Flashers: An ongoing debate

[panfishpappa101]

I have Been ice fishing for years now and LOVE it. Needless to say I am constantly looking for more fish. Buying a flasher seemed like a must after all the things I have heard about them. But which one is a debate that could go on forever. I have narrowed it down to two options. One is the fl 12 I really like the simplicity which is kinda what im looking for. The other is the ice 45. Which is comparable to the fl 12 but has more features. On the other hand it isn't as tested as the vexilar-who has proven themselves. I kno im gonna get a good product with the vex. But with the dual transducer and digital depth reading is hard to resist. Its a old reliable vs. New guy sort of thing. the legend vs. the up and coming star. What should i do? Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.   

[QDAWG44]

get a marcum lx-5 !!!!   (relax guys, just kidding)    I was in the same position last yr when i decided to buy a flasher.  i went with a marcum.   all of the units work great out there.           i would go with bird

[panfishpappa101]

I really don't want to mess with marcum cuz is complicated enough as it is!

[darkwater777]

Id go with the flasher that has the most options for your money. Myself I would skip both your choices and by a Marcum LX-3 TC.

[panfishpappa101]

i don't kno very much about marcum and vexilar is still a great product even though it doesn't have as many features

[tommy-n]

Yeah, it's kinda hard to argue with this

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=159149.0

[panfishpappa101]

Marcum is great too i guess you'll have supporters of each one and it just goes on and on...

[esox_magnum]

I wouldnt recomend a FL-12, my buddy had one and lots of interference issues. Marcums are as simple as any flasher and been around awhile, I own 2 and love them over my old Vexilars.

 For what your asking hers how I would rate whats on the market today for all flashers starting at the top working down:

Marcum LX-5
HB 55
Vex FL-22
Marcun LX-3
HB 45
Marcun VX-1P
HB 35
Vex FL8-20

[panfishpappa101]

Thanks

[panfishpappa101]

from what ive heard the fl 12 was really good

[QDAWG44]

the digital depth display is new on the bird.   there are many videos online that describe how each unit works.  just google the product and you will find the videos.  like i said i have a marcum and like it.  if you are set on a bird or vex the dig display would win me over.

[esox_magnum]

He thought it was good to but another friends FL-8 was alot better, he now has a FL-20 and still no match to my LX-5.

 Another thing to think about is what are you fishing?? Panfish the target seperation comes into play big time allowing you once you learn to read the unit size and numbers of fish.

 LX-5 in zoom or SFL mode gets you to 3/4" in normal mode all Marcums are 2.13"
 Vexilars are at 2.68"
 HB is at 2.5"
 Havent got a true answer yet on the FL-22.

[panfishpappa101]

panfish, Crappies bluegills i just need something simple that works so i can catch more fish ive heard great thing about vexilar, birds ive heard have a few kinks they have to work our Marcum im sure is great i just don't kno that much about them

[slipperybob]

Marcum is easier to use than Vexilar.    Didn't even bother with instructions.

[panfishpappa101]

how much $ are we talking here

[filetandrelease]

67c Lowrance has a flasher mode and a graph and is a little cheaper ,but my vex 18 works great also ,i have buds that have marcum and hummys they stand by their units to so buy the one that best suits your needs ,get the best bang for your buck 

[slipperybob]

Some people talk about their units after the fact that they've bought it.  Some people can talk about their buying process and choosing the unit that they choose.  So everyone is a little different in their choices.

If you're just going to be content with just fishing - Vexilar
If you're a jigging person with need for most detail feedback - Marcum
If you're into most features for rotarty flasher - Humminbird
If you're more vertical graph mind/thinking - X67 or Showdown

[esox_magnum]

how much $ are we talking here
[/quote

 Per Thorne Brothers web site:
 Marcums, LX-5, $499.99  LX-3TC $399.99  VX-1P $299.99

 Hummingbirds, 55, $499.99  45, $399.99  35, $299,99

 Vexilar, 22, $549.99-%589.95  20, $489.99-%599.99  18, $389.99-$479.99  12,  $349.95-$419.99  8  $289.99-$339.95.  ( prices vary depending what acessories you buy)

[panfishpappa101]

Like i said there will be supporters of each, but there's something about vexilar, I've heard alot of good things about it, and icefishingtoday.com is pretty convincing

[esox_magnum]

Thats what they are paid by Vex to do, convince you.  I wouldn't base anything off a tv show or by a guy whos sponcered by said products. Was interesting on In Fisherman today that during close ups of Bro they never showed his flasher since he is sponcered by HB and In Fisherman by Marcum.

 Best advice is try them side by side, borrow friends or go along with a group that has several and play with them. I have owned a few different Vex's and still would if a friend hadn't showed me his marcum next to my Vex one day.

[panfishpappa101]

Are there any Vex supporters out there? but yeah im the first of my friends to get a flasher so i have nothing to base it on. That's y im asking u guys

[stevek]

I have an FL-18 and now a HB 787c2. The FL-18 works great for me for perch and deep for lakers. I haven't used the Humminbird yet on the ice, but I think it'll work fine having dual frequency (and a GPS). Anything you get will work good for you. Do a little searching or looking, someone starts this same post every week or so.

[darkwater777]

Are there any Vex supporters out there? but yeah im the first of my friends to get a flasher so i have nothing to base it on. That's y im asking u guys

They all work extremly well and all will bring in loads more fish then not using one. I have used a Vexilars and Marcums and both work pretty much the same.  Vexilar is said to have the worst target seperation according to a test on this site but I don't buy the numbers. Im primarily a walleye fisherman, I target bottom hugging eyes and have had zero problems identifying bottom hugging walleye on my FL-18 or my new FL-22 HD. I did not have a problem marking walleye's on my Marcum LX 3 either, all three units did their jobs well. One thing alot of people will have happen is a rock or some piece of structure will create a dead spot and they think their unit doesnt perform well. This is not the case, its doing its job fine. Ive found that the new Tri-beam allows one to dial the cone angle in a way to miss some rocks under you and have no dead spots.
I purchased the FL-22 HD based on some reports last winter, took a gamble and it is IMHO the best flasher on the ice. I have lots of proof from my outing this season that the FL-22 HD is deadly on bottom hugging eyes and perch. I also like the fact that with the turn of a dial the Vex will give you the bottom vs the Marcum having to hold down a button and bring your zoom window down. If you're a hole hopper in search of fish you'll appreciate the Vex's dial.
Im yet to measure the seperation on the Fl-22 but I'll tell you I have used a 1" jigging spoon and I can see it as a line then another thin line under it representing the bait on my hook. Seperation is at least 1" at most and more likely under 3/4". I am going to test this with split shot to confirm but its super tight.
Even with top of the line gear I can fish beside one old boy I know on the lake with a FL-8 and he can do as well if not better on some outings using that old unit. Lots can be said about choice of hooks, bait and technique but thats for another thread.

[panfishpappa101]

Thank-you so much as far as target separation goes is more better like is 2.5" better than 2" right now im leaning towards the fl12 because ive heard good thing's about its simplicity and its reliability

[Junior58]

Thank-you so much as far as target separation goes is more better like is 2.5" better than 2" right now im leaning towards the fl12 because ive heard good thing's about its simplicity and its reliability

No, the smaller the better ...........the FL-12 has some of the worst target separation. Buy anything with a zoom feature. It is a must ...... all modern flashers are easy to use and simplistic so don't sell yourself short. They all work well and are reliable. All mfrs. have a few units that get out that have glitches. Get the most for your money.

[Crumps brother]

I was in the same situation you were-about 3 months ago, if that long. I picked up a Marcum VX1-Pro for $300 and using rebates, Cabela's points and a free shipping promotion it set me back $217. I picked it because it was a proven design and had lots of positive reviews from guys on this site. Basically, after reading every post on the board (and other boards) the consensus is that they all work well, go for the best deal you can find.

I haven't been out with it yet this season, but I'll post my newbie results when I do.

[esox_magnum]

LX-5 you get dual beam transducer ( handy for weedy waters and steep breaks) Super Fine Line ( only unit this is avalible on of any brand)  Automatic charging system with digital power display,# color display, zoom anywhere in the water colum, 3/4" seperation when used in zoom or SFL ( no other units increse seperation with zoom only magnify) And a padded carry case all included at time of purchase.

 Vexilar you get 10 different options and 5 different units to choose from most at a higher cost, 2.68" seperation no movable zoom and only certain units with dual beam or buy a seperate dual beam for added cost, 2 colors blend to make 3 giving a fuzzy apearence. Dependong on the unit combo you may need to also buy a cover, battery meter, ect all for more money of course.

 To get a Vex to come close to the LX-5 you have 1 option the FL-22, the rest comapre more with the VX-1P, marcums entry level unit.

 I havent used the HB units enough to make a bias judgement but the little I played with the 55 I wasnt that impressed.

 You hear the most about Vex due to they have been around the longest but they still use the same technology they built their name on and others have made the leap into new technology and are passing them up. Nothing wrong with a Vex but why buy 1990 technology when there is newer advancements out there to choose from and in most cases at a lower price.

[supserdave]

An FL 12 will do fine for most all of your applications. I owned a FL 18 for 5 years, and now I'm on year 2 with my Marcum LX 5. I got a deal on the marcum used, and sold my 18 for it.

I WOULD TRADE BACK IN A HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong, the marcum is a nice unit. But to me, there zoom is a joke. If your fishing in 20', the zoom defaults to the top 6' of the water column. So now I have to scroll the zoom all the way to the bottom. With the vex, you just turn the knob and it defaults to the bottom. I understand having the moveable zoom could be handy in some situations. But its to much of a hassle for me.

I do like the SFL feature, but I don't think its that big of a deal. With 2.65" or whatever target seperation, you can still catch fish, don't let the marcum worshipers try and brain wash you that without an LX 5 and a nils auger you'll be skunked!

I would definitely want the zoom if you plan to fish 10-15ft or deeper very often.

[darkwater777]

Thank-you so much as far as target separation goes is more better like is 2.5" better than 2" right now im leaning towards the fl12 because ive heard good thing's about its simplicity and its reliability

Less is better but not absolutley neccesary. My old FL-18 had alot more seperation then my FL-22 HD and my catch rate has not gone up at all. My catch rate did not go up with the Marcum LX-3 or the LX-5 I used. Take a look at the polls and the board and you will see tha for every marcum owner there's 3 Vex owners. Despite this target seperation debate guys still use and trust Vexilar.
Superdave was bang on..with the Marcum fanboys lovefest for Nils augers and LX'5s. Go to any ice fishing forum here on the net and its the same guys who parrot each other with this propoganda...its comical.

[iceman260]

I know a guy that a guy whose 4 wheeler and equipment went through the ice on lake george, two vexs included. divers went down next day to retrieve his stuff. He dried out the vex's and charged them to his amazment they still worked. That was three years ago and he is still using them. That should speak for itself on their reliability. My Fl-18 catches me all the fish I need.