Product Question

[nightfish70]

There is a vertical flasher on cabelas web site its called the showdown vertical graph  in the ice fishing section and i was wondering if anyone could tell me what combany makes this product or what the name of who makes it.

[bart]

http://www.showdownfishfinder.com/

This should help...

[nightfish70]

thanks I couldn't find it anywere

[iluvcrappie]

I think that it is Nature Vision that makes  it but I haven't heard anything good about these flashers I wouldnt spend that money on it if I was you...........I would get yourself the Lowrance X67C ice machine for 300 bucks you would be much happier with it........hope this helps you

[Buck762]

Get a VEXILAR!!! Never regreted that purchase

[jjmoser]

I have the nature vision one before it was called the showdown and also a vexilar.  Use the vex 100 percent of the time and let the others fishing with me use the showdown.  My showdown needed to be sent back and upgraded, I am interested to see if it works better this season.  Overall I don't think I could ever part with the vexilar but the showdown has some nice features like the vertical display and price tag.  The showdown is definitely not a piece of junk but in my opinion the vexilar is much better.   

[baldy]

if you search on this sight, you'll get a number of threads on this.  just search showdown.
if you want good information on the unit you'll have to weed through a lot of it because so many of these questions get turned into a vex vs lowrance vs marcum vs whatever sonar unit the guy replying has. 
last year's In Fisherman Ice Fishing magazine had a free Nature Vision DVD in it with a demo of the unit that was pretty good.

[Fishback]

i too own a vexilar. it work very well. like all flashers, it takes a bit to learn how to read them. but once you learn the language, they are very helpful. i use mine quite a bit. mine was given to me as a gift. i probably wouldn't have gone out and bought one myself because i don't jig all that much. but now that i have one, i love it. i used it to find the depth of the water column and also to figure out the structure on the bottom. it's pretty neat to be able to "see" a fish come right up to you lure/bait.

vexilar is a good choice.

[lotwfisher]

The showdown works. It is difficult to get used too if you are used to a flasher. I am not super fond of it but it works like its supposed to. The case and the size of the unit is actually really great. Small, compact, great battery life and marks fish. Target separation is tough to get used to and signal strength is hard to distinguish. Learning how to read bottom structure is tough as it isn't really greyscale and doesn't have the beauty of color, or tri-color. If they could make it into a colored unit that showed bottom density and fish signal strength better, then I think it would be a bit more of a hit. All in all it does what it is supposed to do and advertised to do.

[bossman]

the showdown isn't a flasher its not real time,,get a flasher vex or marcum no delay in reading,,you wont be happy with the cheap version,,good luck

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I have the nature vision one before it was called the showdown and also a vexilar.  Use the vex 100 percent of the time and let the others fishing with me use the showdown.  My showdown needed to be sent back and upgraded, I am interested to see if it works better this season.  Overall I don't think I could ever part with the vexilar but the showdown has some nice features like the vertical display and price tag.  The showdown is definitely not a piece of junk but in my opinion the vexilar is much better.   

I had the unit and got the upgrade done to it. Works great. Used it at Upper Red Lake with 3 others fishing with Vex. No problems with it. Seemed to do just as good as the others. I did get a float and stopper and put it on my Showdown, and love it. Just didn't care for the plastic arm to hang the transducer from. Marcum & Vex are both great products and I wouldn't have a problem using either of them. I won't buy a new sonar since I got the Showdown and it works great for me, but if I was going to I'd look at the new Humming Bird sonars. They look like a high quality and Seem like they are loaded with options. Overall, if you don't have a sonar get one and when you know how to use it you'll ice more fish.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

It isn't really greyscale

I guess I would disagree with this statement totally. If you can tell the difference between normal font on a text like this and bold font text like this you should be able to tell the difference in the 3 levels of greyscale without any problems. The stronger the siginal the darker the black and bigger the blob on the screen. Now, I'm not saying ones better then the other just disagree that you can't tell the difference in the levels of greyscale.

[lotwfisher]

"I guess I would disagree with this statement totally. If you can tell the difference between normal font on a text like this and bold font text like this you should be able to tell the difference in the 3 levels of greyscale without any problems. The stronger the siginal the darker the black and bigger the blob on the screen. Now, I'm not saying ones better then the other just disagree that you can't tell the difference in the levels of greyscale."

I am not saying there is no difference but outside, small screen, and a little sunlight, and you will have to almost hold your face to the screen to see any difference between dense and soft bottom. I am just telling you what I did and didn't like about the unit and this was one thing I wasn't impressed with, and I struggled with.

[A- bomb]

grey is good


but color is the    $h!.....

how easy is the screen to read with sun glasses?  heard thats why H-bird went with the flasher. They had all the parts for the lcd but chose otherwise.  noticed only 1 guy on the video and on infisherman wearing shades and using a showdown.  Didn't recognize them infishermen guys without shades on.....makes me wonder

[SeaDog1]

Hello,
I use a simple digital portable fish finder that I can hang around my neck and inside my bib to keep it warm.
I shoot and scoot so I want to go as light as possible.
My small sled, Auger (Hand drill with (2) 19.2 batteries), Pak-Shack, Bucket, assortment of jigs, some live bait, and a small battery operated underwater light (As an attractor-works for me). Bring 3-4 cans of fish based cat food as chum if it is allowed where you are.
Besides I don't need to see my jig on a flasher or fish TV. Just more heavy equipment to lug around that is unnecessary, in my opinion.
Good equipment is always nice to have, but overloading yourself with all these gimicks, again in my opnion, is to get you to spend more money than is necessary. The less time I have to set up or break down means more fishing time and more fish.
 
Once I find the fish and approximate depth they'r at "It is" a matter of "Fishing Technique" to catch them.
It is your ice fishing techniques, (Style(s) of jigging and tip-up rig set-ups) that gets you fish.

Hope you all have a Great Ice Fishing Season!!
SeaDog1

[Piggyn]

SeaDog1, have you actually used a flasher?  There is nothing gimicky about them, and they wouldn't slow you down at all.  You can learn a lot by seeing how the fish respond to what you're doing, which can actually help you improve your technique.

[SeaDog1]

Hi Piggyn,
Yes, I've used a flasher, just find that it's more gear weight that I'd rather not carry.
My little portable fish finder is just right for shoot and scoot.
When I find the fish and depth they'er at, I start with a big jig tipped with maggots or wax worm and jig actively.
If that doesn't work I down size (sometimes a dozen times-includes jig color) and try a slower jigging style or even dead stick.
Even with a flasher you have to figure out what they want and how they want it.
Presentation and technique is what it's all about.
Had real good luck with "Tiger Eyes" by Optic-Glow last year.
Have a great season!
SeaDog1