Best flasher for the money

[fisherman_chuck]

Looking to buy my first flasher what is the opinions out there for the best flasher for the money, Vex, marcum or bird?

[delta9]

I have a vex its my first the best I cannot say, definetly a wonderfull thing.

[boss j]

personally i have the lorance x67 ice machine, outdated now but lorance still makes the same basic unit, and i love it! i also bought the skimmer transducer and use it on open water. it has flasher, graph, and split screen bottom lock graph. really for the money this 1 unit covers ALL my fishing needs!!!

[jrtbaits]

I fish with a showdown and can't imagine fishing with anything else ... I've tried the vexes the birds and other marcums but hands down the best purchase I ever made for ice fishing was the showdown ... and it's one of the cheapest flashers you can buy to boot

[addicted to ice fishing]

All 3 are good products, and you will find many various opinions.  It is much like the ford chevy debate.  Look at the various threads on here, and decide which features you want, and how much you want to spend.  Then make your choice from there.  I own a bird, only 1 I have had.  If I were buying another one, I would not hesitate to buy a vexilar, a marcum, or another bird.

Here are the 2 best answers that I can give you.

1)  Whatever flasher you buy will be the best for you, because

2)  A flasher is better than No flasher.

[threewack]

As long as it shows you fish you will know weather to stay put or move.Good luck.

[delta9]

Here are the 2 best answers that I can give you.

1)  Whatever flasher you buy will be the best for you, because

2)  A flasher is better than No flasher.

Well said.

[WalleyeTom]

I have the Marcum LX-7.  I use it for walleye and lake trout.

[NITE-BITE]

Been using the same Vexilar since 96.
Winter and summer.
Could not see myself buying anything else.
FL-8 slt.

[. Ron]

If it weren't for the noise, I would go for the Vex over the Marcum, as I prefer the screen and readout of the Vex.  But sitting in my shack and having it at least reasonably quiet is worth having the Marcum, for me.

[bart]

I've had a Marcum VX-1 for the past six years with no problems and have been very happy with its performance, that and the price it's hard to beat.
With that said, there are a great variety of quality flashers on the market these days, check them out. You'll be happier, develop more confidence and fish better by finding one that fits your personality and speaks to you...

[bpiatt]

If your looking for the best flasher for the money I would take a serious look at the ShowDown Ice Troller 2.0. Its got 2 inch target seperation and can bottom zoom. Its only 200 bucks. It can run 20 hours off 6 aa batteries or you can get the performance pack so you can run a 12v 9ah battery and get like 35 hours run time. The vexilar fl8 is roughly 300 bucks and doesn't even have zoom, plus it has worse target seperation.  The humminbird ice 35 is not bad and has a dual beam transducer, but the transducer is only one crystal trying to run two frequencies. The 19* cone has trouble displaying small jigs. The ice 35 also has worse seperation than the ice troller. If its your first flasher and you want a great value with high performance then you cant go wrong with an ice troller. If you ever decide to upgrade you can still use the troller for checking your holes and setting up tipups since its so compact and handy.

[pikemaster1]

I have a vex but if you want a good unit for the money check out the h-bird 35 or try to find a used flasher

[spikes]

I do like my Vex.   I enjoy it and would recommend the zoom feature

[Loudmouth879]

This is like the 10th which flasher is better thread and there's not even ice yet!?! but to answer you question I'm a vex guy very durable but I would say get either the 18, 20, or 22 if you go vex

[Todd_NE]

I prefer the moveable zoom, quietness, noise rejection, target separation and resolution of the Marcum LX-5 over the nicer flat screens and longer battery life of the big Vexilars.

[fisherman_chuck]

ok whats the difference in the Bird 35 and a marcum vx-1?

[Buckshots]

Ones a bird and the others a marcum.. Which one do you prefer? These threads should be banned!! Research the flashers in your price point and see what one works best for you.

[pleasureseeker]

I do like my Vex.   I enjoy it and would recommend the zoom feature

I have the Vex FL-8se, but when I buy a new one, it will have the bottom zoom, too.

[Loudmouth879]

I have the Vex FL-8se, but when I buy a new one, it will have the bottom zoom, too.

x2

[da man cave shack]

BIRD 35

[bpiatt]

Ones a bird and the others a marcum.. Which one do you prefer? These threads should be banned!! Research the flashers in your price point and see what one works best for you.

He is researching them, hence why he's posting in this thread. People like to hear opinions on why they like one thing over the other. Forums are how people learn. If your sick of hearing people ask then don't click on threads titled "Best Flasher for the money".

[Michaelo]

Marcum VX-1 PRO

1,000-watts of power
20-degree Transducer
Bottom Lock Zoom
Red Padded Soft Pack included
12-volt 7-amp Rechargeable Battery
6 levels of Interference Rejection
Most feature- and value-rich ice sonar system available
Made in the USA with US and imported parts
2.5" Target Separation 

Vexiar FL-8
400 Watts of Power
19 degree transducer
Comes in the genz pack or pro pack
12 volt 7 amp battery
Battery charger included
10 IR settings
1" Target Seperation

Humminbord Ice 35
800 Watts of power
9 or 19 dual beam transducer
Hard case/stand
12 volt 7 amp battery
2.5 inch target seperation
10 IR settings
4 depth scales 20, 40, 80, 200


Personally I've had a Marcum VX-1Pro and have fished with people with the fl-8 and ice 35. With the vex we were fishing in 8 fow for perch and their was a lot of vegetation and stuff in the water and the vex was having problems reading the bottom and the jig while I had no problems with my marcum. The ice 35 had problems with interference when fishing with me and I had no problems. If it was me I would have no problem getting another vx-1pro.

[Gillgrabber]

He is researching them, hence why he's posting in this thread. People like to hear opinions on why they like one thing over the other. Forums are how people learn. If your sick of hearing people ask then don't click on threads titled "Best Flasher for the money".

Agreed.  I've asked more than my share of dumb questions over the years, but the Forum was a great way to get the answers I needed.

[Whytie]

Best flasher for the money would be the best sale you can find, they all work for their intended purpose to locate fish under the ice. If nothing is on sale I think your best flasher would be a Marcum lx-3 for the money at 350$ range you get 1" target separation(in zoom mode 2" in regular mode like most other flashers) and adjustable zoom in any area of the water column. Myself I went with the LX-5 the double cone was a selling point and the 3/4 target separation helps identify small perch schools compared to large ones. Here's a good read to help with your choice. http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=38003.0 good luck with your new finder when you decide on it .

[Mike47]

For the money with rebates and all said HUMMINBIRD hands down

[hnd]

have used all 3 of the beginning flashers and the vx1 was the best performer.  a true zoom (the bird just seems to magnify) and it doesn't have the blobbyness of the vex.   all can be had for a decent price.  the vex while it doesn't have a zoom, the genz box can take a beating. 

[CrappieGuy]

I have a Vex fl-8 and a Marcum VX-1, Marcum hands down.  Clearer display, better target separation, bottom zoom, all at a very reasonable price.

[toofuss]

I have an ice 35 bird and like it a lot but I think my next purchase will be a vex. I don't want to be the guy with a marcum worrying about pissing off all the guys around me when I turn it on lol.

[hnd]

we fished around lx5's when we had low end vex's all the time  and never had an issue.