Flasher Questions....What's your preference?

[Calgaryguy1977]

Hey guys,
I was just kicking tires and window shopping Ice fishing flashers online and was wondering if you could buy any ice fishing flasher at all then which one would it be and why?

[1bowhunter12]

I got an lx3 a couple years ago and it has served all my needs really well... I know there are better ones but it works perfect for me

[overparr]

Depends on your budget and the depth of water your fishing in. There are some real nice flashers out there. Personally I have owned several and find the Hummingbird Ice 55 does the job for me. I fish in deep water 100 to 190 ft. This flasher is capable of handling those depths with ease. And the price is right. I believe they are Cheaper than the Marcums.

[Vapor]

Depending on how you fish, this little video may be useful to you comparing the top three brands for brightness:

Humminbird vs. MarCum vs. Vexilar - Flasher Screen Brightness

https://youtu.be/x_NgABmD9yQ

[sns2]

Let me first say that I am not an expert, but last year I had a lifetime of bad luck with flashers. I will say that after a ton of scouring the net, it is pretty clear that Vexilar is the most reliable. Less than 1/10 of 1% returned in the first two years. I fish in depths from 10' to 40', so didn't really need a lot of bells and whistles, and after much, much frustration bought a Vexilar Fl8se because they are known to be as bulletproof as flashers get. It is not at all uncommon for people to have them for 20+ years without a hitch. In addition, a very knowledgeable tourney fisher I know uses the Fl8se. He has more than enough $ to not blink at the price of any flasher, but chooses to own something he knows to be super reliable. I am glad to have taken his advice.

I also own an LX3, and it certainly works as good, however it is not as bright a display. I did a test in the bright sun two days ago, and the video linked in the prior post is true.

I am not going to run down any flasher company, as guys get good service out of all manufacturer's units, but if you spend some time researching, it will be clear which company has the poorest, and most expensive customer service.

If money were no issue, I would get an FLX28. Unfortunately it is, so I am happy with the base model FL8se.

Good luck on your purchase.

[Hunter4ever12]

I ran a Marcum 5 the last 3 years and had no issues with it. Just bought the Vexilar FLX 20 lastnight. I liked a couple more features on it so that’s why I upgraded. The link that Vapor provided shows you how bright the screens are if you don’t use a shack or shelter of some type. Another thing to look at before purchasing,honestly don’t know where you can go wrong but I haven’t spent a lot of time trying different ones either.

[NSR Fisher]

Don't shy away from having a multi-use unit like some of the hummingbird or lowrance LCD units. You can have 2D sonar as well as a flasher setting both on the same screen!

I find after getting sonar, I hardly ever use a flasher. There's just so much more you can see with 2D DI, at least in my opinion. Maybe if you're fishing in 180 feet of water and need to have the perfect bottom zoom setting a Vexilar is what you need but that's a pretty specific use for something that will run you hundreds of dollars.

Plus, with an LCD unit you can pop it off its portable ice-fishing mount and snap it onto your boats mount and away you go on open water!

Check out the Humminbird Helix 5 and 7 or the Lowrance hook series. Either one works, I use the Lowrance and love it.

[Calgaryguy1977]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome feedback guys.
I just wanted to add a few things.

Budget is a non factor at this point as im willing to dump coin on a quality unit.
I will also be fishing mostly mountain lakes of about 100-300 ft deep.

[Calgaryguy1977]

Don't shy away from having a multi-use unit like some of the hummingbird or lowrance LCD units. You can have 2D sonar as well as a flasher setting both on the same screen!

I find after getting sonar, I hardly ever use a flasher. There's just so much more you can see with 2D DI, at least in my opinion. Maybe if you're fishing in 180 feet of water and need to have the perfect bottom zoom setting a Vexilar is what you need but that's a pretty specific use for something that will run you hundreds of dollars.

Plus, with an LCD unit you can pop it off its portable ice-fishing mount and snap it onto your boats mount and away you go on open water!

Check out the Humminbird Helix 5 and 7 or the Lowrance hook series. Either one works, I use the Lowrance and love it.

I have a boat so this can be used on by boat too? Or is it just an ice fishing unit?

So sonar with zoom is best for depths?

[Vapor]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome feedback guys.
I just wanted to add a few things.

Budget is a non factor at this point as im willing to dump coin on a quality unit.
I will also be fishing mostly mountain lakes of about 100-300 ft deep.

If your budget is a non factor Vex would be the direction I'd suggest. I have the FLX28. The newly released FLX20 is also a beautiful unit. If I understand your question on Zoom correctly ... Zoom is used on the Vexilar in the following way: First it splits the screen into two parts (right/left). The right side shows the entire water column, the left on 1x shows the last 6 feet to the bottom. 2x shows 12'.

This little video is a really good overview as to how the unit works:
https://youtu.be/845aq94RZx4

Here's a link to the Vexilar comparison chart for features you may or may not be interested in:
http://www.vexilar.com/pages/product-comparison

[SamSteele]

If money wasn’t an issue I would be checking out the Garmin Panoptix ice setup.

[Couleestalker]

I purchased the Humminbird Helix 5 GPS unit for my boat. I also picked up the ice package and ice transducer. So far its been working great. Best part is I am able to mark all my spots in the summer and get right back at them in the winter. These units have both flasher and 2d modes. I have been using the 2d mode the most as it shows the live screen but also gives you the history so you can watch the fish react to your presentation.

[NSR Fisher]

Since you said you're fishing mountain lakes that are hundreds of feet deep, scrap what I said about the 2D sonar and just buy a Vexilar FL28. You won't regret it.

[NSR Fisher]

And yes, the LCD units are multi use. You can hook in a boat transducer during open water, or you can hook it into a portable ice fishing case with an ice transducer and you're set up just fine.

If you're willing to spend the coin, get a Vexilar for your mountain lakes and a Humminbird Helix or Lowrance Hook series LCD for everything else. When you're fishing shallower water or you're in the boat, use the LCD. When you're set up in 200 feet of water on the ice vertically jigging, use the Vex.

my 2 cents.

[CNP]

Deepest I've had my line down to was 150' at Cold Lake. At that depth, using my Humminbird Ice 45, I could still see the tiny swivel joining my braided line and fluorocarbon leader. Depth is not an issue with a Humminbird 45.

[TylerThomson]

Deepest I've had my line down to was 150' at Cold Lake. At that depth, using my Humminbird Ice 45, I could still see the tiny swivel joining my braided line and fluorocarbon leader. Depth is not an issue with a Humminbird 45.

Same for the Marcum lx series. I can see my swivel and tell if I jig my bait off

[Fil_Can_Yakker]

Get a Vexilar FLX-28 if you can afford it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RavYak]

Wow, thanks for all the awesome feedback guys.
I just wanted to add a few things.

Budget is a non factor at this point as im willing to dump coin on a quality unit.
I will also be fishing mostly mountain lakes of about 100-300 ft deep.

Two words, dual beam. In deep water you need a narrow beam capable unit to fish effectively.

Your options imo are HB Ice 55, Marcum M5, Marcum LX-7 or Vexilar FLX-28.

LX-7 is different from the rest in terms of being digital screen and having sonar views. Also larger, heavier and uses more power though. If you would prefer that style of unit then it is the one.

The Ice 55, M5 and FLX-28 are all comparable and you would likely be happy with any of them although a bit more research can tell you some of the minor differences between them.

[calgarygringo]

You are comparing an Ice 55 to a Vex 28. Chev vs Mercedes.

Two words, dual beam. In deep water you need a narrow beam capable unit to fish effectively.

Your options imo are HB Ice 55, Marcum M5, Marcum LX-7 or Vexilar FLX-28.

LX-7 is different from the rest in terms of being digital screen and having sonar views. Also larger, heavier and uses more power though. If you would prefer that style of unit then it is the one.

The Ice 55, M5 and FLX-28 are all comparable and you would likely be happy with any of them although a bit more research can tell you some of the minor differences between them.

[RavYak]

You are comparing an Ice 55 to a Vex 28. Chev vs Mercedes.

Not really... Multiple colour palates on both, digital depth readouts on both, HB has mid column zoom capability whereas Vex only has bottom zoom, Vex manual depth settings only go to 50 feet so whenever in deep water have to rely on the automatic mode working properly whereas the HB can be set at 80 or 200 feet manually. FLX does have a weed mode, still not sure what exactly it does probably similar to its low power mode though I am thinking. 10 interference rejection settings on HB, 20 on Vex. Overall very similar features, the only difference that I would count as potentially significant is the Vexilar transducer.

The proview transducer is a strange creature, maybe it does have a better quality crystal in it and that does provide it with better returns and more adjustment but I haven't played with one enough to know exactly how it compares. What I do know is that in short it is a narrow beam transducer which is why Vexilar had to add a low power option so you can increase the gain to pick up more detail in shallower water from the outside edge of the sonar lobes. This also distorts the main returns though which is why many vexilar users prefer the tribeam transducer especially if they fish lots of shallower water(the tribeam transducer acts the same as the HB and Marcums but with a stupid manual switch on the cord instead of being controlled from unit).

I honestly don't get much of the Vexilar hype. The FLX 28 is the only unit I would personally want to own as the rest are all horribly noisy units. They are robust I will give them that but other then that they are just simple units and many of their "extra" features like low power mode are only there because of the way they are made and so that they can still work decently in all situations.

As mentioned originally though there are benefits and drawbacks to both including the price difference which is substantial. The FLX 28 may work better in deep water but I haven't tried one out in that situation to know if there is any significant difference. On the other hand I had an Ice 55 as my primary unit and have no issues in recommending it so as I posted before I am sure any of those units would work for the OP or anyone else in similar situations. Just do the extra research on the different functions and if possible try out the models you like.

[PlayDoh]

Look at the specs before you drop hundreds more on a brand or model. They don’t lie.
IMO the HB Ice 35 is a great unit and the features of the 45 & 55 don’t justify the price.
Vex, HB, Marcum, there all ‘flashers’, same technology Grampa used in war and on the boat.
The advances in sonar are almost exclusively in SI/DI and Chirp. We’re talking 800 Hz and such. Ice units us 20/80 if I recall right. IMO their all over priced. You can get a “fish finder” for $150 that has the same level of technology essentially. Flashers are priced at what people will pay, not a fair competitive market value.
I’ve look a lot at flashers, brand vs brand and as for reliability I don’t think one can claim superiority. Customer support is the same IMO.
This of course is just my opinion and I’m not a diehard X brand lover. My advice is to try a HB Ice 35 and grab a case if using a bucket ruins your ego. Use it and honestly ask yourself if you need more.
We’re not fishing for plankton here, if it picks up you lure, what more does it need to do in terms of signal? Fish are bigger than lures right?
There’s good logic behind the multi-use units and they’ve come a long way to bridging the gap. Why buy 2 when 1 will do both jobs?
IMO people overthink the flasher debate. And I’m not sure what tax bracket the OP is in, but I’ve never met someone who said money’s not an object concerning fishing electronics. lol.
People want the nice red or blue, etc unit that shows others your serious. I find a flasher/sonar is like a fishing smart phone. I end up staring at the screen almost nonstop, trying to see fish, when the vast majority of times it’s pointless. Fishing deep water for fish that suspend is a different story, but there’s something to be said for low-tech too.


Sent from my MARCUM LX-3000XRT99 using Tapatalk LOL

[calgarygringo]

Welcome to the world of retail. Most items are not pricef on mfg cost but what the customer will pay. It is called what the market will bear. In 20 years of retail I saw it every day. Some pricing fudged at retail because we can gwt that out of the product and other times the factory cost was done the same. They could add 10 bucks to upgrade something spin the story and a a few hundred to retail. Why...because they could get away with it.

Look at the specs before you drop hundreds more on a brand or model. They don’t lie.
IMO the HB Ice 35 is a great unit and the features of the 45 & 55 don’t justify the price.
Vex, HB, Marcum, there all ‘flashers’, same technology Grampa used in war and on the boat.
The advances in sonar are almost exclusively in SI/DI and Chirp. We’re talking 800 Hz and such. Ice units us 20/80 if I recall right. IMO their all over priced. You can get a “fish finder” for $150 that has the same level of technology essentially. Flashers are priced at what people will pay, not a fair competitive market value.
I’ve look a lot at flashers, brand vs brand and as for reliability I don’t think one can claim superiority. Customer support is the same IMO.
This of course is just my opinion and I’m not a diehard X brand lover. My advice is to try a HB Ice 35 and grab a case if using a bucket ruins your ego. Use it and honestly ask yourself if you need more.
We’re not fishing for plankton here, if it picks up you lure, what more does it need to do in terms of signal? Fish are bigger than lures right?
There’s good logic behind the multi-use units and they’ve come a long way to bridging the gap. Why buy 2 when 1 will do both jobs?
IMO people overthink the flasher debate. And I’m not sure what tax bracket the OP is in, but I’ve never met someone who said money’s not an object concerning fishing electronics. lol.
People want the nice red or blue, etc unit that shows others your serious. I find a flasher/sonar is like a fishing smart phone. I end up staring at the screen almost nonstop, trying to see fish, when the vast majority of times it’s pointless. Fishing deep water for fish that suspend is a different story, but there’s something to be said for low-tech too.


Sent from my MARCUM LX-3000XRT99 using Tapatalk LOL

[TylerThomson]

Rav made an important point dual beam is a must in my opinion.

[CNP]

Rav made an important point dual beam is a must in my opinion.

Yes...........ICE 45 and 55 have dual beam.......not just the 55.

[Mackinaw]

Helix 7 chirp.

mack

[FishHunterPro]

Not really... Multiple colour palates on both, digital depth readouts on both, HB has mid column zoom capability whereas Vex only has bottom zoom, Vex manual depth settings only go to 50 feet so whenever in deep water have to rely on the automatic mode working properly whereas the HB can be set at 80 or 200 feet manually. FLX does have a weed mode, still not sure what exactly it does probably similar to its low power mode though I am thinking. 10 interference rejection settings on HB, 20 on Vex. Overall very similar features, the only difference that I would count as potentially significant is the Vexilar transducer.

The proview transducer is a strange creature, maybe it does have a better quality crystal in it and that does provide it with better returns and more adjustment but I haven't played with one enough to know exactly how it compares. What I do know is that in short it is a narrow beam transducer which is why Vexilar had to add a low power option so you can increase the gain to pick up more detail in shallower water from the outside edge of the sonar lobes. This also distorts the main returns though which is why many vexilar users prefer the tribeam transducer especially if they fish lots of shallower water(the tribeam transducer acts the same as the HB and Marcums but with a stupid manual switch on the cord instead of being controlled from unit).

I honestly don't get much of the Vexilar hype. The FLX 28 is the only unit I would personally want to own as the rest are all horribly noisy units. They are robust I will give them that but other then that they are just simple units and many of their "extra" features like low power mode are only there because of the way they are made and so that they can still work decently in all situations.

As mentioned originally though there are benefits and drawbacks to both including the price difference which is substantial. The FLX 28 may work better in deep water but I haven't tried one out in that situation to know if there is any significant difference. On the other hand I had an Ice 55 as my primary unit and have no issues in recommending it so as I posted before I am sure any of those units would work for the OP or anyone else in similar situations. Just do the extra research on the different functions and if possible try out the models you like.

The flx28 really shines in deep water, comparing it to my lx5 the screen is much faster where I notice my lx5 really gets a delay in 80ft and deeper. I'm not sure how the ice 55 is in deeper water but I had a chance to see one on the lake one day in shallow water and it looked like a good unit. I'm not to sure if I really like the proview transducer in shallow water, I think I would still prefer a dual beam or the tri-beam vex offers. The unit needs to be ran in low power mode in 20ft of water or less or you can't turn up the gain because the screen becomes to cluttered . I'm still learning this unit though but so far it seems to be good. I really prefer the marcums zoom features over the vex but in deep water the unit still picked up fish just fine and I caught a few lakers half way up the colum when I was jigging on the bottom and brought my lure up. If I remember right I think my flx28 is pretty noisy unit. All in all I don't think anyone can go wrong with and of the top units for the guy that fishes shallow to deep, of your just a guy who fishes 40ft or less I think any lower end flasher is better than nothing.

[ROA]

I've owned a Marcum showdown, vx1 and an M1. For humminbird it was the ice 55. As far as Vexilar I have the fx18.

Best flasher out of all of them for everything from resolution to durability and longevity has been the Vexilar by a very large margin. Worst on all points was the Marcum showdown followed by the bird 55.

Never tried the marcum LX series with the digital screen (not my cup of tea anyways) and haven't had the new FLX series of Vexilar yet. If I were to buy a new one it would be the FLX20.

[Calgaryguy1977]

It sounds Like the Vexilar is the way to go in deep water 200 ft and >
That sounds like what I would need. I'm not sure how many of the other lower models are good at that depth. but I do agree with the point about not needing all the bells and whistles. They're a nice to have but not a need to have.
Maybe Ill go for a middle of the pack vex. The HB's seem to cap out at 200 ft.

This is all fantastic information guys, each and every one of you gave me something to think about. I really appreciate it!

[Ken3134]

Let me first say that I am not an expert, but last year I had a lifetime of bad luck with flashers. I will say that after a ton of scouring the net, it is pretty clear that Vexilar is the most reliable. Less than 1/10 of 1% returned in the first two years. I fish in depths from 10' to 40', so didn't really need a lot of bells and whistles, and after much, much frustration bought a Vexilar Fl8se because they are known to be as bulletproof as flashers get. It is not at all uncommon for people to have them for 20+ years without a hitch. In addition, a very knowledgeable tourney fisher I know uses the Fl8se. He has more than enough $ to not blink at the price of any flasher, but chooses to own something he knows to be super reliable. I am glad to have taken his advice.

I also own an LX3, and it certainly works as good, however it is not as bright a display. I did a test in the bright sun two days ago, and the video linked in the prior post is true.

I am not going to run down any flasher company, as guys get good service out of all manufacturer's units, but if you spend some time researching, it will be clear which company has the poorest, and most expensive customer service.

If money were no issue, I would get an FLX28. Unfortunately it is, so I am happy with the base model FL8se.

Good luck on your purchase.


I have the Vexilar FL8 SE as well, pretty much bullet proof and reasonably priced. I am very happy with it, no issues and easy to use. Just ordered a Vexilar camera for entertainment to go with it.