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LX5 or Ice55


Sandmannd

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I need (OK, mostly want) a new flasher. I have an old FL8 now. I'm looking at the LX5 or a Hummingbird Ice 55. I like a lot of the features on the Hummingbird. How many used them and how do they compare? What are the advantages/disadvantages to the new birds?

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Get em both and give me the one you don't like. Kidding Shane. You should have gone out to the Marcum High Power Challenge on White Bear today. You would have had a chance to use them both side by side to see which you like better.

I have not seen the Ice 55 in action yet, but from the looks of what I have seen while at Thorne, either option is going to be pretty good. I have heard guys say the Bird has a bit more of a learning curve than Vex and Marcum. I don't think you would have any issues getting used to either of em though.

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Without actually having the experience of being around the ice-55. in My Opinion from what I have read, if I was in the market for a new flasher I would be torn between the two. I certainly have no regrets what so ever with my LX-5 and highly recommend it.

This coming from a guy who used to own the FL-8 when it was made by Hondex. Then bought another when it was a vexilar. Both units were very good. In fact the were the top in technology. Dave Genz really showed alot of people what it could do.

You know as well as from owning an FL-8 that it is has been a solid unit. It actually saddens me to see vexilar fall so far behind with the competition. Their answer or product they came up with to compete with the competition i felt fell way short. But this is my opinion for whatever it is worth.

But as far as your question goes. With my experience with the LX-5 you will not regret owning one.

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I have no experience with the 55, but that blue screen option makes it one sexy looking machine. If machines can be sexy that is. I have a LX-1 and a LX-5. both are used and if I was in the market for a new flasher, it would be really tough to decide between the marcum and humminbird. Call around to local bait shops and see if someone is renting the units out. I know up around Mille Lacs, a lot of the resorts and bait shops rent out equipment for a days use. Rent a marcum and the humminbird (if some one is renting them) and do a side by side comparison. would be a fun day, and could possibly answer your questions.

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The LX-5 is a great unit, the Ice 55 sounds like a great unit. Both are certainly top-of-the-kine units with a lot of power and features. I too am looking forward to seeing the new HBs in action on the ice. Netween the two I'd probably go Marcum though, unless you wanted to save $70 by going with the Ice 55.

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i dont have any experience with either, but if you do buy a new flasher, ill buy your old one!!

I'm not selling my old one. Nice to have a spare for when you take others out that don't have one. Or if you have to send one in for repair. Besides, FL-8's run forever and get the job done. Just not many bells and whistles.

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The LX-5 is a great unit, the Ice 55 sounds like a great unit. Both are certainly top-of-the-kine units with a lot of power and features. I too am looking forward to seeing the new HBs in action on the ice. Netween the two I'd probably go Marcum though, unless you wanted to save $70 by going with the Ice 55.

You don't cary the Birds? I found some online for $429 new with warrenty. Pretty big savings from the LX5 unless I could find a reconditioned one.

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Here's a nonprofessionals point of view.

Hummingbird

Pro: Does not interfere or have problems with other depth finders in the area. Operates at a different frequency than Marcum and Vexilar so you can fish side by side and not mess each other up.

Con: First model year in mass production. I tend to shy away from brand new products. I'm sure they've been tested, but not by as broad an audience as now. Quality always takes a hit the first year, then the factory adjust and the second year is usually a much better product.

Marcum

Pro: Reliable and proven product.

Con: Interferes with Vexilars.

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Marcum

Pro: Reliable and proven product.

Con: Interferes with Vexilars.

Not so tru we fish a FL 20 and LX-5 side by side without issues.

As for Marcum sponsering the event I think its called a challenge not a contest, meaning they have all the units set up from all companies for you the consumer to play with and decide on your own. I think this goes to show the confidence they have in their product by doing on ice events. I'm a proud owner of an LX-5 and after fishing it next to a FL-12 and FL-20 I think mine is the better unit or I'd have 1 of the others.

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Marcums got good flashers...people that give advice usualy recommend what they like. I don't think the vast majority of people that's recommending marcums get paid to say it.

That said, I think Sandman should be quite familiar with lx-5s by now....

lets have some bird users tell us what they think of their flasher.

I do have this to say, With the lx 5, your fl-8 will probably be difficult to use. But i second Esox- fl 20 and lx5 can drown each other out nicely.

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I also fish with the guy that has my old FL-8 and we get along fine. I plan on seeing the 55 next to my LX soon and will decide on that outcome what i think of the new HB units. From my past experience with hummingbirds though it will have to be real impressive. Now that Minn Kota owns them maybe they will finaly make a decent product.

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Sand, I will post another post, I posted, from another thread about this grin:

I am a die hard Humminbird guy during open water. With that said I currently own a new LX-5 by Marcum for ice time. I love every feature this unit has, but the new ICE-55 from Humminbird has me turning my head .

I believe Humminbird’s new ICE units are going to be a force to be wreak-in with. I might make a switch some time in the future, but for now my LX-5 does a fabulous job helping me find fish.

It would be hard to switch, but for now the Marcum is my unit I would recommend .

Good luck!

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I do have this to say, With the lx 5, your fl-8 will probably be difficult to use. But i second Esox- fl 20 and lx5 can drown each other out nicely.

Well I fished next to BigWade last weekend. He has the LX5 and my FL-8 was down. No interferance at all. But yea, I would like to hear more about the birds, I've seen the LX5's in action and do like them.

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Sand, I will post another post, I posted, from another thread about this grin:

Originally Posted By: Shackbash
I am a die hard Humminbird guy during open water. With that said I currently own a new LX-5 by Marcum for ice time. I love every feature this unit has, but the new ICE-55 from Humminbird has me turning my head .

I believe Humminbird’s new ICE units are going to be a force to be wreak-in with. I might make a switch some time in the future, but for now my LX-5 does a fabulous job helping me find fish.

It would be hard to switch, but for now the Marcum is my unit I would recommend .

Good luck!

So Shack, if you didn't have the LX5 and were buying one, would you give the Bird a try?

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Hopefully I'll get a chance to play with the Bird here in the next couple of weeks. Just from what I've seen and heard though there are some nice features.

I like the big display and also like the digital depth readout (no math or multiplication smile)

One thing that might concern me is if you are in a weedy area, will the depth readout be able to shoot through thick weeds and get a bottom lock or will it see the weeds as bottom?

I guess I'll reserve my official judgment until I'm actually able to use it a bit.

It's going to take a lot to pry my LX5 from my hands though, I can tell you that right now wink

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OK, here's one simple comparison of an Ice 55 and LX-5 that I witnessed. Both units using wide cone settings. Using a small teardrop type jig (no bait) in 25 feet of water, the LX-5, with a gain setting slightly less than 3, I saw that jig on the flasher from about 2.5 feet all the way down to the bottom. No adjustment of settings, no flickering mark on the flasher.

Using the Ice 55, starting at a gain of 3, the gain had to be increased as the jig was lowered every couple of feet. The Ice 55 gain ended up at 19 (out of 25 steps). The mark on the Ice 55 was flickering at that depth as well. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself, multiple times.

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