My new Lowrance Explorer Active Target Ice Kit arrived in the mail last week, I'm pretty excited to get out on the ice with it this winter.
Very impressed with it. It's like the world's finest ice fishing milk crate lol.
The backpack carrying case has a removeable plastic frame, a lot like a milk crate, that everything attaches to - sonar unit, battery, and Active Target box. It keeps everything solidly mounted and protected, and it's still quite light. Great idea.
The transducer pole is aluminum, with lots of length, so no issues when the ice gets crazy thick. The handle could maybe be a bit longer, but it folds down really small for transport which is nice.
The new Explorer ice fishing stuff is available "a la carte" with everything separate if you already have a sonar unit or Active Target system and just want the pack or the pole, or in complete bundles.
I bought the full Elite FS9 bundle, it comes with the FS9, Active Target transducer, Active Target black box, custom wiring harness that powers the black box on and off automatically with the sonar power, ethernet cable, ice transducer pole, a Dakota Lithium 24Ah battery with 2 USB charging ports built in, and the backpack bag with frame to keep it all in. The only thing missing is a 2D sonar transducer, which would be handy for just checking depths when hole hopping and as another "eye" on the water below. I've got one that I can throw in, but that was a bit of a miss by Lowrance IMHO, that should be included when you buy the full meal deal kit.
I haven't had a chance to try it, but I *think* you might be able to squeeze a 12" HDS unit into the bag. That would be pretty sweet...
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