Using a traditional fishfinder for ice fishing?

[theine]

I'm curious why don't more  people use a traditional fish finder for ice fishing applications?  Does the ice alter the beam and readouts?  I have an extra Hummingbird and was wondering if I should buy a flasher or try to make the traditional LCD fishfinder work.  ANy thoughts and insight would be appreciated

[Spider1]

I used 3 different fish finders last season. All worked to a degree and one worked pretty good. The only thing that was a real problem was fish finders weren't meant to pick up on tiny ice jigs, they were made to find fish. They will pick up small jigs, and some more expensive models probably do it better, but I had to have the gain set real high to pick up jigs. When I moved from hole to hole I would need to readjust my gain often and all in all, it wasn't worth the hassle. I picked up an Ice45 for this season, Now I have 3 fish finders and no boat!

[theine]

Spider 1 thanks for the insight, thatc certainly makes sense!

[TrackerG]

I have upgraded to the HB 345c DI and 346c DI fish finders on my boat. My wife and I use them on portable units for ice fishing. Both have color screens and flasher view which works pretty good. The only draw back is last years 345c DI doesn't work with the "ice-ducer" like the manual says it will, but we just use the original transducer. It works fine. The 346 has been improved with a 2 dimension feature which allows for use with the ice-ducer. The only drawback I have found is if its extremely cold...the LCD screen is not happy....if its that cold, I am in a hooch with heater. .but other than that, I am more than pleased with the performance. If you are just ice fishing, then maybe a flasher is the best option, but for dual purpose use, I like these models.

[Fontona19]

My back up is a Garmin Echo 300c. It performs as well as my Lx-7 for the most part. Target separation isn't great, but I have used in 120fow for lakers, and was able to pick up 1/4 jigs with no issues at all. I also use the same finder in my canoe with some pvc that I fashioned into a mount. The Echo 300c is a great little unit for the coin.

[Swift]

Used my portable LCD briefly one late season before I picked up a Marcum after my Green Box finely died. Did fine, was a bit clumsy, but adequate. Mounted the transducer on an old 3 stick tip-up frame and set it on the side of the hole, no  tangle problems

[esox_xtm]

Being the value minded fellow that I am I used an old Hummin'Bird Silent 60 for years because anything else just wasn't in my budget. I worked for a tackle shop for a while and the owner basically let me get what I wanted for his cost because I worked for peanuts. I wound up with a late FL-8 and loved it. Eventually it wound up as a bow mount unit on my boat so I was using it four seasons....

The next upgrade bought me a Lowrance x67 which only lasted a year because I valued the integral GPS in the M68c. Now when I bump up on interesting structure during open water I can pop in a waypoint and return on foot...........

The up shot is this: It's an evolution. Use what you've got, it's better than nothing. Upgrade as your budget allows. Sure I did alot of fiddling with that old flasher, but I could still see (to some extent) what was going on and it improved my catches. Are there better tools? How much $$$ you got..........

Start and learn and you will find your way........

/m

[theine]

All thanks for the insight.  Between now and when I posted earlier today I was speaking with a buddy about it and he said he had a used Hummingbird ICE-35 he would sell me at a really good price.  I think I'm going to go that way for now.  That should get me what I need for awhile.

[rdhammah]

flashers are more fun!. Like a video game. watch your jig and then see fish show up and then try to get them to bite.

[bmxrider11976]

I've got an elite 4x lowrance unit i use for in the boat/on the kayak/ on the ice. Its a great unit at a reasonable price and does everything i need it to. I use the normal transducer through the ice with no problems. The unit also has a flasher mode and an "ice fishing" mode. i typically keep it in the general freshwater mode and select the senstivity/zoom/ ping speed myself to cater to my preferences. I'm sure youll be happy with the h'bird, and as mentioned before anything is better than nothing!

[Spider1]

esox, you hit the nail on the head. My first flasher was a super sixty. It was strong enough to pick up my jig down to 15 ft but it got washed out in water under 10 ft. I think the 'ducer was on it's last legs. Then I used a buddies eagle fish ID. That worked pretty good but was very clumbsy moving from hole to hole and needed to be adjusted alot. Then I got a Garmin 140. Worked ok as well but I needed to fiddle with the gain way too much in order to see the jig and not wash out. I guess my evolution went pretty fast, lol!

theine, good choice. That ice35 will work fine for ya.

[jethro]

A graphing sonar is not as instant as a flasher. At least the ones I use for open water.

[Jim F]

I got a new Humminbird 587ciHD with the built in GPS for my boat this fall.
The xi 9 20 ice ducer for it showed up today
I hope it works well, should be much better than the Piranha 150 I've been using.
I'm anxious to try out the flasher portion. Never had one before.
As was mentioned above, I really like the ability to mark a spot in the summer and then walk to it on the ice
BTW, I got a screaming deal on the ducer from Amazon, 45 bucks and free shipping :0

[huntsfurfish]

Have been using HDS 5 and LMS332, LMS 337 and a hummingbird 718 on the ice.  They work fine for me.  There is no delay in reading.  All of them have a sonar bar at the leading edge of the screen.

Marcum has picked up on the usefulness of a logging sonar and made them their flagship models LX7 and LX9.

If you have the money and you want to have a flasher too, go for it.  But if you want something you can switch from boat to ice most sonars especially upper end stuff is great.  Plus the added bonus of putting them in a rental boat other than your own boat.

[filetandrelease]

have an fl18 which is great and a Lowrance 67c  , and I prefer the 67c and like huntsfurfish stated no delay and i prefer graph mode

[bigrich]

I use a LMS337 and my dad has a HDS5. They work great and have no delay. If you are getting a delay than your chart/ping speed is set wrong.

[vt-jig]

I use an old Eagle ultra portable. turn the chart speed up to the max and set it in its stationary mode, and the right hand side of the screen works like a flasher. its pretty handy. I've spoiled myself with it, to the point that I'll be late getting to a good bite just to get go get batteries for it. I use to think electronics were a waste of time, but now, I feel naked if i go fishing with out it! Definitely upped my catch ratio.

[slamber]

I have a Humminbird 788ci that is used on the bow of my boat for verticle jigging. Several years ago I got the portable case w/ battery and ice ducer for using the 788ci on the ice. It works great, no problems seeing small ice jigs or watching fish react to the jigs. Also because I can use Navionics/Lakemaster maps in it I don't need a handheld GPS for marking waypoints and I know exactly what I'm fishing over or near.

[vt-jig]

I have a Humminbird 788ci that is used on the bow of my boat for verticle jigging. Several years ago I got the portable case w/ battery and ice ducer for using the 788ci on the ice. It works great, no problems seeing small ice jigs or watching fish react to the jigs. Also because I can use Navionics/Lakemaster maps in it I don't need a handheld GPS for marking waypoints and I know exactly what I'm fishing over or near.

That sounds sweet! In order for me to do that, i need my fish finder, GPS, AND a depth chart.

[CamoHunter]

I've got the same 788ci HD setup as slamber.  I love mine!  It's a great setup!

[stripernut]

I have a Garmin 300C (not the Echo) and have been very happy with its performance. Small jigs deep, instant read, flasher screen if I wanted, Color and much more, all for a little over $200.

[Fontona19]

I use the Echo 300c as my back up, and it works flawlessly. I can read 1/4oz jigs in over 100 fow.