Make your own ice fishing flasher cheap

[LoveIce]

Thanks to the help from the guys at the WIS.Forums.I did it.One Zercom realtime sonar depth flasher REFERBED.with a 1 year Warenty Of of e-bay $37.00 One genz pack of from the site at www.reedssports.com $19.95 Battery and charger at Cabelas.com for $25.00   grand total $82.00 bucks.You can go to ebay and put in zercom on the search and click it and they will pull up and they have them there I think the guy has alot of them dont bid over $40 bucks one guy got one last night for $32.00 Good luck

[jp]

I just got one for $32. can't wait to get.

[gunner1]

Thanks to the help from the guys at the WIS.Forums.I did it.One Zercom realtime sonar depth flasher REFERBED.with a 1 year Warenty Of of e-bay $37.00 One genz pack of from the site at www.reedssports.com $19.95 Battery and charger at cabelas.C0M for $25.00   grand total $82.00 bucks.You can go to ebay and put in zercom on the search and click it and they will pull up and they have them there I think the guy has alot of them dont bid over $40 bucks one guy got one last night for $32.00 Good luck

 Just how exactly did you go about this? I would love to have a fish flasher, but the $400 is a little steep.

[WalleyeWarrior]

I dont see any flashers for 32 bucks

[jp]

go to ebay and type in zercom there are 3 today

[LoveIce]

Go to the forums page.Then scroll down to the state of Maine click it ,that will put you in the state of maine forums.Now on the first page you will find where it says build a cheap flasher  by love ice click it, it will take you in ,now I have it all spealed out from a-z .Good luck if this is helping you guys let me know thanks

[P Gottshall]

My dad has picked up three flashers over the last couple years at garage sales for $5 each.  Honestly.  Two are Humminbird Super-60's, and the third is an Eagle portable.  I especially like the Eagle, as it contains a lantern battery.  With the others, I setup with a motorcycle battery, which is a little heavier.

These are single color, but $5 guys.  I got my first Vex this year, and must honestly say I'm not that impressed yet.  I did have good success with the single color, & the Vex bit the wallet a bit.

The biggest challenge I had was with the transducer, which I finally figured out a good way to handle.  I think I posted this here before, but here it is anyway:

Last year was the first I've really gotten into ice-fishing, & did a lot of reading, & realized I needed electronics. Not wanting to spend $300+ yet on a Vex, I made up a rig to float my Humminbird transducer, which I wish I could give you a pic of, but let me draw you a mental image.
I first had a rod, mounted to a box on the ice, to hold the transducer. Every time I bumped it it was misaligned, & that transducer really needs to be horizontal to work well. I saw a Vex, & decided floating the transducer was the only way.

But, for trolling-motor mounted transducers, the cable comes out the side, & hangs wrong, so I couldn't simply add a float to the cable. Good thing I are an educated engineer. . .

Here's my solution:

Cut 3/4" PVC about 24in long. On the bottom of it, mount a T. Cut across the length of the T with a good saw, creating a flat surface that the transducer will sit against.

Use wire-ties to mount the transducer, like you would on your trolling motor, on the flat side of the T. As you hold onto the 24" section, the transducer should be hanging parallel to the floor.

On the top of the 24in piece, slide on a piece of foam pipe-insulation. Adjust the length of the foam so it hangs low in the water; too high & the weight of the PVC will lean, causing misalignment.

I also cut a slit up the side & pushed the cable inside of it.

That's it. Pretty simple, & it works great, for a single-color flasher. For 60min of work and $2 in material, my $5 Humminbird is now an ice-fishing machine.

If you're interested, drop me an e-mail & I'll send you a sketch: [email protected]

Good luck,
Paul

[LoveIce]

Thanks for the tip

[pot-belly-perch]

Thanks for the tip I will keep it in mind  8) 8)

[tomf]

LoveIce,
I just won the Zercom RTS sonar on e-bay as you recommended( won it for $37.50) I will also be buying the genz box and battery you recommended.  Just wondering how this unit compares to the more expensive Fl-8?  What differences are there.  
Also, I already have a Eagle Supra ID LCD fish finder. I can usually see my jig on the screen and it shows the bottom very well.  It shows fish with a fish symbol and its depth.  Will the Zercom be better for ice fishing? In what ways??
I was also thinking of buying the styrofoam float, for the transducer, on the Vexilar site (for $2.50) would this work?

[Fat Boy]

For everyone that doesn't have a flasher, this is great news.  Get in on this and catch more fish.  I love my Zercom.  Wish that I had e-bay when I bought it because I paid well over $200 for it.  And, it has been worth every penny.  No excuse for not having one now!

[LoveIce]

PREACH  IT MY BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!  CHEAP is GOOOOOOD

[DanthefishinMan]

You can also buy the factory reconditioned Zercom RTS direct from the company (Excess Tech) that offers them on Ebay.  Price is $39.95 with free shipping (I think you have to pay shipping on Ebay.)  They have a store at store.yahoo.com/excess-tech.  Also, you can get the owners manual for free from Humminbird.  Go to Humminbird.com and send them an email.  You can also buy accessories (but pricey!) for the Zercom RTS on Humminbird.com--click on accesories and then click on Zercom Marine.

[Ottawa_fish]

To tomf:

Turn off Fish ID and put chart speed into max  on your Eagle
- you will increase response time of you LCD dramatically.
It still will not be as fast as your flasher, but in fact it will
be pretty close. Generally your Eagle Supra ID will give you
better resolution than RTS and you will also have a possibily
of zooming.  

[duketter]

This is great.  Does the transducer it comes with work for ice fishing.  I have never really used one of these yet but don't want to spend the money on a vex right now.  Does anybody have any input how these compare to the vex's?  Has anyone put one to the test yet?  

[Pa_Mountin_Man]

just got mine today.ups has been holding the unit & the genz pack since monday-hope to get it together & try it out tomorrow.i'll post my results tomorrow,better yet hopefully to busy reelin' them up!

[howey1176]

Whats a genz pack?  

[LoveIce]

It holds your flasher and batt.A guy genz camup with it to bring every thing on the ice with as one

[duketter]

So how can you tell your jig from the bottom from the fish on this thing?  On a vex it has different colors if I am not mistaken?  sorry for the ignorance.  But is it show just different gray lines on that bar graph on the Zercom RTS??

[LoveIce]

The bottom doesnt move and it is a strong sig, its thick.The fish and jig are moving all the time,and the sig. changes realtime ,the bottom stays the same if you have color any fish laying on bottom is still hard to read soetimes but they come and go ,I have both a color flasher and the zercom rts

[howey1176]

Is the genz pack imperitive to have, or is it something you can make yourself?

[LoveIce]

The one I just helped a friend make we used a 10.00 plastic tool box.

[duketter]

One more question....How do these transducers work?  Do you just drill a hole in the ice obviously and then drop the transducer down the hole, but how far?  Just below the ice?  A couple feet down?  Does it just depend on the depth of the water?  For example, 20 feet of water do you just put the transducer right below the ice?  The flasher I am talking about is the Zercom RTS.  

[jp]

I took a pice of nylon and made a attachment for the trans. seems to work good so far.just drop it down the hole like a ice ducer.
.

[LoveIce]

I like the standucer just bellow the bottom of the ice.lower it down ,you will have to make it set level.I used a peace of copper pipe12" and zip ties and at the top of the transducer thier are 2 holes I screwd the ducer to the copper pipe and zip tied the cable to the pipe and it will hang level

[tomf]

I took a pice of nylon and made a attachment for the trans. seems to work good so far.just drop it down the hole like a ice ducer.
.
(Image removed from quote.)

jp, just exactly did you make this?
Does it hold the transducer level??

[tomf]

My dad has picked up three flashers over the last couple years at garage sales for $5 each.  Honestly.  Two are Humminbird Super-60's, and the third is an Eagle portable.  I especially like the Eagle, as it contains a lantern battery.  With the others, I setup with a motorcycle battery, which is a little heavier.

These are single color, but $5 guys.  I got my first Vex this year, and must honestly say I'm not that impressed yet.  I did have good success with the single color, & the Vex bit the wallet a bit.

The biggest challenge I had was with the transducer, which I finally figured out a good way to handle.  I think I posted this here before, but here it is anyway:

Last year was the first I've really gotten into ice-fishing, & did a lot of reading, & realized I needed electronics. Not wanting to spend $300+ yet on a Vex, I made up a rig to float my Humminbird transducer, which I wish I could give you a pic of, but let me draw you a mental image.
I first had a rod, mounted to a box on the ice, to hold the transducer. Every time I bumped it it was misaligned, & that transducer really needs to be horizontal to work well. I saw a Vex, & decided floating the transducer was the only way.

But, for trolling-motor mounted transducers, the cable comes out the side, & hangs wrong, so I couldn't simply add a float to the cable. Good thing I are an educated engineer. . .

Here's my solution:

Cut 3/4" PVC about 24in long. On the bottom of it, mount a T. Cut across the length of the T with a good saw, creating a flat surface that the transducer will sit against.

Use wire-ties to mount the transducer, like you would on your trolling motor, on the flat side of the T. As you hold onto the 24" section, the transducer should be hanging parallel to the floor.

On the top of the 24in piece, slide on a piece of foam pipe-insulation. Adjust the length of the foam so it hangs low in the water; too high & the weight of the PVC will lean, causing misalignment.

I also cut a slit up the side & pushed the cable inside of it.

That's it. Pretty simple, & it works great, for a single-color flasher. For 60min of work and $2 in material, my $5 Humminbird is now an ice-fishing machine.

If you're interested, drop me an e-mail & I'll send you a sketch: [email protected]

Good luck,
Paul

Paul,
I think I follow you right up to the foam pipe insulation part.  Whats the purpose of this and exactly how is it attached (is it just slid over the 24" PVC)?

[jp]

I have used it 3 times with good results so far. depending on the kinks in the line It does hold the transducer level in the water.

[MikeF150]

LoveIce - I just rec'd all three components (Genz pack, Zercom & battery) yesterday... how did you mount the Zercom to the blue Genz pack.?  Any pics?
TIA..... Mike

[ryan johnson]

this is the carrying case i made for my clearwater pro that i bought off e-bay..paid 60 american for them.. i bought three ..all brand new..Ihave an rts that i got for 30 bucks as well..and a lcf-40..sold two of the pros and made my money back..the lcf-40's and the pros have quite a bit better target seperation..so if you can get a hold of those..the reason I have the bendable transducer holder,is because i fish in current..this allows me to angle the transducer towards my jig,alowing better seperation..I think i  may make a one of my units into a lake flasher with a weighted transducer..I like the picture above,,,just all i would do is pour some lead weight into that little cone above the transducer..this would unkink the line and hold the trans. more level..(Ithink)