IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => General Tips => Topic started by: chop1 on Sep 06, 2014, 06:43 PM
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if you had to pick between a tent or a flasher ? the wife will only let me pick one for now . fish and stay warm or freeze and catch more.
decisions ,decisions
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Flasher, useful in any weather, usually only really need a tent on very ugly days
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You were fishing in the elements without a tent ....you will be catching fish in the elements with a flasher ..
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A flasher hands down. It makes so much difference when you are fishing. Once you get used to using one, you will wonder why you waited so long to get one. I may use my shack 20% of the days that I fish, I use my flasher 100% of the days that I fish.
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I owned a flasher before I owned a shanty.as stated earlier, you will go from fishing to catching.i never would have imagined the numbers I pull out now. It will easily triple your catch some days
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Having owned a tent before a flasher ...I can say if you have a flasher first ... that will determine what type of fisherman you will be destined to be come ...a run and gun or a stay put fisherman ...I like my portable for mobility getting a flasher proved that ..getting on fish as opposed to waiting on fish ..either way you will know what's down there or not ...now what unit to purchase ..?????
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that would be great because last year was my first year and the catching didn't happen very much. lol ;D
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I want to start with the marcum vx1 pro
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I have one and it is a great entry level flasher and will not break the bank. Easy to use and understand. I fish with a LX-9 now. Broke the bank. lol The wife uses the VX-1 pro now.
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look into the Lowrance units. they are BOTH flasher and graph. it makes the unit a all year unit and will save money that way. i have the x67, got it when it first came out and i must say its awesome! i really wonder how i ever caught anything before...
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i have a hummingbird portable unit for open water , didn't like it for the hard water.
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So it seems like you decided on a flasher .The Marcum VX 1 will get you on fish ...nice priced unit with a bag included ...researched one for my buddy last season who did purchase it ...seems to be a solid unit ...I have a Vex FL 18..goig on 12 yrs now . Black Friday coming up so some prices may drop down some on units ...do your research and pounce on a deal (at least 20% off MSRP)
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Another vote for the flasher, you can dress for the elements....look at Rebs newspaper post on the Brainerd Tournament where no tents or shacks are allowed.....-40 with wind chill.... ;D
The flasher may not guarantee you fish, but it will guarantee that you're fishing where the fish are, thus, increasing your odds of icing them. The rest will be up to you to figure out what they want, presentation, finess, colors, etc. etc.....
One last thing.....make sure you have sharp blades on your auger and a backup set. If you're anything like most of us on here, you're going to be drilling more holes than you did before! Best of luck this season! :thumbsup: :icefish:
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Once you mastered your Flasher..develop your style of fishing...then you'll have a good idea of what style/size tent you should buy ...flip style, hub style, single man ..two man. .or larger 300D..600D...1200D ...uninsulated ...insulated ...
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Some excellent advice! I would opt for the flasher also. No matter what you do "Good luck and have a safe season!"
WS
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can't believe the word "camera" wasn't mentioned. the new cfish camera is pretty inexpensive and seems like a solid machine.
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can't believe the word "camera" wasn't mentioned. the new cfish camera is pretty inexpensive and seems like a solid machine.
Someone with a flasher will out fish a person with a camera all day.... A flasher is so much more mobile and once you learn how to use it properly you can "see" the fish bite just like a camera would allow you to. Also, when the fish gets right on your lure you could just switch from the screen to the rod tip or do what I do and keep the rod tip in front of the flasher so I can still watch both.
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i see your from Alberta Canada what kind of fish are you targeting to need a flasher? lake trout, walleye, pan fish etc.. cause pike i never need one neither did with pan fish but it does help. but some thing like lake trout it mite help? cause your fishing humps/ structure on the bottom of the lakes etc ... i can see were a flasher will help... but if you only fishing like say 15 foot or less in gin clear water for blue gills or pike why get a flasher? i would rather get a shanty and stay all day at that point. although a flasher will help catch more in deeper water like 20-120 foot of water. just got to think about why and some time those reason help others help you decide... i know you need one answer but answering this will answer it for your self...
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i fish shallow lakes with my flasher, 4-10 foot. the flasher tells me exactly how the fish are reacting to the style of lure, bait, and presentation i am using. there have been countless times that i have watched the fish come and look but not bite then i change either my jigging pattern/style or the color lure i am using and they hit.
a flasher is also alot easier to move around as the fish move throughout the day. just try to drag a shanty around to try to follow a school of fish. i bring a seat on a sled and still end up just grabbing my flasher and hopping hole to hole once i get on them. theres no sense in wasting time sitting and hoping they will come back around to you. anyways as you move around you build body heat and warm up, one less reason to need a shelter... that how i put thousands of fish on the ice every year. somedays well over a hundred!!!
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Get the flasher first! Then hang out with guys that have shelters ;)
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the wife said i can't buy them at the same time ,she didn't say anything about a week apart ? it's easier to ask for forgiveness then ask for permission.
lol ;D
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better yet any ideas on what you want for a flasher? like vex or lowrance etc??? and for the shanty flip or hub or cabin ???? >:D
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Flashers are nice, but I'd go shack first. I'd not want to sit in 15 - 20 mph winds with nothing but a flasher to break the wind.
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Get a flasher, I have a fl-8 and fl-20, it will increase your catch and you will move a lot more to find the fish. I have a frabill flip over and it's great but I would give that up before my flasher. Good luck
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Depends on what you're more suited for... if you tend to be on more of the relaxed side or want to be warm, then I'd recommend the tent, but if you'd prefer to endure the cold and catch more fish at that expense, then I'd say flasher. Either way, you're going to benefit from it, but it's which one you wanna benefit from first.
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Flasher first hands down! Got my first flasher last year a Vexilar FLX-28. Will not go out without it! :)
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depends both are nice to have but if you are cold and miserable a flasher wont help you out there and at least with a shanty you will be able to spend more time on the ice.
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But he's already been fishing out in the elements, not catching as many fish to boot.
Get the flasher, start being more productive on the ice and start looking for a used shanty for cheap until your wife will allow you to buy a new one. ;D
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A flasher hands down. It makes so much difference when you are fishing. Once you get used to using one, you will wonder why you waited so long to get one. I may use my shack 20% of the days that I fish, I use my flasher 100% of the days that I fish.
you are so right!!!!
listen to this man. Flasher all the way!
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the wife said i can't buy them at the same time ,she didn't say anything about a week apart ? it's easier to ask for forgiveness then ask for permission.
lol ;D
After you buy them both hide the flasher in the tent... she'll never know @)
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Flasher first, craigslist for a great deal on a shack
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Flasher
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Decide what is more important to you.
catching more fish or comfort
the question will then answer itself.
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OK, here's the plan... Show her the Marcum LX-9, $1,200.00! Then settle with a VX-1P at $329, maybe she will let you get the shanty too! ;D
I have to confess, this ploy has never worked for me. :-\
I would get the Flasher first! ;)
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Was in the same situation last year. I got the flasher. When your catching fish you tend to forget about how cold it is out
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OK, here's the plan... Show her the Marcum LX-9, $1,200.00! Then settle with a VX-1P at $329, maybe she will let you get the shanty too! ;D
I have to confess, this ploy has never worked for me. :-\
I would get the Flasher first! ;)
I see where you going with this ...but instead just buy the VX-1...show her how much money you saved by not buying the LX-9..and then tell her it matches your purse ...I mean wallet .
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I have to agree with most and say flasher. I bought the Marcum VX-1 last year for my boys to use. easy to use and easy to read. I use a lowrance and I can say that LCD screen goes through the battery faster than the Marcum does. I had a shelter first, the kids use the shelters more than I do.
On a side note, I saw someone mention cameras. I have had one for several years and only used it a couple of times.
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I bought the flasher, ion auger and hut all on the same weekend and my wife was with me. She shook her head, but that is the beauty of each having a slush fund the other can't make comments about purchases from. The boat, now thats another story, i still hear about it alot, but she does like it too ;D
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Flasher for sure. You can always fish out of your truck door like the North Dakota boys. I wear good clothes cause I enjoy fishing outside more and hole hoping. Need to warm up just drill a dozen holes. You can find shacks very fair priced used also
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lowrance elite 3x ($99) and a 1 man flip over would fit the bill
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Get yourself a nice flasher and a good quality ice suit. I own a Clam ProTC flip and seldom get in it. It is nice to have when it gets really nasty out though. But mostly I pull my gear around in it. My style is to cut a series of holes, drop the flasher in them, fish them hard for a few minutes each and if I don't stir up some action, I then move on down the point or shoreline. A good ice suit, with some proper light layering, is like wearing a nice shelter and I've fished in the open in sub-zero weather. Best of success to you!
- wyoutdoors :tipup:
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Flasher
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Put yer foot down and tell the wife yer getting both.....lol
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I was in the same predicament last year, I went with the flasher and would do it again. Its probaly the best thing I bought for ice fishing. I can do without a shelter, but wont go without my flasher
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Definitely a flasher then a tent
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get the flasher and lay up u'll be good to go. good luck.
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My lx5 has been a game changer for me. A good gps with points marked from my boat before hand is a must also. Just tell her the fish trap and flasher was a package deal.
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Just bought a Vexilar FL-20. It is awesome. Flasher without question.
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i bought a marcum lx3 tc a few weeks ago and now looking for a tent . can't decide between a hub or flip . i fish mostly alone . i like the idea of a roomy hub
(eskimo 949) but also like to run and gun . decisions decisions ???
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Hub will make you stay put ....a flip is portable will let you run and fish ...glad you choose a flasher and good luck with it . What type of fisher are you or will be ....tip up with some jigging or a jigging fisherman that uses some tip ups?
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i'm still learning the rope but i think i fall in the jigging fisherman that uses some tip ups. i have a clam ice suit to stay warm , just want shelter for the real cold days . i think the hub takes less room and if i have my son come out i will need a little more room . pros and cons
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I like the mobility of a flip type shanty...
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I'm ice fishing since I was 6yrsold old and I'm 44 now. My wife got me a tent 5yrs ago for christmas and if I was in it 3 times that's a lot.when she goes she drags it, my sled is full and don't want to drag 2,I fish alone most of the time.I just got a vexliar fl8 and I'm new at that,never used one. But most guys have them and said if they forgot the flasher,they would drive back home and get it.I would go with the flasher,and get the tent next year,or buy a cheap pop up blind and u can have both?
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I like the mobility of a flip type shanty...
That would be my choice ...many makes and models to choose from ...remember when fishing alone you could always remove one seat out of a two man ...many threads/opinions of what the many choices offer just do a search of that particular make/model and read away ...couple things with hub shelters I would point out ...door size ...window height ...tent height..all vary best way is to determine which is right is to check some out ...even just one will give you a sense of whats to your liking ..most ice fisherman will let you view their set up on ice ..and give you pros and cons of their hub .
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I love the mobility of a flip. I hardly ever get it right the first time. I had a hub and it kept me from moving,
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When I was faced with this decision ,I bought both . I was able to wait for deals and bought both within my budget. Easy choice
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flasher
bought the lx-7 last season, first flasher after seeing many others out there. Buy some good arctic carhart coveralls and skip the shelter this year. no sense settling getting comfy in a shelter and not knowing whats below the ice...it truly is a game changer, I almost feel foolish not owning a real ice fishing fish finder before this past season other than I am real glad that I have had nothing but positive experiences with the lx-7
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Flasher all the way. I got a Lowrance M68 Ice machine and a Showdown Dual beam (for Dad). I don't bother hauling out the tent unless I need it. Wouldn't be caught dead out on the ice without the following... Flasher, Spring Bobbers and Spikes... the rest is all optional... or just about optional... :roflmao:
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I don't always bring my hut with me...
I NEVER, EVER go fishing without my flasher (and actually bring a spare one to boot!).
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I'd get a flip, throw all your gear in and go. I have both flips and hubs, probably haven't used a hub in 5 years.
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For me, it was a no-brainer. I had to get a flasher. Unless I'm constantly catching fish in one hole, I won't bother with a tent. I'm a very mobile ice fisherman, and I'm always on the move. Not uncommon for me to cover over 3 miles of ice and 150 holes in a day. I'm mostly towing a sled on foot as well....so a tent would be a huge pain. Now that I've got a flasher...hopefully it'll make life easier. I can see a tent being good for a tip-up user though.
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Id get the flasher first.
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I will know soon I have to shanties and just bought a flasher and going on a fishing trip this week hope I like it
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Flasher, useful in any weather, usually only really need a tent on very ugly days
X2 on this one. GOOD ADVICE!
:tipup:
NBG
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Up here in Saskatchewan winters can be VERY cold and windy, so having a some type of shelter is important if one wants to fish more than not. This last week temperature during the day with the wind were in the -30s F.
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flasher they change fishin completely its a lot easier to deal with the cold when your catchin fish atleast it is for me
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Catching fish out in the elements, cold, what cold, you'll be grinning with snotsicles on your face. Fishless in your tent, you'll warm, but still miserable, wishing you had stayed home. I am not saying it's guaranteed catching with a flasher, but it's a game changer instead of fishing blind.
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I would get a flasher first i use it way more then my shanty.
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Without my Marcum I'd be like a lost dog on the ice. Most days that I fish, my auger has about an inch of ice coated on it. If you ever get cold, drill another hole ;D
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Up here in Saskatchewan winters can be VERY cold and windy, so having a some type of shelter is important if one wants to fish more than not. This last week temperature during the day with the wind were in the -30s F.
I agree. Having a flasher and sitting at home is not much fun. Besides used to be able to find fish before I had sonar or cameras.
Tent will make your time more enjoyable. But if you live where it doesnt get very cold or windy, sonar might be a good choice.
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Flasher first. Stay warm pulling fish out of the hole. ;D