Vexilar FL-22, what do you guys think?

[filetandrelease]

get to see the 22 first hand my bud  is a rep for vex and i'll post after watching it

[mushroom_capd_1]

Getting pretty ugly here boys!   

I agree!!!

[stumper]

Where?

[Steuben1]

I am a Vexilar guy who owns a FL-20 and I say NO to the FL-22.  I don't see enough difference between my 20 and the 22 to justify $600.

Vexilar, Marcum, Bird.  Hell I'm just glad I have a job and can afford any of them.


Steuben1

[jpicks]

Hell I'm just glad I have a job and can afford any of them.

Good call.

[eyedoktr]

I Bought one today and it's sitting in my living room right now. Now the long wait for first ice.

[Preacher_man]

 I'm picking one up on Tuesday! I've had my 18 for 5 yrs now and hated to part with it but my boy kept saying Dad why don't you buy a new one and give your old one to me! Well, I figured when the new 22 came out that I'd finally break down! Now I'll really be itching to try it out! Come on ICE!!!

[eaglejac]

I have a fl 20 that a purchased last year and I purchased a FL 22 Last month, I only bought the head for the FL 22 and I can use it in place of the FL 20 head . The cost was around $325.00 from vexilar , I also got the new tri beam trans ducer for a $100.00 bucks. I sold my old duel beam that was less than a year old on ebay for $85.00 so the up grade was almost a wash.  I do like two features of the FL 22 , the bottom lock that I am using now on my boat and it works great and the 30 and 50 foot mode is nice when fishing in those Zones. Other than that I don't see much of a difference now using it on open water right now. You will be limited to 60 FOW if you only have one unit. But if you can swing it and do what I did and buy the FL 22 head only it is a nice up grade and you can use it on your boat when the ice is gone like I plan on doing and have the best of both worlds . I like some of the features of the LX 5 and the Birds ,but you gotta make a tough choose ,  As for me I can't wait to get my new toy  I am waiting from Marcum , the new 8" camera system ... I am going to need a Bigger Sled if they keep coming up with all this stuff...

[Hard stuff]

These threads are so funny to watch .....Marcum guys are even funnier ......I think ill make some popcorn for this show..LOL

[Mr_Jigster]

I upgraded to an FL-20 last year, so i'm not buying anything this year.  Had I known about the FL-22HD, I probably still would have bought the 20.  Not that I hardly ever fish anything over 60' deep, I just dont like the limitations should I ever want to.  I would like to get the tri-beam ducer.....just cant find one anywhere 

[dkfry]

I upgraded to an FL-20 last year, so i'm not buying anything this year.  Had I known about the FL-22HD, I probably still would have bought the 20.  Not that I hardly ever fish anything over 60' deep, I just dont like the limitations should I ever want to.  I would like to get the tri-beam ducer.....just cant find one anywhere 

Marine General says on their site they will be getting the Tri beam ducer in stock in January. I figure I get one next season as I already have the dual beam.

[darkwater777]

After being a Marcum fan the last few years I picked up the Fl-22 HD for my shallow water fishing and this unit is amazing. Im not a Vex pro staffer and have nothing to gain but this was worth the $550. Way better then my LX-3 and side by side with  my buddies LX-5 it edges it out in crisp lines and picking up those bottom hugging fish. I think Ive fished more with his LX-5 then my Fl-22..he says he want to just try it and I don't see it for the rest of the day..lol but the LX-5 is still a great unit.

Cheers!!

[fishermanna82]

i think it is a waste of money. it is almost the same thing as the 20.

[ice dawg]

I think I would like to see one on the ice before forming an opinion. I haven't been able to find one in my area and one of the local baitshop owners told me that he doesn't think he can get them in.

[darkwater777]

Here's my day today with the FL-22 HD, I actually got to use it the whole day and not let my buddies play with it. Found out that fooling around with the cone angles really helps to get rid of dead spots, the Tri-beam is quite useful. IMHO this unit is worth every cent paid. For those who do not like to fine tune...the lower end FL-20 will work but I love good electronics and the ability to fine tune for precision presentations this unit allows me to do that very well.
Gotta love the opinions of the fellows who havent used this unit but claim to know everything about it. 

[fin-n-feather]

Here's my day today with the FL-22 HD, I actually got to use it the whole day and not let my buddies play with it. Found out that fooling around with the cone angles really helps to get rid of dead spots, the Tri-beam is quite useful. IMHO this unit is worth every cent paid. For those who do not like to fine tune...the lower end FL-20 will work but I love good electronics and the ability to fine tune for precision presentations this unit allows me to do that very well.
Gotta love the opinions of the fellows who havent used this unit but claim to know everything about it. 

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Nice mess of fish Dark!!!  Got to run my 22 through its paces this morning for 4 hours chasing gills and crappies.  The tri-beam is so cool.  Fishing with a #16 marmooska and switching cone angles and the ability to read the bottom 10' on the whole screen makes this unit phenomenal for shallow water fishing. I could really fine tune the unit to be able to tell even when my spike got stolen.  I second your opinion on that its worth every penny I paid for it.  I fished many years with my FL-8 and liked it and have never tried none of the other brands out there so I can't really compare this to any of them.  But by the way this unit performs I guess I'm VERY pleased and don't care about the others.  Everyone has there own preferences, likes, and dislikes and thats cool.  I'm just passing along info here on one heck of a unit!  Fin

[stumper]

After being a Marcum fan the last few years I picked up the Fl-22 HD for my shallow water fishing and this unit is amazing. Im not a Vex pro staffer and have nothing to gain but this was worth the $550. Way better then my LX-3 and side by side with  my buddies LX-5 it edges it out in crisp lines and picking up those bottom hugging fish. I think Ive fished more with his LX-5 then my Fl-22..he says he want to just try it and I don't see it for the rest of the day..lol but the LX-5 is still a great unit.

Cheers!!

So  far feedback has been good other than one guy that returned his.   He was furious, a vex user talked him into buying one so he sold he lx5. He was not happy with the fuzzy display and felt the target seperation wasnt as good . Using tiny jigs in 25 foot of water  he had to turn the gain up "to much" were his words. Still more happy users than not...

[fin-n-feather]

So  far feedback has been good other than one guy that returned his.   He was furious, a vex user talked him into buying one so he sold he lx5. He was not happy with the fuzzy display and felt the target seperation wasnt as good . Using tiny jigs in 25 foot of water  he had to turn the gain up "to much" were his words. Still more happy users than not...

Yah, I don't know Stumper.  Fished last Friday for gills in 30-40 foot of water with a 3mm Fiska and even then I could tell when my single spike I put on had been stolen or fell off.  And I only used the 12 degreee cone setting on the tri-ducer.  Didn't even have the gain very high.  Guess I don't know what could have been the problem.  Fin

[stumper]

Hard to say without being there. Do you remember where you had your gain  set?

[fin-n-feather]

Hard to say without being there. Do you remember where you had your gain  set?

Today I was in 6-9 ft of water with the gain about 1/8 to 1/4 of the way.  Friday I think it was turned up somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 in 30-40 ft of water.  I know last Monday 12-6 I fished shallow weeds and had the unit on low power mode.  Then I had to turn up the gain 1/3 to 1/2.  Fin

[darkwater777]

Im out in 30ft for walleye and can see my Jig-a-whopper as one thin line and my perch eyeball as a fine line slightly below it. Very easy to see if I lost my bait or not.

[fin-n-feather]

So  far feedback has been good other than one guy that returned his.   He was furious, a vex user talked him into buying one so he sold he lx5. He was not happy with the fuzzy display and felt the target seperation wasnt as good . Using tiny jigs in 25 foot of water  he had to turn the gain up "to much" were his words. Still more happy users than not...

Stumper, next time I am out and there are more fisherman out I'm gonna have to look around and see if any of them have an LX-5.  I am curious and would like to see how the Marcum looks when fished.  I have never seen one in action.  All of my buddies I fish with run Vexilars.  Would like to see what the big Marcum vs Vexilar hoopla is all about.    Fin 

[darkwater777]

  Would like to see what the big Marcum vs Vexilar hoopla is all about.    Fin 

Its all about a few mm's of seperation between a hook and a fish. For me it does matter cause I fish for big walleye not fish that are 1" long. As long as I see that solid red "blob ( as some like to call it)" covering my hook I could care less about everything else. I think Ive done pretty good this year with a unit that hums to loud, has poor target seperation, doesnt have 3 distinct colors, costs too much, doesnt come in a free soft case, has a transucer float vs. arm....I could go on but you get the point.

Cheers!!

[fin-n-feather]

Its all about a few mm's of seperation between a hook and a fish. For me it does matter cause I fish for big walleye not fish that are 1" long. As long as I see that solid red "blob ( as some like to call it)" covering my hook I could care less about everything else. I think Ive done pretty good this year with a unit that hums to loud, has poor target seperation, doesnt have 3 distinct colors, costs too much, doesnt come in a free soft case, has a transucer float vs. arm....I could go on but you get the point.

Cheers!!

Deep cleansing breath dark! LOL   Fin

[stumper]

Its all about a few mm's of seperation between a hook and a fish. For me it does matter cause I fish for big walleye not fish that are 1" long. As long as I see that solid red "blob ( as some like to call it)" covering my hook I could care less about everything else. I think Ive done pretty good this year with a unit that hums to loud, has poor target seperation, doesnt have 3 distinct colors, costs too much, doesnt come in a free soft case, has a transucer float vs. arm....I could go on but you get the point.

Cheers!!

So you agree?LOL

[stumper]

Its all about a few mm's of seperation between a hook and a fish. For me it does matter cause I fish for big walleye not fish that are 1" long. As long as I see that solid red "blob ( as some like to call it)" covering my hook I could care less about everything else. I think Ive done pretty good this year with a unit that hums to loud, has poor target seperation, doesnt have 3 distinct colors, costs too much, doesnt come in a free soft case, has a transucer float vs. arm....I could go on but you get the point.

Cheers!!

So you agree? LOL   To each his own, I just think its odd is all. I would never go out and buy a TV unless it had a clear picture, a Rifle scope that wasnt clear when I looked through it, new glasses that didnt give me  clear vision. Sure , all of the above would get the job done, I just wouldnt enjoy it as much.I could go on but  you get the point   It really makes no difference really. You earned your money, you get to spend and enjoy it how you see fit.

[darkwater777]

So you agree? LOL   To each his own, I just think its odd is all. I would never go out and buy a TV unless it had a clear picture, a Rifle scope that wasnt clear when I looked through it, new glasses that didnt give me  clear vision. Sure , all of the above would get the job done, I just wouldnt enjoy it as much.I could go on but  you get the point   It really makes no difference really. You earned your money, you get to spend and enjoy it how you see fit.

I was being sarcasitic stumper  ;)I dont watch t.V, I shoot open sights and don't need glasses  All I can say about Marcum is, been there..done that and have found better with the FL-22. You're happy with the LX-5 and its great to hear, they need customers. If I didnt need a really good shallow water flasher Id kept my Marcum but this unit is simply "better" in that aspect.

Cheers!!

[stumper]

I was being sarcasitic stumper  ;)I dont watch t.V, I shoot open sights and don't need glasses   All I can say about Marcum is, been there..done that and have found better with the FL-22. You're happy with the LX-5 and its great to hear, they need customers. If I didnt need a really good shallow water flasher Id kept my Marcum but this unit is simply "better" in that aspect.

Cheers!!

I know you were , Im just having fun with yah...


That really confuses me about the shallow water. Ive use  my lx3 and lx5 in 3 ft of water and they work great. What is considered shallow?

[esox_magnum]

 I'm wondering that to, I have no problems up shallow and in weeds with my LX-5, I'm betting you have or do fish my waters Stumper so you know what I mean. Don't always need a flasher here but nice to have one that works well when you do.

 Fishing eyes any flasher works well once you get them off the bottom, nice seeing them though when they dont come up, for perch and panfish the seperation factor is a big thing, lets you know if you should be catching or playing keep away. My partners Vex will show a thick red line while mine may mark whats really there 4-5 5" perch or gills. He's trying to catch to see I can see to play keep away.....

[darkwater777]

Just looking at the Marcum LX-5 review and there are 11 pages and you don't see any Vex guys chiming in on the unit. You post something with regards to a new Vexilar product and you get Marcum guys, who don't own the unit, usually the same fellows saying how much the unit sucks?? I sense some insecurity issues with some Marcum boys.  

Keep ur lines tight, like a Vex!!