which flasher to buy?

[fish?]

Finally going to buy a flasher this season looking for opinions on which one to buy,  only feature I know I must have is a bottom zoom other than that don't know.  What's your recommendations and is there something you consider to be a must have

[BigSage]

I have the Showdown Dualbeam. Been great for me the past 6 years. It has zoom

[BigSage]

It also has bottom lock and the zoom is within 6" incrament. I've used it jigging for macs in 200'. Any flasher is better than no flasher!

[Bareback Jack]

Hummingbird Ice 55....wait till after the 1st Cabela's usually close out ice fishing and you can get good deals.

[Bonawitz07]

If you use the search feature in the top left corner you can find tons of information on flashers, including one thread which compared almost all models by manufacturers. I believe all Marcums have bottom zoom, including the vx1. As noted above, maybe wait until January for sales or search for used or reconditioned units.

[missoulafish]

search function is your tool of choice on this.
LITERALLY HUNDREDS of pages of information...

[Mtwolfer]

I was in your shoes, looked and asked for a couple years, I just pulled the trigger on a vexilar fl12, people think everybody knows computers or has fished with other electronics, Not the best not the cheapest, its a solid middle of the road unit, and as some on here said watch the "dvd" you'll know, it is simple, not intimidating at all ! if you have a 9 yr old take her/him with ya they'll find fish!

[missoulafish]

Wolfer- you test out that 12 yet?

[Mishtownkid]

Been ice fishing for years and absolutely love it, I know you don't "need" a flasher, but are they worth the cost?  3 bills seems steep to me for something that "might" help.  But then I'm the guy that still pulls out my hand auger a punches four holes for me and my 3 kiddos, then doesn't want to move.  Yes or no are they worth it, or should I buy a power auger first.

[hardwater diehard]

Flashers are game changers for sure ...will get you to stay put or move ... You will see what is or not down there ...it will "learn ya" to jig and give the fish what they want .

[Bareback Jack]

Mishtownkid,

I was like you for along time, finally after a miserable day it the weather ice fishing..I came to the realization of either get with it or get out of it. My first 2 purchases were a gas powered auger and shelter. Then over the next couple years I acquired the things that aren't needed but sure help

look to Craigslist for augers and flashers.
Good luck

[Mishtownkid]

I got a popup, Eskimo-quickfish 6.  More than big enough for me and my kids.  Just wondering if an auger or flasher would be the best next purchase. Thanks for the input Bareback Jack.

[vicster]

Auger will free you up to drill more holes which will allow you to move more and hopefully find more fish by covering more water.  A flasher will let you know if you are on fish, see how they are reacting to what and how your jigging, and make adjustments until you get them to bite. It's up to you which one you think will help the most if you can only afford one or the other. If you are primarily fishing out of a shelter, especially with kids it's probably tough to move around a bunch....   Once you have both your ice fishing experience will be changed forever!

[mthuntr]

I fished a long time without electronics and it finally took a big trip to some walleye waters where I was outfished 5 to 1 because I was just guessing at depths.  I ended up buying a closeout Lowrance Elite 4 ice machine.  I feel it is just good enough for my average fishing but I lose my jig often when operating in deeper water and it seems the sonar cone is pretty narrow.  If I had to do it again I would have ignored the Lowrance ice adapted system and snagged a Vexliar or Marcum.

[fish?]

Thanks for the info guys,  have seen it play out enough times now that I know i need to buy one. Tired of getting out fished by my buddies

[hardwater diehard]

Should add location to your profile...could be a deal near you on a unit.

[egroth14]

FishHunter

[montanaice]

iv had my marcum vx1 for 3 years now and i dont think ill ever buy another flasher again unless this one breaks of course.

[ryan28]

I have a marcum vx1 flasher, and my fishin buddy has a vexilar fl8 they are about equal some things i like about vexilar more and other things i like about marcum. We can fish both side by side with the interference buttons they are awsome totally changed ice fishing for us! Even if we drove 2 hours to fish and realized we had forgot them i think we woukd turn around to get them. Just pull the trigger and buy one you wont regret it!

[Perch-Eye]

I bought a Vex FL18 last year late in the season and really never figured out how to use it. We took it out last Monday and got into some perch and figured out how to get them to bite. It helps to know that there down there which you really don't for sure (without electronics)unless they are active. We were in 50 fow and it could read both jigs that were about 6 feet apart. They were hugging tight to the bottom and I had to aggressively jig to get them to bite. If I raised it up 18'' they would come up to check it out and all you had to do was set the hook. Without the flasher you wouldn't even know if they looked your bait over and didn't like it. Once you know that they looked but didn't want you can switch to something else that might work.


Ken..........

[Chris338378]

I have the Showdown Dualbeam. Been great for me the past 6 years. It has zoom

I've had mine for the past 4 years and no complaints what so ever.  Also you can zoom any where in the water column, not just the bottom six feet.

[Iceisnice61]

I got a Marcum VX1 this year and just used it for the first time today. Am obviously still learning how to use it to its full potential but it seems promising. Was fishing a hole today and would never have known fish were all around my jig if I didn't have it. I probably would have moved on or given up but instead iced a couple fish. It's fun watching those orange/red lines chasing and zeroing in on the green (jig) line! Btw - question for those familiar with using sonar....In my use today, it seemed the flasher didn't necessarily indicate I was on top of fish UNLESS I dropped a jig and looked for activity. Is that pretty typical? I.e. You can't really tell if there are fish on the bottom unless you drop a jig to entice them up a bit?

[ryan28]

Iceisnice61, that is just the way it is somtimes if they are right on the bottom. Something you can try is zooming in on the bottom and it might make it easier to see them.

[Strippnthedream]

You've gotta really watch your screen when there tight 2 the bottom. You will notice the bottom start 2 flicker, shack, and change colors. Use it enough you'll start to notice different things about it. Another one is when a fish is just outside the cone of your ducer the colors will flicker or the unit will kinda do weird things. Pretty cool little units.

[Iceisnice61]

Thx Ryan28 and Strippin. Should have thought to use the zoom...think I tried it earlier but was too shallow to put it to use. All part of the learning I guess....but while on the subject....I noticed interesting activity on the flasher before I left for the day. Had been marking/catching fish for about 45 minutes. Then the next thing you know I'm dropping my jig and see a bunch of green lines smattered about halfway up off the bottom - fishing @15fow. After that, no activity at the bottom where there had been before. Thoughts? Was wondering if it was a predator or maybe baitfish that scattered the school? Or just random and my luck ran out. 

[justoutdoors]

Does anyone use the Garmin striker 4 ice fishing?

[A1]

I use the humminbird ice 35. It is the lowest end entry of the humminbird ice traducers and it seriously kicks ass.  If you can afford something better than get it. I cant really speak to how much more awesome it will be but the "bare bones" has completely changed the whole ice fishing experience for me.

[SpitzoMT]

Does anyone use the Garmin striker 4 ice fishing?

Search function in the top left corner & some reading are your friends !! 

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=323518.0

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=329290.0

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=329663.0

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=334664.0

[Mtwolfer]

Wolfer- you test out that 12 yet?

I have and its as easy as you said it would be, however I have been fishing crooked creek and the deepest water I found was 6' and I spread my tip ups out so It doesnt help in that situation, I did use it to confirm my bait was just off the bottom, we caught a ton of big toothy fish.

[missoulafish]

Cool.
6' is a challenge but you can make it work. May not be a ton of advantage to it being that shallow. I've used them as shallow as 5' but the cone is so narrow you get almost zero notice that the fish are on your bait. Many times, the display will just act " different". As you use it more you will see what I'm taking about.