Converting a fishfinder for use on the ice

[Shurdaddy]

I want to convert my Fishmark 480 to use on the ice. Has anyone else done this with a fishfinder?? What did you do to convert it?? Will I be able to use the transducer I have, or will I need something special??

Thanks in advance,

Eric

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi Eric...

It certainly can be done.

Using a Lowrance X-85 from my boat. My first try at the portable conversion was to construct a box that accepted the top half of the mount I had in the boat. It was kind of neat with battery storage, x-ducer and cable storage. A bit on the heavy/bulky side but it did work. I fashioned a "float" type transducer out of some styrofoam and a spare skimmer x-ducer I had laying around.

My second try, and by far the simplest, would be to get the portable, battery pack conversion thats available for your unit. Still using my X-85, with this battery pack, everything got more compact and lighter. The portable (PPP-14) unit accepts either "D" cells batts or the standard "vex" type battery. Forget the "D"s!!! Even in a pinch, there's just not enough juice. If I was out on the ice and my gel cell "died", with the "D" batts as my only option... I went without a depth finder or went home. It just was not worth the cost of all those batts.

Even after all my work, it still came up short in the on-ice performance department.

BUT... If I knew then what I know now... My x-85 would have stayed in the boat where it belonged. Even packed very carefully in it's own soft sided cooler, it took a couple nice hits and will be on it's way to either the repair shop, or the junk pile. For me it was a spendy lesson.

If you can possibly swing it... I'd recommend buying a unit that is made for ice fishing. Marcum, Vexilar, whatever. This is my first year with a dedicated icefishing depth finder (Marcum LX-3) and after the first time out, I've been kicking myself ever since for not buying one sooner!! All I can tell you is that the differences from my X-85 to the LX-3 are like night and day... Now I CAN see what I was missing. Yes it is a good chunk of change. but well worth every penny. IF I would have done the LX-3 sooner, it would have actually saved me close to a grand due to a now "forced" upgrade for my boat.

Good luck on your project...

[danny berg]

Shurdaddy,

The Fishmark is an Eagle product, right? If so, you can go to the Eagle HSOforum and look for LEI Accesories, there is a product called the ice-dapter, I had one for my fisheasy portable. It might work for your fishmark.

Danny

[fishin789]

Before I got my vexlar I used the depth finder from my boat. I got a suction cup tansducer and took off the suction cup and screwed the bracket to a piece of 1x2 long enough to go acorss the hole.and just set it across the edge of my hole.carried around the 12 volt deep cycle battery from the boat to run it and the lights in the fish house.never had a problem with it other then having to lug around the battery.

[skunked_once]

I use my old Lowrancd X-45 with a spare transducer from the boat.

The fishfinder is mounted on the top of a deep-cycle

battery box and is powered by a 12-volt motorcycle battery.

The motorcycle battery has plenty of power for several hours

of use. I rigged up a rod which mounts inside the box and

attach the transducer to another sliding rod so I can put the transducer in the hole.

It's not as nice as a flasher but I can find the depth and see when there is something down there.

This setup still doesn't make the fish bite any better though

[tomfromblaine]

my fishin' buddie took the suction cup off his twisted some coat hanger around one of those mesh minnow dippers to make it alittle wider then just lays the transducer in the net, works great.

[P.DONA]

I'm doing the same thing with mine.. I have about a 12" square box,that fits everything in it.. I have a motorcycle battery, all the cords, and the transducer inside. It's an apelco 480..

I"ll see if I can take a pic over the weekend. Can't wait to try it!!!

I, too, have to figure how to put the transducer in the water.

[fishermn]

I too have done the same thing with my Garmin 240. And it works great. One thing I didnt even notice about the 240 was it actually has a built in flasher along the side of the screen as well, so this rig works great for both ice and open water! Regarding getting the transducer in the water, I made an arm out of 1 inch wide steel strap. I hinged it in the middle so I can flip the transducer up for transporting it, the ya just flip it back down, and set the whole box next to the hole, and you are ready to go. If anyone is interested, I can email ya some pics of the transducer mount.