What Is Your Favorite Ice Fishing Fishfinder In 2018?

[eyeguy 54]

you tell em moose!    I hardly ever use the zoom on my 18 but I do use the low power once in a while. 

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

   I hardly ever use the zoom on my 18 but I do use the low power once in a while. 

 

That's because you always fish shallow in the weeds and muck. You should move out in deeper water where the big fish live and try that Zoom out it's great!   

[Getanet]

15 hours ago, leech~~ said:

 

Graphs are nice for fishing in a boat for sure.  They show you the nice big history picture of what has already gone by and gives you a good view of what the changing bottom depths look like as you float around. 

Really though, when your fishing in a little hole over the same bottom for an hour or all day. What’s the point?  The important part of a graph for ice fishing is that ¼” or so of edge on the far right and what is happening on it real time.  Which then, is just like a Flasher only giving you real time info and why I went back to one from my graph.   Worley Worley!    

 

You can switch the Helix to the same dial-type view as a Vex. The newer models even show you how wide your cone is - and you can adjust it wider or narrower. This isn't my bird, just one I found online.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2018 by Getanet

[eyeguy 54]

@leech~~    pfffffft     

[Getanet]

13 hours ago, bobbymalone said:

Since there isn't a lot of covering ground I just don't need the last 30 seconds on a graph or a GPS map to know I've been sitting in the same spot for the last hour.  My phone is always on me when I need to move and I run navionics.  Half the year I'm in my truck when I'm on the move anyway.  If I'm on a dogsled in the bwca I have a handheld.

 

I'll stick to the flasher.

 

I upgraded to a bigger screen with the bird, but I just dont need a ton of features that really only make sense on a moving boat.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Flat Earther.

 

[Jmnhunter]

leech and others, i actually thought the same exact thing, the whole screen is used up with "history", trust me, I loved my marcum flasher and did not want to give into the 2D sonar; but after swapping it out of the boat from the summer use then using it all winter, I'm sold. Like getanet posted, you can still have the flasher screen with the helix so you dont have to use the 2d sonar view. hence my argument, smartphone (with all of the gadgets, summer, winter, etc) vs flip phones (flasher only).

 

but I rarely use the flasher portion on my helix and opt to the 2d sonar (by the way with 2d you still get the flasher/rts window in real time) and it's history. you can adjust the size of your history and RTS window on the helix as well, and I've found to have the history useful at times as well, if you look away for instance and see a mark on the history screen, you can be fore-warned of a nearby fish, with a flasher, you get that quick flash and its gone. 

 

it took me some coaxing just like when I didnt want to switch out of my reliable dependable flip phone to a fancy smartphone, but I'm a convert now, and I still bring my Marcum with

[leech~~]

I heard they work a little better on small targets.

But for almost $200 bones more for a Ice 7 then a FL18 not sure how much better?

[Hawg]

3 years ago I fell for the FLX28 from a FL18 and while I like the quiet I miss the 18. The 28 has a couple advantages but it has so much worthless dump on it my 18 did everything I wanted in a flasher. I sold the 18 to a friend and there's no way he's selling it back. JMHO but that 18 was the best ever. Like others I had a chance to buy at a very low price but still question the decision.

As much as I'm tired of these flasher/auger posts this one is actually more about features more than brand bashing. Also a smart post by Rick to get some traffic going. I think this is still the best ice site but wonder why so many disappeared. The rules have been relaxed too, I haven't been banned for 2 or 3 years now. My reputation has a plus sign on it! 

Eyeguy, time for some underwater photography?

Edited October 17, 2018 by Hawg

[Getanet]

On 10/15/2018 at 9:45 AM, Hawg said:

Might as well get augers in on this too!

 

Apparently it's so obvious that Nils is the premier auger on the market that nobody even bothers to argue otherwise anymore!

[Jmnhunter]

On 10/17/2018 at 9:54 AM, leech~~ said:

I heard they work a little better on small targets.

But for almost $200 bones more for a Ice 7 then a FL18 not sure how much better?

haha

 

[PurpleFloyd]

20 hours ago, Getanet said:

 

Apparently it's so obvious that Nils is the premier auger on the market that nobody even bothers to argue otherwise anymore!

Nobody knows ice better than an Eskimo. Don't try to slip a foreign language into the conversation to muddy the water. 

[1968]

Who needs electronics?

 

Nice kitchen grade slush scooper..

[eyeguy 54]

brrr

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, 1968 said:

Who needs electronics?

 

 

When you drink enough воaка! 

[BRULEDRIFTER]

My progression in ice electronics: 

 

Back in the early 2000's when I first started taking ice fishing seriously, I had a buddy that had the FL-8. Thought it was the coolest thing, but was also holding onto an unnecessary "purist" attitude and refused to spend the little money I had at the time on anything like that. I eventually broke myself down and jumped in by purchasing the Lowrance X67C, the original ice fishing "graph". It was perfect! Year round use, and, at the time, was the cats a$$. Loved the history of the graph, especially chasing lakers, because you could see if you raised something up when you may have not been paying attention. 

 

Then as I started fishing with more people, and more people began buying electronics, I found myself fighting interference every time out; especially in deep, rocky lakes. I would have to make a point to get far away from everyone so I could even use the dang thing. So, to solve that dilemma, if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em!  I bought a used Marcum LX-3 off of an old poster from this very HSOforum. That was in 2007, I believe and I am still running that LX-3 today. Like the FL-8, it's tested, tough, and ever-reliable. Runs all day, and then some, on a single battery. It's quiet and it takes a lickin, keeps on tickin!  I really have no need to upgrade from that. The one thing I really wish it did have, that makes me ponder an upgrade, is a digital depth readout. I would love to just be able to drop the transducer into the hole and get an instant depth reading instead of having to switch through the dials then try and figure out where you are at. It seems like the only flashers with that option these days are the FL-28 or Ice-55. If Marcum would add that feature to the M-5, I would buy that and call it good for life! 

 

Overall, I think I prefer the flasher over the graph. The Helix does look tempting, though, and may wind up being what I eventually upgrade to, primarily for it's year round use and GPS. I guess I remain skeptical with graphs, primarily based on the potential interference and clarity in deep water. I have the Lowrance Hook 7 for my boat that I tried that out last season on the ice, but like most Lowrance products, it's garbage. (sorry, I have had bad luck with that graph and regret buying it every time I use it). I had it out chasing lakers and I could barely pick up bottom in 50+ feet of water without cranking the gain up so high the screen looked like nothing but static. It makes a good GPS mounted on my snowmobile though!  

 

 

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Or maybe I'll hold off as long as possible and wait for the Garmin Panoptics units become more affordable!  

 

Those look like the cats a$$, but the price tag makes ya cringe..... $2K!? 

[jbird68]

I was using a Marcum Showdown 5.6 and loved it. Then my teenage son started fishing with me and he has taken over the Showdown. So, I bought the ice pack for my Lowrance Elite-5 from my boat. It's OK but I much prefer the Showdown.  The Elite-5 will act up at times and it really ticks me off. Now I'm looking for a Showdown for myself again. 

[leech~~]

1 hour ago, jbird68 said:

I was using a Marcum Showdown 5.6 and loved it. Then my teenage son started fishing with me and he has taken over the Showdown. So, I bought the ice pack for my Lowrance Elite-5 from my boat. It's OK but I much prefer the Showdown.  The Elite-5 will act up at times and it really ticks me off. Now I'm looking for a Showdown for myself again. 

 

Among others I have an Elite-5 as well and have used it for Ice fishing. It seems to run fine for a while then starts acting up. The GPS in the boat is really slow to track so it's been sitting on the shelf!  I hate being out with a bad product and screw up a whole weekend. That is why I pretty much stick with the FL-18 which has never let me down. 

 

"For Sale"  Nice condition Lowrance Elite-5  Works perfectly! 

[jbird68]

If I get a Showdown soon and a newer Garmin for the bow of my boat then I would sell the Elite-5 with icepack and softwater transducer. 

[1968]

I needed something newer in the boat so I got a helix ice 7 coming tomorrow and will be wet by Friday.  I already have a vex 8,18, and 20 so it better blow my socks off! The 8's days might be numbered.. The ability to make your own lake maps really appealed to me as I like more out of the way places. I ice fished so much last year the noise of the vex started to wear on me. Terrible problem right? haha  I needed another good reason to get out in the boat more too.. 

 

Nobody had them in town nearby so I shopped price and who could get it to me asap. Decided yesterday to do this and "needed" it by tomorrow.  This seller offered both price and speed. Helix ice 7 549.00 shipped 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by 1968

[Getanet]

I'm sure you included that link for a reason, so I'll go ahead and say it...you got a crazy good deal on that Helix 7!

 

It's going to take a little getting used to compared to the Vex, but you're really going to enjoy it.  Assuming you already have a Lakemaster Chip for it, or are getting one?

[1968]

Chip is on the list, but will wait to see how good the included mapping is. Making my own will be great as there are no detailed maps for a lot of water I fish.

 

I may have triggered someone here with that link. 2 more sold since my last post. Seller also has the 5 for a good price. My eyes aint getting any younger though! 

[jbird68]

The one thing I liked on my Elite-5 was that when a fish was about to bite the return would turn very red. I don' tget that with the Showdown. Bit it does get a darker black.

[delcecchi]

I have a Lowrance 233oB from back in the day.   Is that something anyone would be interested in? 

I guess I could put it on the for sale page....

[slammer]

I bought the Ice helix 7 last year and love it.   Been using a FL8 since they first came out.  Cant remember when that was.  I wanted a map and flasher/graph in one unit and this was it.  Already had the map cards so worked out good.