Showdown users only!!!!!!!

[barrelslime]

Not trying to stir the pot or beat the horse to death.  Iv always liked the looks of the Showdown since it came out and the FL8 is needing replaced. 
So give me some feedback from Showdown owners.  Like it?  Don't care for it?  Worth the money?  Spend my money elsewhere.

Thanks in advance
Tom

[appleye]

I have three and love them. Easy to use, shows fish. I'm hard on everything and they hold up.

[rlvb]

I don't like mine,,,,,,,,,,I LOVE IT. I got mine when they first came out for $269 but their still worth the money in my opinion.

[barrelslime]

Also need to know how they do in shallow water.  I don't fish a lot of deep water.

[Saskbush]

I wouldn't fish without mine. Never fish under 10' feet of water so don't know how it works in the shallows. But I would think that it would work fine in shallow water.

[eiderz]

I have two and like them a lot. Mine are the single beam units. In five feet of water you will need to adjust the sensitivity way down but they do work. Have never had the urge to go to a flasher since I got them. My only gripe, if you want to call it that, is that the zoom range options don't seem to fit the areas I fish. In water over 20' deep I leave it on full screen. If I buy a different unit, it will be an LX-7 so I can watch both the Showdown-type zoom and full water column at the same time. Noone is going to convince me that watching a circular representation of a vertical water column is a superior way to fish.

I have seen fish come to jigs on a Marcum camera, while also watching the Showdown. When a fish swallows the jig the mark appears to flash immediately as the jigs signal is lost.  If anybody tells you there is a perceptible delay on the Showdown compared to a flasher, they are just regurgitating BS they heard from when the unit first came out, years before Marcum acquired it. Cold weather does not affect them, at least down to -10F which is the coldest I have used one outside the shanty. Just keep it on "ice" mode, they have a little heater in them. A fully charged battery will last all day and some of the next.

For it's price point I don't think you can beat it.

[Rebelss]

eiderz summed it up for me. Love mine. 'nuff said.

[alaskaruss1]

    A Showdown will be my next tool / toy for hard water. Is there an advantage and what is the difference in the dual beam units?

[BigDynamite]

Here's my experience.  I have a 2 year old 5.6 dualbeam and it will be going in in the next few days for its 2nd servicing from Marcum.  The first time it was sent in the 'ducer had to be rewired to clear up a problem I was having.  This was not due to any type of abuse but an issue with the original build best I can tell.  End of last winter several of the buttons on the bottom of the unit just stopped working.  Opened the head and found dark spots visible behind the buttons that weren't working.  I assume there was corrosion of short circuiting that burned them out.  The next button up stopped working the next time out and unit was then unusable.

I will tell you that I like the unit when it is working, but will consider selling it to get $ towards something different.   I need reliability and for me that has not been the case.

[hamms]

I love the showdown units. Upgrade the fuse right away to a 5 amp... I love the vertical display now on my lx7. Showdown with color. If you think about it that showdown started the digital platform for Marcum and it has awesome separation and features with just the push of a button you have zoom or whatever. They are light and compact great for mobile fisherman. The battery lasts forever too. No moving parts!

[pipeboy98]

Well for what it's worth...I just bought one.  Last season I had the chance to fish with a lot of different people with a lot of different gear...and I chose the showdown.  I tried out fl 8's 18's, Marcums vx-1, lx3, and even an ice 45.  I can't speak much for reliability...though the guy that I used his said it was 3 years old.  I liked it...so this year I bought one.  Good luck in the hunt...snow here right now...it's just around the corner

[Trump]

fished side by side to an 8 last year and he'd say heres a fish.....   i saw all three of them he was looking at lol  they are awesome easy to you use perfect for jumping hole to hole no question about it get one

[Chris338378]

I bought my Showdown Dual Beam two years ago and can't be happier.  It's simple to learn and use and works as advertised.  I would recommend it to everyone and would buy it again in a second.  I never blew any fuses, I always plug in the charger to the unit then to the outlet.  Other than that I made a cheat sheet on an index card with the combinations of buttons you need to push to do certain things and change beam diameters and carry it in the case in a ziplock bag with a few spare fuses just in case I need to replace one, which I never did.  The first time I use it, I marked a three inch perch, yep I measured it, and watched it rise up, meet my jig, and set the hook.  When it comes to reliability no issues there either, it lasts all day long even in ice mode.  Other than that, as long as you don't abuse and beat on it, it will work and last for years.  After the first time using it I wondered how I ever caught any fish without it. 

[Gillgrabber]

I can only add that they're easy to learn.  I was fishing with a buddy who had never used a flasher before and he learned to use mine in just a few minutes.  He didn't want to give it back and said he was going to buy his own.  I like mine a lot.

[BigDynamite]

My unit is on its way to Marcum (see earlier post).  We'll see what they say/do.  I got my Showdown for my son (now 9 years old).  Actually paid more for it than my ICE 55 (got a great deal).  My son wants the Bird for the color and so I was using the Showdown and really getting to like it when things went bad.  The target separation is great.  I found it took me awhile to figure out when the fish was taking the bait (was trying to judge it by the sonar picture rather than my rod/line just for practice).  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Would love to have another functioning unit this year, but I'm keeping my eyes open for a deal on something else just in case.

Tight Lines and Hard Water

[DR.SPECKLER]

my showdown troller 2.0 is a fish finding machine.seems like my fl20 sits in my sled a lot.i  end up grabbing the troller to search for fish  and end up fishing with it all day long. 

[carcus1]

I had 3 showdowns none of them worked, finally marcum agreed to replace it with a lx3tc which I like way better.

[pocono]

I have both the showdown and the troller unit.  I don't think there is really a better unit out there for the price.  You shouldn't have any problems but if you do you will find that marcum is very fast in repair or up grade.

[BigDynamite]

Just got my Showdown back from Marcum and I'm here to tell you theyget high marks from me.  My unit was well out of the warranty period and they replaced the faceplate buttons, reprogramed it (not sure what that involves or means) and sent it back with no charge for the repair.  Unit was back quickly too (got there last Wednesday and came back today, the following Tuesday).  Now let's just hope she gives me many years of good service from here on out.

Thanks Marcum!   

[Purple Floyd]

The Showdown 5.6 is a great compact unit. I have the 5.6 dual beam and to me the vertical display is far superior to the dial flashers. If it came in color it would be a no brainer.

[jhawkes2]

Taking the plunge! Just ordered a showdown 5.6 DB on Amazon.... My son (5) already enjoys ice fishing (and jigging), I'm sure that this will add to his enthusiasm.

[BigDynamite]

Truth be told a color Showdown would get my $$ if price wasn't crazy.  Considering it wouldn't have all the bells and whistles nor screen size of an LX6 for instance and the B/W tech is outdated (to be honest), such a unit should be able to be priced in the $350 range as far as I'm concerned.  Personally I think the Showdowns are overpriced, and yes I paid full $$ for mine.  However nobody from Marcum has asked my opinion.   

[fishermantim]

Never had thought I would ever use a flasher, but once I got the Showdown Ice Stroller I can't see myself NOT using one.
As for shallow water usage, I don't use it much there.

It does give you an added edge of knowing if there are fish in the area and if they are interested in your offering.

[Corndog]

Have 2 Trollers... I fish shallow ponds mostly. Great unit by itself. I also have one power pack set up. Hole hopping or sitting still I have no complaints.

[jhawkes2]

.....such a unit should be able to be priced in the $350 range as far as I'm concerned.... 

Purchased my 5.6 DB (NEW) for $360 on Amazon - Awesome!

[BigDynamite]

Maybe other Showdown users can comment on this.  I find that because the lines are thin and grey (rather than color) sometimes it is harder for me to use the Showdown than for instance my ICE 55.  Anyone else with this issue?  Any solutions other than using the zoom?  Getting old I guess.

[Rebelss]

Maybe other Showdown users can comment on this.  I find that because the lines are thin and grey (rather than color) sometimes it is harder for me to use the Showdown than for instance my ICE 55.  Anyone else with this issue?  Any solutions other than using the zoom?  Getting old I guess.

I have a 3 yo 5.6...never had a prob with that; my lines are nice and black...very sharp resolution. In fact, just got done playing with it after charging the batt up. Works well for me, but I'm not real demanding of my fish-finder, I just like the "edge" it gives me.

[BigDynamite]

Not suggesting the "faint" lines are a problem with the unit, it just the way it is.  That said, I just wondered if others found those first flickers when a fish was coming in were hard to see?  With my color unit I don't have that problem.  I'm sure its my eyes, but wondered if others thought it was an issue.  That's why I would love to see a color Showdown.

I figure I'm going to need another unit of some type as I add one , if not both, of my now 5yr old boys to the ice team next year.  Just don't have the $$ this year so we'll have to share when more than two of us go.  I'm thinking I might go with an LX6 and keep that one all for myself.  $600 is a lot of scratch though, especially when I need a larger shanty, larger heater and another sled so the kids can help haul some gear.  I'm very lucky to be in a position where I can even entertain getting this stuff and have kids to teach and share it all with.

Tight Lines and Hard Water

[Rebelss]

Hey!  NOW I can see those little lines!!!  Sorry, couldn't resist.....

[rlvb]

                                                                                                                          I don't see those faint lines on my unit either, but I may need to get me some bigger eyes.