Hand-Held depth finders???

[wounded minnow]

I would like to buy a hand held unit but I don't know much about them. I have been using my Vex to shoot through the ice, but I thought it might be quicker with one of the smaller units carried in my jacket. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Is on better than another?

[Norco]

I have seen them on hsolist for reasonable prices, the ones I saw were Fishhawk and am not sure if they are good. I believe vexilar makes one that resembles a flashlight. I would like for the same reasons as you.
Cheers!!

[Paul Waldowski]

WM,

I have the LX-i that's made by Marcum. Use it alot for running and gunning. You still need to have a water source in order to shoot through the ice.

I punch a lot of holes in a day and it sure is easier to carry that on my belt than it is to drag the flasher around in one hand, and the auger in the other. Guess the old saying holds true. Time and place for everything.

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Paul
[email protected]
Marcum
Otter Outdoors

[Dan Wood]

I'm with Paul, the MarCum LX-i is a very nice unit. It is small enough to fit in your pocket, and very quick and easy to use. I use it to cover water quickly and then switch over to my flasher to locate fish, bottom content, etc.

The LX-i has 2500 Watts of power and does read through marginal ice better than my LX-3. Besides being more convenient, you save the wear and tear on your flasher transducer.

http://www.marcumcustomerservice.com/products/flashers/lxi.aspx

[This message has been edited by Dan Wood (edited 01-04-2004).]

[oscar]

I noticed in the link that it has a fish alarm, does it tell what depth the fish are at? Can you tell anything about bottom content with it?

[Dan Wood]

After the unit finds bottom, it goes into fish finder mode. If it finds a signal suspended within the depth range, it will flash that depth. You won't be able to tell the bottom content with these type of units. I switch over to my flasher to find the "spot on the spot". The LX-i is very helpful to cover water quickly, finding humps, drop-offs, etc.

[wounded minnow]

Looks like the Marcum has some advocates. I was wondering if anyone can recommend/discourage the Vexilar or Strikemaster handhelds. This will probably be my last ice fishing purchase this year.

[behmer]

The sharper Image works good for the 35.00 it cost, Look at my post from "Portable Fish Finder" as I explained the differeces and simularities between the Marcum and the Sharper Image.

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FISH OR GO HOME

[Guest]

WM,

I use the Polar Vision sold by Strikemaster and I love it.

It's so much easier to walk around a specific area with it and a squirt bottle of water to read an edge, etc. than futzing with my FL18, especially in the early morning dark.

It's a luxury add-on I realize, but at $129.00 I get my investments worth from it.

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Chells

[Guest]

I only have experience with the Vexilar hand held unit and have no complaints. Much easier then dragging the whole unit around.

Scott

[cliffy]

I have the Marcum unit and I love it. My buddy has the strikemaster unit and he loves it. The only difference I can find is the read-out location. The marcum unit has the read-out screen on top of the flash light handle and the strikemaster has it on the side of the bottom. It just seems a little bit easier to read the Marcum unit....but that is not a big deal.

[wounded minnow]

Has anyone used or heard of a product similar to these sold by sharper image? I read about it on a few other posts.

[pkevinb]

Wounded minnow, I got one of those today and will try it out on the ice tomorrow. I will post the results here when I see how it does.

It is the NorCross DF2120PX.

[Scuba Fish]

I just won a Sharper Image on hsolist today for $35 and can't wait to try it. Let me know how youys works, I'll do the same.

[pkevinb]

I checked min last evening against my regular depth finder and got the same depth readings.

It reads very quickly through the ice but we only have 3" - 4" around here. I think it is worth the price.

Oh, it doesnt seem to get the air temp quite right but water temp seems on.

[iffwalleyes]

The Strikemaster Polar vision is made by Marcum. I had problems with mine last year so I called Strikemaster to see what I need to do to get it fixed and they had me send it to marcum and they sent me a new one. The one I had was well past it's warrenty but they replaced it at no charge. Their may be some difference but I think you will see them to be similar. I myself really don't used the one that I have much I prefer my flashers..

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
[email protected]

[Scott Steil]

The LX-i is the way to go. The read out is on the top, where it should be! LOTS OF POWER!!

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
(320)293-3287
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[kingsnake]

test

[walleyereaper]

I've got the Vex LPS and am very happy with it after 2 yrs. of hard use. I don't seem to have many problems getting readings through the ice. Just bring along a propane torch and do a little melting to wet the ducer. If I was to buy another one though I would probably get the Marcum because it reads from the top which only makes sense.

[wounded minnow]

I just received my hand held from Sharper Image. It works great. I used it last weekend a and it found the same depth as a guy next to me using a flasher. So far so good for a unit that was 1/2 the price of the competition.