Choosing a Flasher - MarCum or Vexilar

[CNY Tim]

Pary call me tomorrow after 2.p.m. your time and will continue our discussion. Nice chatting with you...

[Pary]

thanks for your help Tim. i work late so i'll call you tomorrow night if i can remember.

[zepman]

Maybe this has been discussed previously but I'm wondering which unit between the vexilar and marcum would be better off the bow of a boat. Anybody have any experience with either one of these two for this application?

[ChuckN]

zep, I've used Vex in my boats for many years, but when I got my first Marcum a few years ago I now prefer that. I have had the LX-3, but recently the LX-5 on the ice and in the boat for the past year. While on the bow of the boat I spend more time looking at the Marcum over the LCD. I could not be happier with the bright colors, crisp display and target seperation for those bottom hugging walleyes.

Both Vex and Marcum sell transducers for the bow mount trolling motor, and a high speed transom mount.

Another bonus about the Marcum LX-5....if I choose to take my small boat/canoe on a lake, the LX-5 is extremely portable and with the really long transducer cord, the transducer fits over the side of the boat with ease.

[fdr01]

gents,this post is to long to go through now and the last couple of pages dont say,so is marcum a superior product or is it just pesonal preference. i have a buddy looking for a fl-8 but mabey the marcum is the way he should go.i have a fl-18 and like it but just thought i'd get a few more opinions,thanks fdr

[ChuckN]

Quote:

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so is marcum a superior product or is it just pesonal preference

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Both, but that is my opinion and not everyone thinks the same way I do.

I'll just say since I used an FL-8 for many years, and I saw the Marcum's performance and package, I made the switch to Marcum. I'll say a friend of mine used my LX-5 last winter and he bought one after owning a Vex for several years.

If you want to check out a Marcum in the store in demo mode, on the Marcum LX-5...press and hold the zoom (ZM) button while turning the unit on.

[EBass]

WhaTT! Where the heck have you been man? We'll have ice soon enough

My FL-18 is on the bow, well in open water. I have a built in ducer though. No wires

When I first bought mine, Marcum wasn't that well known. Then in a matter of a couple months everyone was talking about them. My buddy Lance bought a Marcum LX3. He loves it, but I couldn't stand the similar colors. (Red, yellow and orange) Then he's like see I can zoom in on my lure and these suspended fish. I couldn't tell what was going on. If I gave it some time I'm sure I'd get the hang of it. And I really like that case it comes in.

For me the Vex is so simple to use and has bright, crisp readings in simple colors. I can zoom on the bottom and that's where I want to zoom any ways. (Walleyes) Or if I'm going for crappies (I hope I don't) then I run it the regular way.

I know the LX5 has the new color upgrade (which mimics the vex colors I believe) and they make great cameras, but for now the FL-18 works fine and I need to save my $ for a underwater camera.

All in all - both products will help you locate structure, and fish, and that's what it all boils down to.

I suppose you could rent both and see how each pans out.

OK I'm done with the vex - marcum bit.

[Pary]

what???? you can rent these? where?

[EBass]

Like the resorts around Mille Lacs has them. There's a bait shop just past the "Y", next to that Holiday gas station.

Otherwise I think Gander rents them to. Underwater camera's are also available.

[sightfisher]

I don't know of a Gander that rents them. Both brands are good. Vexilar gives you all that you need, Marcum gives you more than you expect.

[LOWinEYEin]

I've been around..Blocked out at work...again, new job. Shoot me an email at work, we'll have to get out in a few weeks The UW cameras are great..hope you get it before the ice gets thick.

Most resorts will rent for a minimal fee, which is great, cause you can figure out what suits your needs.

[EBass]

We rented an underwater camera from the Maple Grove Gander before. It was 2 years ago though.

Yup - just a couple more weeks WhaTT - heck maybe even a week.

[TNFL]

I got an lx-3 last year for $300 and I think its a great unit. I personally don't ice fish all that much maybe once everyother week. I have yet to see an instance (based on my fishing skillz) where it would matter what type of flasher I use. However, I think the ability to zoom anywhere in the water column is a key element to the appeal of the marcum units. I started out using my friends FL-18 (which cost him I think $400 at the time) and personally I would rather have my upgraded LX-3 (tc). However if you have nothing anything will help you fish better. But once again I recommend the zoom feature. Even though the statistics say marcum is better, a novice cannot tell the difference.

Good Luck it won't be long.

[mitch]

This has probably been mentioned before but this thread is too long for me to go back and read. How does the Cabelas VXR compare to an lx-1 or an fl-8? They are all close in price.

[Quickstrike]

Mitch, I have one since i needed a new flasher last winter and i was broke. I like it better than the lx1 and the fl8. It is made by marcum and is a decent little unit for the money. However, if i had to do it all over again i would save up the extra money and go with the lx-3 or the lx-5.

[TNFL]

I think the only difference is the vxr has less power peak to peak.

[GatorGetter]

Why is it that the retailers push the Vexilars over the MarCums? One salesman in Scheels told me that the MarCums have a much higher return for repairs rate than the Vexilars. The only reason they stock the MarCums, he claims, is to have a comparison for the Vexilars. My thinking is that they push the Vexilars more because they get more of a profit from them.....just a guess. After reading these posts I am leaning towards MarCum. Thanks for the input.

[Capt.Blaine]

What is the current draw with the LX-5? I know the FL-20 is 275mA

[fishingguy]

I believe the lx5 is 350mA, if my memory serves me. Been doing a lot of research on both the last couple weeks. Still have not decided on which way to go.

[Fishin Beast]

I have owned an fl-18 for about 2 years now, and I just bought a marcum-lx5. I got to try the marcum today for the first time and I actually did not care for it as much as I like the fl-18.

I thought it was very hard to tell what all the little lines meant, and the colors changed too much. One split second your jig is a little red line, than a green line, then it changes again. It was confusing. I also thought the bottom zoom feature was worse than the vexilar, as the vexilar locked onto the actual bottom right away, as the marcum you have to keep trying to set the right depth. And after you move the bottom doesn't stay there so you have to re position again. Maybe that bottom zoom was just me trying to learn it though.

I will give it one more try out on the ice, but I am glad I did not get rid of the fl-18 yet.

Is there a way to stop the colors from changing so fast? Maybe I am the only one?

[Scott M]

Beast, I have a LX-5 and I used my brother in laws FL-18 a couple times. As far as the bottom zoom, you realize that the LX-5 is adjustable, right? So when you move it, you can use it on the bottom or in teh middle for suspended fish. As far as jig changing color, you should either turn the gain up so your jig stays one color, or turn on Superfineline (SFL) and adjust the gain so it isn't changing color. The colors are like any company's unit, you have to take the time to learn what they mean. Interpretation is the name of the game.

I dont work for fm or any tackle company so I don't have an agenda, and I honestly do prefer the LX-5, but you will pay top $ for it. Wish I had both like you! Have a good one.

[ShawnK]

Hey everyone, I am new to this forum so I would like to say hey. I have a question for all you Marcum users. I recently just bought a Marucm LX-3 that has been updated with the new true color display. I was just wondering since the unit has 1500 watts of power, am I going to have trouble fishing in shallow water like 10-12 foot of water. I live in SD and some of the lakes I fish are shallow. I am just wondering if anyone has had any trouble fishing these shallow depths with the Marcum LX-3. Thanks a lot

Shawn

[Vallejo]

I have a LX-5 and fish shallow for panfish all the time. All you have to do is turn the gain down. Should be no problem for you to fish shallow.

[nitroant]

Well, after many months of listening to people tell me which unit is better and looking into it for myself, I picked up an lx-5 at Joe's store sale on Saturday. $460 out the door including tax!!!!

I am sure there will be few trips to the ice before I get the thing all figured out. I am stepping up from an old Hondex unit, so I am planning on a learning curve. From all the looking I did the only negative I could give Marcum was their shuttle set up and after playing with it at home for a day I wonder how long before they offer a shuttle set up like Vex. To me it seems like there is a lot of things to move around and organize to get the transducer back into the case and get it all closed up, but, if it works like people say, I can probably deal with it, maybe only takes a few seconds longer. In my search of what to buy I did not come across somebody who went to Marcum and then went back Vex. Those people may exist, but I did not come across them, so that weighed in on my choosing Marcum. I guess it is the Ford vs. Chevy deal, some will be happy with both, other will only like one. If this weather keeps up I hope to find out soon if I am a Marcum convert for life. As far as places saying they get more Marcums back for service, well, lets see how the new Vex'x do this 1st year, seems like there are always "bugs" in new models of anything. I have heard that Marcum has great service too, hopefully I don't have to find out.

[mr fishfry]

Hello,,,After reading most of this post I decided to buy the MarCum 5. This was a hard issue with me until I read this info... I like the Marcum 5, for the 2 cones, read in the weeds, stronger signal, 8 degree cone for deep water, clearity it should have. Can't wait to use it.Oka, is there a case that this unit will fit in so I can keep it more secure on the ice and in travel around with it? Thank-You, for your time... mr fishfry...