Choosing the Right Flasher Unit

[ChuckN]

There are some great prices to be had if you look around if they are still to be had.

[Bigbartguy]

I ordered online!

[CNY Tim]

What really astounds me in another ice fishing forum is one individual that comes up with all these aliases and does everything to hype a certain flasher. It's embarassiing the way he play's to the sponsor in fact it's ridiculous and reduces the credability of that site. The same individual at that site in fact told a good friend of mine a couple of years back that MarCum had the better package. Yet I sit there and bite my tongue while he continues to ramble about those products when he in fact rarely uses a flasher himself. What I like about FM is they keep an open mind. There is no way that this foreign made flasher can come close to MarCum's ability to give you these break through advancements in sonar technology at this unbelievable price.

This individual would lead naive fisherman to believe that there better off buying a used Vexilar FL-8 instead of a brand new MarCum LX-1 at $225 or better yet a new MarCum LX-3 for $300 from fishing prostore.com

Why would someone want a used piece of equipment that's out of warranty versus a brand new in box one with a two year warranty. What kool-aid is he drinking?

Just a note of caution be very weary of what you read on other sites because many of them believe sponsor's are more important than common sense.

If you want performance : MarCum delivers

If you want value: MarCum delivers

If you want American: MarCum delivers

MarCum has delivered a fine product in the LX-3 I stake my reputation on it. The ice system package has set the bar for ice fisherman that want the best in a sonar system.

MarCum is concerned more with R&D and improvements on the best flasher than pultry packaging gimmicks.

MarCum's unit identifies targets crisply better than the competition. MarCum units solve the interference issues of the past. MarCum's zoom features have what competition owners want and can't have.

Cripes even the LX-1 (non-zoom) defines targets better and crisper than the competition's non zoom model.

Another MarCum attaboy is that they are beating the doors off the competition in price. Your getting a quality unit and at unbelieveable price right now. MarCum is doing what a U.S. company should be doing and that's helping out the consumer during this time of inflation and high gas price's. How they do it amazes me, but we as consumers can depend on MarCum to deliver and continue to improve on there fine flasher line and make it affordable for everyone.

True Color in the new LX-3TC and LX-5 is brand new technology and did MarCum up the price on that... No they stood pat on the new LX-3 for the same price.

The new LX-2 will speak for itself, it's yet another MarCum homerun!

I have taken the time years ago to look at these products in depth and like many others that have compared them to the competition the clear choice was MarCum.

You fisherman that are taking advantage of what fishing prostore.com is providing got one heck of a deal!

Let me be the first to welcome you to the MarCum family...

[CSP88]

Quote:

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What really astounds me in another ice fishing forum is one individual that comes up with all these aliases and does everything to hype a certain flasher.

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Sounds like the Pot calling the Kettle black.

[iffwalleyes]

CSP you might want to do just a little research before commenting on CNYTim post. Look back a couple years Tim spent extensive time on the ice comparing the different types of flashers. Give it a look it is very interesting and informative. His posts were the reason I jump ship over to Marcum. Now I am extreamly satified with my LX 3 and look foward to the LX 5 it should really be a awesome unit.

[DaveyG]

maj330, I did receive my Marcum LX-3. It included the trandsducer, charger, battery, and soft case. That's everything that I expected. No problems. I turned it on briefly to check that the everything worked. It seems all good. Of course it was a little wonky because I was dangling the transducer 3 feet off the ground on my desk, but it appeared to functioning just fine. I was also a little concerned about no phone number, although I did notice after I purchased the item and the webpage for my Paypal receipt came up, it had a phone number on it (Never called it though). I also was a little concerned because I didn't get an email saying the product had been shipped for a couple of days, so I sent an email to the email address provided. I did receive a response from them saying that they had just shipped the flasher. So, basically I would say don't worry about buying from this company. They were just fine for me.

[crappace]

I will ask this again. I have heard that Vexilars and Marcums do not work well while in the same area. Is there still truth to this??? I can now run my three fl-8s in my shack at the same time....Can you run multiple Marcums side by side??

[katoguy]

How do you know CSP didn't look at CNY's history? It is his opinion. Many thousands (about 40K) differ annually!

[CSP88]

iff, I just find it funny how CNYTim is critizing this "person" in his post, yet he does the exact same thing on MULTIPLE forums....hence my quote on the pot and kettle.

[crappieflop1212]

I agree with CSP. I just see this entire thread as an ad. I can't understand why you can put down another site for doing the same thing the staff is doing on this site. I guess in the end, the only thing that matters is money.

[hanson]

crappace-

They do play well together.

Are you more worried about a Vex tuning out a Marcum or a Marcum tuning out a Vex.

The Marcums actually have better IR than the Vex's do.

I fish side by side with dad's Vex FL-18 all the time with my LX-3. No problems.

I know "iffwalleyes" had a post last winter describing, I believe, 5 flashers (combo of Vex & Marcum) in 1 permanent shack and how well they played with each other. "Iff", do you remember where that post was?

[crappace]

As I said, i have multiple fl-8s and to switch over and not be able to use them would be a shame. I had heard they did not work well in close proximity. In all honesty, I dont know anyone who uses a Marcum so I have not been able to test it yet. The way Marcum is talked about this site, fishing with a Vex must be like fishing in caveman days. I look fwd to testing one out.

[hanson]

crappace-

I see you are in Eden Prairie, once we get some ice, I'd gladly give you a demonstration on an area lake. If you can't wait 'til then, I can understand that. Afterall, I think we are all getting a little anxious for ice and ready to purchase some new toys.

Anyway, the upgrade from an FL-8 to either Marcum or a Vex FL-18 would be quite the improvement in my opinion.

As to a couple of the other comments I have just read, it is ultimately YOUR decision to purchase one brand of flasher or the other. I don't think anybody is telling you purchase brand X or Y, or else. I just hope the information that is presented in forums such as this one, both good & bad, can aid in you making an informed decision. I think that is what it ultimately comes down to- that this forum can be a source of pros & cons, likes & dislikes, benefits & drawbacks, and testimonials from people who have used a certain product. It may than be easier for you to make an informed decision on a product purchase.

If I personally didn't think Marcum made a quality product, I wouldn't be telling you I own one and I surely wouldn't be recommending an inferior product also. I know many other people, both staff and non-staff, would agree.

[Augusta]

Hanson,

Good answer, I still have the old FL 8, actually it's a Si-Tex 8, (same thing as the FL 8). I've been using this flasher for 19 years now and it has worked flawlessly, I've never had it in for any repairs. My son purchased an FL -18, it sure is a nice unit compared to my old Si-Tex. I still am anxious to see these Marcum's in action and am contemplating purchasing one in future. I've heard several good comments about them from members of this site and find it hard to believe that all these people could be wrong. Keep up the opinions, I think it's important for all of us to hear from everyone.

[iffwalleyes]

It was only 1 marcum and 2 fl 8 vex. We have fished in that same set up the past 2 winters at Arensens in their houses. We used to fish with 3 fl 8 before that and it was nearly impossible to clear up all the interference. With the LX 3 in the mix it made it much easier to control.

So anyhow here is the link where I discribed my findings.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=264751&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=&vc=1&PHPSESSID=

Marcums are what I have used for the last 2 season and they are what I will continue to use. I made the switch from Vex to Marcum because I felt they were the most advanced flasher at the time they still continue to be in my opinion. Many of the staff and non staff members have switch and I think there are very few that are unhappy or have switched back. You are all free to read and decide for yourself. If you think Vex are the best buy one if you think that Marcums are buy that one it is entirly up to you. This has been stated many times before but it is really just like a Chevy vs. Ford debate. They are both solid products. It is really nice that we have options for different choices. For years we only had the one good choice now there are other options both with lowrance and marcum that give us the ability to get exactly what we want for our/your needs.

[H.Hughes]

What I like about FM is they keep an open mind.

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[CrappieJohn]

H Hughes....

We surely try, but with certain issues it's hard to keep the masses happy! lol

I look at this issue just as I do the plastics over bait issue: I've been on both sides of the fence in using these baits and know the benefits of one over the other. I had to make a concerted effort to learn the differences. The same will have to be done here by anyone who is arguing against the Marcum without actually having any experience with one. And by experience I am not talking about a single trip or a weekend. Noone learned to truely "use" a vex to the full potential of the unit in a weekend and the Marcum is no different.

This is honest information, not a sales pitch, that which people see here Pro-Marcum. The reality of it is that just about all of these persons you see supporting Marcum were former Vex owners. And like staunch plastics users, they went out and made their decisions based on actual useage over a period of time. They gave the unit an honest go. And like the bait/plastics controversy, they went out on the limb to NOT handycap their fishing by maintaining a closed mind or by relying on old technology.

The persons who post here in favor of Marcum had to buy the unit. They are not freebies that get left on doorsteps in return for chumming on the internet and these persons are certainly not being paid to harp the units up. Like a lemon of a new car, if these units did not perform to their expectations it would be unlikely they would be here holding the Marcum unit over a Vex. This should dispel any suggestion that this thread is a commercial.

The bottom line here is simple. If you are convinced that your ultimate comfort zone is found with a Vex, enjoy yourself. BUT, until you make the move to come out from under that security blanket and actually use a Marcum for a season, don't be so quick to judge it. This thread is just handing out information. And nobody is dunning you for what you own- that was , afterall, your decision.

So what do I use? Why, a Marcum primarily and my back-up is a Clearwater Classic followed by an old, old Hummingbird Pro 60.....all of which have out shined a vex8 I bought because it was supposed to be "the thing". I gave it a year and sold it at a rummage sale. I fished quite a bit with a guy last winter who had an 18. He now has a Marcum and that 18 was given to a nephew. Ah yes, first hand experience is an excellent educator. And the problem here is that current Vex users have nothing to compare them to since they won't try something different. Afraid of the truths?

[CSP88]

Isn't it ironic.........the same Flasher that gets all the hype here is also a sponsor?? It's all about the $$

[Note from admin: Vex gets its fair share of hype and they are not a sponsor here. We would rather turn away a sponsor such as MarCum rather than risk our reputation for giving good information on one sponsor. Our value to a sponsor lies in giving good accurate info, not in giving hype. No staff is paid here. They're all volunteers. So it's not all about the $$$ as you suggest.]

[tashit]

I see your point CSP and I notice the hype about the sponsors' products too. However that has to be expected because they are in fact sponsoring the site. I don't think the site would be here or at least not be as great as it is if it weren't for them. If they were to talk up how much better a Vex is than a Marcum, Marcum wouldn't want to be a sponsor. In fact, maybe Vex would be a sponsor instead if the staff preferred the Vex over the Marcum? I purchased an LX-3 and it's not because of the hype, but I do think it's a better flasher. The clarity and the moveable zoom window are what sold me. Not to mention I got the LX-3 with soft pack for $300 whereas an FL-18 is $400 plus $30 for the soft pack (correct me if I'm wrong). My buddy has an FL-18 and if I start to like his better then I can just sell my LX-3 for probably a pretty good price. I just always keep in mind when discussing a product which ones are sponsors because they may see a little more praise. In the end, I choose what I like best and what I think works best. It seems that most of the products I choose are from the sponsors here but not always.

[CNY Tim]

It's not about the money! It's about common sense... It's about trying new products and evaluating them without biases and presenting an honest evaluation. It's never been about sponsors! It's about saving fellow fisherman money and telling folks there are products out there that give you more for a better price.

The bottomline is this.. MarCum's display is crisper, cleaner, and more stable than Vexilar's.

The LX-3 Ice systems package delivers a soft padded pack standard, multiple zoom options standard, superior I.R. and a better price standard. It gives you more for less plus it's American engineered and manufactured in the U.S.

[Note from admin: Edited out, No attacks allowed]

Real R&D dollars went into improving an already high quality flasher like the LX-3.. Look at the quality of the flasher cases alone between the two,

[Note from admin: Edited out, No attacks allowed]

MarCum gave us what we as users wanted and it's as simple as one word... More

So enjoy your new Pro Pack II case while MarCum delivers us the new LX-5, an improved LX-3 and the new LX-2. I have heard it from many ice fisherman for 2 years and

[Note from admin: Edited out, No attacks allowed]

so this year with the release of the MarCum LX-5 and LX-3, they are not sitting on the fence on this one, there jumping at it. Look for more ice fisherman to echo the MarCum call this season and then you will realize that Fishing Minnesota Staff were right on when they made there decision to be sponsored by MarCum and they did that by doing there homework first!

[CSP88]

Please read forum policy with respect to bickering.

[Bigbartguy]

Everyone has their own opinions about chevy vs ford. They are both nice setups. I SERIOUSLY doubt that Marcum is paying some kind of incentive for postings, but if they are, please send me a free sonar unit !

for the same amt of $, Marcum's package seems to be a better deal. and from what I've seen, is in no way inferior to the Vex. Nuf said.

[crappieflop1212]

Quote:

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I notice the hype about the sponsors' products too. However that has to be expected because they are in fact sponsoring the site. I don't think the site would be here or at least not be as great as it is if it weren't for them.

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This is a good point. The only thing I don't like is when a sponsor's competitor's product is mentioned, it is qiuckly opposed. What if one of the sponsors had a poor product? I know it would get tons of hype here, as it probably should being a sponsor. But, let's say a competitor makes a much better product. All the members of this site can be lead to buy a lesser quality product. How is that helpful to anyone? I certaintly can't say that Vexilar is any better than Marcum, or Marcum is better than Vexilar. I just wonder why I am being influenced to spend another 400 bucks on something that will do the same thing as the product I already own. But That makes it hard for me to view this as an "open" forum. The censorship that takes place also helps me feel that way. This site has been a great resource for me. I guess I shouldn't complain so much and not veiw certain posts. Just like changing the channel when commercials comes on.

[Dennis Steele]

Marcum IS a sponsor of FM. They pay for the add you see on the front page. They do not pay staff to use their product.

I used to be a die hard Vex fan. I wouldn't listen to the guys who said that the Marcum was better.

It wasn't until I fished next to a guy using a LX3 that I hesitantly decided it was a better unit than my Vex 18.

Guys, use what your comfortable with. If you like Vex and are comfortable with it...great! It will put fish on the ice for you. But don't think that we are whores for talking up Marcum. We beleive in that unit, just like Vex users beleive in Vex.

By the way, while I love my Marcum for ice fishing, I run a Vex Edge II on my River Pro.

[Northlander]

Wow I didnt realize so many people were unhappy with the way things were around here. But then again I see them back time after time. Cant be too bad I guess.

As far as the Marcum V.S. Vex ordeal its exactly whats stated above. Ford V.s. Chevy. Both are good and some like 1 more than the other.

I used to own a FL-8 and have used the FL-18,s many times. After seeing a Marcum LX-3 in use and getting to use another for a couple days I went and bought one with the money I got from selling my old Vex. Thats right I payed for it like everyone else on this site has to. "Pro Staff" or not. If there is anyone getting freebies I also would like to know about it but I can honestly say I doubt it very much.

I got the LX-3 because I just thought it was a better unit. The only things I liked better on my Vex was that I could use it in water deeper than 160'and it fit in a 5gallon pail wich was great to protect it in travel. The Zoom feature on the LX-3 is great for suspending fish and that was one of the biggest selling points. The I.R. on the Marcum also worked better in my opinion.

I didnt get paid to type this post in any way its just IMHO.

Good fishin this winter no matter what flasher you use.