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With Ice fishing just around the corner I'm starting to look at flashers and trying to determine which one.
It seems like the three big brands that are currently producing them are Marcum, Vexilar, and Hummingbird.
Are there advantages to some of the flashers that run upwards of $800 That justify the price jump?
I know a lot of it will come down to preference, but I'd like to hear thoughts from owners.
What flasher do you own? What do you like, What don't you like, What do you wish it had, If you could buy any flasher on the market which one would you go with, why?
I've been looking around online for comparisons between some of the top flashers and I haven't had much luck yet.
At the end of the day, I know they'll all just show me how many fish I didn't catch, but it'd be nice to know I'm not staring down an empty icehole.
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I'm completely happy with my Marcum Showdown Troller 2. I like the vertical column display, which is a lot more intuitive that the round-dial displays.
Edit to add: Here's a TwoYube clip of the Showdown 5.6 (which is the next better model above mine) but mine works exactly the same as you see here...
https://youtu.be/yE17FQ04k2c
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I absolutely love my marcum showdown.
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Cowboy Up!
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I too love my Marcum Showdown (5.6) and would recommend it to anyone buying their first flasher. Supper easy to read and understand. If you move a lot on the ice, it's also real friendly for hole hoppers. I've messed around with the 800 dollar flashers at different stores and they have some really cool features and the target separation on some of them are incredible. Go to the store and play around with the ones they have there in demo mode and get familiar wit them, you'll find one that fits your style.
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Good question, I would also like to hear peoples view or ideas about the different cameras for ice fishing, and camera vs. flasher or showdowns. thanks
humpy
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Since this would be my first flasher, I'm interested in learning more.
What sort of features does the $800 flasher have that the showdown doesn't? Is there really that much more built into it?
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Thank you for the Clip Raab. It helps to see them in action.
Have you ever had any problems with your Showdown? How long have you had it?
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I bought mine used from an auction site. It came with the carrier bag and 12v battery and was the 1.0 version. The first year, I used it as is, and then sent it in for the $50 upgrade to the V-2.0. I used that last year and despite the short season of ice, found that the 2.0 was a genuine improvement.
As others might tell you, the battery life when running it on AAs is nowhere near the 20 hours they claim. I suspect, however, that this may be due to leaving the screen backlight and/or screen heater turned on inadvertently.
That's the only negative I've ever heard about them, and if you get the carrier/battery package even that is a complete non-issue.
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[#0000FF]Going into my fifth year with the Showdown. I have used and liked the Vexs but like the vertical display of the Showdown better. Simple, easy to read and easily shows real time movement of both fish and jigs.
One of the things I have enjoyed...and used a lot...is the "shooting through ice" feature. Most good units will do the same but with the quick and easy display on the Showdown you can really "run and gun" to check depth and fish locations without having to drill a lot of holes. Just dribble a little water on the ice (should be clear and solid...no slush or bubbles) and set the 'ducer on the wet spot. You get an instant read on what is below. If you have the right depth and some fish, get the auger going. If not, move a few yards and shoot again. (see pics)
The second time I had mine out it blew one of those little fuses and I was fishing blind all day. Made me appreciate it even more. Always carry extra fuses now but have never had another one go.
They are sensitive to the super high power flashers. Lots of interference. You can tune most of it out but that affects your sensitivity. Better to not have fishing buddies with Marcums. Vexs not so bad. Other Showdowns only a few feet away okay.
In the attached pics you will note I have "messed with" my setup. Put the display on a higher level, with a piece of PVC (what else?). Have the battery and the base mount for the display in a small bag. Can leave it in the sled and carry the 'ducer and water for moving across the ice...shootin' as I go. But when set up it is higher and easier to see while sitting on my stool.
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That video got me wanting to head over to sportsmans right now, so cool! Thanks for posting!
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Much prefer my showdown to the 2 cameras that I've had.
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There are quite a bit of differences between say a Showdown and an LX-7. Bigger screen size, color on the LX-7 vs black bars on the showdown. If I'm remembering correctly the LX-7 and LX-9 for sure, has a graph mode and you can still have a vertical display option on these units. You can run two different modes on the LX-7, it's pretty cool, you can have two vertical display options where you see the whole water column then the other you can be zoomed into the bottom 5 feet of the water column. There are a ton more differences between the two. From videos I've watched one of the coolest is the color display and being able to tell what is weeds or smaller fish (usually a blue to yellow color) then your bigger fish appear in orange or red depending on your sensitivity level. I'll try to find the video an post a link (EDIT: here's a helpful video on the LX series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2nsELNSWz4 ), you check out indepthoutdoors.com and find some useful information on them or watch a few episodes of indepthoutdoors on youtube, they use marcum units. I've only messed around with them in the stores and researched online because i'd like to eventually get an LX-7, so maybe someone with the unit can chime in. My showdown has preformed really well for me, I do notice some interference when close to other guys but nothing that i've been super annoyed with. The battery life on mine has done really well.
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Most guys will scoff when they see this thing but I think it's awesome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKhWgcrH95o
That review is a little old but it shows the general idea. I wear an extra cell phone in a clip-on dry bag on my chest and drop the ball in holes as I hole hop until I find activity. The things that have changed since the review are that the battery life is now 6 hours, the ice flasher mode also has a concurrent water column view and there's a boat mode that creates a shareable bathyrythmic map of the bottom when attached to a boat. Also, it's only $200 instead of $400-$600.
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I've had six fish finders, one a show down and I love it the best. Sent it in for an upgrade cost $50. made it a new machine, great service.
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I forgot to mention the "shoot through" prospecting trick. Thanks, Pat.
The only difference I make is to use alcohol instead of water. With water, the transducer freezes to the ice in moments, and you can damage it by yanking on the power cord. With alcohol, that's never an issue. I carry alcohol with me anyway to fuel my cook stove. Rubbing alcohol, windshield de-icer, HEET, or dollar store fuel line additive are all good.
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[#0000FF]The alcohol is a good idea. But some guys have a different kind in mind...and different "applications". More for internal use than external.
I usually bring a couple of Coleman insulated containers full of hot water. The heated water keeps the 'ducer from freezing for the brief seconds I leave it on the ice. But on those rare and wonderful days that the air temp is not brutally cold even water out of an ice hole will not freeze too quickly.
You are dead right that you don't want to risk letting the 'ducer freeze to the ice. Those sensitive units do not benefit from kicking or harsh yanking once they lock up in the ice.
One of us should mention that using antifreeze is NOT recommended. It would be considered a pollutant and you could be subject to a citation if checked by a CO.
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Glad you did, Brutha.
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Im a vex man I have 3 of them 2 for my boys and friends
AND THAY DO NOT FREEZEEEEEE!!!
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Showdown 5.6 for me and never looked back.
The 3rd or 4th time I used it on UL and had it figured out I caught carp, mud cats, and a channel cat the same trip just by setting the hook when the two bars came together.
Amazing!
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I'm surprised nobody else has recommended the Deeper fishfinder yet.
I have zero experience with other flasher/sonars/fishfinders of any type. But I bought my Deeper just after ice fishing season ended last year, and I can't say enough about it. It's tiny, convenient, and a LOT cheaper than the $800 models we're talking about.
Check out some of the videos of ice fishing with the Deeper on YouTube. I for one can't wait to give mine a whack this ice fishing season, and I also can't think of any features I wish it had but it doesn't. It may be a great option for you as well.
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