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Aqua Vu VPG reviews?

fishinmedic

By fishinmedic
in Ice Fishing

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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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This was discussed about a month or so ago. I was wondering if any of the "elders" (ie, mods, guides, etc) ever tested them. I mean they just hit the market this year. Were they product tested at all thru the ice last year at all?.. I guess I'm just looking for some insight. I think this is the direction that I'm going. Thanks.

FishinMedic

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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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Can you please let me know. I'm going to stare at one again today at Gander in Brainerd. I'm not so much interested in the comparison to the marcum/vexlar family as I am in trying to find out if it would be worthy investment as an introductory flasher. Don't get me wrong, I take my fishing seriously, but way too much money is already being spent this year (Honda 2000 gen, Sat dish, TV). Just looking to see if it does the job reliably and consistantly.

thanks

FishinMedic

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iland99 Community Regular

iland99

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I'm not sure how much the VPG is selling for, but you can get a Marcum VX-1 for $200 after $50 mail-in rebate. When you look at the features it's pretty comparable to a $370 Vexilar FL-18 Genz Pack, only way cheaper. It has bottom zoom just like the FL-18, and more power. It's by far the best deal going in the flasher market at this time.

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iland99 Community Regular

iland99

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It sounded to me like he was interested in an inexpensive flasher, since he's spent so much on gear already this year. I just thought I'd let him know that you can get a nice flasher cheaper than the VPG.

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Deitz Dittrich Grand Master

Deitz Dittrich

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The Vx-1 is a decent unit for sure..and in about the same price range as the VPG.

As stated above, I am going to try very hard to get my VPG on the ice this weekend and I'll post a reply on this post with my honest review on it. I have played with it a bit in the living room, on paper it seems like a very nice unit. If it does what it claims, it will be a great unit for the money!

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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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Thanks for the replys so far. I just was at Gander in Brainerd today. I did look at the Marcum 1, it looks like a good unit. I was confused a bit about the "bottom lock"? Also, I borrowed a Vex 18 last year, and w/o formal instruction it confused the heck out of me.

but please keep the ideas rollin. I am looking for an inexpensive flasher, but I think the VPG would be the easiest to use. I've just been always careful about buying the first of anything. Lots of questions, did they get the bugs worked out, etc. sort of reminds me of when Jeep came out with the first year of the Cherokee Sport, Road and Track (or one of the other biggy mags) gave it back to them with a letter stating that they didn't feel the need to endanger their test staff testing that model, if I remember right, they had to redesign the braking system.

So in closing, cheap is good, ease of use is better. Heck I talked to the guys at gander today and they haven't had any feedback yet. So I asked them if I could have one (with a CC deposit) to test it for them and give them "newbie" feedback (this would be best) but that didn't work. But some guy in fishing is goin out in the AM so I'll check with him tomorrow if I can. The other thing that would just eat me up would be if I bought it this year and they came out with a color for next year. I haven't ruled out the marcum 1 yet. But I have to admit after watching the aqua vu promo dvd from the ice show, they do bring a valid point. Water columns aren't in circles, why should your flasher be.

FishinMedic

Not trying to diss the die hards with that last comment, just really leaning the VPG way.

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Ralph Wiggum Grand Master

Ralph Wiggum

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If you like the idea of the VPG but would like color, a Lowrance X67c might be right up your alley. You can get the same "water column" view as the VPG with color. It costs a little more, but a complete set-up retails around $300, and you could maybe find one on sale for cheaper. Another plus is that it's a pretty sweet summer graph.

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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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Ok, I think the debate is over, but I'm still pending Dietz's test run. The guy at Gander took one out this AM, said he loved it. Another guy at Gander tried to sway me towards the Marcum 1, tried to tell me it had 2000 watts of power. It has 600, I read it to him right from the box and he told me I was wrong. The VPG has 1000. Another thing, the guy (tester) from gander put both the VPG and a Vex 18 in the same hole and did not pick up any interference on the VPG. I thought that was good. So, barring anything completely negative, I think this will be the unit I will purchase. I think I might do the Gander card and get that and the generator at the same time and save some money.

Now my next question will be battery life, but I don't think anyone here is going to know that. The good news is that is uses the same aqua vu batteries and they are only $10 for a spare.

FishinMedic

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Deitz Dittrich Grand Master

Deitz Dittrich

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Fishmedc- I was told by the head dudes at Aqua VU- that you can expect just about 20 hours of use per charge...IT seems a tad high.. but I did have one working in sim mode all day at cabelas the other day for 13 hours with the light on and the heater running.. so maybe? I'm hitting the ice with it tomorrow at the Fish Lake Gettogether!!!

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Toad Collaborator

Toad

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Having used the VPG a handful of times on the ice, I can say with confidence that the target separation and sensitivity of this unit is perhaps the most acute I've seen in an ice sonar.

As an example, Tuesday, I had a large school of small perch just off bottom over 27-feet of water. Instead of a single band of pixels-- or a "jittery" fish signal-- I was easily able to differentiate as many as 5 separate small perch signals separated by "air" between signals, in addition to my jig, all within 3 feet of the bototm. To me, that's impressive.

Also, the response time surprised me, particularly for an LCG. When I jigged, the VPG almost instantaneously displayed the upward moving jig. The signal response delay-- if there was one-- was virually impossible to detect.

Finally, in an earlier post about the LCG heater, or Ice Mode, and how it drained power-- I have not experienced this. Going on my third full day running the VPG today-- almost always with Ice Mode ON, and so far, I haven't recharged the battery.

Over the years, I've used probably a dozen different sonar models on ice, beginning with an old Humminbird Super Sixty, Hondex, Vexilar, Lowrance, Bottom Line, Zercom, Marcum, etc. The VPG is fast becoming my favorite sonar unit on ice. smile.gif

-a friend called Toad

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jbird68 Collaborator

jbird68

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If you purchase the VPG like I did, open the box at the store and check the battery cable connector where it screws onto the battery box. I had to send mine back because the wire harness had pulled out of the crimp. I got mine at Thorne Bros. and when I asked them to just send me anew wire assembly, they said send it back for a new one. They also said my new one would be open box because they would inspect it themselves before they resend it to me. They will also refund your cost of shipping back to them. Mine wasn't the first one they sold to have this issue.
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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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Quote:

Fishmedc- I was told by the head dudes at Aqua VU- that you can expect just about 20 hours of use per charge...IT seems a tad high.. but I did have one working in sim mode all day at cabelas the other day for 13 hours with the light on and the heater running.. so maybe? I'm hitting the ice with it tomorrow at the Fish Lake Gettogether!!!

Ironically that you say that. I spoke with Customer Service this AM and they told me 30 hours. Toad, that was a great review, Thank You.

I took the wife to Gander last night with me as well and informed her that she will be getting me one for Christmas. It bumped the Expedition GPS w/Lakemaster chip down the line a bit.

Fishinmedic

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jbird68 Collaborator

jbird68

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I took the VPG out today for it's maiden voyage...so to say. It's awesome!! You can see your jig going down through water column and fish coming up to check it out. It had no signs of slow down from the cold. My jig goes up, the line goes up...My jig goes down, the line goes down. At first I wasn't sure there were fish. The bottom was light gray. Then as I jigged just above that spot, I could see the bottom(fish) move up. Then I knew there were fish sitting on the bottom at 9 ft. This thing is way cool. cool.gif

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fishinmedic Contributor

fishinmedic

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Well, once again, thanks for the reviews (both positive and negative). I'm at work right now, but my wife just called me and told me that she had to travel between Gander, Reeds and FF to find one. She got the last one at FF in Brainerd. Everyone else is left with just a display model. So in turn for getting it, I'm told I cannot open it until Xmas, so I have something to open. She started trying to tell me what I "owed" her for this. That conversation came to an end when I reminded her that she's getting a new car for Xmas this year.

So keep the good and bad words coming. I'm looking forward to getting out there. I'll be on ML as soon as we get enough ice to wheeler out a perm (don't have a portable....yet). Thanks again.

Fishinmedic

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