flashers on Lake Champlain

[perca]

I fish the northern part of Lake Champlain from the Sand Bar to the Canadian border and I have not found anyone who uses a flasher. I know the FM guys out in the midwest rave about them. I fish a 6 inch hole outside for perch, sunnies and crappies and move a lot from hole to hole. Besides the hesititation for laying out $500 for a LX 5, my biggest concern is that I am going to find lugging the flasher from hole to hole a real pain and that it will not get used that much. Carrying the transducer on a sled and dragging it in close proximity to other fishermen is not good because of the noise.A lot of the midwest fishing is in shanties or tip up fishing. But with perch and pan fish one needs to keep on the move. Laying the flasher on the ice in drifting snow conditions or water covered ice is another concern. Since a I am fishing a 6 inch hole (it helps those big crappies from turning around if they fall off in the hole), I assume that I will need to drill another hole for the transducer. I cannot see lifting the transducer out for every perch or sunny. Bob D, if you read this, any thoughts? I have seen more cameras in use on the lake but not the flashers. Are we just slower to catch on here in the east or is Lake Champlain a different kind of fishing with our no -limit fishery?

[Bob_D]

I've seen a few flashers around. More on Carmi then Champlain, but I think that is due to fish density.

Carmi has fewer perch and they are harder to target. Of the guys that do well there consistantly, you will find most of them use flashers. You need to know there are fish below you and know that you are using the right lure/action.

Champlain has a large amount of perch (too many), most of which are small. I find it hard to drop a line without catching them on most days. It's hard to justify a flasher under those conditions. If you are fishing for crappie, that is another story. Without a flasher you could be missing a TON of fish because they are suspended. So, you could be in the right spot, but never know it because you may not be at the right depth. Even perch fishing, they can help you eliminate dead water.

I would not be worried about exposing the flasher to harsh conditions. They are pretty rugged and have seen far worse then most of us could dish out.

They are good tools if you use them. Once you learn how to use them, they will help you be more consistant at catching fish. Some days you won't need one......Some days will.

[Eastwind]

perca,

From a former East Coaster, welcome to F.M. Regarding the use of a flasher or not. I can't speak directly to Lake Champlain because I have never fished it. I also do not specifically target perch. However, if only for Crappie fishing I would buy a flasher and start to use it now. Here in MN and up in Ontario we use our flashers, often right through the ice, to find suspened schools of Crappies prior to setting up on a spot. Once you find the Crappies, the flasher will let you know if they have changed depths, as often happens, and if they have just plain left the area. Also, as you fish them, your flasher will show them coming up to the bait so that you can start jigging the bait, change the jigging pattern if they swim away ( and sometimes get them to come back)and just plain be ready for a bite because you will see them on the flasher.

For Crappies you do not need to spend all the money that an LX5 will set you back. I use a Vexilar FL8 that works just great for Crappies and Walleyes. When I go after Lakers in 80' to 100' of water, then I wish I had a LX5 or Vexilar FL18. As a matter of fact, many Vexilar FL8s, Marcum LX1s LX2s or LX3s and even older Zercom flashers are often offered for sale at fair prices in this forum. Any of these units will work fine for hunting Crappies. Suspended Crappies are the easiest fish to spot with a flasher so you do not need to use a "Cadillac" flasher. Hope this info is helpful.

[fishercat]

Hey perca ! I'm from the Burlington area and fish the Islands and the Inland Sea regularly for sunnies and crappie. I bought a Vexlar FL-8 a couple of years ago and I won't leave home without it ! Even moving around, if you have the unit set up for it , all you need to do is shut it off, pick it up and move it over to your next hole. Then turn it back on and start fishin' I use to go up to FeFe when the bite was on , let out my line then hold my pole waaay over my head and started jigging it down in case the crappie were just under the ice. Now I just turn on my flasher to see where the concentrations of fish are ! It's like a freakin' video game ! You can watch your bibbit run right to'em ! If your like me and your in the crowd when there's a so-so bite going on and you know the fish are there these things will help you find them ! NO DOUBT, you'll love it !

[hanson]

perca-

You are right. We LOOOOOOVVVVEEEE our flashers out here in the midwest. I own a Marcum LX-3 as well as a Marcum VS560 camera and I use my LX-3 every single time I'm out on the ice but only use my camera occassionally.

Honestly, I can't icefish without my flasher.

I think they really shine when you are panfishing. In the midwest here, we find our panfish either in the deeper holes in the lakes or up shallower where they are relating to green weeds which hold food, or oxygen rich water from spring melt and runoff.

I typically start out by augering a number of holes, maybe 10-20. I then take my flasher and hop hole to hole checking the depth and looking for fish. I usually won't start fishing a hole until I locate fish on my flasher. After that, its game on. With a flasher, you'll be able to tell the mood of the fish immediately. Sometimes, they scream up to your bait and other days, they'll just sit there. After using a flasher for awhile, you'll be able to detect the mood the fish are in and adjust your presentation, or bait and lure selection accordingly to entice a bite.

I was reading another post in the Crappie-Sunfish forum and see that you'll be the proud new owner of a Marcum LX-5. I think you are going to love it. That narrow beam transducer will be very useful when you are fishing in the weeds like you described.

You were also wondering about needing a 2nd hole for your transducer. No need to do that in my opinion. I fish out of the same hole my transducer is in all the time. Occasionally, a fish will wrap you up but no big deal. If I realize I have a bigger fish on, I will pull the transducer out of the hole early in the fight and lay it on the ice. No need to shut if off.

Once again, welcome to Fishing Minnesota and look forward to hearing and learning more about fishing out east.

[Rick]

I can't imagine not fishing with a flasher anymore.

Especially with that monster you have running around in there

[Deitz Dittrich]

I'm with Rick on this one... If my flasher battery were not charged, I would either buy a new battery or not go... that simple.

You can just learn so much from them, from mood of the fish, to what bottom type you are fishing over. Not fishing with one would drive me crazy.

[CNY Tim]

Having a flasher has definitely made me more productive. Having the ability to check for fish in an area eliminates wasted time fishing unproductive holes. I also like to sight fish too. You can learn an awful lot about a fishes behavior by looking down the hole. Of course I love having my LX-5 at the ready it's the most complete flasher in the industry and quite a few guys in my area have them and enjoy using them.

[Borch]

I would have a hard time fishing without the flasher anymore. I am also a very mobile fisherman. I don't usually wet a line until I've drilled at least 20 holes. I'll then check each hole out with electronics as I fish. If nothing shows up within a few minutes I'm off to the next hole. If there no fish in that area I more on and repeat the process. The flasher actually speeds up the process. I'd likely fish each hole longer hoping for a bite if I couldn't see whether I was attracking fish or not.

Good Luck!

[Team Otter]

Flashers or bust!

[Fishingking]

Flashers are the best. There are some Lakes that I seriously dont think I could catch fish on without them. Like Bob D said Carmi is deffiently one of them, after that morning bite the flasher is a must.

I never leave home without it