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xphelanx, I too am looking for ice-fishing sonar right now. I am limited by funds as well. I recently watched a show called Ice Fishing Guide (a weekly show). It featured a new technology (vertical digital display). The unit was awesome and he used it to catch crappie, perch, lakers, and walleye. The display seems so much easier to read than traditional flashers. The cost of a brand new one is around $250. They are called "ShowDown Digital Fishfinders". You may want to check them out. They are sold out everywhere locally, but I think Gander Mountain may have recently become the exclusive distributor. Anyway, I think that they are the wave of the future for ice-fishing and more affordable. Maybe someone on here knows more or has one. Good Luck!
Looking at the info videos for this unit makes me want to order it right now! I really like the idea of it being smaller than a traditional flasher, and the longer battery life is key. Does anybody have one of these units? I am -very- interested to know if anybody has some experience with it.
As for the SHOWDOWN! I was very dissapointed with this unit. I purchased one last year after hearing/reading about it. I returned it after 2 trips. Supposivly it is easier to read, unfortunatly I found that the transducer was picking up so much crap I couldnt tell what may have been a fish and what may have been something else. I have heard they have had 2 different uprgrades from the version I had and mabey they have fixed the issues I was having with it. But IMHO there is no comparison to a color flasher.
Jeremy find another $50 from somewhere and get a Humminbird ICE 35. It has the dual trans and zoom at $299 at Cabela's. Let me know when you want to go out again
I was watching In-Fisherman this weekend and they were using a Showdown Digital fishfinder for jigging. Has anyone ever seen one of these. It looks pretty cool.