Author Topic: Having issues with my LX7?? (Read 1707 times)

fishin7 · « **on:** Dec 24, 2014, 09:28 AM »

Was wondering if any of you Marcum guys can help me. I have always used my trustworthy Vexilar FL8 in the past and also have a Humminbird Ice35 but I thought I could use a upgrade so I bought a LX7 this season and to be honest I have had a hard time with it. Believe me this isn't a Vexilar vs Marcum or Humminbird post I could give a poop less about what brand I own I just want it to work for my fishing style. I mostly chase walleye and lately have been having issues with the LX7 picking up my lure above 5'. If I have a suspended fish say at 6' or 7' I pull my lure up above it and poof its gone. Not to mention the other day we had active Walleye suspended at 4' and my son was using the Ice35 and was slaying them but I never marked one. I use the flasher display and the zoom and I'm talking about the flasher, when I pull my lure up it disappears at 5' same when I drop it doesn't show up till after 5'. It got so bad yesterday that I put the LX7 away and grabbed the FL8 and went back to catching fish. (actually caught a eye that was at 3' that I obviously wouldn't have seen with my LX7). Is there something you can do to fix that or did I get a bad unit.

fish to live · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 24, 2014, 10:08 AM »

Go back to vex

bigredonice · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 24, 2014, 10:09 AM »

is there a surface clutter option?

Houdy66 · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 24, 2014, 10:42 AM »

Possibly change your come angle? Maybe if you're using the narrow cone, the lure is coming out of the cone as you raise it up. Just a thought.

fishin7 · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 24, 2014, 11:36 AM »

Tried both cone angles, tried changing the color pallet, tried messing with the sensitivity, tried raising the ping up and down, tried changing the depths from manual to dynamic, tried a bigger lure, tried a piece of summer sausage while I was messing with the unit (that was delicious), tried pretty much everything I could think of. Then got fed up and went back to the FL8 and started catching fish again. Really like the LX7 but I'm not big on wasting time messing with electronics and not fishing, so I'm thinking the sexy biatch might go back to the store and bring home the less attractive FLX-28 and stick to what I'm use to.

NorthernAngler · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 24, 2014, 12:21 PM »

Call Marcum and tell them what is going on, I know with my LX5 I had to send it back. Different problem, the bottom would not stay static and would move. Talk about sea sickness staring at that. My motor went out after 1 year, Marcum replaced under warranty. My next unit if this happens again would be a Vexilar or Hummingbird. Later

PerchAssault · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 25, 2014, 09:59 AM »

Marcum has recently recommended to me to just put the transducer in the hole about 2-3 inches below the water. I know, it goes against every thing we have been told about having the 'ducer just below the edge of the ice but...try it.

Also, there was a software update last year. Did you update? Check the software option that is installed and let me know by PM. On SOME units, that upgrade caused issues. I updated and ended up going back to the previous version. Not that big a deal, but seriously, try the transducer thing. Just put it in the water a couple inches.

Remember---sensitivity should almost never have to be above 5, target at about 3-4.

I hope this helps, that 7 is a great machine.

Mike
www.iceduels.com

fishin7 · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 25, 2014, 03:26 PM »

Thanks for all the advice but I took it back and got the FLX-28. After manny hrs of pondering the situation and after going through hundreds of old posts I determined for my style of fishing I would be better off with the FLX-28. No doubt the LX7 was a cool unit but I usually never stay in a hole for more than a few minutes and I rarely fish for perch. I don't like to be messing with my flasher all the time and I rarley use zoom so it just made more sense to stick with what I am use to and go back to the Vexilar.

PerchAssault · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 25, 2014, 08:57 PM »

Good choice. I steered several folks to the 28 this year while doing the tackle truck for many of the reasons you just mentioned. If I was looking for a new unit JUST for ice fishing, spending my own money, I would most likely go the 28 myself.

I have used the digital Marcums since year 2 of them and I love it and am comfortable with them. My only complaint is that that big digital screen shows a lot of glare when outside. I have my favorite settings and leave it there 90% of the time. You will LOVE that 28!

Mike3913 · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 25, 2014, 09:38 PM »

I bought a lx9 last season, took it out of the box and it wouldn't turn on. Returned it and got a new one and the same thing happened. Finally on the third one it worked but the camera was cracked.
Long story short, I sold it on eBay and bought a flx28 and haven't looked back... Or missed it at all.
Strikemaster and vexilar are two brands I won't leave.

fish to live · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 26, 2014, 09:55 AM »

Well seems VEXILAR is the fix for most folks, yes it's expensive ...but why waist time, ice season is short and marcums break more then one needs, seen four replaced last year!

Chasing Lunkers · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 26, 2014, 04:41 PM »

LX7 user going on 3 years now. Never had any issues. A flasher is a flasher. Use what works for you. Bummer yours had issues glad you like the 28 tho.
If I had the same experience I would probably do the same thing.
However, I don't think we need to generalize that all marcums break... if that were the case I doubt they would still be in business.
Love my LX7 and to each his own! Just get out and catch a fish!
Tight lines all!

HVFD14 · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 02, 2015, 09:52 AM »

Hey Mike, do you know what version you are currently running? Just using a ratso or similar size jig with tail, I have to have my Sens up to around 10 and Target turned up. I switched to the 6-color palette and that is helping some, but besides having the scrolling graph, I really miss my LX-3.

fishin7 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 02, 2015, 11:13 PM »

Quote from: HVFD14 on Jan 02, 2015, 09:52 AM

Hey Mike, do you know what version you are currently running? Just using a ratso or similar size jig with tail, I have to have my Sens up to around 10 and Target turned up. I switched to the 6-color palette and that is helping some, but besides having the scrolling graph, I really miss my LX-3.

I hear ya. I tried really hard to like the LX7 because its so dam cool looking but when I was spending all my time messing with the gain, the sens, the color and the zoom I started noticing everybody around me catching more fish than me because they were actually fishing. My personal opinion is if you spend a lot of time in a shack or stationary then its awesome but if you move around a lot it just gets too busy. Went to the FLX-28 and like it so far.

njoy · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 03, 2015, 11:05 AM »

fsn 7-- does the flx28 show your jig in shallow water? I have the Marcum vx1 and it does well on shallow, but I may want to upgrade someday. The vx1 has treated me well for about 4 years so I will keep it if I upgrade. Also, good to see your boys photo in another thread. He's growing up since the perch pic a few years ago. I can see he has been taught well.

creepincm · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 03, 2015, 11:09 AM »

Njoy- I have the 28 as well and was recently fishing in Minnesota in 8' of water with heavy weed cover. It picked the jig up perfectly and eliminated the weed clutter.

IM-POUNDING- R -U · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 03, 2015, 11:21 AM »

Marcum, So powerful that you loose the first 5 feet of fish!!! Dont own a FLX-28 but every Vexilar i have fished reads the WHOLE water ,Top to bottom. Could not count how many fish ive caught in less than 3 feet of water.

Augusta · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 16, 2015, 09:48 PM »

Just for the next person who is trying to solve the "5' blind spot" with their Marcum... I had contacted Marcum about not being able to see anything above 5 feet and this was their response (which solved my problem - I believe the difference is the open water mode):

"Hello,

A few points to making the LX-6,7,9 work great in shallow water:
1. Run in open water mode
2. Have the transducer only partially submerged, not an inch or two below the water, keep the ducer so the face is the only thing under water
3. Use manual dynamic or select the 10' range
4. Use the 20 degree cone angle
5. Make sure you are running the current firmware which is 4.07, you can find that at the top of the system settings menu

If you try all of these on the ice and still have issues let us know."

fishin7 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 16, 2015, 11:16 PM »

Quote from: Augusta on Jan 16, 2015, 09:48 PM

Just for the next person who is trying to solve the "5' blind spot" with their Marcum... I had contacted Marcum about not being able to see anything above 5 feet and this was their response (which solved my problem - I believe the difference is the open water mode):

"Hello,

A few points to making the LX-6,7,9 work great in shallow water:
1. Run in open water mode
2. Have the transducer only partially submerged, not an inch or two below the water, keep the ducer so the face is the only thing under water
3. Use manual dynamic or select the 10' range
4. Use the 20 degree cone angle
5. Make sure you are running the current firmware which is 4.07, you can find that at the top of the system settings menu

If you try all of these on the ice and still have issues let us know."

Like I stated in a previous response, that just seems like a lot of things to adjust every time I change water depth. I will go back and forth between shallow and deep all day long. I would rather just drop the transducer and just fish. When chasing eyes a lot of times that feeding window is not very long and it sucks to waste any of it playing with electronics. Now if you don't move around a lot or spend most of your time in a shack then it isn't a big deal.

And NJoy sorry I missed your response, yes it does show up. Fades a bit but it is there!

bowhtr · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 17, 2015, 02:01 PM »

I own the LX 7 and have no problem switching it to open water mode and most of the time it is all you have to do. I hole hop all day long and have no problems.

n.w. holedigger · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 18, 2015, 04:51 PM »

Quote from: Augusta on Jan 16, 2015, 09:48 PM

Just for the next person who is trying to solve the "5' blind spot" with their Marcum... I had contacted Marcum about not being able to see anything above 5 feet and this was their response (which solved my problem - I believe the difference is the open water mode):

"Hello,

A few points to making the LX-6,7,9 work great in shallow water:
1. Run in open water mode
2. Have the transducer only partially submerged, not an inch or two below the water, keep the ducer so the face is the only thing under water
3. Use manual dynamic or select the 10' range
4. Use the 20 degree cone angle
5. Make sure you are running the current firmware which is 4.07, you can find that at the top of the system settings menu

If you try all of these on the ice and still have issues let us know."

had the same problem with Marcum.... bought an fl 18, turn it on,set depth,adjust power fish shallow or deep a whole lot less screwing around and way more time concentrating on your jig.

PerchPounderMT · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 19, 2015, 11:43 AM »

I have the lx6,what does switching to open water mode change?

bowhtr · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 19, 2015, 05:41 PM »

Quote from: PerchPounderMT on Jan 19, 2015, 11:43 AM

I have the lx6,what does switching to open water mode change?

Its only important if you are fishing shallow water. Open water mode will let you see more of the upper water column if you are fishing in 5 FOW. Some people are complaining that they only see there jig at 5 feet and below.

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Author Topic: Having issues with my LX7?? (Read 1707 times)