fish finders ??

[mrjohnny]

This will be my first ever purchase of a fish finder for ice fishing.
Being on a fixed income I can't really afford the best,but would like one
that is able to see my jig in water from 8 to maybe 75 feet at the most.
Something for a old man to be able to figure out the use of it..

I would appreciate any advice or honest opinion on these...Thank you..Rizzo

[BlackDogAlpha]

Buy a good used (or new) Vex FL8 or Marcum VX-1, any will do what you want. A Showdown is a good one too. A feature a lot of people like is a zoom feature. Or get a buddy and share.

[FlamDragger]

I went with the Marcum Showdown 5.6 for my first fish finder, and love it!  The supplied charger is garbage, but the Showdown itself, was very easy to understand and use. It's definitely helped me to locate, and more importantly, catch more fish?

[GitRDone]

I have a Hummingbird ice 35 and it is easy to use with large screen. End of season sales might be a good time to shop. Good Luck

[Prairie Bear]

Get a Hawkeye FP33.

[dekatronic]

I went with the Marcum Showdown 5.6 for my first fish finder, and love it!  The supplied charger is garbage, but the Showdown itself, was very easy to understand and use. It's definitely helped me to locate, and more importantly, catch more fish?

X2
Lots of YouTube vids out that show ease of use. For a first fish finder it is excellent.

[iowapackfan]

  fl8 is a good choice for a low cost fish finder as stated above. Should be able to find a good used one to fit your budget. Very easy to understand also.

[beeverfishing]

Buy a good used (or new) Vex FL8 or Marcum VX-1, any will do what you want. A Showdown is a good one too. A feature a lot of people like is a zoom feature. Or get a buddy and share.

       You'd have a better chance of having me share my wife then my Showdown 5.6.   

[hardwater diehard]

http://www.marinegeneral.com/productdetails.asp?productid=1463418

I'm a Vexilar guy ...but your not going to find a flasher for less than this ...this time of year . Sure used is an option but comes with some reservations . A flasher is an investment . The VXi will give you room to grow your style of fishing . Once again I would recommend an FL18 but on a budget would be tough new.

[mrjohnny]

I appreciate all your replies...Decided to order the Marcum VX-1....

Now I need more ice here in North East Pennsylvania.....But I can still
play with it of the docks at the lakes while waiting to more ice again..lol

[3300]

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341702.msg3631114#msg3631114

[hardwater diehard]

I appreciate all your replies...Decided to order the Marcum VX-1....

Now I need more ice here in North East Pennsylvania.....But I can still
play with it of the docks at the lakes while waiting to more ice again..lol

Couple things as a new flasher owner ...after each and every outing ...bring the unit in side to romish temp and charge the battery ...this will prolong the life of the battery

Some good Marcum videos to get you going till the delivery truck arrives Good luck with your purchase

https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4

https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/177

https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/160/related/1

https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/143/kw/charger

https://marcum.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8/kw/charger/related/1

[mrjohnny]

Now that the ice is too soft to get out on,can I practice with my new vx1 right off the dock?
I am guessing it's maybe 6 to 8 feet or so..Just to try to get some time in with it...And at this depth
would I use the zoom for seeing the jig or not have to ? Thanks..

[3300]

sure can!
zoom just magnifies the target separation or space between targets it can see. so perch that hug the bottom is when zoom is a good thing or to make the line(s) bigger if you can't do that otherwise.
try it out and play with it to learn how it works.

[Chris338378]

I went with the Marcum Showdown 5.6 for my first fish finder, and love it!  The supplied charger is garbage, but the Showdown itself, was very easy to understand and use. It's definitely helped me to locate, and more importantly, catch more fish?

X2  Most of the guys, me included got a battery tender jr charger to use instead of the factory charger.

[carcus1]

I've had terrible luck with marcum, I've owned many flashers and its easy to say the Humminbird ice 35 is the best value on the ice, and I have never owned one but I would say they are better than a fl20, bigger screen, brighter display, less than half price, probably wont last as long thou

[BlueDuck]

You made a good choice with the Marcum VX1.  I have used one for 20 years with no problems at all.   

[thecreature]

Get a Hawkeye FP33.

Do these work?

[mrjohnny]

You made a good choice with the Marcum VX1.  I have used one for 20 years with no problems at all.

Went to the lake and fished off the end of the dock. Ice is not safe to be on..Caught 3 Rainbow trout on jig and wax worms.
2 18 inch and 1 at 15..Limit here in the winter is only 3 anyway....Really the fish finder did not benefit except for seeing the jig..The trout
just sort of swam in and grabbed the bait..One question though..Why does the green line indicating the jig change to yellow once in awhile??

[hardwater diehard]

One question though..Why does the green line indicating the jig change to yellow once in awhile??

As your jig spins or moves it will have a different profile which in turn gives a different return signal ...stronger or weaker and/or if it on the outside edge  of the signal cone will have a weaker signal ...towards the center of the cone/directly under the transducer = better signal

[mrjohnny]

As your jig spins or moves it will have a different profile which in turn gives a different return signal ...stronger or weaker and/or if it on the outside edge  of the signal cone will have a weaker signal ...towards the center of the cone/directly under the transducer = better signal

thank you for the information....being in shallow water I realize the cone is small....that explains it..

[mrjohnny]

Finally got out on the ice here with the Marcum vx1i...Drilled a few holes..5 to 6 inchs of ice
after the thaw..Anyway,it took me a few tries to get it figured out..In 20 foot of water nothing.
Came back in to about 10 to 15 foot...After making some adjustments I started seeing and
catching some nice blue gills on a tear drop withwax worm..My buddy got mad and went home..
I even offered to let him use it..lol...Guess I will be solo from now on..
Anyway I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me...Should have got one long ago....

[Iceballs204]

Finally got out on the ice here with the Marcum vx1i...Drilled a few holes..5 to 6 inchs of ice
after the thaw..Anyway,it took me a few tries to get it figured out..In 20 foot of water nothing.
Came back in to about 10 to 15 foot...After making some adjustments I started seeing and
catching some nice blue gills on a tear drop withwax worm..My buddy got mad and went home..
I even offered to let him use it..lol...Guess I will be solo from now on..
Anyway I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me...Should have got one long ago....

Nice. Glad you caught some fish. To bad you only have 5/6 in of ice. Utilize that bad boy before ice is gone. 

[Hard_H2O]

Finally got out on the ice here with the Marcum vx1i...Drilled a few holes..5 to 6 inchs of ice
after the thaw..Anyway,it took me a few tries to get it figured out..In 20 foot of water nothing.
Came back in to about 10 to 15 foot...After making some adjustments I started seeing and
catching some nice blue gills on a tear drop withwax worm..My buddy got mad and went home..
I even offered to let him use it..lol...Guess I will be solo from now on..
Anyway I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me...Should have got one long ago....

Usually when only some of a fishing party has a flasher they can give the guys without enough intel to get them on the fish.

The guys without just need a way to know how deep down they are fishing. They need to know how many turns on the reel handle equal how many feet. Then they can drop to the bottom and reel up so many feet. You tell them you are in "X" many feet of water and the fish are at "Y" depth and your jig is at "Z" depth.

Up to them to get on the fish or get a flasher. Going home is not an option.

[3300]

thanks for the update and i know you'll enjoy fishing all the more.

that's too bad your friend acted like that. he can get a used sonar from craigs list if he feels he can't fish with you because you have an unfair advantage.
i have a friend who hates to be out fished and will do any thing with-in his power to make sure it doesn't happen again even if it means to buy every bait in a store lol. i feel bad for people like that and i don't understand their thinking at all.

Usually when only some of a fishing party has a flasher they can give the guys without enough intel to get them on the fish.

The guys without just need a way to know how deep down they are fishing. They need to know how many turns on the reel handle equal how many feet. Then they can drop to the bottom and reel up so many feet. You tell them you are in "X" many feet of water and the fish are at "Y" depth and your jig is at "Z" depth.

the same holds true for starting from the top of the ice. turn off the anti-reverse and crank backwards to let out one crank per foot (typically) to lower your jig to them.