Marcum Power vs Vexilars "HD"

[hamms-scooter]

I have read mixed reviews on these units in shallow water use with weeds. Which one performs, as far as filtering threw the weeds to see fish. I am looking to upgrade and this is important feature for me. I am leaning towards the lx-5 just want to know if the return signal can be turned down enough on it in the weeds. I have read some posts about the vex in low power mode still showing a big red blob for a jig in 9 feet of water any truth to this? Supposed to excel in shallow water I thought.

[EMAGDNIM]

Just save 200 more dollars and buy the lx-7

[maxpower17]

I have read mixed reviews on these units in shallow water use with weeds. Which one performs, as far as filtering threw the weeds to see fish. I am looking to upgrade and this is important feature for me. I am leaning towards the lx-5 just want to know if the return signal can be turned down enough on it in the weeds. I have read some posts about the vex in low power mode still showing a big red blob for a jig in 9 feet of water any truth to this? Supposed to excel in shallow water I thought.

I have only used Vex's so I can't answer your question. What I can tell you is that I was told a number of years ago that the Marcum's are using much much more power than is ever needed without any real benifit other than simply overpowering any other units on the water resulting in excellent interference rejection. The downside to all that power is that the Marcum's will very quickly wear out the crystal in the transducer. This is why you see so many Marcum's with transducer troubles.

Vex's stradegy is to remain at lower power, increase frequency and have much more sensitivity.

I'm sure this won't go over well...

[fishwater]

I have only used Vex's so I can't answer your question. What I can tell you is that I was told a number of years ago

I'm sure this won't go over well...

[leech~~]

fishwater, have you ever heard of the Law Of Diminishing gains? At some point you can or only need so much power to do the same job or get the same effect. Anything more is just a waste, or in this case more battery drain then is needed or used! More Watts does not always relate to a better job.

[fishwater]

I'm 100% certain no laws of Physics are being busted.

[slurpie]

Get whatever brand you are used to and you will be happy.

[Hoyt4]

I've had both go with the Vex. Sold and bought another Vex.

[IcerRon2010]

Hi Hamms,

Both of those units you will be happy with. I own the LX-5 and a Fl-22.

If you want a clearer return, go with a marcum. If you want to a more sensitive unit that will detect a fishes movement better go with the Vexilar. If your gain is set well your jig will show up as one green line.

I have been fishing at Pelican for the tournement this past week and I find myself using the Vexilar more, with the low power mode and my gain jacked up to about half with the 19 degree beam. Shallow water and heavy weeds, that seems to be the ticket for me.

You will make less adjustments with the Marcum.

Power consumption is about the same in both units. I love them both. Tough decision, get them both!

[hamms-scooter]

Look at the open water units they use 8000 watts and so does the lx-7. To say that vex uses less power to increase sensitivity makes no sense. To me you should be able to turn on the unit and use nothing but the gain to determine what you see on the screen for clarity.

Back to the original questions I asked. How are these in shallow water? 20 ft and less. I like clarity and seeing my jig all the time. I like to be able to see fish in weeds and my jig. That is what I want I am tired of saying oh that flicker on the bottom is a fish , when the technology is out there to show you its there. I have used fl-8 for a long time and know all about how the vexilars are read looking to hear if the 22"HD" is any different/better. I know people are going to say that the fl-8 works just fine for them as it also works for me but I say why ride in an 1880's covered wagon when I can cruise in a sports car. Just looking for facts on the 2 flashers mentioned.

[hamms-scooter]

"Get them both!" I would love to get both and decide that way as it is the only way to do these things as you just go off of opinions. Thanks for the advice good luck in the tourney its the first qualifier of the year right?

[Dark Cloud]

I cant speak for the "HD", but I can say I have used the LX5 quite a bit in weeds. I have had real good luck clearing things up and getting a nice crisp display. I prefer the wide beam but sometimes switching to narrow beam helps alot.

Unless the weeds are thick top to bottom you can usually get a nice picture where your seeing the weeds, your jig, and the fish...

[griff321]

Words like "I think","I feel", "personal preference", and "you'll be happy with both" are driving me crazy. I'm trying to research flasher technology and from the sales jargon to peoples biased opinions I don't think I could be more frustrated. I don't care what anyone uses or thinks. Great, you spent a ton on a flasher or spent nothing and it works for you. Good Lord do I ever get it. I would love some measurable side by side data to do the talking for people and it seems impossible to get this on a message board or even from some of the fishing advertisements that pass themselves off as news. Yet people still keep lining up at the trough and contribute nothing other than, "see mine can go further than yours!"

Sorry to complain, but none of this is helping a new person intelligently immerse themselves in a sport. I have to wade through a pile of you know what in order to find the few golden nuggets of actual data and even then it seem people can't agree on solid measurables for comparison.

[Hardyboy]

fishwater, have you ever heard of the Law Of Diminishing gains? At some point you can or only need so much power to do the same job or get the same effect. Anything more is just a waste, or in this case more battery drain then is needed or used! More Watts does not always relate to a better job.

Well ill tell you what ive owned 4 cylinder pickups and ive owned 6 cylinder and 8 cylinder and ill tell you what ill take the 8 cylinder any day cause when you need the power (deep water lure clarity for example) its there. i fish a lot of locations and ill tell you they are not all 8 feet deep that a low power unit will work well for. I prefer to have a unit that will work well whatever im doing. Dang i wish i could go to the flasher shootout lol!!!

[MNice]

If I can see my tiny little jig in 40' of water, 6" off the bottom, I could give a rats rear on watts/megawatts/separation or any of the other carp they put out. One doesn't have to over think everything. Relax, & have fun, they all work wonderfully well!!

[Dark Cloud]

Words like "I think","I feel", "personal preference", and "you'll be happy with both" are driving me crazy. I'm trying to research flasher technology and from the sales jargon to peoples biased opinions I don't think I could be more frustrated. I don't care what anyone uses or thinks. Great, you spent a ton on a flasher or spent nothing and it works for you. Good Lord do I ever get it. I would love some measurable side by side data to do the talking for people and it seems impossible to get this on a message board or even from some of the fishing advertisements that pass themselves off as news. Yet people still keep lining up at the trough and contribute nothing other than, "see mine can go further than yours!"

Sorry to complain, but none of this is helping a new person intelligently immerse themselves in a sport. I have to wade through a pile of you know what in order to find the few golden nuggets of actual data and even then it seem people can't agree on solid measurables for comparison.

Dude, thats all your gonna get. Even if someone has 100 day a year with all the diff units - all your gonna get in thier opinion, sorry...

I prefer the performance of my lx3 and lx5 over the fl8, 12, 18, and hummingbird I have used. Crisper cleaner less blobby display...

[leech~~]

If I can see my tiny little jig in 40' of water, 6" off the bottom, I could give a rats rear on watts/megawatts/separation or any of the other carp they put out. One doesn't have to over think everything. Relax, & have fun, they all work wonderfully well!!

MNice, 100% agree. Kind of the point I have been trying to make the whole time on this subject.

[griff321]

Dude, thats all your gonna get. Even if someone has 100 day a year with all the diff units - all your gonna get in thier opinion, sorry...

I prefer the performance of my lx3 and lx5 over the fl8, 12, 18, and hummingbird I have used. Crisper cleaner less blobby display...

I figured that was the case, as often is in any consumer good, but I still had a glimmer of hope that someone could point me in the direction of solid scientific data comparing variables side by side.

Thanks for the heads up.

[hamms-scooter]

This is getting me nowhere . Just wanted to know how each works in shallow water.................. Instead there are people chiming in that haven't used either one??? Or talking about something different. Start your own post if you are wondering something or just wanting to type. Anyone using a fl-22hd send me a pm on this. Same goes for lx5 users.

[harvey lee]

Typical Ford vs Chevy debate. Mine is better than yours.

It seems no matter who it is, one always gets a biased opinion from the luck they have had with a unit. get a unit with an issue and it's now a terrible unit.

I will say from all the flashers I have used over the years, my MarCum has given me hands down the best target seperation of any unit out there. Yes, I have owned and used MarCum's, Vexilars and the Birds in numerous models.

My personal preference for a flasher is my MarCum and my Bird.

I have about zero issues with my Ice55 or my LX5 in shallow water. I cannot speak of the newer vex's as I have not used one for awhile.

[BartmanMN]

If your focus is shallow water fishing you will love the fl22, I know I do.

[desert_bulls]

griff, what scientific data are you looking for? Power, target seperation or actual performance. If you looking for specs on the locators, go to each individual web site and look at the specs in the manual, thats not bias, it hard information. If your looking for performance, people are giving you information on what they use and what works for them.

[DTro]

About the deep water and power....

You can have all the power you want, but if you scale doesn't go that high, you are out of the game. This is something I never thought about, and I didn't think I'd ever find an occasion in which I couldn't use my LX5, but that such occasion happened a couple of years ago when I was fishing with Jim Hudson out on Superior one weekend.

We were out in something like 200fow and I went to scale up my flasher and it didn't go any higher. I was like "what the heck?". I looked over and the guys with Birds had no problem, and then I said something to Jim and he says, "now you know why I use Vex "

Sorry, I know this really has nothing to do with the original question and not many people fish in 200fow, but it is something to keep in mind related to this discussion.

[harvey lee]

I believe the MarCum LX3 and 5 only go to the depth of 160 or 180ft. others go deeper.

[OnAFly]

The more important variable in shallow water is beam angle.

Go buy the flasher that you, personally, like the best and make sure you get a wide beam transducer. Honestly, I don't think any of the brands is leaps and bounds ahead of the others.