Author Topic: tent or flasher? (Read 11593 times)

chop1 · « **on:** Sep 06, 2014, 06:43 PM »

if you had to pick between a tent or a flasher ? the wife will only let me pick one for now . fish and stay warm or freeze and catch more.
decisions ,decisions

Swift · « **Reply #1 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 06:53 PM »

Flasher, useful in any weather, usually only really need a tent on very ugly days

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #2 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 07:29 PM »

You were fishing in the elements without a tent ....you will be catching fish in the elements with a flasher ..

addicted to ice fishing · « **Reply #3 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 07:32 PM »

A flasher hands down. It makes so much difference when you are fishing. Once you get used to using one, you will wonder why you waited so long to get one. I may use my shack 20% of the days that I fish, I use my flasher 100% of the days that I fish.

MBrown4 · « **Reply #4 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 08:07 PM »

I owned a flasher before I owned a shanty.as stated earlier, you will go from fishing to catching.i never would have imagined the numbers I pull out now. It will easily triple your catch some days

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #5 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 08:56 PM »

Having owned a tent before a flasher ...I can say if you have a flasher first ... that will determine what type of fisherman you will be destined to be come ...a run and gun or a stay put fisherman ...I like my portable for mobility getting a flasher proved that ..getting on fish as opposed to waiting on fish ..either way you will know what's down there or not ...now what unit to purchase ..

??

chop1 · « **Reply #6 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 08:57 PM »

that would be great because last year was my first year and the catching didn't happen very much. lol

chop1 · « **Reply #7 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 08:59 PM »

I want to start with the marcum vx1 pro

mud_n_fun · « **Reply #8 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 09:10 PM »

I have one and it is a great entry level flasher and will not break the bank. Easy to use and understand. I fish with a LX-9 now. Broke the bank. lol The wife uses the VX-1 pro now.

boss j · « **Reply #9 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 09:22 PM »

look into the Lowrance units. they are BOTH flasher and graph. it makes the unit a all year unit and will save money that way. i have the x67, got it when it first came out and i must say its awesome! i really wonder how i ever caught anything before...

chop1 · « **Reply #10 on:** Sep 06, 2014, 09:26 PM »

i have a hummingbird portable unit for open water , didn't like it for the hard water.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #11 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 05:29 AM »

So it seems like you decided on a flasher .The Marcum VX 1 will get you on fish ...nice priced unit with a bag included ...researched one for my buddy last season who did purchase it ...seems to be a solid unit ...I have a Vex FL 18..goig on 12 yrs now . Black Friday coming up so some prices may drop down some on units ...do your research and pounce on a deal (at least 20% off MSRP)

masoneddie · « **Reply #12 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 05:33 AM »

Another vote for the flasher, you can dress for the elements....look at Rebs newspaper post on the Brainerd Tournament where no tents or shacks are allowed.....-40 with wind chill....

The flasher may not guarantee you fish, but it will guarantee that you're fishing where the fish are, thus, increasing your odds of icing them. The rest will be up to you to figure out what they want, presentation, finess, colors, etc. etc.....
One last thing.....make sure you have sharp blades on your auger and a backup set. If you're anything like most of us on here, you're going to be drilling more holes than you did before! Best of luck this season!

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #13 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 05:46 AM »

Once you mastered your Flasher..develop your style of fishing...then you'll have a good idea of what style/size tent you should buy ...flip style, hub style, single man ..two man. .or larger 300D..600D...1200D ...uninsulated ...insulated ...

Whopper Stopper · « **Reply #14 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 06:38 PM »

Some excellent advice! I would opt for the flasher also. No matter what you do "Good luck and have a safe season!"

WS

PerchFace · « **Reply #15 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 07:27 PM »

can't believe the word "camera" wasn't mentioned. the new cfish camera is pretty inexpensive and seems like a solid machine.

Loudmouth879 · « **Reply #16 on:** Sep 07, 2014, 08:38 PM »

Quote from: PerchFace on Sep 07, 2014, 07:27 PM

can't believe the word "camera" wasn't mentioned. the new cfish camera is pretty inexpensive and seems like a solid machine.

Someone with a flasher will out fish a person with a camera all day.... A flasher is so much more mobile and once you learn how to use it properly you can "see" the fish bite just like a camera would allow you to. Also, when the fish gets right on your lure you could just switch from the screen to the rod tip or do what I do and keep the rod tip in front of the flasher so I can still watch both.

fish-kabob · « **Reply #17 on:** Sep 08, 2014, 12:36 AM »

i see your from Alberta Canada what kind of fish are you targeting to need a flasher? lake trout, walleye, pan fish etc.. cause pike i never need one neither did with pan fish but it does help. but some thing like lake trout it mite help? cause your fishing humps/ structure on the bottom of the lakes etc ... i can see were a flasher will help... but if you only fishing like say 15 foot or less in gin clear water for blue gills or pike why get a flasher? i would rather get a shanty and stay all day at that point. although a flasher will help catch more in deeper water like 20-120 foot of water. just got to think about why and some time those reason help others help you decide... i know you need one answer but answering this will answer it for your self...

boss j · « **Reply #18 on:** Sep 08, 2014, 06:21 AM »

i fish shallow lakes with my flasher, 4-10 foot. the flasher tells me exactly how the fish are reacting to the style of lure, bait, and presentation i am using. there have been countless times that i have watched the fish come and look but not bite then i change either my jigging pattern/style or the color lure i am using and they hit.

a flasher is also alot easier to move around as the fish move throughout the day. just try to drag a shanty around to try to follow a school of fish. i bring a seat on a sled and still end up just grabbing my flasher and hopping hole to hole once i get on them. theres no sense in wasting time sitting and hoping they will come back around to you. anyways as you move around you build body heat and warm up, one less reason to need a shelter... that how i put thousands of fish on the ice every year. somedays well over a hundred!!!

Spider1 · « **Reply #19 on:** Sep 08, 2014, 11:29 AM »

Get the flasher first! Then hang out with guys that have shelters

chop1 · « **Reply #20 on:** Sep 08, 2014, 06:47 PM »

the wife said i can't buy them at the same time ,she didn't say anything about a week apart ? it's easier to ask for forgiveness then ask for permission.
lol

fish-kabob · « **Reply #21 on:** Sep 09, 2014, 05:05 PM »

better yet any ideas on what you want for a flasher? like vex or lowrance etc??? and for the shanty flip or hub or cabin

?

TIBS · « **Reply #22 on:** Sep 09, 2014, 07:57 PM »

Flashers are nice, but I'd go shack first. I'd not want to sit in 15 - 20 mph winds with nothing but a flasher to break the wind.

bigfish54 · « **Reply #23 on:** Sep 09, 2014, 09:16 PM »

Get a flasher, I have a fl-8 and fl-20, it will increase your catch and you will move a lot more to find the fish. I have a frabill flip over and it's great but I would give that up before my flasher. Good luck

muskiewrangler · « **Reply #24 on:** Sep 09, 2014, 09:19 PM »

Depends on what you're more suited for... if you tend to be on more of the relaxed side or want to be warm, then I'd recommend the tent, but if you'd prefer to endure the cold and catch more fish at that expense, then I'd say flasher. Either way, you're going to benefit from it, but it's which one you wanna benefit from first.

poupster2 · « **Reply #25 on:** Sep 17, 2014, 09:43 AM »

Flasher first hands down! Got my first flasher last year a Vexilar FLX-28. Will not go out without it!

da man cave shack · « **Reply #26 on:** Sep 17, 2014, 09:47 AM »

depends both are nice to have but if you are cold and miserable a flasher wont help you out there and at least with a shanty you will be able to spend more time on the ice.

SKAMPO · « **Reply #27 on:** Sep 17, 2014, 05:26 PM »

But he's already been fishing out in the elements, not catching as many fish to boot.

Get the flasher, start being more productive on the ice and start looking for a used shanty for cheap until your wife will allow you to buy a new one.

ADKLakerTaker · « **Reply #28 on:** Sep 17, 2014, 06:20 PM »

Quote from: addicted to ice fishing on Sep 06, 2014, 07:32 PM

A flasher hands down. It makes so much difference when you are fishing. Once you get used to using one, you will wonder why you waited so long to get one. I may use my shack 20% of the days that I fish, I use my flasher 100% of the days that I fish.

you are so right!!!!

listen to this man. Flasher all the way!

JJBat150 · « **Reply #29 on:** Sep 18, 2014, 03:23 PM »

Quote from: chop1 on Sep 08, 2014, 06:47 PM

the wife said i can't buy them at the same time ,she didn't say anything about a week apart ? it's easier to ask for forgiveness then ask for permission.
lol

After you buy them both hide the flasher in the tent... she'll never know

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Author Topic: tent or flasher? (Read 11593 times)