Flasher vs Fish Finder

[Ice Foot]

I'm new to ice fishing.  What's the difference between a flasher and a fish finder?

Also, I have a Humminbird PiranhaMax 230 PT Portable fish finder I bought for summer fishing.  Will this work for ice fishing?

Thanks

[Junior88]

Had a similar portable that I used a few years. It showed water depth and any fish and their depth. I liked it until I bought a flasher. A whole new way to ice fish ! Cant really explain in words, but once you use any flasher you will understand. Go to vexilar's website and watch their videos. Or check out some you-tube vids. After I bought my flasher I bought a second one for whoever went fishing with me. Having owned both the finder and the flasher I can say that the flasher is far superior for ice fishing. One more opinion of mine. I own a vexilar fl-8 and the fl-20. For the money I like the fl-8 just as much as the fl-20.

[filetandrelease]

   your unit will work ,go to the vex site this will help ,i also have a vex 18 ,and a 67c lowrance ice machine , it has both graph and flasher ,i use the graph mode all the time i mostly fish deep for perch and eyes ,try your unit and see how it does then make up your mind if you want to part with your cash or not just my .02

[chezmoose]

We have an old Humminbird Wide 100 portable that we use in addition to our flasher. If you use yours through the ice, you may need to find or build an ice transducer mount to keep the transducer from flopping around in the water.

The flasher takes a bit of getting used to because it doesn't show you the nice little picture like the LCD screen, but they are quite a bit more sensitive and you can see your jig in addition to the fish.

[ih772]

Yes it will work. Set the ping speed and chart speed at their maximum. They are just as sensitive as a flasher and usually have much better zoom abilities. I have a Vexilar flasher and a color LCD fish finder X67c, the vexilar sits home and collects dust these days b/c I can do so much more with the fish finder.

[hardwaterfan]

What's the difference between a flasher and a fish finder?

an analogy: a flasher is a type of fish finder, like an orange is a type of fruit.

"flasher" means the way that the fish finder displays information.

[s10xr]

We have an old Humminbird Wide 100 portable that we use in addition to our flasher. If you use yours through the ice, you may need to find or build an ice transducer mount to keep the transducer from flopping around in the water.

The flasher takes a bit of getting used to because it doesn't show you the nice little picture like the LCD screen, but they are quite a bit more sensitive and you can see your jig in addition to the fish.

with the wide 100 i started using one last year.  made a t for the transducer.  i used all last year learning how to use it.  just the other day i downloaded the instructions on my computer.  they said if i am stationary fishing to slow the scroll down.  i have always had it at maximum speed.  i also did not know about the bottom lock.  im excited to play around with it tomorrow to see if i can read fish better or if its just time to buy a ice 345 or lowrance x67.  anyone have experience with this scroll speed or anymore with these wide 100s.

[Kevin23]

A regular fish finder will work just fine for ice fishing, as long as it is a newer unit with a lot of power. Old units do not work worth a darn.

[darkwater777]

Flasher is hands down better then any LCD, they're made for cold temps and ice fishing. There's a reason there's probably 20:1 people using flashers vs LCD's

[viciouscircle]

Flasher is hands down better then any LCD, they're made for cold temps and ice fishing. There's a reason there's probably 20:1 people using flashers vs LCD's

That there is just misleading IMO. If your saying that a flasher is better on the ice because its built for cold weather i'd have to say that does not qualify your assertion. My x67c works fine in minus 28 celcius....no lag, no frozen screen, no battery issues.

[wally-eye]

Flasher is hands down better then any LCD, they're made for cold temps and ice fishing. There's a reason there's probably 20:1 people using flashers vs LCD's

The usual flasher response........by someone that's probably never sat in front of a LCD graph for a full season........no lag, not affected by cold.etc etc etc....

The word flasher "was" the word back in the 80s but the words LCD Graph will soon take over........one only needs to set in front of one to know the truth..........and I used to be a died in the wool vex fan.........nope not anymore.......X67c ice machine has more options than any flasher made.......I like a smart machine not a dumb one.......it's a new era.....

[Nor Easter]

Since tossing my Wide One Hundred away (not enough power) and now using either an HB 525 or a 715 (I have both), I will NEVER buy a flasher. The LCD can and does 10 times more for me than any flasher can possibly do. Flashers are a hype, and too damned expensive for what they actually can do.

You guys can cut my post to pieces, I have been side by side with flashers. They are nicer than the W100 but not the newer finders. I was in a windy 10*F today and the screen on the 525 did not falter at all! We quit fishing because it was too cold for us, but the finder kept right on ticking like a Timex!!  

[Fisherman 1]

Flasher is hands down better then any LCD, they're made for cold temps and ice fishing. There's a reason there's probably 20:1 people using flashers vs LCD's

Ya right, until 2 years I was still using my Lowrance X-40 on the ice as well as summer. No need to sit around watching the rainbow of fruit colors spinning around.

[darkwater777]

The usual flasher response........by someone that's probably never sat in front of a LCD graph for a full season........no lag, not affected by cold.etc etc etc....

The word flasher "was" the word back in the 80s but the words LCD Graph will soon take over........one only needs to set in front of one to know the truth..........and I used to be a died in the wool vex fan.........nope not anymore.......X67c ice machine has more options than any flasher made.......I like a smart machine not a dumb one.......it's a new era.....

LCD= Liquid cystal display. We get -30 all the time here in Sask and when you get that cold liquids usually freeze. If they don't freeze they're sluggish. I can see a LCD being ok in MI where you can fish in a sweater all winter long but not here where mother nature is at her worst. I could care less how many more colors an LCD has or a graph mode, thats good for the boat and should stay there. All the X67's around here collect dust on the store shelves.

Cheers!!

[after-4]

My VEX just doesn't have the sonar noise as a fish finder. Just put your ducer in a bucket of water and turn it on. If you don't think that won't bother those guys you are wrong.

[esox_magnum]

My VEX just doesn't have the sonar noise as a fish finder. Just put your ducer in a bucket of water and turn it on. If you don't think that won't bother those guys you are wrong.

 

 If this were true then our high powered summer units wouldnt catch fish right?? Think mine puts out something like 30,000.... I hear the same argument about the LX-5's 2500 watts and that a load of horsehockey to.....

[eyestroker]

 

 If this were true then our high powered summer units wouldnt catch fish right?? Think mine puts out something like 30,000.... I hear the same argument about the LX-5's 2500 watts and that a load of horsehockey to.....

  A paid vex guy started that stupid rumor.  I catch tons of fish in less than 5 fow.  a lot more than the guys next to me.  What a bunch of bull-hockey

[esox_magnum]

Funny though 2500 watts and no need for low power.....

[silvah]

LCD= Liquid cystal display. We get -30 all the time here in Sask and when you get that cold liquids usually freeze. If they don't freeze they're sluggish. I can see a LCD being ok in MI where you can fish in a sweater all winter long but not here where mother nature is at her worst. I could care less how many more colors an LCD has or a graph mode, thats good for the boat and should stay there. All the X67's around here collect dust on the store shelves.

Cheers!!

My Humminbird 565p works great in Sask. I have never had slow down on the screen and never had the battery die, despite temperatures of -30°C to -40°C, before a weekend was over. It's extremely handy for lodge trips up north in the summer as well to have a portable finder, I pretty much never fish without it.

I love having the graphing. There is nothing like watching one come up from the bottom for the kill.  Once used to having the graph I would hate to have the real time display only. It would take a lot of getting used to for sure. I have also never had trouble with target seperation, or with seeing my jig on the screen that some have mentioned in this thread.

It all comes down to price and preference. Either will work well in a variety of conditions. I would reccomend trying fellow fisherman's equipment out on the ice before deciding on either.

[fishsammich]

I have  PiranhaMax 160 and have been using it for 2 seasons on the ice.

I can easily pickup my 1/8 ounce jig in 35 ft of water, day or night.

I can zoom the water column for fish, or I can fish I.D. on automatic when I feel lazy.

I can watch fish on the bottom going in and out of my cone confidently.

The only negative is that sometimes it does it get cold but only 2 percent of the time.

I think I paid 135.00 including shipping.

[ih772]

LCD= Liquid cystal display. We get -30 all the time here in Sask and when you get that cold liquids usually freeze. If they don't freeze they're sluggish. I can see a LCD being ok in MI where you can fish in a sweater all winter long but not here where mother nature is at her worst. I could care less how many more colors an LCD has or a graph mode, thats good for the boat and should stay there. All the X67's around here collect dust on the store shelves.

Cheers!!

I hate to bruise your ego but you're thinking about the old black and white LCD's of yesteryear.

The X67c uses a 256-color active matrix TFT display which doesn't have problems slowing down in the cold.

[filetandrelease]

LCD= Liquid cystal display. We get -30 all the time here in Sask and when you get that cold liquids usually freeze. If they don't freeze they're sluggish. I can see a LCD being ok in MI where you can fish in a sweater all winter long but not here where mother nature is at her worst. I could care less how many more colors an LCD has or a graph mode, thats good for the boat and should stay there. All the X67's around here collect dust on the store shelves.

Cheers!!

ship them down here we'll get rid of them for you  you guys must be tough to sit out in -30 and fish ,gee don't you use a shack ?  I can keep my flip over above freezing in -20 ,

[darkwater777]

I hate to bruise your ego but you're thinking about the old black and white LCD's of yesteryear.

The X67c uses a 256-color active matrix TFT display which doesn't have problems slowing down in the cold.

I dont have an ego to bruise. Ive got the Lowrance LMS 520 c, tried it on hard water last winter and had problems with it. I called Lowrance about about it but had the worst customer service experience ever. Its on my Lund where it will stay. Im sure my unit is the same as the X67, I stay with my FL-22

[darkwater777]

ship them down here we'll get rid of them for you  you guys must be tough to sit out in -30 and fish ,gee don't you use a shack ?  I can keep my flip over above freezing in -20 ,

I do use a flip up but I hole hop so much it becomes a problem. -30 is common here in Jan, Feb, Mar. Im just used to it.