IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Michigan => Ice Fishing Michigan => Topic started by: topfish on Jan 05, 2022, 07:20 PM
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Looking for feedback on Garmin 65cv or Marcum lx7 li. I have a Marcum. Vx1 and looking to upgrade. Any insight is appreciated!
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Not really sure about marcums but I’ve got the garmin your looking at and it’s an awesome unit. I don’t believe you could go wrong with it. My only regret is not getting the next model up so I could have the option to get panoptics if I wanted. :tipup:
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I absolutely love my Marcum 7li, but as other posted said if I could get the higher level Garmin with the option. That is the most amazing fishfinder I have seen. Watched the fish swim right up to bait everytime, and not line by line but actually see sonar indication in realtime.
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I just got a humminbird helix 7 you can use sonar or flasher seperatley or at same time I haven't got to use it yet but I'm sure looking forward to some ice.
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Garmin should be a good brand.
I use Marcum. I bought the lx7 standard and upgraded to their lx9 by sending in the lx7.
Later I upgraded again as soon as their shuttle became available. The camera is hardly ever used, but nice if you want to look around or retrieve items.
Digital is way better than analog for myself. Plenty of features analog can not produce. You'll be glad you made the choice to leave analog as a back up if you keep it.
My hummingbird ice 55 is a paper weight and a huge waste of my money. Wish I never bought it.
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Curious of battery life on these high end units that have multi use functions??? I have an OLD vex fl18 and still love it. I'll get 2 all day trips no sweat. I do like the idea of watching the fish though.
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I think Garmin is the most user friendly, if you’re low-tech like me. Got them in the boat and the ice shanty
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After going to the expo and talking with a sales representative (he didn't have to do to much selling, lol) I purchased the lx7. Trying it out for the first time tomorrow. Based on eve I've seem and read, this should be the last finder for many years.
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Enjoy!!!
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Marcum makes a high speed transducer for your lx7. If you'd like it on a boat.
https://marcumtech.com/product/ducer-vx-high-speed/
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I like my lx7 except for one thing. I move around a lot and if I pick it up by the strap on the case it tips forward so I think the unit is going to fall out. The cover over the front that should hold it in is hard to get tightly closed with the velcro. So I always put my hand in through the back to get my fingers under the bar above the battery. That's a tight fit with gloves on and then sometimes it will push loose one of the wires where it attaches to the battery. They should have made it a lot easier to carry the thing from hole to hole.
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Ditch the bag 🎒
Their shuttle doesn't use a soft carry case.
Run the velcro battery hold down straps over the power wires to secure them. It keeps them tight to the battery and out of the way.
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Thanks 3300. I've already got the battery tie down straps over the wires, but I'm adding some electricians tape to help secure the connection. Your ditch the bag suggestion makes sense. But then the plastic bottom on the unit sits right in freezing slush, snow, water. What shuttle are you referring to that doesn't use a soft carry case? Has anybody had experience using this with the ls7? https://www.trophyoutdoorproducts.com/product-page/elite-shuttle-case Thanks for your suggestions and I hope to learn from anybody who has dealt with this problem. I did see this post from last year so I know a lot of people have had to deal with this. https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=382145.0
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You have cloth or plastic in water, slush, ice and snow. The head unit has a snow shield. The rest is basically plastic. My shuttle sits in the same conditions as yours. When I fish stationary I set the sonar up high to save the neck like the picture I posted while fishing last night with negative wind chills. I prefer to move around.
My lx7 that came with case like yours would freeze and stick and collect ice and snow even after waterproofing it. I've seen other cases unravel and try to tear.
Marcum shuttle doesn't come with a cloth carry case. No more issues with the cloth on ice.
It's what I use and has nice features, but one downside and that is their battery is only replaceable by them. Mine is one of the first and still working fine. Was $250 years ago. Now $200.
Being you bought the lithium lx7 you don't need to use the shuttle for power. If you wanted the features it has you could add the lithium battery to the top rear of the shuttle in theory. When my shuttle battery needs to be replaced that's the direction I will try.
Another option is their shuttle has a charge port that one could plug another 12v battery into to add power run times. You could use both power options at that point. I also use a battery in an ammo box with a light on it and it powers my shanty lights and could power the shuttle all at the same time, but not for hole hopping.
https://marcumtech.com/product/lithium-shuttle/
The second link you mentioned talks of this shuttle.
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Thanks again 3300. I'm going to just ditch the bag and set the thing directly on the ice. I'll see how that goes and take it from there.
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Thanks again 3300. I'm going to just ditch the bag and set the thing directly on the ice. I'll see how that goes and take it from there.
I bought the lx7li which came with the lithium base. So no bag. But my other marcum vx-1p cave with the bag you speak about and I've had the unit over 8 years now and never had any problems with freezing on ice or falling out.
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In case anyone else is sick of dealing with the lx7 soft case here's the way to fix it. Sew two velcro straps onto the case and fasten them across the base behind the depression where you store the transducer. I got the idea from this video at about 3:30 minutes. I appreciate that my wife volunteered to do the sewing because it is not easy getting a needle through that heavy canvas and velcro. Now I can use the handle on top with no chance that the unit is going to fall out the front.
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Spend the money and get a livescope or mega live. They're unbelievable. Why buy something that in 5 years is old tech.
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Spend the money and get a livescope or mega live. They're unbelievable. Why buy something that in 5 years is old tech.
Not everyone has 2 gs to drop on a fishfinder..... I know i dont.... Or id already have one lol
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Some dont need it either.i for sure dont when my peasant vexilar works fine.
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No one needs it lol.... But boy the toys we have sure make things easier...... Curious if the winner of the Midwest open will be a livescope user
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No sideview electronics are allowed on the Midwest Open.
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Smart.... Them it isnt necessarily whos the best fisherman but who has the deepest pockets
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Some dont need it either.i for sure dont when my peasant vexilar works fine.
Agreed.....I'd father forget my fishing rods than my vex fl18
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Spend the money and get a livescope or mega live. They're unbelievable. Why buy something that in 5 years is old tech.
I checked them out at an ice fishing show three years ago. It's bulky, heavy and cumbersome. Too many moving parts and requires both hands to move.
Last I heard they are trying to incorporate the black box into the head unit. Might be cool to check it out again afterwards.
Not ideal for my type of fishing.