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I know the subject gets talked about a lot so I apologize but I have once again decided to buy a flasher. I can only spend about $450.00 tops. So Im looking for opinions and possibly the reasoning behind the opinion on flashers kike the Marcum M3 or the showdown. Vexlar FL series and Hummingbird Ice series. Also wondering about the difference between the Marcum Ice troller and the showdown for those that may have used both. Thanks in advance for comments
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You can get a great flasher for that kind of money..... I run a vexilar fl18 and its great love it only downside is I hate trying to figure out how deep the water is... I would get the Hummingbird 45 gives you depth digitally in the middle of your screen.. Cant go wrong with either but I would go bird if I could do it again... Marcum is also good I have fished by guys with them and they are good too. but i would buy bird if I was buying today
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I currently run a Showdown but if all goes to plan it will be replaced next year with a Panoptix Ice Bundle.
FWIW, the Showdown is an awesome locator.
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I actually went from a showdown to a flasher, never using a flasher before. And I enjoy the flasher a bit more than the showdown. I went to a marcum lx3-tci. For me, I find it easier to read with the different colors and I do have to find the depth with a knob, but it isn’t bad. I fact I took my 3 year old twin boys to Scofield Monday for their first ice fishing trip, and they were able to tell what was their bait and what was fish, they got a kick out of it. It’s personal preference, but I do enjoy the flasher more myself, although I do get a bit more interference with a flasher than I did the showdown, but it isn’t bad..
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Quite the upgrade! Be sure to send a report on your experience. Panoptics look pretty sweet, but I don't want to play guinea pig for that dollar amount
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I’ve used Vexilars for over 20 years. After a ice trip to Minnesota years ago I seen what most of the folks were using at that time. Most were Vexs. But technology has brought great changes for those that favor LCD units. All I know for sure is that I will never fish blind again.
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Have read many a back & forth regarding flashers vs graphs. Most of my buddies use flashers, but I'll take a graph any time, any where. Before you make your purchase,
check out the Helix series from HBird. My Helix 7 has both options available in the
same unit. If you want to get carpal tunnel in the eyeballs from watching a screen
all day, get a flasher. If you want to visually enjoy the entire ice fishing experience
by being able to look away from your screen here & there, and still not miss anything, get a graph. Better yet: get a Helix.
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[quote lilfish]I run a vexilar fl18 and its great love it only downside is I hate trying to figure out how deep the water is.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]You don't have to guess - you can read it directly from a DD-100 Digital Depth and Battery Gauge. It will do the following :[/size][/#800000][/font][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3] [/size][/#800000][/font]
[ul][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Gives Any Vexilar Flasher the Ability to Show a Digital Depth Display[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Can Be Used on Any Vexilar FL Series Flasher Ever Made, Including Older Hondex, Si-tex and Micronar FL-8's[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Displays Battery Status By A Simple Push of a Button[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Display Lighted for Use After Dark[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Water Resistant & Easy Installation[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Maximum Depth: 199 Feet[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Power Draw OFF: 124uA[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][li][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Power Draw ON: 21mA[/size][/#800000][/font][/li][/ul]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Its available on [url "https://www.amazon.com/Vexilar-DD-100-Digital-Depth-Battery/dp/B00CJJ5P6Y"]Amazon Prime[/url] for $44.43.[/size][/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]
[/size][/#800000][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]You're welcome. [  ]
[/size][/#800000][/font]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 82 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
"Free men do not ask permission to bear arms."
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I purchased the digital depth gauge last year. A great addition for my Vex.
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Why do flashers seem to over complicate things? Seems like they use way too many lights and colors. Why not just put one solid red line that equals the depth, then a yellow colored mine that equals your lure, and a green line for anything that’s a fish?
The videos I’ve watched on YouTube of flashers seem to show so many colors and lines to reflect the bottom. Why not just use one color/line that reflects the depth?
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I agree with Kingfisher2 on the general confusion of the colors, and watching the circles makes me dizzy!!...I went for the Showdown a few seasons ago and have really enjoyed the ease of it...esp. top of the unit is top of water column, bottom of unit is bottom of water column...no confusion....you see your bait going down (top to bottom, not in circles) and any other movement is probably a fish....My buddy bought the Marcum Troller model, and it works also, but is much smaller, so I wouldn't buy that for just that reason...but it is cheaper also...I think they mostly all work for what they are supposed to do, just depends on how much work you want your eyes to do...Guluk...
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get a fl 18 vexlar and don't look back [cool]
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I guess I should have added that I am and have been for many years using a traditional fish finder I believe it an Old Eagle brand. It shows depth suspended fish the bottom and with a gain increase I also see bumps from perch type fish rising off the bottom. The problem I have is chart speed. The flashers seem to show instantaneous movement while my graph is a few second delay. It has served the purpose for 20 years just thinking of upgrading.
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I've said it before, the spinning dials and flashing lights on the various makes and models of flashers can cause Whirling Disease in fishermen. [ ]
In defense of the Marcum Showdown. My Showdown has just started it's 9th season, on it's third 9amH battery. The Showdowns are straight forward showing a vertical water column, have many adjustments for depth and sensitivity and it all adds up to ease of use and dependability.
It all boils down to a basic premise, use what works best for you and get thoroughly informed on how to use it to it's full potential.
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Ditto. I sold all my ice gear but loved my Marcum Showdown. Entirely intuitive, vertical water column, no flashing lights, ability to watch the whole column or just the bottom five or ten feet, very good target separation, long battery life, lighted and/or heated display, and the ability to see through ice without drilling a hole - for finding a precise spot or fish before you drill. Magic.
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You mentioned MarCum Showdown for your price range. I strongly considered it for myself for some advantages over my MarCum LX-9. It compares well in specifications for power and target separation. I like that it's display is said to be more visible in bright sunlight, but I've never used one. I especially like that it is smaller and lighter because I generally don't stay put unless over fish that are holding to structure. I run around to auger a lot of holes. The showdown transducer is more narrow and I've considered making something to make tiny holes even faster.
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In the past several years I've used all different configurations of sonars on the ice. A major thing to keep in mind is all of the new systems are very similar in accuracy. They all effectively let you know a fish is right below you. If that's all you want it becomes user preference. There are differences in accuracy, however they are so minute that it shouldn't play a huge factor in your decision.
Again, after using a lot of different types I have come to like my Humminbird Ice Helix 7 the best. I also, still have my Marcum LX-9. Draw back of the LX-9 is weight and lack of mapping capabilities. Many of the other units also lack mapping capabilities. Mapping can help you locate fish and give you insight on new similar areas throughout the lake.
Having lake maps on my ice unit has proven invaluable! Also, the Helix Ice provides every mode ex: vertical bar, digital flasher, graph, depth zoom, combo screens, and map. The map, even while walking, has proven useful during dense fog/snow situations.
In my opinion your biggest bang for your buck is the Humminbird Ice Helix series.
FYI- Contour maps sold separately.
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Gonna have to second Gibson here.
"Also, the Helix Ice provides every mode ex: vertical bar, digital flasher, graph, depth zoom, combo screens, and map."
"In my opinion your biggest bang for your buck is the Humminbird Ice Helix series."
Got my Helix 7 last year and it has been a total game changer for me. Mine does not have the mapping features. I have friends with Marcum LX's / Showdowns and they'll even say the Helix is easier to read and shows more (though honestly they still seem to catch just as many fish [ ] ). Some of the menu features take a day or two to get used too, but once you do they are amazing. Clear or murky water you can filter out all the noise and get the info you need to to catch fish even in very deep water. I picked mine up used like new with both style transducers for $350. Added a $5 mini cooler from the DI to house the batteries and iceducer when not in use. If it died tommorow I'd get another the next day, but maybe with the mapping feature upgrade [ ]
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I have been using a flasher since they were first introduced in Utah... don't remember how many years that has been. At the time, Vex was the only game in town. Marcum came around a few years later. Not sure why, but since Marcum came to Utah, they have become more popular. Price??? but, I do know there are several flashers around anymore and I have to be honest, I have never strayed from Vex to see the differences. I have a FL-8 that has been flawless for at least 20 years, probably more. I purchased a FLX-28 about 3 years ago which is Vexilar's premium unit. Way more than your budget but it will do it all. It doesn't catch any more fish than the FL-8. I can always tell when a Marcum is in the area, they send and use way more wattage which causes interference on my fl-8. I have to be at least 20 to 30 yards away to be able to use my FL-8. My FLX-28 has no problem tuning out the interference of the Marcum Units, so I think they play well together now. I bought my wife a FL-8 a few years ago and we can put them in the ice tent together and can tune out the interference they cause with each other. My Son also has the FL-8. He bought a 2nd one for his daughter to use 2 years ago. So, we are a vex family, with 5 units between us. We went to Scofield last Saturday and had 3 vex's in the tent going with only 6 feet between the 3 of us. They played well together and all screens were clutter free.
Flashers are real time, which I like over graph. My vex's will pickup anything 1/2 inch or larger. Often I can see the hook and the sinker on the line. I like the multi color function. I can instantly tell what is my hook and what is a fish. Each is a different color if you fine tune the gain control. The round face is not confusing to read at all for me. I take newbies to sonar use fishing quite often and they are reading the round multi color face in less than a minute. As has been mentioned by others, all brands, makes and models, do the same thing, mark fish, the bells and whistles vary and become a fielders choice. Do some research on U-Tube. Lots of information on all the systems.
Like others have said, I will not leave home without my sonar. The difference between catching fish and not catching fish can be as much as 10 to 1. I seldom move once I setup. There are always fish around. With the sonar, you know where they are and what attracts them.
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