IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Pennsylvania => Ice Fishing Pennsylvania => Topic started by: 1969Fishing on Dec 31, 2017, 02:25 AM
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What brand flasher do you use and why?
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Vex. Fl8se and fl12 ice pro...seem to be up breakable....yo do have to take care of them like all toys...price was right for fl 12. 300 bucks shipped to the door this year. Now have one for grand kid. ..you pay for...
(https://s17.postimg.cc/xco7gqtwr/26_F409_D3-1_B4_D-4294-_AC74-_B052_F9_EB5083.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/xco7gqtwr/)
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I also have the Vexilar FL8 because it was recommended by a friend; and I have not been disappointed. You can spend more, but this does the job just fine for me. Neat to see you bait going down and if you see fish marking higher just watch your bait come up above the fish and begin the tease!
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I have a marcum vx1 I seems to work pretty well I've only used it a few times once last year and twice this year. It seems to work well and fairly easy to set up and read witch is nice being this is my first flasher I was looking into the vexlar brand but found this marcum new for 189.99 so I decided to try it and haven't had any problem yet
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I have the Marcum Showdown Dual Beam, they discontinued this version for some crazy reason, for the past four years and like it a lot because it's simple to use and understand compared to looking at a multi-colored circle. Another thing I like about it is the dual beam and I can zoom anywhere in the water column. The two biggest complaints people have about the Showdown is that the display isn't multi-colored, it's black and white, and you can't see the entire water column and zoom into a certain area at the same time. If I was going to buy a new flasher my first choice would be the Marcum LX-7 because of the 1/2 inch target separation, it shows you the traditional flasher face, a column which shows the entire water column, another column which shows the area you're zoomed into, the digital depth, battery voltage, range you're set to, gain setting, interference rejection setting, sensitivity setting, or any combination of them. It can also be converted to use in open water if you buy a different transducer. This isn't a cheap investment at a suggested price of $730. My other option if I wanted to save some money would be to go with the LX-6s, which will do everything the LX-7 will but the target separation is 3/4 of an inch and the suggested price is $630.
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I use the Garmin striker 4 portable pack. Originally got it because it was cheap but have been pleased with it so far.
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I have a Marcum VX-1P. Before that I had an old Humminbird flasher that was for boat use. I accidentally dropped the transducer on the Humminbird unit and it stopped reading depths after that mishap. Bought it becuase it was the cheapest one I could get in stock at the time.
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Marcum VX1. Got it 10 yrs ago. Was the cheapest flasher at the time. Love it! Easy to use. Still on the original battery! Can’t go wrong with Marcum or A Vex. Point is without a flasher u are fishing blind!
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This could open a can of worms. I started with a Hummingbird ICE 35. Thought was a great entry level flasher. Problem is noise and it seems to give me a headache if looking at it all day. Few other friends say the same. Bought a Showdown 5.6DB. Had lots of problems with it esp with monitor depth. Was told by Marcum, this is one of reasons they do not make this graph anymore. Went back to Marcum 3 times. (Customer service incredible) Tried Vexilar FL12 and FL 8. Was OK. Then got a Marcum LX7 from tackleshack. All I can say is WOW!!! True 1/2 inch separation, quiet and very responsive. I have mine set up with the round flasher and then the zoom feature on the side in a vertical pattern (Showdown) I would say the best flasher is the one you can afford. Practice with it. You can tell when your bait is off the jig or spoon. The more you use it the better you will get to see all the pros and cons of the flasher. If you are looking for another flasher and unsure what to get, walk around and talk to some guys and many would let you try theirs in a hole to see it. Good luck. Nez
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For entry level flashers I'd take the marcum vx1 (or new m1) over the fl8 vex. The zoom is nice on the marcum.
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For entry level flashers I'd take the marcum vx1 (or new m1) over the fl8 vex. The zoom is nice on the marcum.
You're right there and the M-3 is nice also.
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Helix 5 with ice ducer can be used on boat in summer and ice fishing in winter works very well and gives you many different looks and gps for marking hot spots . also my dad has an ice 35 and it works very well. When gander was closing I was able to snag a Marcum lx3i (think that's it) for $100 bucks just haven't had it out yet. I kinda picked that up for buddies that may not have one.
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I have a Lowrance Ice Machine and love it. It can be used in flasher mode or scroll mode when on a boat with extra transducer. Over the years I've had 5 different flashers and fish finders and the Lowrance for me has been the most dependable.
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X2 on the Lowrance Ice Machine. You can split the screen with traditional flasher and scroll at the same time. Easy to swap from ice to boat/kayak and the case is nice to keep you jigs small tools etc. with you if you move around from hole to hole.
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Since I got the Humminbird ICE 55......my FL-8 sits on the shelf collecting dust now. I get the old Vex out if a friend or family comes with me, for them to use, but I just seemed to really take to the ICE 55 over the FL-8. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Most guys I run into tell me how much they hate the HB line of products.
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Marcum VX1 Pro, has everything you need. Some units come with all the bells and whistles, but this one is basic, simple to use and effective. No issues with it for 5 years now.
-D
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I use a re-furbished FL-8SE I bought directly from Vexilar. If your on a budget, they have a section of refurbs on their website.
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I use a re-furbished FL-8SE I bought directly from Vexilar. If your on a budget, they have a section of refurbs on their website.
I didn't know that.....good info !!
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Marcum vx1 pro.. 1st flasher ever... Will NEVER buy another brand.. Marcum all the way..
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I think brand is irrelevant. The features are what your looking for. Being able to zoom in on the bottom is priceless. I started out with a vx-1. Awesome entry level flasher. It started “bottom bouncing” and I haven’t sent it back for repair yet. I picked up the lx-5 a few years ago. It has a couple more bells and whistles and whistles.
Find one that will do what you want it to do within your budget
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I have the Hummingbird Ice 55. I'm still learning how to use I am far from being an expert on it. but it seems I have to jack up the sensitivity to see my jig which can cause some noise problems. I fish between 10 - 40 ft of wter seems lke the deeper the better it works.
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Lowrance fan here. Thought about upgrading last couple years, but buddies that did, I'm not seeing anything better to get me to pull the trigger. Yeah they might be temperamental at times, and a little challenging to figure out all the features, but when you do you have one heck of a machine!!! Go catch em!
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I’m another one for the showdown. I get motion sickness and my dad’s buddy’s flasher kind of gave me the same feeling. If the weather in western pa was more ice friendly, I would definitely buy an LX-7. Just my .02
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I've had the Marcum LX-6 for 5 or 6 years now. Didn't find the need to spend another $120 for the extra quarter-inch target separation -- and I absolutely love this thing. It has a digital flasher -- but I don't use it much -- I use the moving map which does everything the flasher does -- except in a straight, vertical display -- and it shows the history of what happened for the last 10-15 seconds or so until it moves off the screen. Easy to see your jig (sinkers/swivels as a separate mark if you're using them), the bottom, and see anything that moves into the cone of the sonar. Can't say enough -- these things are really something!
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I've been a Vexilar user for a lot of years - started with an old Hummingbird Tom Mann "Bird Trap" which was a battery eating machine and switched over to the FL8 after my buddy got one. Using the FLX28 now and it's a great machine so far with the weed mode, bottom zoom, and low power options a few reasons I upgraded. I use the Pro transducer and have had favorable results with it, but I don't fish much less than 8 FOW typically, usually around 20'. I just setup a Garmin 43dv I had picked up for kayak fishing to use out on the ice as well - like the GPS and lake map options on that one. Figure out what features are most important to you and start there - a better mousetrap will inevitably come along after you buy the dang thing....
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vex fl 20 for me. had it for probably 6-7 years now and never had a problem. caught everything from stunted blue gill.in 3ft of water right up to jigging lake trout in 120 feet of water. muskies, pike, walleye, crappies. really nice unit with some bells and whistles. really like the bottom lock feature when pounding perch in deepwater
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Have a fl8 that’s 15+ yrs old had the wife surprise me this year with a flx-28...fl8 still runs great just using it for family members who want to fish with me.
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Marcum vx1 here...... compared it to a fl8 and liked the bottom zoom feature....live it.
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Vexilar FL-18...bought it at harrisburg gander mtn 20+ yrs ago on sale $279. Never saw one before that. Absolutely best outdoor purchase I've ever made. Has an auto zoom feature that concentrates the cone on the bottom 6ft, great for finding fish in trees/brush and the ones glued to the bottom.
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last 25 years fl-8.
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I got a Vex FL12 on sale last year. Only got to use it twice. Bad year for ice. Only thing I don't like about it is in water less than 7-8' your cone is only a couple feet wide. They tell me I can get a wider transducer. Any ideas on the subject?
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you can buy a different duce or you can do the swing.
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I got a Vex FL12 on sale last year. Only got to use it twice. Bad year for ice. Only thing I don't like about it is in water less than 7-8' your cone is only a couple feet wide. They tell me I can get a wider transducer. Any ideas on the subject?
https://www.fishusa.com/product/Vexilar-Ice-Ducer-Transducer
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Another vote for the marcum! I have the vx-3tc and love it!!
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They are all good now a days. Buy the one you like and use the hell out of it, lol.
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Thank you all for your answers. It will help me in my decision on what I want
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I have a Marcum Showdown 5.6DB. Got it on Ebay at the end of ice season for a steal. I just searched Marcum and there it was... I wasnt looking for 1 in particular, just anything in my price range to help me hook up more. I love the vertical graph, but I do wish there were colors or better seperation. I have gone from days in a row being skunked to days in a row catching 50+ fish. Poppin quick holes and being able to see whats below is so much easier than jigging random holes with nothing under ya.
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Fl-18 ten years.
Real story is if you have friends or family using a certain brand.
Example -dont bring a marcum near my vex due to interference.
What ever you get,buy one with zoom.spend the extra!
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Thank you all for your answers. It will help me in my decision on what I want
ah it reminds me of the old days just sitting on a bucket and just day dreaming went BAM a fish hit and a swing and a miss!! then one day I saw AL LINDER ice fishing with a boat flasher rigged on a board. so I got my eagle flasher and rigged the transducer screwed to a 2x4 and a bubble level glued to the top of it to keep it parallel to the bottom. and then I never took my eyes off that thing and was never surprised by a hit again. that was in the early 80's and I used that thing until I got my fl-8. will not go fishing with out it. one day the battery died about 3 hours on the ice and I just packed up and went home. son you are going to catch a lot more fish now, but on the down side you are going to see how many fish were under you and just thumbed there nose at you and you go home skunked. have a good season.
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Marcum vx1i it's my first flasher and it does the trick