Vexilar vs. Aqua-Vu

[iowaperch]

I've been ice fishing the low-budget old-school way for years but have decided it's time to invest in a piece of electronics. Should I buy a Vexilar or an Aqua-Vu? I've heard the saying "Vexilar's are for fishing and Aqua-Vu's are for playing." Why is that? I'll freely admit that I have zero experience with either which is why I'm seeking advice. To me, however, it seems like a Vexilar will let you know when a fish is in the area but an Aqua-Vu will also let you know when your bait is in the fishes mouth! That seems like a huge advantage for the Aqua-Vu. What am I missing?

[Philo]

No question about this decision, get the vexilar. The flasher will allow you to see the entire water column (important for fish that are just passing through) instead of the area within the reach of the camera. Also, a flasher is not impacted by dirty/cloudy water. Flashers also can shoot through the ice for depth readings without drilling any holes.

I have the FL-18 and have been very happy with it, but others like the LX-3. (See other posts for this debate) The LX-3 and the FL-18 have zoom features that are very nice.

[iowaperch]

Experience is far more valuable than supposition which is what my evaluation is based off of.

The Aqua-Vu seems so tempting because the fisherman will know which exact moment to set the hook. It seems like it

would have to dramatically increase the hook-up %. Especially on light-biting fish.

[loebs93]

There's no doubt about it...Vexilar. Its harder, with the camera, to locate fish than using the Vexilar. Once you find the fish with the Vexilar then you can use the camera to get specific.

[Bob Horn]

I bought a Marcum last year and love it. I put up a post up last year and from what the guys said I bought the Marcum. I was a diehard Vex guy but all the buzz about Marcum got me interesed. The best move by far that I could have made. If you are fishing any deeper than 10 feet the zoom on the LX-3 rocks. You can move the zoom anywhere in the water column you want. I would have to agree that I would get the flasher over the camera. The flasher can shoot through the ice most of the time to help find fish faster without drilling any holes. Get the camera next year or get them both now and only be in the doghouse for the next couple of months.

[Doc Madison]

I have both a FL-8 and AquaVu and would much rather leave the camera in the truck. I've found the camera to be of limited use on most waters except for the very cleanest water. The lights on the camera often scare the fish as well. I only use the camera to see what type of fish I'm marking with the Vexilar. If there is a mark that is difficult to entice I'll drop the camera and find out it's a small panfish or perch instead of Crappie or 'eye. There aren't enough hands to use both and fish 2 holes at the same time so my vote would be resoundingly "Vexilar."

[Ed Carlson]

A quality sonar package will serve you 24/7/365, four season usage, night or day. I feel it is a wise and cost effective first investment.

Underwater cameras are very useful and can be added to your tools latter. At first maybe rent one during peek times to see if they serve your needs. Their educational value alone is a big selling point. You will learn much over time and can apply it to your use of sonars.

[walleyedan]

That is a good call Backwater. I second that!

Walleyedan