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Tell me the big advantage of the new ice electronics


Question

Posted

I'm sort of an old school guy that doesnt need to have the next, best, greatest thing just to have it. I dont have my own TV show, and extra money after the bills are paid is hard to come by so I cant justify the stupid prices of the stuff the guys on tv tell me I need because the companys pay them to. I understand there is a difference in quality of most items that can help a guy. for example I dont use walmart cheapo rods to fish but I also wont spend a ton on the top of line G-loomis. I'm a top of the line cabelas $150 rod guy. My question is my old Fl-8 has been great, telling me all I feel I need to know. It might be wearing out and I'm wondering what the new units will give me thats going to be so much more of an advantage in telling me whats below me than what I had that can justify more than twice the price of another good old Fl-8 ? Forgive my ignorance but when I am fine with what I have I dont keep up on the new stuff and have no real idea what they do?

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Posted

Here is how I rate todays flasher from bottom to top as far as feature, bottom being the most basic to the top with all the bells and whistles....As you move up the line many features help aiding catching fish and reading/seeing what is under you, all work to show bottom and fish although some do the job better than others, trick is to research them and find what you need and want....

Vex FL-8/12

Vex FL-18/20

Hummingbird ice 35

Marcum VX-1

Vex FL-22

HB Ice 45

Marcum LX-3TC

HB Ice 55

Marcum LX-5/ Vex FLX28

Marcum LX-6

Marcum LX-7

Marcum LX-9

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Posted

if you are very happy with what you already have, consider buying used online possibly from someone that wants to upgrade & u could save lots of cash

also if you are a boat owner, consider a boat unit that is interchangeable for the ice. I have an HB 597 and love the graph screen for the ice. caught suspended gils & northern yesterday with it

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Posted

I have a Vexilar FL-12. I've fished next to a FL-8 and noticed a couple of differences.

The FL-12 has a noise reduction feature that allows me to fish next to another depth finder. It works fairly well.

The screen allows me to see it at more of an angle than the FL-8.

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Posted

I have a Vexilar FL-12. I've fished next to a FL-8 and noticed a couple of differences.

The FL-12 has a noise reduction feature that allows me to fish next to another depth finder. It works fairly well.

The screen allows me to see it at more of an angle than the FL-8.

Older FL-8's did not have IR, I think all those in the past 10 years do though, cant remember if the SE or SLT didnt have decent IR...

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Posted

I got a new vx1 for Christmas to replace my very old fl8 and I have noticed much better target seperation. I think that without it this last week I wouldn't have caught half the gills I did.

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Posted

I got a new vx1 for Christmas to replace my very old fl8 and I have noticed much better target seperation. I think that without it this last week I wouldn't have caught half the gills I did.

could you expand on that comment a little? why wouldnt you have caught half of them? wouldnt both of the units told you the fish locations? how is the better target seperation crucial in an advantage to catching them? niether unit would have told you what kind of bait they preferred. Im sorry guys but so far I havent heard anything that leads me to believe I need to spend a load of cash on any new unit to be more succesfull. I dont want to keep my head in the sand when it comes to new technology and am no way referring to anyone that has replied but my general thought on this is that guys buy the latest greatest thing because like my wife and shoes its a hobby that keeps the mind happy instead of bored. I just havent found any real great advantage over what was available years ago. as a casual fisherman that doesnt need to win a tournament am I missing something?

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Posted

Some units are better at showing fish holding tight to the bottom or showing 1 fish as 1 or several close togeather as 1.... Hence the post on the VX-1, it showed him things his 8 did not allowing him to catch more fish...Things get even better as you step up in units...My unit today would tell me there were several small fish below me where my buddys showed what looked like 1 or 2 decent fish when it was several small ones, after catching a few he saw the difference and now has flasher envy LOL.. If your happy with what you have thats great many of use also fish for fun but also like to catch fish and prefer to target the better fish in a school...A better flasher will show you these things and more... If you need a new flasher and just want the basics the VX-1P is a simple basic machine, a step or 2 up from the FL-8 ( honestly more similar or even better than the FL-18) and alot cheaper...

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Posted

You need to remember a flasher is personal preference. A vexilR flat screen makes the lines easier to see and is brighter. A 12 is an 8 with flat screen and probably has night mode not sure on that. Night mode dims the lights so not so bright. Zoom feature is a big deal if fishing walleyes you can zoom into the bottom area to make that display easier to see again. Does a person need any feature to catch fish no any locator helps that right away. I use zoom almost every time I go fishing. I run the low power mode at least half the time. I have a fl 20. Good luck.

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Posted

Fl8 is a great unit used one for about 10 years. All the newer units are are inproving what was started with the fl8.

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Posted

Most forget or didn't know there was many brands out there long before Vex, Lowrance being the first, Hummingbird, Hondex, Sitex? Clearwater's ect...

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Posted

I'm with Iron Cowboy on this one. One a flasher shows you the bottom and your bait, the rest is just fluff. Not knocking guys that like the new units. They are nice but I have sat side by side with the latest and greatest and havn't seen a guy outfish somebody because he paid more for his flasher.

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Posted

What I was talking about was being in the milfoil and turning down the gain and still see a fish a couple of inches off the bottom and how it reacts to the tiny jig.

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Posted

thanks, yea that makes sense. I guess that is a definite advantage the zoom feature has.

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Posted

I'm with Iron Cowboy on this one. One a flasher shows you the bottom and your bait, the rest is just fluff. Not knocking guys that like the new units. They are nice but I have sat side by side with the latest and greatest and havn't seen a guy outfish somebody because he paid more for his flasher.

Agreed. I would suggest zoom but that'sabout it. nothing else is worth what u pay for it and won't put many or any more fish in your bucket-

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Posted

I dread the day my FL-8 dies. It tells me how deep it is and if there are any fish below me. What more do you really need?

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Posted

I dread the day my FL-8 dies. It tells me how deep it is and if there are any fish below me. What more do you really need?

Exactly! I was afraid that day may have came but was just a bad battery. 10+ years going strong, when it does finally give up I will probably just get another Fl-8 as it seems they will always be the most reasonably priced and with all the years of trouble free service why change from whats proven pretty much bullet-proof. I just hope they keep offering them and dont go to only digital, I dont need all the electric problems etc. that ive read from guys. and dont want something so delicate it wont work right if it gets banged around some dropped etc. keeping it simple is best for me.

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Posted

im old school too. i have 4 zercom lc-40s bought first one 20 years ago

pick them up from time to time off c list for 100 or less. only problem is they dont have ir.. when im alone its my go to flasher..just this year i bought the 597 ice with gps and lake chip. the gps lets me mark my honey holes and track my way on and off the ice.. went off in a white out the other night led me right back to the boat ramp i wouldnt be without it just for that feature... im getting used to it in the graph mode . think over time ill like it.im getting a mount for the atv to clip it on the handle bars. also getting the transducer to put it in the boat. so i think i got pretty good bang for my buck.. momma was sure ok with it after it helped us off the ice..as far as i am concerned sonar is sonar and ya cant beat the old fl 8s zercoms ect .Jury is still out weather i like this new fancy shmancy one for fishing.

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Posted

If you are happy with your FL8, see if it can be repaired.

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Posted

Nice post and makes sense with that description. I have a FL-18 and was crappie fishin on Tonka last week. Up comes a large mark. I feel a bite, I set the hook and feel it for a second then off it comes. (typical) I now see two medium size marks and my jig. Two came up but it looked like one. Interesting. So if I had a LX9 per say I would see two fish coming up but close together because it can separate the targets better. I still love my FL-18 though. She's old like I am.

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Posted

Nice post and makes sense with that description. I have a FL-18 and was crappie fishin on Tonka last week. Up comes a large mark. I feel a bite, I set the hook and feel it for a second then off it comes. (typical) I now see two medium size marks and my jig. Two came up but it looked like one. Interesting. So if I had a LX9 per say I would see two fish coming up but close together because it can separate the targets better. I still love my FL-18 though. She's old like I am.

good example here of "so"? I can see how seeing the 2 marks where there was only 1 would be "interesting" but does that translate into anything that would have actually helped catch those fish?

as you might guess...I'm old school too, with a 12 yr old fl8 still going strong:)

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Posted

I really love the dead silence of my LX-9 - an under-rated feature of the new digital screen flashers IMHO. Zoom is nice for sure, and the camera just makes everything a lot more fun!

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Posted

I really love the dead silence of my LX-9 - an under-rated feature of the new digital screen flashers IMHO. Zoom is nice for sure, and the camera just makes everything a lot more fun!

To each their own I guess, I Love the slight humm of the old vex, just like I love the sound and smell of a two stroke engine..I think it sends a "I'm doing something I enjoy" signal to my brain wink

To the other guys, its refreshing to see by your posts Im not the only guy still "making due" with what I have. I guess I need to just fish more and stay away from cabelas and watching fishing shows as they had me believing I was the only guy on the planet that didnt have all the latest greatest and was really missing out. Dont get me wrong the new units sound great but im just not willing to pay that much. and yea the cameras are fun, I also have one of the old original aqua-views that just about requires a suitcase to get on the ice but I guess that would be another post for a whole different conversation wink

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Posted

I agree with you 100% Iron Cowboy.

I believe I can take my FL8 can catch just as many fish as any new flasher on the market today for 3 times the money.

Yes, some have better zoom, target seperation and on and on and all that is is the companies selling points. Or, the reps for the company that use thier products that say this is the BEST ever.

Comes down to a Ford vs Chev debate.

I will agree some units have a better zoom or a better target seperation but all the units will catch fish for you.

They will all ice one fish.

If we listen to the TV ads, reps at show's and so on, it is funny we can even ice any fish without thier new $1,200 unit. But, they will try to tell you how many more fish one will ice if you use our top notch, latest greatest unit.

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Posted

Also pretty much have the same sentiments. I do suppose the top line units will catch you a few more fish though. Adjustable zooms, split screens, dual beams, better target separations …..can be used more effectively than not; but you will not put amount of fish equivalent to the cost….more on the ice. Do have to agree with who ever made the comment about the noise though. I would actually pay more money for less capability just not to listen to those mechanicals wink As far as the cameras, again, you do not need top of the line either, but one of the best ways to understand ANY flasher and to use it better is to put a camera down when using it. It will show you different patterns that you can make reasonable assumptions in the future on what the fish are actually doing when you see similar readouts when the camera is not down.

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Posted

Do have to agree with who ever made the comment about the noise though. I would actually pay more money for less capability just not to listen to those mechanicals wink

C'mon man...you guys are killing me with the whole no noise thing! What do you think your at the library? smirk I embrace the sounds of certain things I feel are a the essence of being a minnesota born and raised country boy. ie: the distant pop. pop. pop of a gas auger (just not too close or at sundown) the 25 horse purring along taking you to the honey hole. the ol indy burping and poping on a cold morning. the wailing of the stihl as you "get work done". the sunflower heater when its real cold...ok that one can get annoying wink Help me out someone, who agrees and what else you got??

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Posted

I'd have to agree too, given the choice between the whir of a mechanical motor or a solid state LCD system, I'll take the quiet one ( LCD ) any day, I've fished with plenty of various mechanical units over the years and some are very loud and some not so much, those loud ones wear on your after a while.

I'm going on about 8 - 9 years with a flasher of my own, I have a LX5 and a ShowDown, all I know is that if I ever buy another unit, it WILL HAVE, adjustable zoom and dual beam, those features I will not go without.

Mike

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Posted

C'mon man...you guys are killing me with the whole no noise thing! What do you think your at the library? smirk I embrace the sounds of certain things I feel are a the essence of being a minnesota born and raised country boy. ie: the distant pop. pop. pop of a gas auger (just not too close or at sundown) the 25 horse purring along taking you to the honey hole. the ol indy burping and poping on a cold morning. the wailing of the stihl as you "get work done". the sunflower heater when its real cold...ok that one can get annoying wink Help me out someone, who agrees and what else you got??

Lol, Its not necessarily a no noise thing, my 7 year old and 80 year old nearly deaf fishing partners make a ton of noise, but that screeching sound is like a cheese grater to the head smile Similarly, and slightly off topic, but the same goes for the clanking, and as good as they are, of those old 2 stroke augers grin

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Posted

Interesting thread. I like to keep things simple but also appreciate what technology can do for you and don't dismiss it out of hand.

As with most things there is always a way to split the difference and get some of both. To me the unit that does this is the Marcum Showdown. Perfect blend of keep it simple while still getting some of the new technology. The Showdown is digital with a lcd display that is heated by the way for extreme temps.

What is really unique is the display is vertical. Top is top and bottom is bottom. Simple and intuitive. Because it's digital it's silent and can run 15 plus hours on a single battery charge. You can get single or dual beam transducer set up and get either for under $400.

Also with digitals upgrades are accomplished in the firmware which can be downloaded into the unit from your computer at home. So you can upgrade the unit without buying new equipment. big advantage there. Be worth a look for those of you who have old Vex's that might be nearing the end of their mechanical life.

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Posted

Help me out someone, who agrees and what else you got??
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Posted

I went from a Vexilar FL8-SE to a Marcum LX3TC because I liked the physical design better of the marcum - a nice compact unit with the little arm that holds the 'ducer instead of the tall round bottomed unit that spins around on the ice because the bottom is smooth and has the float in the hole for the transducer. Many less fish getting tangled up in the hole and my jig doesn't get stuck to the foam grin. I find the zoom function actually kind of irritating and don't use it to it's fullest capability for sure. I think I can see suspended fish just fine without. I went with the LX3 over the VX1 as a couple of guys I fish with also have Marcums so I wanted to get a little better interference reduction ability, otherwise I would have been fine with the VX1.

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Kettle
      Those kidz must learn good
    • Kettle
      It is  pretty shiny piece of equipment. I was able to purchase it on my scab job wages 😆 I don't think I'll update the electronics any time soon, 3 screens is enough?
    • smurfy
      🤣 not near as shiny and spendy as that livescope toy. Thats kinda like bling ain't it? besides i'm on a paultry union pension  🫣
    • Kettle
      I mean to catch pike you just need a shiny object...
    • leech~~
      Just another "Words matter"   Voting on school levy. This was posted on the School "education district" building door.  We had a nice cold walk all the way around the building! The arrow was added, after we educated them! 😒
    • Wanderer
      Nope!  But it’s more funner!
    • smurfy
      I don't need no livescope to catch fish....🤔🤪  It's all in how ya wiggle the worm!😜 Just sayin  🤣
    • Kettle
      Obviously this is more of a hot topic due to forward facing sonar. With that being said, I know people who have pulled crappies out of basins 40+ deep since the fl-8 and zercom flashers came out. That's over 30 years ago. I do think there's a push to ban these in MN and I could see them doing it here. They'll have to pay my livescope from my cold dead hands 😆 on days I can't catch a walleye jigging or rigging it's nice to turn it on and throw corks at individual fish
    • Kettle
      It wasn't just you, I was fishing west of you about an hour on Monday. Fished 8am-4pm, no fish, two keeper walleye and one small one from 4pm-630pm. Marked a lot of fish, they would come up to a jig and swim away. They were skittish to the dead stick too
    • leech~~
      I wonder like divers, if we let them decompress every 10' for 1/2hr. If that would help?  🤔  It would slow the bite down a bit!  🤭
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