Looking for a portable fish finder for my quad for ice fishing need suggestions.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

OK folks I'm in the market for a new PORTABLE sonar / fish finder to mount on my quad for ice fishing season. As the fishing hole is having there huge annual sale , thought it might be the best time to get one as some are quite expensive.Ive been in search think I found the one I want , but I want some suggestions. Some folks sure are things fish finder on a quad well that's what I want and I want your input . Thanks to all who can assist me in my search.

[calgarygringo]

I am not sure if you have one for summer but what we do for our shack is use the one off the boat. We did buy a second transducer and use it for ice fishing. Makes us able to use the finder all year long. Also have the fish tv in the shack as well. Great for depths and watching what is or knowing what is going on under the ice.

[bobalong]

For ice fishing, I prefer using a flasher. I have the Marcum VX-1, it has been a great unit for the money.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

I am not sure if you have one for summer but what we do for our shack is use the one off the boat. We did buy a second transducer and use it for ice fishing. Makes us able to use the finder all year long. Also have the fish tv in the shack as well. Great for depths and watching what is or knowing what is going on under the ice.

I got a wicked deal of an under water camera, So I have one of those and come winter will mount it in some way to my quad. I guess I don't really need a fish finder pop the camera down the hole and move on or stay depending on the situation.But I will still look at a portable fish finder. So If I find one I want ill buy it and if I don't well so be it thanks for all suggestions.

[Big Red 250]

What happens if your fishing a lake where the water is murky and visibility is crappy. It wouldbenice to also have a fish finder. Not only to find fish but also to tell you the depth.

[tchow]

If you are looking to be spend more time fishing than locating, Flasher's would be your best bet. I have the Marcum Handheld LX-i and LX-5 units. Both of these can shoot thru Ice(clear to semi-clear) to read depth and fish. No need to drill holes to lower the Camera down to see what's going on. I've had the Vexilar Fl-18 but sold it when the Marcum's came out. IMO, I found that the Marcums had a much crisper display than the Vex. As for power, Vex is 800 watts while the Marcum is at 2000 watts. There are other models available and I'm not knocking down other products. This is just from my own experience with Electronics for Hardwater. Trust me, me bad when it comes to them...LOL I have 4 Cameras now. Two Aquaviews, one Atlantis, and now a Marcum VS560 which I recently acquired...
Pending on what your budget is and how you will use it will be a major factor. I'm an fanatic when it comes to the Hardwater, so I want the best I can't afford....LOL
As for the Quad.....What I've done is that I have a Ram Mount on the Bars, to put my GPS. The front rack has the Auger Holder. On the back is a 2" Ball so can hook on my 1 or 2 Man Tents. Rods, Cameras, etc. fit in the Sled of the Tents. Then I also added on a passenger seat for my fishing buddy.
Once I'm on the Waypoint, now I can set up the Tent and drill holes for the Camera. As Big Red mentioned, water visibility can be next to nothing especially during early Ice, so a Camera would be useless. Sonars would operate in Stained water. If you can have both, it is a deadly combination to have on the Hardwater. Good luck on your decision !
Here's a pic of what I did on the Quad

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/12345chow/100_0112.jpg

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

That's wicked. I am really starting to lean towards the Sonar.Ive also seen there's a sonar type thing that looks like a flash light. And all you do is clear a bit of the snow put it on the ice and it tells you the depth and if there are fish there . Ive seen them around a few place its a pretty new product . I saw it at the boat and sportsmen show and they were about 200.00 which is pretty dang good if you ask me . So I will look at my options tomorrow when I arrive at the store and let y'all know what my choice was.

Tchow Love the idea's thanks buddy . I gotta get the auger holder for my quad as well as the tire chains . I think those would help a guy out a lot . Last year I built a 4 ft by 4 ft sled on 2 pairs of cross country skis to haul my gear and a person if need be . So I will have to hook it all up here and make sure it all works before I hit the ice and snow . I guess we got a few months to go . Heard Nicola Crosby :love::love::love: say there could be frost tomorrow Thursday and Friday

[bobalong]

If you are looking to be spend more time fishing than locating, Flasher's would be your best bet. I have the Marcum Handheld LX-i and LX-5 units. Both of these can shoot thru Ice(clear to semi-clear) to read depth and fish. No need to drill holes to lower the Camera down to see what's going on. I've had the Vexilar Fl-18 but sold it when the Marcum's came out. IMO, I found that the Marcums had a much crisper display than the Vex. As for power, Vex is 800 watts while the Marcum is at 2000 watts. There are other models available and I'm not knocking down other products. This is just from my own experience with Electronics for Hardwater. Trust me, me bad when it comes to them...LOL I have 4 Cameras now. Two Aquaviews, one Atlantis, and now a Marcum VS560 which I recently acquired...
Pending on what your budget is and how you will use it will be a major factor. I'm an fanatic when it comes to the Hardwater, so I want the best I can't afford....LOL
As for the Quad.....What I've done is that I have a Ram Mount on the Bars, to put my GPS. The front rack has the Auger Holder. On the back is a 2" Ball so can hook on my 1 or 2 Man Tents. Rods, Cameras, etc. fit in the Sled of the Tents. Then I also added on a passenger seat for my fishing buddy.
Once I'm on the Waypoint, now I can set up the Tent and drill holes for the Camera. As Big Red mentioned, water visibility can be next to nothing especially during early Ice, so a Camera would be useless. Sonars would operate in Stained water. If you can have both, it is a deadly combination to have on the Hardwater. Good luck on your decision !
Here's a pic of what I did on the Quad

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v520/12345chow/100_0112.jpg

Terry, Hummingbird will be coming out with a line of flashers this year, (should be in by October). There ICE-55 model just won best of show for electonics at the ICAST show.

[FisherPotch]

My humming bird 535 portable fish finder is a decent unit. Only issue is that it uses 9 volt batts and the beam isn't very wide. 565 have what is called quadra beam does like a 65 degree beam!! My 535 does like 25 degrees i think. They will have the 535 at T.F.H thats where I got mine.

When I jig at the back of the boat my my hummingbird picks it up well. Certainly going to be looking into that hummingbird flasher. Thx for the heads up bobalong.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Terry, Hummingbird will be coming out with a line of flashers this year, (should be in by October). There ICE-55 model just won best of show for electonics at the ICAST show.
what do you think of the Vexilar FL20?

[Big Red 250]

The ones that look like a flashlight have been around for quite some time. Some are good and some are junk. the one I have works sometimes. It is a hawkeye. it can be switched from metric to standard. I think i paid around $100.00.

[FisherPotch]

I wonder what an ICE-55 would go for?

[bobalong]

what do you think of the Vexilar FL20?

The FL20 is a great unit as well, Marcum and Hummingbird models both put out a bit more power, and the new ICE-55 has a digiatl depth readout with a six color fibre optic display. (have not seen one in action yet though). I don't think you would go wrong with any of the top line units the FL20, the LX-5 or the ICE-55. All three about the same price at 550.00.

[Unregistered user]

I like my Humminbird 565 portable ,640 v pixels built in rechargeable battery pack soft no slip case, only used it this summer, looking forward to giving it some ice time.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

So yesterday when I made my way into the Wall to wall sale at the fishing hole , I came upon a sweet deal 40 % off . So i settled on the Eagle Cuda 168 ,which is owned by Lowrance who is a trusted name in fishing Electronics.Which is the portable version. So now I got to get a 12 volt plug so I can plug it into the same set up as my under water camera and ill be set .