IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: Preacher_man on Dec 15, 2003, 10:34 AM
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Help!!!!I'm trying to decide if I really need the dual beam. You guys that have FL-18's,do you think I should just go with the standard 12deg. or that the dual will come in handy. I do plan on fishing the Pack so maybe the dual will come in handy. Give me some feedback!!!! I can't make up my mind!! I hate decisions!!
Preacherman
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I just got to use mine for the first time today, and it is cool. I went with the dual because I will primarily be fishing shallow water, and I needed the larger cone, but I think even if I was fishing deeper water more often I think I still would have gone with it.
It is just a few $ more, and I think the flexability it gives is worth the extra coin.
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Depends on water depth you plan on fishing the most.
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Preacher_Man,
This is directly from the Vexilar web site:
The FL-18 was developed mainly for Walleye and Perch fisherman to enable them to see these fish very close to the bottom. Although the wide beam transducer will plug in and work with the FL-18, it has too much "dead zone" to perform well for this application. Therefor, a 19 degree cone is not offered with the FL-18.
You can also go to this page http://www.vexilar.com/help/contact.html (http://www.vexilar.com/help/contact.html) and ask them directly via e-mail. They usually respond within a day. If you want faster help, there is a telephone number listed also.
Hope this helps!
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Get the dual beam...its worth it for the little extra $'s. Your going to have the unit a long time and why sit there and regret later. You may fish a certain type of water now but who knows where you'll live and fish five years from now. Flexibility is always good.
I generally use the 18degree beam in water less than 40' (specially when searching because of the larger coverage area) and anything deeper I generally go with the 9 degree but nothing is set in stone. I'd also use the narrow beam if I was focusing tight to bottom and wanted better resolution even in shallow water. The dead spot is smaller with the narrow beam and this can be very important. If the bottom is sloped the wider cone angle can mean a much larger blind area on the bottom. Every application will be different but in the end being able to change is very nice.
Cheers
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Thanks a lot guys. You helped me make up my mind. Jam Jam your right about the vesatility and cost is just a little more but I think its worth it. ;D
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I bought my fl18 at the beginning of last season, and posted the same question, I got a lot of help from this forum, I bought one with the standard 12º td. About the deepest I fish is 60', mostly in the 10 to 30 foot range, and the 12º is perfect for me.
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:-*hi all. ihave two fl18s. one with the dual transducer and one with the 12. iuse the dual all the time and it does a real good job. in 20feet of water i can fish so close to the bottem and see the smallest fish come up a matter of inches. if it moves i see it on the bottom. what else can you want. there are more fish close to the bottom than any where else. when no one is catching them and they cant be seen i can set up most of the time and show you fish comeing up to inspect the bait lure or whatever. buy the dual trans. and be completely satisfied. rodger woods
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Thanks for the advice,Roger. I appreciate!!
Preacherman