Anyone with an LX-5

[hovermn]

Long story. I bought one of Reeds last closeout LX-3's a few weeks ago so that the perm. fish house would have 2 flashers, one for each end. Immediately after it arrived, I sent it to Marcum for the TC upgrade. It came back a couple of day ago and I hadn't even had an chance to use it before buying an LX-5 today. Yeah, I'm nuts! The idea was that I can sell the upgraded LX-3 to help pay for the LX-5, but I'm having some doubts now. Here's why. LX-5 owners, please chime in with your experiences!

1. The ducer is HUGE!!! Has anyone had trouble wrapping your line around the ducer while icing a fish? I've had my fair share of run-ins with the smaller LX-3 ducer and frankly, this one scares me! lol

2. I'm not a big fan of the ducer holder. While it's padded and ducer friendly, I find it hard to get the ducer in and out of the holder, the power head gets in the way.

3. I know that I'm getting picky here, but the soft pack velcro doesn't seem to line up well. When open, I have to fold in the middle flaps to velcro the cover to the top because the velcro on the sides is too high. When closed, the bottom velcro on the case is too far forward so very little of the flap catches and doesn't close tight. Is my case the only one? On a +/- $500 flasher, this shouldn't be an issue.

Please keep in mind that I haven't used the LX-5 yet. Today, ShawnnyB and I were out today and we took the upgraded LX-3 to try out it's new colors. WOW, amazing! I love them! I hope to use the LX-5 this weekend during a trip to Ely and I'll have an opportunity to try them both side by side. What I'm really curious about is if the LX-5 is worth the extra buck and a half. I like the idea of the duo ducer. Is SFL worth the $$? What is it about the 5 that makes it that much better than the 3? I know that it has more power and features, but during your average fishing trip, how much of this is practical?

Any and all advice is welcome. I still feel that the LX-5 is the best unit available today and that Marcum makes one heck of a product. I'm just curious if the jump from the upgraded LX-3 to the LX-5 is worth it, in real world applications?

[trapperdirk]

Well lad I have not had my chance to get my mitts on an LX-5 yet but trust me I shall this season at some point but if you decide you don't like it I'll gladly trade you for my LX-3 . LOL .

I personally liked the ducer system better on the Marcums more than the float ducer system of the vex because when fighting a fish I found it easier to pull out of the hole so the fish wouldn't tangle plus in the wind I didn't have that big float circling around in my hole .

As far as whether your being overly picky I can't honestly at the moment say because I have no hands on with the LX-5 as of yet but it does sound like maybe you may have to adjust the unit in the case a bit so that everything locks up smooth with the velcro and such and even on the LX-3 its meant to fit snug as a bug .

TD

[Bulldoggr]

I have the LX5 I have had no trouble , as far as getting the line wrapped up in it.What I do (same as I did with my vex for years, I never did like that peice of foam) is hang the transducer so it is just under the ice.

that way the cable is against the hole nice and neat. also I use 10" holes so this helps as well.

Yeah i am not sure I am too crzy about the carrying case. Yeah sure at first it looks nice. when you get home and playing with it seems pretty cool. But I too noticed it is a pain to get the cable back in and the ducer back into it's spot.

then you have the battery compartment. it's gonna be a real pain in the a$$ trying to switch out batteries.

I am seriuosly thinking about getting another Genz blue box and mounting the LX-5 in that.

Also this weekend with all the snow The water coming up i had to find something to set the LX-5 on so the fabric of the carrying case would not freeze to the lake . Another reason to use the blue box.

As fas as is the unit worth it compared to the LX-3? To be honest have no clue I was never impressed with Marcum flashers until the LX-5 came out. My Vex I have had for near 12 years now. I was gonna get a FL-18 but after doing the research I saw the LX-5 was the best unit. I personally like how sharp and clearer the display is. I use both the split screen and the whole screen at different times. The SFL is a great feature. It sure is nice to be able to have choices.

I really like how not only does the LX-5 split screen and zoom in. but the fact you can move that zoom anywhere in the water collum is extrodinary. I can already see the benifits of that in deep water. fishing for lake trout. Marcum did their Job as far as the LX-5 is concerned, the carrying case though is not exactly user friendly i agree. so it is either get used to it or make a chnge. Me i am thinking blue box.

[Duffman]

I've had the LX-5 out a couple times, no complaints. Yea the velcro doesn't match up perfectly, but as long as the flap stays out of my view, it's no big deal. I haven't had a problem sealing up the whole thing when not in use. Bushwac said the case for the LX-3 was supertight, made it difficult to take the unit out of the case. It seems the LX-5's case is a little looser, so the process of removing it and putting it back in the case is also easier. The bigger ducer is about the same size as my 9 degree Vexilar ducer was minus the float, so no big deal there. And without the float, there seems to be a lot more space in my hole. I also thought it was a little difficult to put the transducer back in the case at first, but it hasn't troubled me at all lately. So far, it's a great little unit, only time will tell if it was worth the money spent.

[Woodguy]

I took out my LX-5 for the 1st time yesterday. The 1st two perch that I caught got tangled up in the ducer . It looks like I will have to drill an additional hole as I do not want to yank the unit out everytime I hook a panfish. Only using a 6" hole, so it is somewhat understandable. I rarely did that with my vex, but I will adapt. I agree on the case. Sure is eye candy, but the jury is still out on it. I would like to have a easier handle to grab on top, easier ducer storage and maybe a plasic bottom that doesn't absorb slush. Maybe Marcum can address these issues. I only used it for a few hours and hope I made the right choice . Really haven't messed with the zoom(really haven't figured it out yet ).

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ok.. I'll weigh in on this.. I have used my LX-5 3 times now...

The ducer is larger because its a dual beam tranceducer. Yes fish can wrap it up a little easier(I have not had that problem yet, but again, I am fishing throough an 8" hole.. I can totally see where a 6" might have a problem) I do think that this extra problem is well worth it to have the dual beam tranceducer. I have used the narrower cone angle a couple of times already!

I like the case, I am 6'3" and the case on the LX-5 opens a little more at the top, making it easier to see the screen when standing up than on the LX-3 case. That is a nice feature. I have noticed that it is a tad bit harder to get the ducer back in its spot at the end of the night with little space between the unit and the case. After thinking about it, I think its a good idea. Keeps that tranceducer from rolling around and getting banged up! I really only put it in and out of the holder when I get to the spot and when I leave. For hole hopping I just carry the unit as is.

If you fold the small sidde flaps up you can then fold the larger flaps down and the velcro will match up.. or at least it did on my unit.

[caster]

I just used my LX-5 yesterday on Mille Lacs and here is my experience with it. My brother was using the new LX-3tc and I had the LX-5 in the same house (Eskimo Quickflip III – 72” long). We drilled four holes straight across so we could put the flashers as far from each other as possible (about 48” to 60”). He could not get the LX-3 to completely remove the interference caused from the LX-5. He also had to deal with seeing my jigging action on top of his. This was frustrating. The dual beam on the LX-5 made a huge difference for me. We were fishing in 22-32 ft. of water and I could switch to the narrow beam and not see his jig on my screen. The rejection on the LX-5 is a lot better allowing me to fish on a clear screen.

I also liked the super fine line setting. In the zoom mode, the LX-5 was easier to read. The LX-3tc works great, but at the end of the day, we concluded that the extra features on the LX-5 really made a difference in the fishing experience, especially when fishing side by side with another flasher.

This was our first experience with Marcum flashers. We both used Vexilar FL-8 flashers in the past. One thing we can't figure out is the random yellow flashes, even when the unit is alone, you will get these marks all over the water column. After about a half day of using the LX-5, I did use my FL-8 to check the depth on a tipup about 20 ft. from the shack. I could not get the interference to clear up and it was very difficult to tell how close I was setting the bait to the bottom. I love the zoom feature.

Other things I experienced: 1st walleye caught got wrapped around the transducer (8 in hole) but I left the transducer in the hole vs. lowering it and putting the cord against the edge. This made a huge difference and it is much nicer than the float. I too had the issue with case Velcro and the water freezing to the bottom (outside of shelter checking holes, temp. -5 to +10). I still have to figure out how to store the transducer cord. With the puck in its home, I don’t like cramming the cord under the unit.

Is the LX-5 worth the extra money? All I can say is at the end, I was very glad I had the LX-5. I look at it this way. Gas for truck, snowmobiles, auger, LP ($160), money for bait ($25), map of lake ($10), a day off fishing with my LX-5 (priceless).

[ChuckN]

I've had my LX-5 out many times and I have absolutely no complaints. No problems with the velcro lining up at all when I open (fold the top cover up and tuck it under and velcro) and when I close it. Some of the velcro can be re-aligned on the lower front of the case...

I have no complaints about the large transducer. I like the fact that it has a padded spot for it to sit and not bounce around. Mine fits perfectly. I wrap the cord in afterwards and close and seal the front cover. It can be a tight fit, but fits without anything bouncing around and getting damaged. Transducers are fragile...

As far as fish snagging on the transducer in the hole...I take the ducer out before the fish comes through the hole. I'm usually kneeling down and it's right there anyways. Or, I don't extend the transducer below the ice line much if I can't always pull it up. From what I've noticed all dual beam transducers are large.

[Dogzlife000]

I too noticed a few quirks with the design. Just take a bit of time to work through them and, in my opinion, it's a pretty good system.

Frist off, any transducer in the hole is a pain. Make sure that you can rapidly remove it with one hand. I tried this while set up on the kitchen table and I had to ever so slightly loosen the center bolt on the support arm. I now have no issues with lifting the ducer cable and swiveling the ducer to the side of the hole on the ice.

Getting the ducer back in the holder was an issue too. I found that loose cable was usually the culprit. Therefore, I took a 5" piece of pipe insulation material and tucked it below the flasher to hold excess cable back. I also loosed the bottom front velcro tabs very slightly until I could easily and rapidly place the ducer in the holder.

Concerning how well the velcro lines up when open, I have no issues with this. No need to fold up any flaps if you do not try to fold the cover down too tight when open.

I did immediately notice the issue of the soft pack sitting on the ice and getting wet so I now have a piece of 1/4 inch foam the size of the base folded up and stored in a side pocket (this also further insulates that battery from the ice). I would have loved to see some velcro sewed on the bottom so I could velcro some legs or this foam on permanently.

Overall, I'm pretty darn pleased. The only question I have is why would I ever NOT want to use the super fine line feature on the system. I guess I just don't understand when it's advantageous to turn off this feature.

Pete

[katoguy]

I do not have a Marcum. I will consider them though. I would like another flasher (tired of sharing!).

One thing I do not understand is the value of a soft case. All units should be waterproof for mounting on a boat.

I would like to price an LX5 without a soft case, battery, or charger. Just the unit and dual beam transducer. Are they sold that way?

[metrojoe]

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1.The ducer is HUGE!!! Has anyone had trouble wrapping your line around the ducer while icing a fish? I've had my fair share of run-ins with the smaller LX-3 ducer and frankly, this one scares me! lol

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The transducer is huge and did raise some concerns, but I don’t find the fish getting wrapped around the chord any more than it did with my Vex. In fact to me it’s a little bit easier to deal with this problem because now I don’t have the float to fight with either.

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2.I'm not a big fan of the ducer holder. While it's padded and ducer friendly, I find it hard to get the ducer in and out of the holder, the power head gets in the way.

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A better system might be nice, but I really haven’t found it to be that much of a problem.

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3. I know that I'm getting picky here, but the soft pack velcro doesn't seem to line up well. When open, I have to fold in the middle flaps to velcro the cover to the top because the velcro on the sides is too high. When closed, the bottom velcro on the case is too far forward so very little of the flap catches and doesn't close tight. Is my case the only one? On a +/- $500 flasher, this shouldn't be an issue.

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I may be doing it wrong, but I just fold it back and under. Works fine for me.

I’ve had mine out a couple times now and I really like it. Except for the bone head move of reversing the polarity of the charger plug for the LX-5, I think Marcum has really put together a great unit. Where did you get a $150 price difference? I thought the new LX-3tc were going for $399. The extra power and dual beam is worth the extra $80.

[hovermn]

Thanks for the replys, guys! I've used an LX-3 for a couple of years now, and before that the FL-8. I agree that the ducer arm on the Marcum is nicer to use than the float, and I have no complaints about that. I'm just concerned about the physical size of the ducer head. I too have thought about drilling a sepreate hole, reguardless of which flasher I keep. We do that already with the non upgraded LX-3. Guess I didn't think about that when considering the size.

I agree that the velcro isn't a huge deal, I just didn't expect to run into any problems with it on something that costs so much. It's the same as if I bought the Clam ice suite. The fabric is great for keeping out the elements, but the zipper only works if you're upside down. LOL I'm not serious of course, but you get the comparison.

I guess I'll have to try it out for myself and see which one I like. I haven't run into interferance problems with the LX-3, except for the first few times out, it needed a new ducer. Running them side by side may prove a good test.

Again, thanks for the info. I bought the LX-5 because it's one kick arse flasher, but I didn't know if I really needed it. From the sounds of it, it can't hurt :-)

Okay, Caster said that the LX-3 has problems running next to the LX-5. I'll be running an LX-3 with the LX-5 all the time if I keep it. Marcum said that there shouldn't be any probem with interferance, sounds like this isn't the case? If anyone is confused now, I have 3 flashers right now. Non-upgraded 3, upgraded 3 and the 5. One will go, either on the forsale form or returned back to Gander.

[Deitz Dittrich]

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He could not get the LX-3 to completely remove the interference caused from the LX-5

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I have ran the LX-3 and LX-5 side by side a couple of times now and have had no problem getting the 2 units to not have any interfierence problems. Just a few clicks of the IR button was all that was needed.. If you are having problems hitting the IR on one unit, try hitting the other units IR and that will sometimes clear the opposit units problems.

[hovermn]

Good info, thanks Deitz

[JBinSD]

I put the ducer in the holder wet and moved to a new spot and it froze in once, don't forget to dry the ducer before you store it. A little velcro on the bottom of the bag can be added easily with the kind that has tape on one side so you could velcro a piece of foam to the bottom. I like the dual beam to eliminate my buddies jig showing up on my screen. If I could add somthing to the unit it would be a dimmer switch for the display but there's still not a better flasher on the market.

[BUSHWAC]

Ok, time to weigh in on the LX-5. I love the unit as far as performance goes. I believe it does a much better job of viewing my small jigs in deeper water than my LX-3 does. I fished all weekend next to an FL-18 and I never had a trace of interference. Performance wise it rocks!! After 3 years of the LX-3 Marcum answered all my request that I had wanted. The dual beam transducer, the easier access case to remove the unit from and open up the top for better viewing. I am not a huge fan of the larger transducer, and I also find the holder a little burdensome to deal with. My transducer has frozen to the foam and brought a little foam with it on my last move I made Sunday. Overall, I think the unit is one fine piece of equipment and I am extremely pleased with it!! I am sure the LX-7 will take care of all these issues!! Thank you Marcum!!!

[Northlander]

I usually drill a extra hole for my ducer and have no problems with line getting caught on it.

[BUSHWAC]

Northlander- I picked up a little 3" auger just for that purpose. used it for a few year and quit bringing it with me. I think I am going to have to dig it out and start using it again. Thanks for the reminder!!