Marcum vx1i vs underwater camera

[icecoldchrome]

I have a marcum vx1i that I used a few times thinking about selling it and getting a underwater camera I think I would like to see what the fish are doing  what do you guys think maybe I just need to figure the flasher out more what are the thought of you guys that have been doing longer than me

[Bean]

I have both a flasher and a camera. I'll never go without my flasher and only rarely take my camera. If you're fishing in murky or stained water the camera is useless, but you'll be able to "see" any fish on your flasher in those conditions.  The camera is great in clear water conditions, but you also have to worry about fish getting wrapped around the cord and camera if you set it up for horizontal view.  If I was only allowed one or the other, it would always be the flasher. Just my 2 cents worth.

[Chris338378]

I have both a flasher and a camera. I'll never go without my flasher and only rarely take my camera. If you're fishing in murky or stained water the camera is useless, but you'll be able to "see" any fish on your flasher in those conditions.  The camera is great in clear water conditions, but you also have to worry about fish getting wrapped around the cord and camera if you set it up for horizontal view.  If I was only allowed one or the other, it would always be the flasher. Just my 2 cents worth.

X2  I completely agree with Bean, he's 100% right.

[RyanW]

I also have a VX-1i. What are you having trouble with? I think it’s a nice little unit. It started its third season earlier today and worked great.

[Cousin weakeyes]

I have a flasher and camera I just use the flasher very seldom do I use the camera. the flasher is a lot quicker to pick up fish 360 degrees where caqmera has to be facing fish.

[planner47]

BEAN is right on. I have both \and mostly use the flasher.

[icecoldchrome]

The biggest problem I have is reading it I can set it  adjust the gain to follow my lure and find bottom I can make fish in-between bottom and bait but I'm having a hard time figuring out what all the marks and different colors are that show up  after the bottom and on the opposite side this is my first flasher and haven't had  any experience with them before

 In this picture I'm in 6 feet of water and have a solid bottom what is showing up on the left side?

[charger7022]

flasher is a must in my opinion but I have had a camera help me catch fish when a flasher couldn't. many times I would mark fish and they would never hit or so I thought.  drop the camera and sure enough the fish would suck it in and immediately spit it back out with no sign of a hit, with the camera as soon as it goes in the rod goes up. I take both with me now and if I'm marking fish with flasher but no hits I switch to the camera to see whats going on.

[Bean]

The biggest problem I have is reading it I can set it  adjust the gain to follow my lure and find bottom I can make fish in-between bottom and bait but I'm having a hard time figuring out what all the marks and different colors are that show up  after the bottom and on the opposite side this is my first flasher and haven't had  any experience with them before

 In this picture I'm in 6 feet of water and have a solid bottom what is showing up on the left side?

If you don't have the zoom on, then the left side is probably a 2nd echo. If you have the zoom on, then the left size is your zoom side. As with anything new, sometimes it takes several times using it to understand it better.

Watch these video's to get a better understanding...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TZ5QaA2z7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD0OmW5twos

Here's some good articles on understanding a flasher...

http://vexilar.com/blog/2014/08/28/how-to-ice-fish-with-a-vexilar-flasher
http://vexilar.com/blog/2014/08/28/finding-fish-under-the-ice

And always read the manual to find out the little details...

https://marcum.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/28/0/filename/VX1-P-v86+%281%29.pdf