcum LX series.

Myself, I would not buy another flasher when you can go with something digital and have the option of a chart, bar, flasher and other options.

[jopes]

HUMMINBIRD

Lowrance.



And because Dodge vs Chevy vs Ford vs Nissan vs Toyota...

[toofuss]

The marcum lx6 and up units are truly amazing in what they are capable of. But if you are looking to keep cost down take a good hard look at the humminbird ICE35. dual beam, full zoom, and simple controls. It really is a good unit for the money

[Idahogator]

Lowrance.



And because Dodge vs Chevy vs Ford vs Nissan vs Toyota...

Yeppers !

And some models from Lowrance have downloadable similators, so you can actually play/mess around with them on yer puter to see what's what.

                http://www.lowrance.com/en-US/

                $100 rebate on ice machine



     Sure beats looking at whirley colored lights.     


   And, comes Cabela's   with the HDS-7 with 83/200kHz xducer  $400.00 off the regular one grand price; hi-def color & GPS.   Wow.   

    Good luck     tgskidoo.     
                               

[Muskyrush]

LOWRANCE!!!!

[Wibowhunter88]

Vexilar hands down

[Crappielover89]

for me i would go with the marcum lx6,7,9 they are great units and can always be upgraded and i use my 7 on my boat as well. i will say i had a lx9 and the camera was cool for about a month but im not a camera type guy so i sold it and went with the 7. in the future marcum will upgrade the 7 to the 9 for like $400 if you cant afford the 9 at the time of purchase. i have had the ice 55 and 45 by humminbird an they are great units as well. im not a vex fan i demoed one but never owned one so im not the one to take advice from on vex units they just weren't my cup of tea. in all i believe they are all great units i would see if you could get with someone and use a few different ones to see what would fit you the best. good luck with the purchase.

[sra61]

I love my Marcum lx-9. Yes it's a little pricey, but I love the video! It's so much fun, and being able to record is pretty cool too. Watching the reaction of the fish to your bait is really helpful. I never fish without it!

[filetandrelease]

I own 3 out of the four brands , marcum  being one I have only used they all do the job , it's a ford ,Chevy , thing , it still  boils down to the hand wheeling the rod , I fish pans to lake trout , what one needs to figure out is what you can afford and the species your going to chase , they are just devises to spot fish , just an ol buzzards opinion

[Purple Floyd]

Lowrance. More options, more features and a better price.

[JiggernautI87]

I love my Vex 8 and wouldn't trade it as higher cost doesn't mean bigger catches.... If you have the need for the biggest and baddest for a look what I got party on the ice then spend six hundred or so on one...To make a point a friend got a Zircon for xmas some yrs back for $500 3 yrs later a problem... sent it back to company for service and the company said can't fix too old... I've owned Vex since my first 565 chart recorder way back when and have been very happy....

[John2448]

Lowrance

[rayclargo]

Sure i purchased my elite 5 chirp on the 1st of december? Pulled the trigger to soon i guess, no rebate for me??

[ducati]

The only thing I will not buy again is a Vexilar, I have a Fl8 and it works great but Vexilar is a bit to proud of their name for my liking. Lowrance, Marcum and Huminbird all have better offerings for better prices.  All that is left is to wait for the fallout from my anti Vex comment...

[vmthtr]

I bought ta FL 18 Vex and have had no problems with it

[Cotacatchers]

Got a new FLX 28 , Awesome unit.   Also Marcum lx3 great unit for the money it has zoom and IR switch.
Also own a 5 series Bird set up in ice pack , I would fish with any of them anytime but I would never fish without any.
Look at your budget and find something easy for you to use .  Good luck

[tgskidoo]

I would like to buy a dual purpose kind of finder flasher.  I want a new finder on my boat and if I could do a dual purpose. graph gps down imaging that would be the best for me but not sure if that is possible.  Anyone any ideas? 

[Idahogator]

Best idea, check the link in "reply # 8,  and at Cabela's.     

[Townie]

Lowrance. More options, more features and a better price.

X2 love my x67c  ice machine 3 seasons no probs $245

[bullpine]

We all love our flashers.  So buy one, doesn't matter which one,  and you will love yours too.

[hnd]

I would like to buy a dual purpose kind of finder flasher.  I want a new finder on my boat and if I could do a dual purpose. graph gps down imaging that would be the best for me but not sure if that is possible.  Anyone any ideas?

you can use a boat unit for your flasher no problem. 

you can use the ice ducer on a 698ci SI or 798ci HD SI and use it in the boat afterwards.   lowrance i imagine you can use the same way but in the boat lowrance has a module for downscan. 

[Chris338378]

I have a Showdown Dual beam and can't say enough good things about it.  It's simple to use, understand, and works as advertised.  If you want to stick with a traditional style flasher I'd go with a Marcum LX-3TC or if you want to spend a bit more the LX-5.  Both of them are great machines and work very well. 

[nnelzon23]

The only thing I will not buy again is a Vexilar, I have a Fl8 and it works great but Vexilar is a bit to proud of their name for my liking. Lowrance, Marcum and Huminbird all have better offerings for better prices.  All that is left is to wait for the fallout from my anti Vex comment...

Wont come from me. They are below in technology and above in pricing.

[wittyman]

How big of a factor is target separation when looking for a finder?  I see Marcum is down to 3/4", Lowrance 3.4", and Humminbird 2.5".  I know that's an average but seems like a wide range when they're around the same price. 

[Elkhnter]

TGSKIDOO= Jusy get a Humminbird Graph model, buy or build a carrying case and get the ice ducer and you will be set for hard water and then you can take it and put it in your boat!!!

If you want to use it on your boat I would not buy a flasher plus why would anyone want to look at color lines moving all over the place when you can look at a graph and see a fish as a fish and use it for more than just hard water..