Humminbird Ice Flasher Quality

[koissu]

Wondering if anyone out there has the 45 or 55. I'm looking into getting my first flasher, and naturally, opinions are varied. The Humminbird's currently have a mail-in-rebate at the moment, so the 55 can be had for about $350. Or the 45 for around $300. Reviews seem generally good, but after 3 years it sounds like people start to have mechanical problems. Rather than get the entry level 35, I'd rather spend a bit more now for something better.

The Marcum LX-5i appears to be the best mid-level flasher. Everyone seems to agree the dual beam transducer and SFL are worth it over the LX-3i. But, I can't find the LX-5i for under $454 which is pretty steep. But it if lasts..perhaps it is worth it.

Thanks in advance.

[Spider1]

I've been using the 45 for 4 years, been working fine. I get a loud buzz from time to time if it isn't sitting just right. If I had it to do over again, I would probably get a vex fl-18 with the 9/19 ducer.

[justborn]

The Marcum LX-5i appears to be the best mid-level flasher. Everyone seems to agree the dual beam transducer and SFL are worth it over the LX-3i. But, I can't find the LX-5i for under $454 which is pretty steep. But it if lasts..perhaps it is worth it.

The lx5 is a top of the line flasher, certainly not mid-level IMO. 

[3300]

i have had a real bad time with my hb ice-55! their customer service is just as bad and VERY expensive. go look at what they want for service for what ever you want to buy to make a smarter choice as that should be part of everyone's home work. hb wants 180$ to service their equipment and then they don't fix it, they just take your money!

the marcum lx5i is the best choice from what you are shopping, although it's analog. marcum has a 10% off when you sign up on their site for emails.

another option would be their dual beam showdown that is digital and costs 359$ after signing up on marcums site.
also, marcum won the poll taken last season as far as what brand is used the most here. hb was not a contender at all.
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=331371.0

marum's link is just above in the sponsors listings. none of the other sonar companies are.
http://www.rapala.com/marcum-fish-finders/

[koissu]

i have had a real bad time with my hb ice-55! their customer service is just as bad and VERY expensive. go look at what they want for service for what ever you want to buy to make a smarter choice as that should be part of everyone's home work. hb wants 180$ to service their equipment and then they don't fix it, they just take your money!

the marcum lx5i is the best choice from what you are shopping, although it's analog. marcum has a 10% off when you sign up on their site for emails.

another option would be their showdown that is digital and costs 359$ after signing up on marcums site.
also, marcum won the poll taken last season as far as what brand is used the most here. hb was not a contender at all.

The high repair cost was definitely something I found in a lot of the reviews, when after 2-3 years, people started having issues. Not something I am looking for in a flasher!

[That Guy]

I have a 35 for about 5 years now and a 45 for two and my buddy's had a 45 for 3 no issues the 35 took a  tumble out of the sled at about 25mph on pavement and still works fine. Knock on wood I've had no issues. Another buddy has a marcum that has been good for a few years as well. Just remember everyone who has a problem will post about it not everyone who has had no issues whatsoever will write how good it's been.

[Light liner]

I'm going on my 6th season with my 45.
No issues great units.
Ordering new batteries this year for it.
Don't hesitate to get one you won't be disappointed.

[dickbaker]

    In the past I've had the chance to play with Marcum, Vexilar and Humminbird!     My first flasher was a simple Vexilar FL8 and after 15 years it still works fine.   For the past 10 years I've used a Vexilar FL20 that I found on Ebay.    If I had to replace it I would probably save some money by buying a FL18.   They both have the bottom zoom that I won't do without.    I just found a FL18 at amazon for $380.
I think Marcum makes a fine flasher and they are a Ice Shanty sponsor.   I don't think I would invest in a Humminbird Ice 55 for a price of $415.
Humminbird seems to have swapped quality for a bunch of gimmicks and 6 or 7 screen colors.  I don't think I would ever want more than the three colors on my Vexilar.   All extra gimmicks will mean something else to go wrong. 
BUT!   Any flasher is better than no flasher.     ALSO!  I prefer a flasher since I'm not a fan of LCD screens that read slower just to provide  pictures of fish.  After spending months open water fishing with an LCD fish finder many ice fishermen don't  understand the simplicity of a flasher?   
Whatever flasher you buy I'm sure it will help you find and catch more fish!

Dick

[4ssss]

I've had my ICE 55 for 5 years now. I bought it in the Bargain room at Cabela's for like 1/2 price of a new one.  When I got it home it was broken, and instead of bringing it back to Cabela's  I sent it back to Hummingbird, where they replaced it with a new one a week later, and honored the rebate that was in effect at the time. I can't complain at all about their product or the service I received.

[3300]

  In the past I've had the chance to play with Marcum, Vexilar and Humminbird!     My first flasher was a simple Vexilar FL8 and after 15 years it still works fine.   For the past 10 years I've used a Vexilar FL20 that I found on Ebay.    If I had to replace it I would probably save some money by buying a FL18.   They both have the bottom zoom that I won't do without.    I just found a FL18 at amazon for $380.
I think Marcum makes a fine flasher and they are a Ice Shanty sponsor.   I don't think I would invest in a Humminbird Ice 55 for a price of $415.
Humminbird seems to have swapped quality for a bunch of gimmicks and 6 or 7 screen colors.  I don't think I would ever want more than the three colors on my Vexilar.   All extra gimmicks will mean something else to go wrong. 
BUT!   Any flasher is better than no flasher.     ALSO!  I prefer a flasher since I'm not a fan of LCD screens that read slower just to provide  pictures of fish.  After spending months open water fishing with an LCD fish finder many ice fishermen don't  understand the simplicity of a flasher?   
Whatever flasher you buy I'm sure it will help you find and catch more fish!

Dick

agreed that any sonar is better than none at all.
however, the marcum digital is used all year long and doesn't draw a picture of a fish. some cheap old school sonars for open water used to and maybe still do.

marcum digital allows up to four charts from a choice of six and one includes the traditional wheel chart. it also offers four color palettes including vex three color and six color and gray scale for the color blind.

here is how mine is set up. the graph is very nice to see subtle changes in fish motion and is a short recording of motion.

[3300]

I've had my ICE 55 for 5 years now. I bought it in the Bargain room at Cabela's for like 1/2 price of a new one.  When I got it home it was broken, and instead of bringing it back to Cabela's  I sent it back to Hummingbird, where they replaced it with a new one a week later, and honored the rebate that was in effect at the time. I can't complain at all about their product or the service I received.

you got lucky!
so the savings can afford you one repair after warranty and still break even.

i guess they just hated me or i fell thru the cracks, but i did make a whole lot of noise about it with them to make right on their deal.

[koissu]

agreed that any sonar is better than none at all.
however, the marcum digital is used all year long and doesn't draw a picture of a fish. some cheap old school sonars for open water used to and maybe still do.

marcum digital allows up to four charts from a choice of six and one includes the traditional wheel chart. it also offers four color palettes including vex three color and six color and gray scale for the color blind.

here is how mine is set up. the graph is very nice to see subtle changes in fish motion and is a short recording of motion.
(Image removed from quote.)

Is this a LX-6s or LX-7 ? I started looking at the Helix Ice 5 which seems like a good combo of LCD sonar / flasher. Although the flasher is digital, reviews seem pretty favorable. And it seems like most people with the setup tend to use the sonar more than the digital flasher.

[3300]

this would be the same screen for the lx6/7/9 but the lx6 is smaller is all by about 2 inches.
but this is from my lx9.

when you look at advertisement on them, they show the wheel displayed with two vertical columns, one on each side of the wheel. i just prefer to use graph because it offers so much more information than a wheel can and the wheel just duplicates what the vertical columns charts are showing.

if you look at my signature logo i chose to use, it shows a fish swimming in the back ground by means of the camera while showing the bottom and your jig and what a digital sonar would show if a fish was nearby. this is what the lx9 can do. one display for every thing except gps. the marcum rt9 does every thing including gps and lake maps.

[dickbaker]

  Back to the original post?   The author is looking at a $300 Humminbird flasher??   even a Marcum LX6 would be twice that cost?   I don't have any idea what  a terrific Lx9 plus camera would cost and I'm sure my wife would divorce me first??
Dick

[Alex Delarge]

I've had my 55 for 3 full seasons. Broke 2 handles and just stopped replacing them. It hasn't seen much use, maybe 50 hours, still works fine, battery is still fine. All these flashers do the same thing generally speaking. Usually just a matter of picking the bells and whistles you would like and $$ also. As long as it functions properly you'll enjoy any flasher.

[pikeaddict]

If you can part with the $450 I would definitely buy the LX5i.  How deep are you typically fishing?  If you never fish over 20 FOW and don't need the zoom feature, I would buy a Vex FL8 and that will keep you at or under $300. 

[bldfrt]

Maybe check out reconditioned vexilars. They save you a few bucks I think you can get you a fl8 under 300 and fl18 for under 400. You get the same warrantee

[koissu]

If you can part with the $450 I would definitely buy the LX5i.  How deep are you typically fishing?  If you never fish over 20 FOW and don't need the zoom feature, I would buy a Vex FL8 and that will keep you at or under $300.

Depends, typically anywhere between 10 FOW and 50-60. After looking at so many models, I do like the zoom feature.

[bearnoob]

I just ordered an Ice 35 and it should arrive today. Ultimately, the features that really won out for me were the features for the price (large screen and battery level gauge, zoom to an extent). Also, replacement parts for the hummingbirds were not expensive so it looks like it will provide a lot of value for the cost over time.

None of my equipment is top of the line but I treat all of it gently, keep it nice, and it lasts forever (still hunt for everything from pheasant to deer with a Mossberg 500, 8 years since I bought a car, 15 years since I bought any open water rod or reel, boat and motor are over 30 and going strong) so I am not too worried about anything breaking beyond repair or having the latest and greatest anything.

If I was made of money I would have bought a Marcum Lx3, but I think this will suit me just fine. Now I only need some ice--and I don't need the latest and greatest ice either.

[crappieslayer56]

I've had an ice 45 for one season and I have no complaints. It has worked great for me, and I have caught a lot more fish since I got it.

[bassmaster01]

i put my marcum vx1 pro($250) next to my buddies vex fl12($379) it had better detail, less clutter, it was easier to pick up a small jig, and the interference rejection was far superior even on marcums cheapest flasher. i then upgraded to the lx-7 and will never look back at a mechanical flasher. the quality you get from marcum is unbeatable! if your looking for a cheaper flasher look at the vx1 pro. It can zoom the last 5 ft of the water column which is a very nice feature for fishing in deep water or with small jigs. IMO

[pikeaddict]

Depends, typically anywhere between 10 FOW and 50-60. After looking at so many models, I do like the zoom feature.

Zoom is great when fishing deep, esp a moveable one for when you are after suspended fish over deep water.

[dickbaker]

Bottom zoom is great for yellow perch that like to hug the bottom?   Walleye are probably the same?
Dick

[luv2fish2]

I've had a bird 55 since they first came out I've never had one problem I can fish in same hut with a vex side by my wife uses my old fl8 slt which also is going strong never had a Marcum but I always here about update downloads kinda steered me away but i'm sure they all have their problem and I did have to deal hb cust service it was missing a charger had no problems with that they shipped one asap and a new winter cap 

[Troutmagnet]

The lx5 is a top of the line flasher, certainly not mid-level IMO.

X2 Definitely worth the money.