New options for ice electronics???

[Moose]

Hey guys both my Vex and LX3 are getting older. I'm looking for some ideas for new electronics preferably smaller and more portable than the typical marcun and vexilar. I was looking a the showdown setup someone had on their kayak and the micro aqua view. Any other new portable electronics out there?

[Bottle Fish]

There is the new LX7 out this year, however you said smaller and more portable, so personally I would go with the showdown. My neighbor has one and I must say it is a nice unit. Compact and does all you would need.

[iffwalleyes]

I love my humminbird Ice 55 got it new last year. But the new LX 7 looks really sweet. I like theh larger displace on the bird and I like the zoom they way it zooms in on a section of the water colmun and doesn't split screen like your LX 3 does. Really nice in my opinion. Plus the Humminbirds are a slight bit cheaper. One other thing when you shut the unit off the battery has 0 draw. Unlike with Marcum digital charge unit if the indicater is saying 100% you have a small draw on the battery. Plus I like all the colors in the display never thought it would be nice to have more than three but it is.

[IcerRon2010]

Look into the humminbird 385ci. Portable, easy to use, (once you figure out the setup), GPS, Lakemaster capable, powerful. Will play nice with other flashers. Mounts that you can use with your atv/snowmobile. Summer fish also.

Lowrance makes a great little flasher also.

[amateurfishing]

i dont know much but did splurge for a showdown troller last year after on sale in Feb & last 2 months of ice fishing my "luck" changed dramatically!! its awesome cause very portable & small and you can even detect fish/depth thru the ice! i just got a HB 597ci for boat but have every intention of using both for ice fishing this winter, between reading this site and getting my showdown troller, i learned a ton bout ice fishing between Jan & March.

[Moose]

I ended up buying the Showdown Troller. Just waiting for it to come. Thank you all for the input. Now for the Voyager shack. I'm thinking about getting a pop up type shack 6x8 what's your opinions on brands? I'm sick of trying to lift the Voyager into my truck and having it take up all the bed.

[amateurfishing]

personally, i dont like pop ups, preferr sled with flip over....i dont need to find even spots for it to lay flat, just flip cover over & ready to fish, i am usually by myself but plan on taking 5 yr old son sometime, simple, hassle free, keep all gear in sled, 1 person easy set up and take down, especially if i have a kid with me and get em out of cold faster

[Moose]

That's why I originally bought mine now the "kids" are 18 and 14 and they only come along if we go overnight. I guess I'll hang on to the flip over and try to upgrade some of my rods and tackle. I think my next house will be a permanent or a wheel house when I get the boys through college. Thanks for the heads up on the pop up I was wondering how it worked on the drifts.. Enjoy taking your boy fishing. They grow up way to fast.I never thought I would say that by the way

[Northlander]

I ended up buying the Showdown Troller. Just waiting for it to come. Thank you all for the input. Now for the Voyager shack. I'm thinking about getting a pop up type shack 6x8 what's your opinions on brands? I'm sick of trying to lift the Voyager into my truck and having it take up all the bed.

Moose Im glad you went with the Troller you will love it.

[Moose]

Thanks for the help Northlander. There was also a pretty good post about the showdown troller on the canoe and kayak forum.. I just need to figure out a way to set it up in my voyager.I'm going to look into one of the ram mounts to attach it to one of the posts. I need to get the house out of storage and set it up and look at it.

[Hardyboy]

they sell a dock for it that has a swing arm for the ducer and a soft case with a harness and the ability to hook it to a battery. I bought it for mine and it works wonderful. i think it was about 20 bucks at FF.

Thanks for the help Northlander. There was also a pretty good post about the showdown troller on the canoe and kayak forum.. I just need to figure out a way to set it up in my voyager.I'm going to look into one of the ram mounts to attach it to one of the posts. I need to get the house out of storage and set it up and look at it.

[amateurfishing]

that "dock" sounds like a good buy, i just used the neck laynard that came with it cause 1 i have bad eyes and 2 prevents it from going down the hole - it is small.

[Jim Uran]

I love my troller, it's does exactly what it says it will do and so far has held up great! I got it towards the end of the year last year so I look forward to a full season with it, and will pick up the dock for it also!

[walleye44]

Hey guys both my Vex and LX3 are getting older. I'm looking for some ideas for new electronics preferably smaller and more portable than the typical marcun and vexilar. I was looking a the showdown setup someone had on their kayak and the micro aqua view. Any other new portable electronics out there?

I have the Aqua Vu micro. I wanted it mainly for ice fishing panfish. Move around check for fish & just put it in your pocket when you are done. I have used it in the summer checking around old favorite spots so it works nice in the summer too. It is a pretty slick unit.

[Moose]

Walleye, How is the display on the Micro? Can you see it ok in the sun? Does the camera have decent resolution in dirty water? Just a few ? for someone who has one already.

[walleye44]

Walleye, How is the display on the Micro? Can you see it ok in the sun? Does the camera have decent resolution in dirty water? Just a few ? for someone who has one already.

I have been out on Rush Lake (dirty water) & can see very well with it. I am not going to lie to you. You have some glare in the high sun, but I am impressed that you can see well with it. You might have to tip a little to avoid the glare. I wanted to get some video up, but when my droid tries to record it; The video does not look as good as it does just looking at the Micro.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Thanks for the help Northlander. There was also a pretty good post about the showdown troller on the canoe and kayak forum.. I just need to figure out a way to set it up in my voyager.I'm going to look into one of the ram mounts to attach it to one of the posts. I need to get the house out of storage and set it up and look at it.

Get the ice-troller performance pack. Lets you dock your ice troller on a mount, gives you the ability to run off a 12 v battery, and its all in a soft case. My only complaint about the performance pack is the arm that holds the cable out over the hole broke off right away...there is a weak spot that cracks easily. Easy fix...get rid of the arm and put a piece of foam pipe insulation on the transducer cable with depth adjuster like vexilar uses.