Marcum LX-3 Ice System - Not just a hard water flasher

[Dave]

Fully charge your Marcum LX-1 or LX-3 Ice System battery but, don't store the flasher for the summer! If you rent or fish from a friend's boat, you can hang the Marcum Ice transducer overboard to detect depth and fish! Or, with an optional, simple to install transducer conversion kit, you can maximize on the investment and benefits of your Marcum Ice System and use it on your boat during the summer. I mounted my LX-3 on the bow of my Alumacraft Trophy 170 and chose the trolling motor conversion kit. Here’s what it takes to install.

For about $80 (check with a Marcum dealer for exact cost) this particular conversion kit included a mounting gimbal, power connector and trolling motor transducer puck. If you have no trolling motor, a high-speed transducer conversion kit is also available at Marcum dealers.

The Marcum trolling motor transducer utilizes a 20-degree cone angle and has 20-feet of cable. (Using marine grade epoxy, the trolling motor transducer could also be mounted to the inside of a fiberglass boat. Contact Marcum or a Marcum dealer for more information). The transducer cable length allows the mounting of the LX-3 to almost anywhere on the boat.

The trolling motor transducer is concaved to conform to the bottom of a trolling motor.

It’s best to mount the transducer, obviously, to the bottom side of the trolling motor , using a stainless steel hose style clamp; making sure the transducer is in the centerline of the motor and as far back from the propeller as possible.

Next, secure the transducer cable, as close as possible to the transducer, with a tie-wrap; to provide a strain relief for the transducer/cable connection. In my case, I drilled a small hole in the Minnkota trolling motor housing and used a tie-wrap (shown in white).

Now, route the transducer cable up to the top steering head of the trolling motor and secure the cable with another tie-wrap. Continue routing the transducer cable back down alongside of the trolling motor shaft and continue the routing onto the LX-3 location; in this case, the bow of the boat. Leave enough slack in the transducer cable that’s routed up and down the trolling motor shaft to allow for the up and down deployment of the trolling motor.

Mounting the LX-3 in each boat will be slightly different. It’s best to mount the LX-3 gimbal onto a rotating mount (purchased separately); so maximum adjustability for viewing of the LX-3 can be achieved from any position in the boat.

When you remove the LX-3 or LX-1 from the Ice System (two large plastic knobbed bolts) make sure you use both rubber washers (two on each side) when mounting the unit onto the boat gimbal mount; for maximum vibration-free installation. Place one rubber washer on each side of the gimbal mount.

With an abundance of unused transducer cable (in this situation) I chose to route the transducer cable down into the bow compartment, below the top deck, coil up the excess transducer cable, and then route the transducer cable and connector back up to the LX-3 mounted on top of the bow.

Connect the power cable to the 12-volt starting battery terminals; red wire to positive and black wire to negative. Powering the LX-3 from the same battery used for the trolling motor will more than likely cause electrical noise interference on the LX-3 display.

Now, simply plug in the power and transducer connectors into the back of the LX-3 and you should be in business; ready to find and catch fish from you boat with the help of your Marcum. Turn on the LX-3 power to verify correct power connections and listen for a clicking sound from the transducer.

Contact Marcum Technologies or find a Marcum dealer here

Marcum Technologies

[Ray Esboldt]

Dave,

You beat me to the punch. I'm very pleased with my LX-1 on the open water. I'm a flasher guy, so any flasher is favored by me over a graph. However, the MarCum beats 'em all in my opinion for one reason alone, it doesn't fade out in the sun. Man, it's nice not to turn my body or hold a hand up just so I can see the unit's readout. Just that reason alone is good enough for me.

Like Dave said, don't put it away for the summer. Real men (and women) use flashers.

[chunkytrout]

My ducer and kit are ordered and I can't wait to get that puppy on open water. My graph will stay on board for recent history readout but for trolling, the real time of the LX3 is gonna rock! Thanks for the awesome install step by step Dave! It answered a few questions I had.

[Chris Haley]

Don't forget your LX3 when heading to Canada either!! My wife is always asking me what depth we're fishing, finally I just took the LX3 and hung the ice ducer over the side in the front and viola no more "what is the depth questions" plus she can see fish below her also!! This would work great for fly-ins or canoe trips also!!!

[Ray Esboldt]

Building on the idea of bringing your LX-3 or LX-1 on fly-in trips is to bring an LX-i on your canoe trips. Bringing a full size flasher on a canoe trip is not terribly practical unless you're a pack mule. The LX-i is no bigger or heavier than a flashlight. It's really the perfect answer to the age-old canoe trip question, "I wonder how deep it is?"

[Fastlane]

FYI, Earlier this year, I picked up the kit for $60 at Cabelas.

[CNY Tim]

Unbelieveable unit! Last winter I purchased the LX-I hand held sonar system and put it to the test immediately trying to locate an old river channel in a reservoir searching for crappies and the LX-I performed flawlessly. The ability to check depths quickly and mark fish via alarm truely enhanced my early ice experience. It's versatility, compact size and price make the LXI Performance Pack a must have for clearing unproductive water. It's small, light weight, and a reliable weapon to have in your ice fishing arsenal.

[trapperdirk]

Quote:

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Unbelieveable unit! Last winter I purchased the LX-I hand held sonar system and put it to the test immediately trying to locate an old river channel in a reservoir searching for crappies and the LX-I performed flawlessly. The ability to check depths quickly and mark fish via alarm truely enhanced my early ice experience. It's versatility, compact size and price make the LXI Performance Pack a must have for clearing unproductive water. It's small, light weight, and a reliable weapon to have in your ice fishing arsenal.

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And one that will be finding a residence north of the border before ice comes on to work along side his bigger brother the LX-3 .

TD