fishing electronics help

[lyterx]

Ice fishing a few years with very limited results...  I am ready to invest in some electronics to help find fish, I hope. Not sure what I want or even what I need. Have been checking out the marcum showdown 5.6 dual beam, looks simple to use. Is this a good tool or is there better for the same amount of money. So what works well or didn't work well for you? Thanks in advance in getting me pointed in the right direction.

[oneman]

That is a perfectly fine flasher and will increase your catch x10 when fishing for panfish. I prefer the Marcum lx-3tc, but that's just me. Either one will dramatically increase your catch.

[tackleshack]

Hi Lyterx,

got your PM.  Everyone here will tell you ANY flasher is better than no flasher, however everyone has a different opinion on what is the 'best' unit.  I've fished with and sold a bunch of the showdown units and they are very easy to use.  My only complain with the showdowns is that they are black/white.  Most of the time, you would never have a probelm with this, but it would frustrate me when fish were on the bottom and it is a little tougher to show what is a fish and what is the bottom.  As you saw, I now have a MarCum LX-5.  previously, we had been using a Vexilar FL-12.  Both are round units.  The FL-12 runs about the same price as one of those Showdown 5.6 dual beams.  I have not used any of these units in deep water.  My lakes are mostly only 25 feet or less where we are fishing.  The round units appear more confusing than the are.  Granted, mine has many features that I still need to learn how to use, but in its basic settings, once you stare at if for a little while and catch a fish or two, you quickly understand what you are seeing on the display.  I like the color units because it is easier to see seperations between fish.  3 different colors is easier to decipher than shades of grey, however the top to bottom vertical display on a showdown is very simple to read for depth.

I always find that when we talk about fishing gear, the words 'best' and 'better' are very arbitrary.  Quality wise, I would trust most anything from Vex or MarCum, but 'best' is an opinion of the user.  Like oneman said, any unit will dramatically increase your catch.

DOn

[frost]

I have a vexilar fl8 and have increased catching fish 100%. I have seen others with the showdown and other units and to me it doesn't matter as long as you know how to use it and what your looking at. I got the fl8 cause it was what I could afford at the time and have yet to find a complaint about it. But as was said above anything is better than nothing.

[lyterx]

Thanks for all the input. Not trying to open a can of worms on electronics, just pros and cons. I am leaning towards the round over the showdown now.

[Chris338378]

I was in the same boat as you are, never had any electronics from when I started in 1996 until last year when I decided to buy a fish finder.  I spent lots of hours researching them and decided on the Showdown Dual Beam and couldn't be happier.  It's simple to use and works as advertised.  Some people don't like that it's not a color screen but that's no big deal to me but if they made a color one I'd buy it.  I just didn't like the idea of watching a circle of flashing lights, that seemed pretty annoying and confusing until I would've figured it out.

[lyterx]

I was in the same boat as you are, never had any electronics from when I started in 1996 until last year when I decided to buy a fish finder.  I spent lots of hours researching them and decided on the Showdown Dual Beam and couldn't be happier.  It's simple to use and works as advertised.  Some people don't like that it's not a color screen but that's no big deal to me but if they made a color one I'd buy it.  I just didn't like the idea of watching a circle of flashing lights, that seemed pretty annoying and confusing until I would've figured it out.

Did it help you catch more fish?

[caddy084]

Any flasher will increase your catch rate, and there all good. Get the one you like, and can afford. No mater which one you choose, you won't be sorry.

[Slam]

I agree with everything that has already been said.  I have been using an LX-3tc for four years and really like it.  They not only give you an idea of when fish are below you, but more importantly how the fish are reacting to your bait/ lure.  Also, they are helpful when fish are suspended.

[crazyhockeydad]

I bought a zercom unit on ebay this summer it is similar to the Marcum Showdowner. Can anyone tell me where I can get an owners manual for it? Thanks

[BIGCREW]

I bought a flasher years ago and used it for many years,when the showdown troller came out I figured for the price of it I would give it a try and I couldnt be happier,it fits in my pocket the battery life is good and it definatly works,I do most of my fishin after work and like cris said watching that thing for a few hours would drive my eyes nuts with the showdown you dont have that,a color screen would be killer to maybe in the future they will have one I hope

[nite eyes]

Another thing to keep in mind with the Showdown units is that as they introduce new models, you can send your unit back to Marcum and get it updated. I have one of the original Showdown units and I sent it back last summer and got it upgraded to the 5.6. I love mine!

[crazyhockeydad]

Anyone have any info on the zercom?

[step2jimi]

I bought the showdown ice trolller last year and loved it. then I decided to pull the fish finder off my boat and see how it would work for ice fishing. now the troller is a back up or for my friends to use. after playing with the settings a little bit I found that my fish finder I already had was just as good as anything I could by. tried it yesterday for the first time in 100+ ft of water jigging lakers and had no problem seeing a small tube jig and the fish all the way on the bottom. I also like how when I walk away from the screen for a second I can come back and see if anything came up to take a look.

[Jiffyjerk]

what type do you use on your boat that you rigged for ice fishing, because my humminbird says it can do ice fishing and have brought up the flasher part while summer fishing
I would need a bag and battery pack with a ice transducer, just wondered if you might have the same

[step2jimi]

It's an old matrix 12. I use the same ducer off the boat. I had an old aqua view that I didn't use. I took the monitor off and mounted the fish finder on top. Then mounted the ducer to an arm that goes down the hole. You have to make sure everything's level on the ice and it works great.

[tef bandit]

i purchased a lowrance elite 4 x works great and i can use it on my boat in the summer ,can use in graph mode or you can use it in sonar mode.can see the tiniest of jigs all the way to the bottom you can watch fish come in you can actually tell when you are about to get a bite .would not go with out it now. 

[chukkrok]

been using the marcum showdown for a couple years.. I like the vertical graph... don't see the need for a dual beam.. I always thought that if anything you may want to increas the beamwidth ... unless your fishing very deep water... the dual beam doesn;t seem necessary...*my .02...but I do like my showdown..

[lyterx]

Thanks for all the input fellas. Looks like anything is better than nothing. Showdown and flasher is just a matter of pref. Thanks again fellas.

[Crappie_Rod]

I really like my show down. got it towards the end of the season 2 years ago. only got out 1 time last year and 1 time so far this year.

[cmwrestler2008]

I honestly believe it's personal prefrence, I have the showdown 5.6 and love it! I just think there easier to read than a flasher but either way you go it's better do have some kind of electronics than nothing at all!

[fishinvic]

I have the hummingbird 35 that has done well for me it has a duel beem and three color screan that I like ,the duel beam comes in handy when you are in the shack with anouther flaser to help interfearenc .

[Chris338378]

The showdown Dual Beam has helped me catch LOTS more fish.  On day my friend, who taught me to ice fish and I would've said he could catch a fish in any time any where, went fishing and at the end of the day he caught one fish to my 24.  On another day I caught 30 to his 6.  Does it help, ABSOLUTELY, but it's no magic lure or fish magnet  what it does is tells you if there are fish there and where at.  The rest is up to you, just because the fish are there doesn't mean you're going to catch them, no flasher will do that.