Zoom feature

[fishnhuntnboy]

Thinking of upgrading to get the zoom feature. Is it worth it and does it really help? Right now I have an fl-8se. When I was at the Big C looking at the different flashers I couldn't even figure out how to use the zoom on it anyways lol. So does it make a huge difference much?

Thanks

[simple1]

I don't like zoom on the vexilar or humminbird units. I have never seen it on the Marcums, but I really don't see the point. I never use mine, other than to show people I have it.

Maybe I just don't fish deep enough. I don't know.

Simple1

[workin4bait]

I got a MarCum with zoom 6 weeks ago and did not know if I would even use it. After fishing for panfish in 21-24 feet of water and using the zoom feature I found it a lot easier to see bottom hugging sunfish.

[Brad B]

the zoom on the Marcums is adjustable up and down in the water column. there is a 5' & 10' zoom option on these. you press the zoom button and then use the up & down keys to adjust where you want to zoom in at in the column. the zoom will be on the left side of the flasher dial and the full depth reading will be on the right half of the dial. now the new Marcum LX7 will be different. the info above applies to the LX3 & LX5. the VX1p has zoom but it is a bottom lock zoom like your FL8.

the zoom feature shines with bottom hugging fish or fish that are suspended in the water column.

[BartmanMN]

I don't ever fish without zoom. You'll be the same once you upgrade.

[mrmanners]

On Lake of the woods my Marcum Zoom has saved me a few times when the walleyes come in suspended. The bottom lock is nice but moving it where you want in the water column sure helps.

[LunkerCity]

I have the FL18, I try using my zoom now and then but don't think it has helped at all. If a fish comes in I see it the same as always.

[goose89]

I don't ever fish without zoom. You'll be the same once you upgrade.

Fishing in 25 ft and deeper, there are alot of fish you see skirt the bottom that you don't on the fl-8. I've always got mine on if I'm 15' or deeper. Why wouldn't you if you could?? Shallower, even less than 20' I could see not using, but deeper, it's a real advantage, IMO.

[fishnhuntnboy]

I can see where fishing the bottom the zoom may help but what would the advantage be zooming in on suspended fish? I can see those on the fl-8. While on zoom can you See more fish? My guess would be you can on the bottom you can?

Last week a buddy and I were out fishing and he had the bird 55 and I believe he had the bottom 10-15ft zoomed in and it looked like he could see the separation better to where on my fl-8 it showed 10-20ft thick of fish. Is that where the zoom would come in play?

[Brad B]

I can see where fishing the bottom the zoom may help but what would the advantage be zooming in on suspended fish? I can see those on the fl-8. While on zoom can you See more fish? My guess would be you can on the bottom you can?

Last week a buddy and I were out fishing and he had the bird 55 and I believe he had the bottom 10-15ft zoomed in and it looked like he could see the separation better to where on my fl-8 it showed 10-20ft thick of fish. Is that where the zoom would come in play?

like you said the seperation is better and let's use the following for a example : say you are fishing over 30 feet of water and you knotice the fish are coming through at let's say 15 feet down but you have multiple lines close together and can't tell how many fish are there. you zoom in on that section of the water column and the seperation between each line will be easier to see and count the number of fish in the school.

[Knoc]

Ive yet to use my zoom with my Hummingbird.

[rkpolaris]

Once you use the zoom feature and get the hang of it. you will love it!!

and if you dont, I guess all I can say is, dont buy a fancy flasher if you dont use it to its full potenial.

[harvey lee]

The zoom feature will give one much better seperation between fish. A great feature.

[Sonicrunch]

I rarely do not use the zoom.

[Esox_Magnum]

Almost always run mine in zoom no matter the depth, helps seeing bottom huggers and seperates multiple fish, did not use it near as much when I ran the FL-18's as it didn't really do much other than blow up the blob...

[fishnhuntnboy]

I like the idea of target seperation on suspended fish. I hate it when I drop my line down and cant see it in the school of fish. I'll have to see if my buddy will let me borrow his flasher to try out the zoom and see if I like it before I drop the money on one. It does sound like it could be really useful on those tight grouped fish and would like to try

[Walleye Guy]

I use my zoom all the time. I am so trained at looking at the left hand side of the screen that I rarely look at the non-zoom portion of the flasher any more. Once you get used to using it, it would be a major drag to not have a zoom.

[B-man715]

How deep do you usually fish?

I use the zoom all of the time, but a guy really doesn't need it when under 30' of water. Sure it's nice, but not necessary. Even when fishing schools of fish with zoom, you still find yourself dropping into the mess of fish and jigging up to get an agressive one to come up high and smoke it.

[fishnhuntnboy]

At most around here would be 30-35 ft. Otherwise I'm usually around 20-25 ft and lately I have noticed the fish are hugging the bottom or suspended half way up the water column

[Kyhl]

I use my zoom at about 18 feet or deeper, which is nearly all the time.

I couldn't imagine not having it.

I'm curious, and not to start another flasher war. I wonder how many people who have zoom and don't use it, are using Vexilars.

I have a zoom and use it all the time, using a Marcum 3tc.

[fishwater]

The Marcum and showdown zoom is 5star, you'd need to run a Lowrance or Hbird graph to beat it in regards to setup options. The hbird would be sweet with it's continuous implementation, but you can't dial it in as well.

[crothmeier]

I use the zoom on my H-Bird Ice-45 all the time. Better target seperation. easier to pick up fish hugging the bottom.

[Jim Uran]

New to the zoom thing, but since I've had it I really like how my Ice-45 performs. I love the zoom, and being able to see those bottom huggers, or the seperation between my lure and that fish a little easier makes it worth it in my book.

[Finlander]

The zoom on my FL-20 really lets me see the lure versus the fish at any depth. It makes no difference what depth your fishing as the bottom 6 feet or twelve feet zoom modes doesn't depend on water depth. I even fish Red Lake and Pelican Lake with zoom on all the time! just gives me a better picture of my lure and fish trying to eat my hook!

[HandGunner]

i get confused by it on my marcum lx-2 i guess if the fish were prettymuch laying on the bottom sure i guess other than that all it does is increase the size of the flashing lines i use it and still pay more attention to the regular view if not one is just bigger than the other on the flasher does the same thing all around except zoom in on the bottom or selected depth