Jump to content

  • GUESTS

    If you want access to members only forums on HSO, you will gain access only when you Sign-in or Sign-Up .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member. ?

Marcum, Vexilar, Lowrance or Aqua-Vu.

Bones

By Bones
in Ice Fishing

 Share

Recommended Posts

Bones Newbie

Bones

Posted
Posted

I am looking at buying my first ice fishing electronics. What should I get? My friends have Marcums and Vexilars. A guys at work has a Lowrance and he likes tha GPS feature. But what about a camera? Just wondering? I don't have a lot of cash and want to get the best that I can for what I do have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BrokenRap Apprentice

BrokenRap

Posted
Posted

Bones, I have a Lawrance X67c which I bought two years ago and it was my first ice fishing electronics. The color display is great and I love that I can use it multi-season. My family lives by Vexilar and they told me to buy nothing besides Vexilar but I did some research and went with Lawrance. Once I had the unit on the ice and they saw it in action they were impressed and said good buy. The only thing I wish I would have done is spent the little extra for the M68 with the GPS option but either way its still a great piece of equipment to have. IMO, its the best out there but like I said before it is my first piece of ice fishing electronics too.

Clint Marcy

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bob Horn Mentor

Bob Horn

Posted
Posted

I would buy a flasher first and than camera down the line. I was a diehard vex guy but now use marcum. Either company would be OK but I would get a flasher. There is a sticky post at the top I would go through that for info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CNY Tim Grand Master

CNY Tim

Posted
Posted

First thing and everyone here will agree is the locator not the camera should be your first purchase for practicality reasons. No one know's here what your budget is or what species fish you like to target so there are some other considerations as well.

If your going new versus used I highly recommend the MarCum VX-1 your not going to find a better unit for the price. This unit has been a hot seller and will continue through the $50 rebate period at the end of the month. This maybe the deal of the century and others will vouch for MarCum's performance when it comes to flashers.

Vex makes a quality unit too and I have used both the FL-8SLT and FL-18. The VPG is brand new so reviews on that unit will be forth coming. I have never seen a Lowrance on the ice but I have seen mixed reviews on them, mostly positive.

Back to the MarCum last season this unit and package got it's feet wet with the Gander GSX and Cabela's VXR and MarCum added a larger zoom for the 80' and 160' setting and lowered the price with the rebate. It's a win win for the consumer on a budget and MarCum showed yet again that it provides more bang for the buck. Good luck with your choice and good fishing...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ralph Wiggum Grand Master

Ralph Wiggum

Posted
Posted

Oh boy! Here we go again! I love my X67c. I wouldn't waste the cash on the M68c for the GPS because you're not able to put a mapping chip in the M68c. I'm getting an H2Oc to go with mine for GPS capability.

Like has been mentioned, stick with getting a locator, first. Whatever you get will help you catch fish.

Just one guy's opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
riverrat56 Veteran

riverrat56

Posted
Posted

I'll chime in, like said, deffinatly go with a flasher first, camera's are more of a toy than a tool. I have both and I use the flasher every time out but the camera only sometimes.

I haven't looked at the Marcum VX-1 but I'm sure it is a quality unit. I have an LX-3, and yes it is better than a Vexilar, no doubt in my mind, even if you just look at the features it has more, but it goes beyond that to customer service and I feel it is more user friendly.

Vexilar still makes a quality product and if you find a deal on a used FL-8 I wouldn't hesitate to buy it, but if you can look to Marcum, you won't be disappointed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bones Newbie

Bones

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the Info. I will skip the camera for now but now what should I get? I see that Lowrance has a new ice set up that you can put the chips in. I know they cost more but are they worth the extra cash or should I just get a Marcum or Vexilar? I have been reading some other threads and it looks like most people are getting the Marcums. I just have not seen a lot comparing them to the Lowrances. How about interference with the Lowrance is another question since I will ber fishing with the 2 other brands?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
markkstanley Proficient

markkstanley

Posted
Posted

LOwrance does not have a noise rejection button like Marcum or Vex. You have to go into the menu system to set everything up but I haven't had any issues fishing next to Vexor Marcums with my x67. If you need/want a summer unit as well as an ice unit Lowrance is a very good option. I have a 102c and a x67 both with ice ducers. I use both all summer on the boat. Added an H20c to the mix and I have all the flexibility I could want. I opted for the 102c over the 332c because I wanted a portable GPS unit I could use in vehicle and that I could easily move around with me in the boat. the 102 + the H2Oc cost a little less than the 332 package too grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      It’s done automatically.  You might need an actual person to clear that log in stuff up.   Trash your laptop history if you haven’t tried that already.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      😂 yea pretty amazing how b o o b i e s gets flagged, but they can't respond or tell me why I  can't get logged in here on my laptop but I can on my cellular  😪
    • Mike89
      Just Food and Drink

      By Mike89 · Posted

      I grilled some brats yesterday, maybe next weekend will the next round...  
    • Wanderer
      Just Food and Drink

      By Wanderer · Posted

      You got word censored cuz you said        B o o b ies….. haha.   Yeah, no… grilling is on hiatus for a bit.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      Chicken mine,  melded in Mccormick poultry seasoning for 24 hours.  Grill will get a break till the frigid temps go away!
    • Mike89
      Problems with Yetti

      By Mike89 · Posted

      good luck!!!   
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      we had some nice weather yesterday and this conundrum was driving me crazy  so I drove up to the house to take another look. I got a bunch of goodies via ups yesterday (cables,  winch ratchet parts, handles, leaf springs etc).   I wanted to make sure the new leaf springs I got fit. I got everything laid out and ready to go. Will be busy this weekend with kids stuff and too cold to fish anyway, but I will try to get back up there again next weekend and get it done. I don't think it will be bad once I get it lifted up.    For anyone in the google verse, the leaf springs are 4 leafs and measure 25 1/4" eye  to eye per Yetti. I didnt want to pay their markup so just got something else comparable rated for the same weight.   I am a first time wheel house owner, this is all new to me. My house didn't come with any handles for the rear cables? I was told this week by someone in the industry that cordless drills do not have enough brake to lower it slow enough and it can damage the cables and the ratchets in the winches.  I put on a handle last night and it is 100% better than using a drill, unfortatenly I found out the hard way lol and will only use the ICNutz to raise the house now.
    • Wanderer
      Problems with Yetti

      By Wanderer · Posted

      I haven’t done any leaf springs for a long time and I can’t completely see the connections in your pics BUT I I’d be rounding up: PB Blaster, torch, 3 lb hammer, chisel, cut off tool, breaker bar, Jack stands or blocks.   This kind of stuff usually isn’t the easiest.   I would think you would be able to get at what you need by keeping the house up with Jack stands and getting the pressure off that suspension, then attack the hardware.  But again, I don’t feel like I can see everything going on there.
    • rundrave
      Problems with Yetti

      By rundrave · Posted

      reviving an old thread due to running into the same issue with the same year of house. not expecting anything from yetti and I already have replacement parts ordered and on the way.   I am looking for some input or feedback on how to replace the leaf springs themselves.    If I jack the house up and remove the tire, is it possible to pivot the axel assembly low enough to get to the other end of the leaf spring and remove that one bolt?   Or do I have to remove the entire pivot arm to get to it? Then I also have to factor in brake wire as well then. What a mess   My house is currently an hour away from my home at a relatives, going to go back up and look it over again and try to figure out a game plan.           Above pic is with house lowered on ice, the other end of that leaf is what I need to get to.   above pic is side that middle bolt broke and bottom 2 leafs fell out here is other side that didnt break but you can see bottom half of leaf already did but atleast bolt is still in there here is hub assembly in my garage with house lowered and tires off when I put new tires on it a couple months ago. hopefully I can raise house high enough that it can drop down far enough and not snap brake cable there so I can get to that other end of the leaf spring.
    • smurfy
      Just Food and Drink

      By smurfy · Posted

      Chef boyardee pizza from the box!

  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

  I accept