best budget flasher ?

[ougot1]

I need help choosing a budget flasher for next year , the marcum m1 seems like a good unit , but thats the only one i have seen working , any help greatly appreciated !

[hawg]

A used Vexilar FL18.

[fishinhog]

Garmin Striker 4

[RStock521]

Another vote for Garmin Striker 4 Plus.  Great units for the money.

[badger132]

I have 2 of the Marcum Showdown troller units, and even thought I have upgraded to a 7 inch Garmin, I still bring those 2 units for others and they still work great. No problem seeing the bait, and the vertical display is easy for anyone to understand. I put in 6 AA rechargeable, and get several days use out of them. I built a wooden stand to hold it in a good position for fishing, and also to make something big enough that it does not fall down the hole. They are on sale now from Marcum:

https://marcumtech.com/product/showdown-troller-2-0/

You also could not go wrong with a Striker 4, but by the time you get a case, battery, and an ice transducer, you will be into it a lot more money.

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I used a Marcum M1 for a year and caught all kinds of fish with it on the ice as well as vertical jigging from my boat.  I bought a Vex 28 this year and I like the zoom and that it does stuff automatically but I caught just as many fish with the M1. 
Just get something and learn to use it and learn to interpret what you are seeing on it. 

[FreshwaterPhil]

Have both Marcum M1, and Humminbird ice 35. Each have advantages and disadvantages.

Marcum has better transducer, comes with carrying case, and everything is connected. The transducer arm and stopper system is better for hole hopping if you keep it on ice while you fish.
Gain knob is too sensitive for my liking, it's a bit noisier than humminbird, and display is way smaller.

Humminbird transducer system with floating foam pad is better if you leave it in your sled while hole hopping, but cable and foam tend to build up ice in very cold weather. Gain less sensitive, and display bigger, so I can fine tune it to my liking a lot better.
Battery cable with terminals will break over time and extended use, as they need to be unplugged to charge, as charger comes with alligator clips. It'd also a  bulkier than the Marcum, but easier to get in and out of carrying case when drying it after use.

Bang for buck, I'd give slight edge to Marcum assuming the price is roughly the same.

[RyanW]

I have 2 Marcum VX-1’s (non-brushless “m” version) and they have been great. If you can find an “m” on sale I wouldn’t hesitate to pick one up.

[cwavs1982]

Can't go wrong if you are looking to start with the M1.  I think they are a very quiet unit, have a bottom 5' zoom when  fishing in 20-40', easy to set up and use.  I have the LX3 which has the adjustable zooms, and larger zoom trigger if you need to expand your zoom.  Good units. 

If you are looking for fish on the bottom, you will like this one.

[meandcuznalfy]

Can't go wrong if you are looking to start with the M1.  I think they are a very quiet unit, have a bottom 5' zoom when  fishing in 20-40', easy to set up and use.  I have the LX3 which has the adjustable zooms, and larger zoom trigger if you need to expand your zoom.  Good units. 

If you are looking for fish on the bottom, you will like this one.

X2 on the LX3, love the adjustable zoom on it, and wasn't too spendy.

[T-Hawker]

I would highly recommend a Vexillar FL-18.  Bullet proof and, if fishing more than about 15' deep, the bottom zoom feature is nice.

[meandcuznalfy]

I would highly recommend a Vexillar FL-18.  Bullet proof and, if fishing more than about 15' deep, the bottom zoom feature is nice.

Yep the zoom even works really well in shallow water as well

[njoy]

I have the Marcum m1 and the vex 18. Both are good solid units  Started with the M1 and still using it, like the transducer arm on the M1 .Can't go wrong with either unit.

[TIBS]

Without a doubt the best entry level fish finder available is the Garmin Striker 4.  It has GPS waypoints, flasher mode, graph mode (which I like best) and A-Scope, which is a real time vertical bar on the graph.  You can zoom in and out anywhere on the water column you like, you can bottom lock zoom if you like.  And they’re dead silent. Check out YouTube to see endless videos of these units in action.  Chances are you will find one cheaper than a Marcum M1 as well.

[MumbleSEED]

Garmin Striker 4.  I've seen many different machines in action.  Best Budget Flasher was the question and the Garmin Striker 4 has to be the answer due to what is stated above.

[R.S.]

just go find a used vex.  i got mine for a hundred bucks several years ago.  if your a good fisherman you dont need bells and whistles to do good.  i didnt even have a flasher until i bought that one.  caught plenty of fish without it the previous 30yrs.  i mainly bought it to shoot through the ice to locate fish without drilling a bunch of holes.

[BlueDuck]

Another vote for the Striker 4.

[DR.SPECKLER]

The garmin striker 4 is a great unit but after buying a ice pack i would rather get a vexilar.the garmin open water ducer  works but i dont like the profile of it or its performance.i have both the striker 5 and numerous vexilars and prefer the vex.the screens on the garmin are a real strain to see in sunlight too.cant go wrong with either unit tho.

[Uppervalley Kid]

Marcum show down $125

[iceman260]

Vexilar fl-18 bullet proof unit. It does everything you need.