Shootin' Thru The Ice - Flashers

[Blaze]

This may have been discussed already, but I looked around and didn't find an answer to my question, so here it goes.

While out on the ice this weekend with my trusty 9 year old Zercom Clearwater Classic, I was walking around checking depth/fish with my flasher and a splash of water on top of the ice. A guy was watching me and came over to see how things looked. He told me can CANNOT do this with his FL8 and his friend CANNOT with his FL18. He didn't have his FL8 with him to test that theory, but I was dumbfounded.

Do these guys need training or is this a task that the Vexilar can't do?

Can you shoot through the ice with a Marcum LX-3 to see depth and fish?

How about the Lowrance X-67 Ice machine?

I'll be honest - I was considering upgrading my gray-scale flasher for a fancier color unit, but I'll never give up my ability to "see before I drill" as it has proven to be the best benefit of having a flasher in my opinion. This is undoubtedly a deal-breaker for me.

Input on this one guys?

Thanks,

Blaze

[Deitz Dittrich]

Blaze I have since moved on to a Marcum LX-3 but up untill this year I was using a Vex FL-18 and before that a Vex-FL-8.. and I was always able to shoot threw the ice. THey were just untrained!!!

[kevfish]

Can you find fish through the ice with the vex?

[Gus]

Yes you can. You can both shoot through the ice for depth and for fish. I did it all weekend long. A tip: When the surface of the ice is cruddy like most metro lakes are now because of the rain/sleet around christmas time, take your hand auger with you. Just scrape the surface with a couple quick cranks. It will let you get to good clear ice and also forms a bit of a bowl to help hold the water from a bottle to help you get a better reading. Works great!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Nice tip Gus... yes you can read fish, weeds, depth... They key, as stated is clean ice... However, I have done real well when after a light snow by just pressing the tranceducer on the new snow and not have to use any water either... Give it a try some time!

[ice_shack]

And don't forget the water bottle at home! It brings a tear to my eye having to use beer!

I can only drum up enough spit for 2 or 3 spots.

[tashit]

Ice shack - There's no need to use a beer. Instead of wasting the beer, drink one real fast, drill one hole (or find an open one) and fill up the empty bottle/can with water. If you're checking depths in a large area you can use it to put more water in a 5 gallon bucket or something. I guess it's up to you what's more important, one beer or a few minutes of time.

[Ed Carlson]

The depth, clarity, and consistency of the ice have a lot to do with the ability to shoot through it. "White Ice" that has a lot of air trapped in it will greatly reduce the ability for sound to travel through and back again. Deep ice also will diminish the capacity for sound to travel through the ice.

In general, higher power sonar’s that punch more watts do a better job of punching the sound through the ice if the ducer has proper conductivity.

Bottom content may also influence the return signal as well as depth of the water being read. A number of factors can influence a reliable return signal that may be interpreted as useful to the angler.

On moderately clean ice and with a good level contact point to transmit a signal a Fl-8, Fl-8 SE, and a Fl-18 will get a readable return signal reliable enough to determine general depth.

On cleaner thinner ice you can also achieve reliable soft target return signals such as are generated by suspended fish. On early ice you can scout fairly easily for fish on and off the bottom. As the ice thickens or deteriorates it becomes much more of a challenge with any sonar to achieve a reliable reading from anything but bottom depth.

In general, most sonar’s can shoot through the ice if the conditions are good to do so.

[Blaze]

Thanks guys - I was very surprised (and skeptical) to hear him say that he couldn't read through the ice, and I was disappointed to think that a new flasher wouldn't do the trick for me. He certainly had me wondering though - glad he was wrong! If I see him on the lake again, maybe I'll offer him a low-ball price for his piece of junk that won't read through the ice, eh?

Any input on the x67 Ice Machine? I assume the same holds true for them as well. I'm leaning toward an LX-3, but the Clearwater Classic is gonna be hard to part with. I love that old thing!

Blaze

[MedicineMan]

My X-67 has never had problems shooting through the ice. I've also never had a problem with it not showing fish while shooting through the ice.

[wall eyell be]

tas

When I bring my own bottle of water to squirt on the ice, I put enough salt in the water that it won't freeze while I'm out taking readings.

If I forgot my squirt bottle and I just drank a beer really fast, isn't there some source of liquid (with similar salinity) readily available to refill that beer bottle without having to drill hole in the ice ?

W E B

[76k20]

I have had some serious problems with my fl 8 not showing any fish even after I drill a hole.

[hawkeye43]

here is better idea, lose the water bottle. For the last 2 years I been using a small propane torch, melt a small puddle set the transducer in and shoot. No more frozen water bottles and always have water

[Ed Carlson]

KEWL....I like that idea!

Ya-know...A good butain torch lighter may be able to pull that off too? I'll try it and see how it works.

Great tip!

[hawkeye43]

I use one that when you push the button it lights and you let go it goes out. That way you dont waste gas as you walk I kept thinking that I should have thought of this years ago, never to old to learn something. Thanks Ed