old school ice fishing

[deadeye]

Well, I never caught much before I got my flasher. Since I got that fishing has been much easier.

That being said the first two trips I made this winter were without the vexilar (dead battery) and I got enough fish for dinner each time. IDK it was kind of nice to get back to basics but I know I could have gotten a couple more if I knew what was going on down there.

[bogwalker]

It takes knowledge and skill to catch fish regularly without electronics.

[Jim Almquist]

I still remember the first day I ever used a flasher. It was my younger brothers Hyndex FL8 and we were perching on Mille Lacs on the flats and he was cooking lunch and asked if I wanted to use it and he put it in my hole and told me what I was looking at and soon realized that I was under the perch and I raised my bait and right away caught one and before lunch was done I had 6 or 7 on the ice. The next day I went out and bought one and will not fish if I can help it without one.

Between a flasher and a power auger they are 2 of the best tools for putting fish on the ice.

[ottersled54]

Glad I grew up with the old school methods of fishing, depth weights, matching lake structure to shoreline, etc etc. Went out fishing today got to the general area of new spot I wanted to try and low and behold my Vexilar was not working. So back to the "old school" went drilling and checking depth by hand. I got close to the area I wanted to try set-up and use weights to get to the bottom and slowly worked my way up with one line and kept the other near the bottom. I ended up hitting perch and able to keep two, kept moving the other and finally hit a crappie switched both to that depth and had a nice crappie bite for a hour, but off and on. Did miss the ability to go up and down using the Vex to fish the column, but ended up with enough for supper.

Got the Vex working tonight so can't wait until tomorrow to really work that area.

[bikeoutback]

My better half says she doesn't need a flasher at all to fish. She even likes to say she does just as well as me in catching panfish without one to me fishing with one. First question I get once set up is "How deep is it?". After I catch one or two comes "Where are they, how deep?" Then she adjusts her slip bobber to wherever they are suspended and proceeds to fish. One of these days when we can afford a second flasher I'll pick her up one.... or get myself a new one and give her my current one

[hamms-scooter]

i had the best season of ice fishing last year without a flasher..... but after 12 years of fishing without one i picked up a 40 dollar fl8 last summer cause it is harder and harder every year you go without one!

EK

what a deal 40 bucks? even for not being the latest and greatest thats a steal anywhere ! Way to go!

[chuckwagon]

fishing without a vex is like driving blind folded

[DarthBaiter]

I don't have a flasher. I have a heavy lead thing that I drop down the hole to find my depth and set my slip bobber. Sure I wish I had a flasher. Someday, maybe I'll get a 2008 model in 2012. The technology is always getting better, so I have a hard time buying something that will be outdated in 6 months.

Actually, I go out in open water and visually use the shoreline as a reference to mark changes from my open water Humminbird. I just need to anticipate what it will look like covered in snow and ice. So far my success is limited. But, I am happy to be out on the ice; handicapped in comparison.

Actually the flasher technology hasn't changed much in 50 years. Same spinning disc and annoying motor whirring away. They are ok, but IMO the showdown 5.6 is the way to go, outfishes the old school flashers anyday. 1/2" target seperation is sweet! check them out at showdownfishfinder dot com

[shizzy]

the first couple of seasons I Ice fished I didnt have a flasher. only had money for a hand auger and a $15 rod/reel. I sat on that bucket anf froze my tail off, caught a fish here or there but had a blast.

Then came a portable and buddy heater. I was mow warm and had more time to sit and think about all that goes on under the ice. caught a couple more fish than before but still had a blast.

Then came the flasher. Now I was warm and could see what was going on under the ice. this really forced me to expand my lure collection and technique. I fished more often and caught more fish.

this season included the addition of a Vexilar suit and a used gas auger. I now have the ability to punch as many holes as I want.

I am glad I wasnt able to afford all the equipment that first season. it allowed me to really understand how nice these things really are.

BTW, I still enjoy sitting on a bucket without my shack put up.....

[jigginjim]

She says a flasher isn't needed you should tell her to find where the fish are by herself. She will maybe go buy new herself, or you by a newer unit, giving her your old one.

[Fredd]

You can probably find some of the older flashers for around $100. Definitely the best money spent in the ice fishing arsenal.

[paceman]

I won't go out without mine. And if my battery dies I will go home. I have had guys fish near me try to outfish me without one. They all got schooled..... and they now all own flashers.

[bikeoutback]

She says a flasher isn't needed you should tell her to find where the fish are by herself. She will maybe go buy new herself, or you by a newer unit, giving her your old one.

Or she'll say "I'm bored." or "I don't want to go ice fishing I never catch anything" and then I get to go ice fishing less Much easier to let her keep thinking what she wants to think as long as we are thinking it out on the ice