IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Illinois => Ice Fishing Illinois => Topic started by: boscolab on Jan 04, 2018, 02:37 PM
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So I want to get your opinion on camera vs flasher.
First, what do you got? Second Pros and Cons based on your experience? And lastly, if you can only have one, which one is it?
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Two different types of tools. I use a camera to learn all kinds of stuff; bottom type, species, how they hit and the list goes on. sounder is more of a fishing tool; faster set up, does not "intrude" on the fish, covers a larger area (the water column) and is better for the day to day fishing... Most (but not all) will say the sounder is better for fishing and I will agree. Some will say cameras are just toys to entertain the kids and I do not agree. Both are great tools, the sounder is most often the better choice for straight up fishing, but if you are not moving around a lot and want to spend more time "studying", the camera is a great tool...
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Cameras can be tough in our area. Water clarity isn't great, and it's hard to see great in deeper water. They can be fun and frustrating at the same time.
I would use a flasher every day over the camera.
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I am with you guys, flasher before camera. If you are fishing the same pond with good water clarity, then a camera would be fun as an extra. Or if you are confirming structure or weeds.
I had to post this question after a FB dude swore cameras over flashers. I just wanted to make sure I was with the majority.
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you are posting this in illinois which means 99% of the water you'll fish will be muddy/runoffy. our camera is unused. it actually sits in a bucket in the garage most of the time.
you are going to be lured by the low cost of some cameras vs flashers but i assure you, you want a flasher first.
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My Opinion ...flasher first ...once you learn what all the flasher can school you on ....then a camera may come into play ..
in order of use Vexilar FL18/FL12 ....Garmin Etrex 20....AquaVu Micro plus w/DVR/AquaVu Micro5 w/DVR.
A GPS can get you back to your spot ...a camera may get you on the spot on the spot ...but learning your flasher functions/capability in identifying structure ...bottom...bottom composition ...fish mood is price less .
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Vexilar that's all you need an fl8 and you can find and catch fish
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What Toadhunter said no need for extras we don't have deep water or mid season pattern to look for perch and walleye with the bottom zoom
Check craigslist if it lights up and you can hear clicking from the transducer and turn up the gain to see bottom it works.
If buying a used FL8 don't get the older SLT same as the SE but the lights are not as bright.
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I have two FL8's. Paid $150 each and have never considered a camera. The times I saw one work, I was not impressed. At least not in Illinois where the water is as dark as toilet water after burrito night.
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I have two FL8's. Paid $150 each and have never considered a camera. The times I saw one work, I was not impressed. At least not in Illinois where the water is as dark as toilet water after burrito night.
LMBO
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LMBO
Funny you should chime in, Tod. One of my FL8's I bought from you. I believe I met you in Rochelle before I hit Shabbona.
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I have both. When I got the camera it was very entertaining for the first few uses and riveting watching what was down below until the light was gone. Now I rarely take the camera and never go to the ice without the flasher. Would tell you to definitely get a flasher as for the camera not so much.
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Vexilar fl8 and a Lowrance HDS 5 Aquavu 715 C. Would rather use my HDS than anything because of the history I can pretty much tell if the fish are committed or not.As already stated tools with different jobs cameras come in handy in CLEAR water wont fish without flasher or sonar can do without camera.
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I ice-fished 30+ years before I got a flasher. Now I'm not sure how I ever got along without it! I have learned more about ice fishing in the last several years than I had in the first 3 decades without one. I have a Marcum, brother has a vex, buddy has a hummingbird. We each swear by the one we have. Get bit!
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I ice-fished 30+ years before I got a flasher. Now I'm not sure how I ever got along without it! I have learned more about ice fishing in the last several years than I had in the first 3 decades without one. I have a Marcum, brother has a vex, buddy has a hummingbird. We each swear by the one we have. Get bit!
i can't tell you how often i hear that. i have an old guy we fish with occasionally who ice fished regularly since he was a child. here in illinois it was not a way of life for him like it would be in MN but they did it in between hunting and to just stay busy. he was a 35 yr ice fishing vet before he got a flasher and now he's basically like, if i'd of had this, i'd of never hunted! he said his flasher has got him to explore more places and find more fish than ever before.
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I've got both. And I'm with the flasher before camera group. Cameras are great if you know where the fish are and the water is really clear. When I lived in Minnesota we used them a lot on Mille lacs for the perch and walleyes which tend to hug tight to the bottom. It's nice to be able to tell how they are reacting to you presentation. That said I'd take an fl8, and then upgrade to an fl18 before taking on a camera. That zoom on the bottom will tell you everything if you learn to read it right.
Unless you just wanna take the kids on a sunny day to a shallow spot and have them watch the camera. That's always fun too.
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Is your flasher allowing you to see the entire water column ??? mark 8:00 explains dead zones...so both can come into play ...each tool has a time and place and a purpose...still flasher first .
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i have a marcum lx-9 that is both sonar and camera. sonar give the most complete information about depth and fish. cameras are very limited to what it can see even if the water is crystal clear. they are much more of a hassle to deploy. and keep in a certain position.
it's nice to have both options, but the camera is not used much for these reasons.
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I fish Lake Shabbona regularly year round. Sonar ia a must there but sonar does not tell me what fish I may be looking at. Camera helps. Also sonar does not tell me what is buried in the weeds. I use Helix 10 on the boat, HB 797c2 for ice fishing (flasher function) and Aquavu camera year round. Don't always catch fish but I have fun.