Vexilar

[BFD2100]

I am looking into buying a new vexilar. i have an FL-8 that is about 6 years old and it is starting to take a dump on me. I was just woundering if anyone has any pros or cons to the new FL-12 or the FL-20.

[Corey Bechtold]

I have had the new FL-20 since last year and totally impressed with this unit! It works great and having the options like 6', 12' zoom, Night view and Low Power make it a dream machine.

My friend got the FL-12 last year and likes it a lot. He doesn't typically fish deep water so the zoom wasn't that important for him.

Good luck,

Corey Bechtold

[JDR724]

I've got the 20 and for me having the zoom combined with the dual beam is the only thing that puts it close to the higher end Marcums. It's only when you use the 6' zoom and 9 degree cone together that you eliminate the bottom shadow. That's what I call it when you have to pick your bait up 3-6 or even 8 inches before it becomes distinguishable from the bottom. The 20 with the 9 degree in 6' zoom mode eliminates most of this depenging on bottom composition. When you switch to the 18 degree it gets worse and then without zoom even worse. And the whole thing is even worse the smaller the bait because you have to turn up the gain to see it.

Despite the fact that the gain only increases the detection of the power output, because the Marcum has more power and hence a smaller wavelength, the bottom shadow is less with the same cone angle, gain setting and bottom composition.

Hey, I'm sure you caught ALOT of fisn with your fl-8 so a 12 would be fine but the dual beam 20 and the LX3's and up are really a treat.

Have fun,

[irishjigs]

I have the FL-12, and I have found it is pretty much exactly like the FL-8, only it has a flat screen. I wish I would have gotten the FL-20 for the zoom feature. I miss that more than I thought I would.

[Bigfife]

I bought a FL-8 the first year the FL-18 came out and I regreted it. I think at the time it was $100 more and would have been worth every penny. The bottom zoom is a very nice feature. Now I run a MarCum LX-5, but if I went with a Vexilar it would be a FL-20. My brother and I fish together a lot and with his FL-20 and my LX-5 we have the bottom zoom on all the time. The only time his comes off is when we fish those suspended crappies more than 12 feet off the bottom then the adjustable zoom would be nice. Unless your FL-8 is really old, I can't really see upgrading to the FL-12. Just my .02.

[fisherman34]

From what I have seen you should stay away from the FL-12. I have the FL-8 SE and it over powers the 12 and causes a lot of interference for the 12 when I am in the same house with a buddy.

[delta hunter]

I would have to disagree with that! I have a FL12 and have fished with a bunch of buddies that have a variety of flashers and never had a problem. The 12 has 10 stages of rejection and just have to remember to have different gain settings!

[Big Dave2]

since you are going to buy a new one you might as well get the FL-20 right away. I have an 8 and a 20 and I don't regret getting the 20 in the least. The zoom feature and the flat screen with night/day settings is well worth the money.