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I went with the Marcum Showdown 5.6 for my first fish finder, and love it! The supplied charger is garbage, but the Showdown itself, was very easy to understand and use. It's definitely helped me to locate, and more importantly, catch more fish?
Buy a good used (or new) Vex FL8 or Marcum VX-1, any will do what you want. A Showdown is a good one too. A feature a lot of people like is a zoom feature. Or get a buddy and share.
I appreciate all your replies...Decided to order the Marcum VX-1....Now I need more ice here in North East Pennsylvania.....But I can stillplay with it of the docks at the lakes while waiting to more ice again..lol
Get a Hawkeye FP33.
You made a good choice with the Marcum VX1. I have used one for 20 years with no problems at all.
One question though..Why does the green line indicating the jig change to yellow once in awhile??
As your jig spins or moves it will have a different profile which in turn gives a different return signal ...stronger or weaker and/or if it on the outside edge of the signal cone will have a weaker signal ...towards the center of the cone/directly under the transducer = better signal
Finally got out on the ice here with the Marcum vx1i...Drilled a few holes..5 to 6 inchs of iceafter the thaw..Anyway,it took me a few tries to get it figured out..In 20 foot of water nothing.Came back in to about 10 to 15 foot...After making some adjustments I started seeing andcatching some nice blue gills on a tear drop withwax worm..My buddy got mad and went home..I even offered to let him use it..lol...Guess I will be solo from now on..Anyway I appreciate all the advice you guys gave me...Should have got one long ago....
Usually when only some of a fishing party has a flasher they can give the guys without enough intel to get them on the fish.The guys without just need a way to know how deep down they are fishing. They need to know how many turns on the reel handle equal how many feet. Then they can drop to the bottom and reel up so many feet. You tell them you are in "X" many feet of water and the fish are at "Y" depth and your jig is at "Z" depth.