Target separation?

[Ethan C]

I have a Vexilar flx20. I recently learned about a flasher’s target separation but didn’t get many details or why it’s so important. Someone please enlighten me.

[Unclegillhunter]

So for instance you have a fish hanging 1" off the bottom it will show a mark for the fish above the bottom is my understanding. Probably wrong thoug.
Keep it safe! JDL

[Junkie4Ice]

Target separation is just the flasher's ability to distinguish between two objects (fish) that are close together. My understanding is that different flashers have different specs with some being able to tell apart several fish sitting on top of eachother or fish sitting right on the bottom. The cheaper ones won't show a fish that is right on the bottom whereas your FL20 will. I also have the FL20 and have noticed that when I'm in standard mode, i'll notice that the depth looks like it suddenly changes by 1/2 a foot or so but if I put on the auto zoom, then it will distinguish between the bottom and a fish right on the bottom.

Another example is a school of fish. Depending on what the flasher's minimum target separation is, the school might show up as one big fish on the screen on a cheaper flasher but show up as a couple separate fish on a nicer one...

They do a pretty good job explaining it here: https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=120085.0

[ice dawg]

Put a couple splitshot about four inches apart on your line, drop your line below your transducer in the water and you should see both of them individually. Keep moving the splitshot closer together until you no longer see two of them. At that point you no longer have target separation. The importance of target separation is up to the individual IMO.

[DrewFlu33]

Excellent answers already. The only thing I have to add is that I’ve found that good target separation can also be important in seeing where your lure is in relation to a fish. Especially if they’re being really finicky, being able to tell if your jig is right in front of a fish’s nose or an inch above its nose can be the difference in getting a bite and not getting a bite. Or at the very least in ascertaining just what the fish want that day.

[jpicks]

depending on your setup, It also comes in handy when fishing without a camera to tell if your minnow is still on the hook without having to reel in.

[DrewFlu33]

depending on your setup, It also comes in handy when fishing without a camera to tell if your minnow is still on the hook without having to reel in.

Good call!

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to see this (or at least I was when I first noticed it) on a unit with good target separation, especially in shallower water or when viewing via a zoom mode.  It’s saved me a lot of time in jigging with no minnow, and in reeling up to check when my minnow was still on there.

[Unclegillhunter]

I was reading an article and the author suggested that the mark of your bait should be at the lowest color level. Says it helps in light bite situations.
Keep it safe! JDL

[hardwater diehard]

Good call!

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to see this (or at least I was when I first noticed it) on a unit with good target separation, especially in shallower water or when viewing via a zoom mode.  It’s saved me a lot of time in jigging with no minnow, and in reeling up to check when my minnow was still on there.

yep ...even can tell when hanging chain baits get tangled up by the return signal changes ...as well as bait taken.

[ice dawg]

You can tell when predators move close because you can see your minnow suddenly become active.

[SLAYERFISH]

My LX-5 "sees" crawdads on bottom in 52 ft. of water.  I'm thinking that's pretty good target separation!

[hardwater diehard]

Put a couple splitshot about four inches apart on your line, drop your line below your transducer in the water and you should see both of them individually. Keep moving the splitshot closer together until you no longer see two of them. At that point you no longer have target separation. The importance of target separation is up to the individual IMO.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I have a Vexilar flx20. I recently learned about a flasher’s target separation but didn’t get many details or why it’s so important. Someone please enlighten me.

Another way to explain it is this.

The smaller the "target separation" the more improved your flasher is at distinguishing objects apart from one another when they are close together.

Typically better target seperation helps with bottom hugging fish, it will show the individual fish better when a school of fish come through.....which can allow you to try and catch the larger fish by targeting it.