Using LCDs for Ice Fishing

[Otts]

Why don't more people use their LCD graphs for ice fishing? I know many of you worry about the screen freezing, but what if you only use it in the warmth of a fishhouse? I have a Lowrance X-85 and it has the Fastrack where it is suppose to scroll faster, so I figure the information should be pretty close to real time. Also, if I zoom in on only the bottom 6 feet for fishing walleye, will it pick them up like a flasher? I should say, will it show the seperation like a flasher? I already have a Vex, but am looking for another alternative when ice fishing with my wife. She likes to take my Vex and leave me without anything to go by.
I would try the X-85 but it is in my boat and I also don't have a transducer to use for it. I don't feel like pulling the one out of my boat either.
Please leave the jokes about my wife taking the vex from me out please. Atleast she likes to go.
Thanks for any info on this topic,
Otts

[cwmn]

I used my Eagle Magna View for many years on the ice, the fastrack is real time and the screen never foze or evan slowed down. I always turned the back light on in the car before going on the ice I think that kept the screen fom freezing. It worked good in water over 12 feet but in shallow water there was always allot of clutter, noise, on the screen.

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Have a good one!
CWMN

[Lake Alice]

I use my Eagle Fisheasy and used a Magna view before that. I agree with everything in the last post. Also, there is a thread from about a month ago on this page that gives alot more detail on this issue. The post is a question about using the ice-dapter on an LCD.

[rmh2o]

They will work but if you are going to have to buy a ducer,the puck style works the best,and battery?and rig it up you would be better off buying a used vex.The reason you dont see many people using them is simple Vexlar.

[Iceburyman]

I am still using my eagle magna on the ice. I prefer the screen view and I am very comfortable with the controls since I use it out of my canoe during the warm months. One thing the flashers cannot provide, history. As the fish move up and down the water column and come into and out of view you can still see their movements until the lines run out at the end of the screen. Also, with the zoom mode, I can really focus on a specific area of the column in greater detail than any flasher can. I think I spent $120 6 years ago for my setup and I would go back and buy another one tomorrow if mine died on me.

Negatives - using a tranducer on a stick instead of the float type(eagle does sell one, I just don't have it yet) I also wish that I could record the screen view to replay the fish activity up to the bite.

ICBM

[Guest]

You can get a new Humminbird Zercom RTS for about $40. I mounted mine into an old tackle box (free) and then attached the puck style transducer that it came with to a piece of pvc with foam to float it and wholla youve got yourself a REAL time flasher for under $50 bucks. For more details go to iceleaders and look under "how to make a cheap flasher" under general chit chat. I don't have a vex but the RTS shows my ice jig and fish very well, I can even watch a tiny maggot fall on the screen.

[fishermn]

Hey guys, I use my Garmin 240 through the ice and it works great. The 240 also has a flasher feature that you can enable, that puts a flasher bar over on the right side of the display. Works pretty well. I have mine mounted on a small wooden box that I use to hold the battery, and mount the depthfinder to the top. I have the transducer on a metal strap thats hinged in the middle, so you can just flip it up outta the way. Works really well for me, as I have not wanted to spend another $250 on a vex or marcum. I havent ever had any problem at all with the screen, and I havent done anything special other than keep the cover on it. I use the same transducer for both seasons, as I have just a small 14ft boat, and I keep my finder set up as a portable that can easily be removed.