Favorite flasher

[kautz88]

I’m in the market to get my kid a flasher was wonder what everyone’s favorite is? I’ve got the helix 5.

[SLAYERFISH]

The Helix is not a real flasher.  it's a digital emulation of a real flasher.

[fishslap]

Marcum.  If I got a new one right now, I’d get the M5LR. I’ve had the lx5 for a long time.  I don’t like their digital series and sold it.  I have a garmin package that I also don’t like.  I like a true flasher and Marcum response is instant with good target separation.

[skifisher]

Marcum.  If I got a new one right now, I’d get the M5LR. I’ve had the lx5 for a long time.  I don’t like their digital series and sold it.  I have a garmin package that I also don’t like.  I like a true flasher and Marcum response is instant with good target separation.

I agree with the above…Marcum. I have a M5 I’m still using that hasn’t let me down. For my money, Marcum’s the ticket!

[missoulafish]

Go with a Vex or any non-digital finder if you want something problem free.

[hardwater diehard]

Vexilar FL 18 w/12 deg transducer ...low power and bottom zoom are quite good features and has stood the test of time.

Mills Fleet Farm usually has the best deal of the season in the past ..FL18 Pro Pack ...check daily

https://www.fleetfarm.com/

Keep an eye on this thread daily as well

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=331034.10710

[waterlike]

I've had the hummingbird ice 688 ci, which is basically the version of the Helix 5 before it came out. I've had it since 2016. It's still my only fish finder. I have broken the transducer twice, my fault both times. But replaced it.

It works great. I like having the option of looking at a graph, or switching to flasher mode. Though I hardly ever use flasher mode. With the graph you can see history, and if you're not looking at your screen every single second you can miss when a fish comes on your screen and might still only be a few feet from your bait. Also in terms of live response or lag I wouldn't say there is any. At least between the hummingbird and vexilars or other real flashers there's no difference in flasher mode in terms of instant response and fish separation. I've used friends vexilars and livesscopes.  Only thing I've used where I've experienced lag between what is happening on the screen and underwater is livescope.

I use it in summer and winter. And in graph mode I can tell what type of fish it is just by the mark that it's making and the way it is moving. The ability to have a map where I can mark my spot on my fish finder is also nice. I know nowadays it's also easy to do with a phone, but having it all bundled into the same machine makes it easy.

[DR.SPECKLER]

Any model of vexilar.jmo

[ryguy80]

Vexilars are bulletproof and sip the battery, so you can go fishing for a whole weekend and then some on a lithium. Can’t go wrong with them. Have used the 20 and 28 on the ice.

[kautz88]

Appreciate it everyone just looking for opinions before I purchase. I never fished with one till three years ago.

[burgerunh]

I would recommend that you get your son the same as what you have.  You are familiar with the operation and with how to interpret what you are seeing on the screen.  If you buy something different there will be a learning curve.  Also you have a parts machine if ever one of them stops functioning properly.

[jrjach75]

Not necessarily my "favorite" flasher, but one I'd recommend for a kid is the FLX12. Nice bright screen, and simple to learn and use, about as durable as it gets too.

[happyheber]

vexilar 18 are bulletproof 

[filetandrelease]

 When I used flashers , I owned 2 an fl8 and a fl18 both units worked flawlessly,
 The 18 is a great unit with the 12degree

[RStock521]

Graph's like your Humminbird are the way to go.  It's nice to be able to mark spots and to have the history of a graph in addition to live view with the amplitude scope.  A flasher only shows you "live".  You can get an inexpensive Garmin Striker 4 for a couple hundred bucks.

[VanNoord]

Always run both a graph unit and traditional flasher IMO.
I have both a Garmin 7CV and Marcum LX7 graphs that I use with either a Vexilar FLX12 or Marcum M1L. All with lithium batteries.

[SLAYERFISH]

Always run both a graph unit and traditional flasher IMO.
I have both a Garmin 7CV and Marcum LX7 graphs that I use with either a Vexilar FLX12 or Marcum M1L. All with lithium batteries.

I ain't carrying both!

[skifisher]

I ain't carrying both!

Me either! 😂

[iceman260]

I have a helix 5 and a helix7,still prefer to use my fl-18 for ice fishing. I can read what’s going on much better with the fl-18. Maybe it’s just me.

[skifisher]

Is it just me? All the new “bells and whistles” seem to take away from the fishing experience.
At my age, I can remember ice fishing being a matter of guesswork and luck! No power auger, no electronics, just chip a hole, drop down the bait, and hope for the best! I’d still rather do it that way, than fish via TV!
 

[filetandrelease]

 I hear you skifisher but I only wish to use my spud for testing ice density these days 😃
 

[kautz88]

Is it just me? All the new “bells and whistles” seem to take away from the fishing experience.
At my age, I can remember ice fishing being a matter of guesswork and luck! No power auger, no electronics, just chip a hole, drop down the bait, and hope for the best! I’d still rather do it that way, than fish via TV!

Yea this will be my third season with one I do like them in bigger ponds and lakes but don’t really need one on the river.

[VanNoord]

I ain't carrying both!

why not? It's foolish to only go out there with one set of electronics.
Use one for hole hopping, but always have two going at the base camp.
If I'm hole hopping I'm carrying one. But I mostly drive on the ice with my SUV so I have everything at my disposal.
If I walk on somewhere, I always have 2 flashers in the sled as well. They are so bloody lightweight with the lithium batteries now...

[KingPerch]

I run a Lowrance graph… it has the flasher mode option in it too.

[zcm_82]

Is it just me? All the new “bells and whistles” seem to take away from the fishing experience.
At my age, I can remember ice fishing being a matter of guesswork and luck! No power auger, no electronics, just chip a hole, drop down the bait, and hope for the best! I’d still rather do it that way, than fish via TV!

I'm not that old... (yet  ) but I don't haul any electronic gadgetry out with me. I do keep a couple clip on depth weights in the tackle box, though.

[skifisher]

I'm not that old... (yet  ) but I don't haul any electronic gadgetry out with me. I do keep a couple clip on depth weights in the tackle box, though.

…you sound like the kind of guy i could fish with!

[Finnt]

FL 8

[HWeber]

 I were to buy another "real" flasher it'd have to be brushless. The hum of my old marcum seems so loud after being spoiled by the silence of my Garmin

[kayl]

Marcum M5 for me.

[SKIFFLAKEJIMMY]

I'm not that old... (yet  ) but I don't haul any electronic gadgetry out with me. I do keep a couple clip on depth weights in the tackle box, though.