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Choosing the Right Flasher Unit


Matt Johnson

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It’s an understandable and valid question, “Which one to get, Marcum or Vexilar?” The topic gets brought up on a regular basis and for good cause. Both brands are intended for similar purposes, both brands have units with similar prices, and both brands are available at many different tackle stores and are at the same place at the same time. So, which one to get?

Eventually it will all come down to personal preference, and each person will either choose what they are most comfortable with, what they feel suites their fishing needs the best, or which unit lies more in their price range (adding in the factor of certain deals, discounts and help from friends or whatnot). For me, at least when talking about a piece of fishing equipment like a flasher unit, I’ll throw out the last variable all together. I’m willing to spend a few extra bucks to make sure I’m getting what I want, but that’s just me. Your flasher unit is your fish’s mood indicator (in reference to what’s around it) when out on the ice, and it’s very important that you have a unit that will give you everything you want. Too much time is already wasted out on the ice trying to locate fish, so I’m trying to limit the amount of wasted time trying to get them to bite once I find them. Having a flasher unit that performs the way you want it is highly important, and being that the flasher unit plays the role it does, it only seems right that you make sure it’s the one for you. So with tossing out the last variable, we now have “which particular unit are you the most comfortable with” and “which particular unit suites your ice fishing needs the best.”

Being comfortable with a piece of fishing equipment is important, and being comfortable and understanding your electronics can save a lot of frustration and headache when out on the ice. Many ice anglers have used Vexilar (Hondex, etc) for years and years, mainly because it was one of the only options available and at the time it was truly cutting edge. Vexilar has helped a lot of ice anglers catch more fish, I don’t think anyone is going to argue that, but it wasn’t always the only option. Later we had more units available (Clearwater Classic, Zercom, Hummingbird, etc) and more options were thrown at ice anglers. I’ve used all three and put time into each one, and again, it comes down to the 3 variables when choosing a flasher unit, “comfort, productiveness/fishing needs, and price range.” Some of these units were priced right and anglers bought them. Saving a hundred or so bucks was well worth it to many people, and I’m not going to argue that, but I personally would save up the few extra bucks until I had what I considered to be the best unit for me. Then, we had a new advancement in flasher units, one that would truly rival Vexilar, and that came in the form of MarCum. Now, the Clearwater Classic and other units work just fine, and people have used them for years to catch fish as well, but having the much demanded three-color technology along with the widespread availability, put Vexilar and MarCum on the same page. Everyplace you went you saw Vexilar and MarCum, both running at about the same price, both stocked full of features and both in the hands of ice anglers. You hear one thing from one person, one thing from another person and then something totally different from someone else. Makes choosing the right flasher pretty tough, especially if you don’t have the experience of previously owning a flasher unit.

Many ice anglers have been using Vexilar since the beginning, or close to, and they are strong in their ways and won’t switch to anything else. That’s fine, they are free to use what they want, no arguments. Some Vexilar users (like myself) made the switch to the MarCum units once they came onto the market. And then we have the new buyers who have been buying either Vexilar or MarCum (or both) not knowing a whole lot about either one. Sure they might gather a few pieces of info from magazines, articles, word of mouth and from websites or whatnot, but often times there was not enough planning before buying the unit. You need to sit down and ask yourself what you want out of your flasher unit. Are you a recreational ice angler who will only fish once or twice a month? Are you a die hard who spends every waking hour on the ice? What type of fish to you target? Deep water? Shallow water? Bottom hugging fish or suspended fish? There are hundreds of questions that should be running through a person’s brain before making a selection on which flasher unit is best for them.

Both Vexilar and MarCum provide standard, straight-to-the-point style units that are your basic sounder types. MarCum has the LX-1 and Vexilar has the FL-8. Both provide different features and both are totally separate units.

MarCum LX-1

  • 1,500 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
  • 20° Self-aligning Transducer
  • Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection
  • 2.15" Target Separation

A basic overview of the LX-1… With 1,500 watts of peak-to-peak power, this powerful unit delivers incredibly detailed readings of the area beneath the 20° self-aligning transducer. The adjustable multi-level interference rejection enables you to clean up the display and eliminate scrambled signals from other units nearby. Plus, the 2.15" target separation enables you to identify bottom-hugging walleye and differentiate between a small school of crappie and a large group of baitfish. The system includes the LX-1 powerhead, gimbal bracket, electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm, self-aligning transducer, power cord, and a 12-volt, 7-amp battery and charger.

Vexilar FL-8

  • 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
  • 9°, 12°, 19° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
  • Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
  • 2.65" Target Separation

A basic overview of the FL-8… A 400-Watt transmitter and an ultra-sensitive receiver back the vivid display. It is easily sensitive enough to show the thermocline and plankton layers. The colors and high sensitivity also make finding changes in bottom content easy. And Ice fishermen know the FL-8 series flashers have become famous for their ability to see small baits at deep depths. The FL-8 SE can be rigged for almost any application. With a wide variety of transducers and accessories to choose from, the FL-8 SE can be used year-round. Improved Interference Rejection technology lets you fish side by side with almost any flasher or LCD graph with interference free operation. The 10 step IR switch lets you knock out interference between you and another depth finder. FL-8 SE anglers can even fish two depth finders in the same ice shelter or boat. It allows you to have two depth finders close together on a boat or in a fish house without the annoying interference.

And both MarCum and Vexilar have units with all the bells and whistles. MarCum has the LX-3 and Vexilar has the FL-18.

MarCum LX-3

  • 1,500 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
  • 20° Self-aligning Transducer
  • Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection
  • 2.15" Target Separation
  • Adjustable Zoom Anywhere in the Water Column (Only unit to have this)
  • Weather-resistant, padded soft pack
  • Electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm
  • Fully automatic DCS with battery monitor

A basic overview of the LX-3… The most sensitive and powerful flasher ever manufactured. With 1500 watts of output power, the LX-3 provides superior target separation. The LX-3 is the only system that features an adjustable zoom that allows a 5 to 10 ft. zoom window in the 20 & 40 ft. scale, a 10 to 20 ft. zoom in 80 ft. scale and a 20 to 40 ft. zoom in 160 ft. scale. Target separation improves from 2.15" to 1" in zoom mode. Surface to bottom zoom window adjustability allows user to display suspended as well as bottom hugging fish. The LX-3 also offers a multi-level "interference rejection" feature allowing user to knock out interference from other nearby sonar units.

Vexilar FL-18

  • 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
  • 12° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
  • Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
  • 2.65" Target Separation
  • Auto Zoom Mode
  • Bottom Lock Mode
  • Low Power Mode
  • Weatherproof High Impact Case

A basic overview of the FL-18…The FL-18 offers a patented split screen flasher display. This allows you to zoom-in on the bottom six feet while watching the entire water column at the same time in real time. The Auto Zoom mode is fantastic for watching Perch or Walleye while ice fishing. These fish commonly hold tight on the bottom, and with a target ID of less than 1/2 inch, the FL-18 makes them easy to spot. And that's not all. The FL-18 depth finder / fish finder is equipped with features like a built-in shallow water mode for fishing waters under 15 feet. Five depth scales down to 200 feet for the standard model, and down to 300 feet for the custom deep model. Built-in interference rejection. A three color LED readout that tells you if the targets you see are weak (green) medium (orange) or strong (red). This three color LED technology has proven to be the most reliable and accurate way of understanding where fish are holding.

(Do a search on the Internet for either MarCum or Vexilar to find out more specs if needed)

So, what does all this mean? Some features are obvious in distinguishing between some of the differences between Vexilar and MarCum. For example, the amount of power each unit provides. MarCum provides 1,500 watts and Vexilar provides 400 watts. The argument is brought up every year on the issue that added power only causes problems, or that not enough power doesn’t allow you to see what you’re suppose to see, it goes both ways. Having used a MarCum side by side with a Vexilar the past few years, I’ve noticed a difference in signal reading, clearness and crispness of signal read-out. The new Vexilar models with the enhanced color displays are much better than the Vexilars of old, hands down, but the MarCum LX-1 and LX-3 both provide a crisper signal read-out, allowing me to better distinguish between certain fish in a school or my bait amongst that school of fish. It also helps me better distinguish where my jig is amongst the weeds, especially on lakes like Lake Minnetonka when I’m fishing through 5 feet of weeds to get to the bottom where the fish are. With the Vexilar, it’s not as clear as the MarCum and I had to rely more on my natural senses to depict a bite or change in movement, and observing minute movements from the fish was tough. However, this is just part of the planning you do when deciding which unit suites you best. I know several outstanding ice anglers who rarely spend time fishing amongst the thick weeds like I do, so for them, that issue is just about null and void. However, targeting fish that school up might not be, and that issue will also come into play when deciding between a Vexilar and a MarCum.

The issue of fishing side-by-side with another flasher unit is a reoccurring one as well. Cluttered signals and frustration are caused by overlapping sonar signals. Fishing too close to each other while running a flasher unit can cause those problems, but not always. Variance in model (Vexilar and MarCum) will make a difference. There are several factors to consider with this though. Water depth is a huge one. Many times you won’t have to worry as much when fishing in 5-6 feet of water. Sonar signals are not overlapping as much as they would when fishing in 30 feet of water. Most of the problems occur when anglers are fishing side-by-side while holding over a deep water crappie bite, or something of the sort. You get several anglers, all with flasher units, holding in the same area with conflicting sonar waves and things will get a little hectic. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about it, but other times there are precautions that can be made. Running similar units next to each other, like a MarCum and a MarCum, will aid in the amount of clutter-up. Two anglers can sit side-by-side with MarCum units in 30 feet of water and knock out almost all, if not all, of the clutter on their screens. But when a Vexilar and a MarCum are sitting side-by-side, the MarCum user can knock out the clutter on his/her screen, but the Vexilar user won’t be able to clear everything. Now, I’m not saying that the Vexilar unit is going to be unreadable, but you will notice a difference between the two. The case brought up here (in part) is the added power that the MarCum unit provides, which enables it to knock out surrounding interference. There have been many times that I’ve sat next to, or near, another angler who is using an FL-18 only to have him ask why his screen is full of clutter while mine is virtually clear. Last winter’s ICE Series event on Medicine Lake is one of those occurrences that comes to mind. Several of us were fishing a deep water crappie bite (40 feet plus) and we were all crammed into an area no bigger than a basketball court. As I walked around talking with nearby anglers I noticed that those using Vexilars had cluttered up screens and it was nearly impossible to make out where their jig was. At this point I noticed a lot of those same anglers were rigging up bobbers and floats because they were getting frustrated with their flasher units. Now, the amount of productive time spent on the ice is being wasted. However, as I walked by those who were using MarCum units, I noticed a slightly different story. I’m not going to say their screens were entirely clear, because with thirty flasher units running in a small area it’s going to obviously cause some problems regardless, but their screens were clear enough to where they could still effectively fish. To keep things short, I watched those with MarCum units continue to pull up fish. Now again, keep in mind these situations are not the situations that you will run into every time out on the ice, but when I’m out guiding or expected to produce fish, I don’t like to have any hang-ups. It all comes down to limiting the amount of wasted time spent on the ice and increasing the amount of productive time catching fish.

With making the step up from the LX-1 and FL-8 to the LX-3 and FL-18, you are going to gain the added zoom features (as well as a higher price tag, but remember, you get what you pay for… added features and productivity). And in my opinion, they are a must have when ice fishing. Having a zoom option only increases your productivity out on the ice. Now your fish’s mood indicator has a much broader playing field, allowing you to zoom in and focus on the area where the fish are. But, this doesn’t only limit you to the zoomed in area, you get to see the rest of the water column as well. How does this work? What happens is your circular display screen will turn into two, causing one side of your flasher panel to read just the zoomed in area, and the other side to read the entire water column but in a condensed version. This will still enable you to spot roaming fish that come through outside the zoomed in area. It’s a very versatile tool to have for a variety of conditions. So, what’s the difference between the LX-3 and FL-18? Both do have zoom features, but again, they are entirely different units.

The zoom feature on the LX-3 allows you to zoom throughout any part of the water column. When in the 20 or 40 foot viewing mode you have the option of a 5 foot zoom window or a 10 foot zoom window. When in the 80 foot viewing mode you have the option of a 10 or 20 foot zoom window. And in the 160 foot viewing mode you have the option of a 20 or 40 foot zoom window. This allows you to pinpoint on bottom hugging fish like perch and walleye out on Mille Lacs Lake, or smallmouth bass on Chequamegon Bay. However, it also allows you to focus in on a school of suspended crappies in 40 feet of water. If the crappies are holding 15 feet off bottom, you can adjust your zoom window to show the depths of 20-30 feet, which will allow you to focus on the target zone, giving you a crisper and clear read-out of not only the fish, but you jig as well. So, whether you’re targeting bottom hugging fish or suspended fish, the LX-3 has you covered when it comes to the zoom feature. And, the zoom feature can be adjusted anytime without causing you to lose your position. This means that you can adjust the zoom up and down without changing depth modes. Fish will move throughout the water column and we need to move with them, and this feature makes doing so very easy. Almost every time I’m working over a suspended school of crappies I’ll use this feature. Now I can see a 10 foot zoom window covering the entire school of crappies on one side, and I can see the rest of the water column on the other side. Even when targeting suspended crappies in 55 feet of water, I can still effectively target those suspended fish with a zoom window. I’ll set the zoom window at either 10 or 20 feet, which will span over the area the fish are holding at, yet I’ll still have a condensed version of the entire water column in sight as well. I won’t have to only rely on just the 60 foot depth window to target those suspended fish, instead I can zoom in on the school and have a crisp, clear read-out.

Now, the FL-18 also has a zoom feature, much like the zoom feature of the LX-3, but it’s restricted to the bottom 6 feet. When fishing a suspended school of crappies in 45 feet of water, you won’t be able to zoom in on just the area where the fish are located at. And when targeting a school of fish in 45 feet of water, you will need to use the 60 foot depth window in order to see the entire water column, but when using the 60 foot depth window you lose a lot of definition and targets are not as crisp and clear. Sure you can get around this by just using the 40 foot window knowing that the fish are suspended up off the bottom, but we all know that there are times when crappies will cruise through on the bottom as well, and with the 40 foot depth window they will go undetected when working in depths deeper than 40 feet. This would mean that you would have to be fishing in 40 feet or less to effectively target the entire water column. Trying to decipher the activity level of a green flickering object in the 60 foot depth range can be very, very tough, not to mention how effective you will be at depicting the exact movements of your jig. But, when targeting bottom hugging fish like perch and walleye, the 6 foot zoom window of the FL-18 will work just fine. I know a lot of guides who run Vexilar units out on Mille Lacs Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish or Lake of the Woods, but they are primarily only targeting perch and walleye. Guides on Red Lake will use Vexilar units on occasion as well because they are only fishing in depths of about 13 feet or less. No need for a zoom window.

I spend a lot of time chasing crappies and sunfish, and they have a tendency to suspend more often than not during the winter months, so the LX-3 suites my fishing needs much better. And, when I need to target bottom hugging fish, I can do so just the same. It’s really a personal preference on how much use you will get out of the zoom feature, but remember, I’m trying to be the most productive I can be when I’m out on the ice, and I feel the LX-3 allows me to do so. Even when fishing the above mentioned lakes like Mille Lacs, Winni and Lake of the Woods, I can still zoom in on bottom hugging fish with the LX-3. The LX-3 allows me to fish just about any body of water, and zoom in on any part of the water column. I firmly believe this has helped me land more fish. Not having the available zoom option when needed can make or break a day of fishing, especially when the fish go deep.

Whether I need to use the zoom feature on suspended crappies, knock out an opposing signal with my Interference Rejection, or pull fish out of the thick weeds, I feel confident knowing that I’m prepared for any situation a day on the ice can throw at me.

I grew up fishing with the Vexilar units, and some of my closest friends and relatives use them, and I’m not here to ridicule or put-down anyone who uses a Vexilar. Vexilar makes a good product and I’m not going to down-grade them in any way. It’s a matter of personal choice and I’m just trying to lay down a few of things I’ve experienced and my personal opinion on the situation. I spend a lot of time on the ice and I’m always looking at new products and trying to find ways to improve my productivity on the ice. I feel the LX-3 allows me to be the most productive I can be. So for me it’s the MarCum LX-3, but for you it might be something different.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

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A well written, thought out post, Matt .I'm fairly new to the LX-3 world but in the short time I've used it and compared it beside other units my observations were basically the same as yours .These differences are subtle and can mostly only be compared when the two differing makes are close to each other but differences they are, and noticeable .Unless someone gets the chance to use or see the Marcum adjustable, moveable zoom in action and what it can do for you , I can see why it's sometimes sluffed off by folks using other makes .Also the crisp separation of the display and not flickers or thicker lines by multiple targets . WOW.

Again . Good solid post Matt .

TD

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There are a ton of options in this department and not only in flashers. Basically, there is something out there for every level of fishing expertise and every wallet.

The Marcum unit simply has a real edge on the power end and being able to lock anywhere in the water column is a great feature that I depend on alot.

What I don't care for on the vex is all the knobs and buttons.....reminds me of an aircraft dashboard. The Marcums are uncluttered and the simplicity of use makes yet another bonus fall in their court.

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Well done Matt. A lot of great info in that post! One thing I will add is in water less than 160' I prefer my Marcum. When I Lake Trout fish in water more than 160' I have to use a Vexilar.

If Im Lake Trout/Splake Fishing in less than 160' I love the zoom feature on the Marcum. Its cool to be able to zoom in on a fish at 90' down in 145' of water and watch it smack your bait!

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What about the Lowrance X67c and X68c ice machines? Both machines have a 3 1/2 inch, 320x240 pixel display with 256 colors. The displays are easy to read no mater what the light conditions are. They have 800 watts peak-to-peak power. The flashers are real-time which means they are as accurate as the LED flashers mentioned at the top of the page. The 256 color flasher will always show you actual bottom with a black barbell marking the bottom no matter how many weeds or how thick they are. The colors will show you the strength of the signal giving you a better idea of the size of the target and also how hard the bottom is. Harder bottoms such as rock or hard packed gravel will return a stronger signal than mud or weeds. The X68c has GPS with mapping. Both come with a softpack, battery and charger, and a 200khz transducer. These are good year-around units for those on a budget that would like to fish ice and openwater without buying two units. The color graph is very good also for open water fishing.

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I would not go for the x-67. Interference is a pain in the winter. On several trips this winter I could not use my depth finder when sharing a house with someone who had an fl-8 or fl-18. However I love it for the bow mount unit on my boat (have had it for 2 years). I have had to send it in twice for repairs though.

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Yep, you can most definitely throw the X67c and X68c into the mix as well, and yes they are stocked full of features, but like some of the fore mentioned issues, I tend to look at the MarCum and Vexilar units (as of right now, but that could very well change in the future) as the two go-to options for ice anglers. LCD read-outs will have more problems in the severe cold than the circular LED flasher models. Interference issues come into play as well.

Now, the Lowrance models are great units and will mark fish, mark the bottom and mark your jig like other units, but I personally think there are a few things that need to be changed. For one, the screen is more fragile than say the screen of a MarCum or Vexilar (being that it has pixels and such that can be dissrupted with contact). You won't be able to toss your X67c around as much as you do your MarCum or Vexilar. You also have to be careful about hitting the face of the unit with anything. I know of one case last winter where an angler butted the face of his X67c with an ice scoop (by accident while tossing it on the ice) and there went the unit. I know I've hit my MarCum with several different objects by accident (as well as dropped it) and it still ran just fine. I've also heard of several different situations where going from extreme cold to warm conditions caused the unit to malfunction. Long, cold days fishing outside followed by a warm car ride can damage certain electronics.

Now, granted some of these situations are hear say from fellow fishing friends and partners, and I've also heard my fair share of issues with both MarCum and Vexilar products as well, so I'm not going to single out Lowrance as the only model that has problems during the cold conditions. Electronics are going to malfunction from time to time, it's unavoidable. However, I have put in a lot of hours with both MarCum and Vexilar during very cold temps and I've seen them continue to perform day after day. They've also taken a beating and bounced back.

I'm just not sold on LCD units for ice fishing yet. In warm conditions or if you're always fishing inside a permanent fish house than I can see where they would come in handy, but when I'm out running and gunning in -20 degree weather I want to know, for certain, that my equipment is going to hold up going from one extreme to another.

My time has been limited with the X67c units, so don't take my word as the case for everyone. However I have used them several times, but like mentioned before, it all comes down to personal preference and what you like.

I will say this, the Lowrance X67c and X68c units are the best LCD units for ice fishing. And if you're looking for an all-purpose, all-year unit, then the X68c is a good choice. But for ice fishing, I'm going with a MarCum.

Also keep in mind that both a MarCum and Vexilar can be used in the boat as well. They are not just limited to ice fishing. Granted they don't give you an LCD screen display, but they will mark fish and the depth just the same.

I see BIG DS's point of view though, and I'm not going to argue it. The X67c and X68c are both good for someone who is on a strict budget and wants an option for an all-year round unit if they don't have an LCD unit in their boat already (or if they can't afford to get both an LCD unit and an LED unit). Because an LCD unit of some sort is must have in the boat in my opinion. But again, it depends on how much you plan on ice fishing and what the investment is worth to you.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

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Thanks for writeing this article matt....it kinda just put the iceing on the cake to help me make my decision,last year i used me uncles Fl-8 and new i had to have one made huge difference when the crappies are finike(sp)...i went with the marcum lx-3,I got a new(refubished) unit sealed in the box with factory 2 year warranty for only 335 incudeing shipping...now all i need is ice grin.gifgrin.gif

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Sounds like all these new units are very good. My dad just bought a x67 for his boat. I will have to talk him into getting the ice fishing kit for it. I had the opportunity to use somebody's marcum this winter and I was impressed. I really wanted to get one but I am on a VERY tight college student budget. Fortunately I found a used fl-8 for very cheap that I could afford. I am happy with the unit. Granted its not as nice as the new ones but it works. One thing that is nice about vexilar is that they have had their products out there for awhile and people on a tight budget can get into the game with a used unit. Jeez, all this talk is making ready for first ice. grin.gif

PS: Good job on the topic Matt. We can always count on you to give some good advice. smile.gif

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Big DS made a good point in regards to the x67c and x68c .They are very versatile and you get the best of both worlds all in one package and for those on a budget or only wanting to invest in a single unit, it would be my choice too . Now I had the oppurtunity to use the x67c last winter and it worked fine and I liked the digital readout for depth but I never got the chance to lay a beating on it to find out how much they can withstand LOL . At the same time though, the interference issues it had with my Marcum was something that did turn me off of the x67c .It is something that Lowrance will have to address before they can really get into the mix with Marcum and Vexilar, in the flasher market .As far as Vexilar having deeper settings than the Marcum that is true and I'm sure at times you may fish deeper than 160 fow but I've never needed to go anywhere near that depth fishing lakers around here and all I can say to those that do is,, wow,wow . grin.gif Dang thats deep and I sure wouldn't want to handbomb a big one from those depths . LOL wink.gif The adjustable, moveable zoom on the Marcum LX-3 is a great feature that pretty well all LCD units now come standard with so I'll stick my neck out and bet Vexilar and Lowrance will do the same soon with their flashers . They have the zoom on the bottom 6ft but that is only a taste and I wanted it all, so the Marcum LX-3 is my preference .

TD

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Two things really sold me on the Marcum. First we were fishing some weeds beds about 8 feet in depth. The weeds were pretty thick and I was getting responses on the graph from top to bottom. I could still pick out fish moving in and out and see my tiny Ratso as I dropped it to thier level. Thats good sensitivity in shallow water.

Second was similiar but it was very deep Crappies. 35 feet and they were schooled very tight. 30' down to 15' down was basically lit up consistantly. Again I could still drop a #10 Ratso and follow it threw the school and fish the more aggressive fish.

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Matt great job again you always do a great job of looking at all sides of a topic.

Huntingislife you love that FL 8 this winter. Were are you going to school at? I and two of my buddies all had these units through out our college years. I am the only one that has switched to a LX-3. They both are still very satified. All are great units but for me it really boiled down the the adjustable zoom feature. I can't think of a time out that I haven't fished with the zoom on.

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iffwalleyes,

I am going to school at the U of M in Minneapolis. I am looking forward to hitting up all the lakes around here with a new approach to ice fishing. I didn't get out too much last winter so I am going to hit it hard this year. I should be able to get out more because its cheaper to not have to haul the boat around everywhere like in the summer. grin.gif On a side note: I did very well on the river in Bismarck a week ago using lindys. Wanted to get up to Devils but that didn't work out.

Tight Lines

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huntingislife,

U of M in Minneapolis, now you're talking Metro Area smile.gif

Let's get together this winter out on the ice and you can use an LX-3 for a day and see what you think. I also used the FL-8 for years before MarCum came out, nothing wrong with that at all. I'll be spending a lot of time ice fishing this winter within 50 miles of the U of M campus. We'll have to see if we can work something out, drop me an e-mail...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

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x67c: absolutely no issues with LED screen freeze-up, ect. This was only a problem is past cheap LED screens not made for winter.

This unit is great to use ice-fishing in the graph mode too! You can see a line seperating from the bottom in "real time" even when this is not as apparent on a Vex or Marcum. I had one instance of "interferance" all winter and this was cured by lowering the ducer 1".

So definitely don't overrule the x67 even if you use it for just ice fishing! It has the zoom feature and is by far the most outright fun to use. my $.02

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Matt & Hunting is life,

I also fish 4-6 times a week around the metro area and think that it would be great to get out there with you and some of the other FMers this winter. Matt, You seem to be a panfish guru which is almost exclusively what I target on the hard water!!! hope to talk with you soon!!

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I'm sure we'll plan a few Metro Get Togethers again this winter and we'll all have to hit the ice and chase some panfish. A lot of excellent panfish lakes in the Metro.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

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Hey huntingislife-

I'm another one of those 'metro' guys. Metro meaning living in the metro and not the other definition that has become popular lately. grin.gif

I'll be out on Medicine & Minnetonka quite often this winter, especially during the week. If fuel costs keep climbing, probably more on the weekends too. All those trips to LOW & Red or going to become pretty spendy now. frown.gif

Anyway, will keep an eye out for ya.

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Awesome piece to read Matt, I too have been a die hard vexilar fan and thought there would never be anything better, that is until I got a call from Paul Thorne and he personally showed me the units, I am sold on them ever since and would now sell a MarCum over Vexilar or Lowrance. Plus you cant beat the Customer Service that MarCum has.

Matt- you wouldnt beleive how many returns we get on the x series at work. Swing in sometime if you get chance.

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