Fish Finder??

[Duncan7709]

This is my first year really being serious about ice fishing and I am looking at getting a fish finder for mainly finding depths and bottom structure. I am not that concerned about seeing fish. I am wondering if the hand held models work. Or should I save my money and buy a flasher? Has anyone tried the Showdown Digital depth finder?

[TiNK3R]

I'm thinking about breaking down and getting a Vexilar. I tried one this weekend and was pretty amazing what it can do.

I'll just have to suck it in and spend the cash.

[BK19]

if you cant afford a vex or marcum then yes the showdown has been good from what i have heard

[Schloogs]

If it were me, I would put the money towards a flasher but I could see where a depth finder would come in handy.

[eyebjim]

I would save a little more for vex or marcum. I have heard of them going for 175.00 on craigs list/ or that big aution site. Use a flasher for a day and you will know what to do. You dont need all the bells and whistles but a flasher is a must.

[Sandmannd]

Go with a flasher. I got a used FL8 off Craigs List for $175 and it's been awesome. Much more fish iced.

[jwhjr]

Go for a flasher, it makes a big difference when locating where the fish are at. The for sale forum on this site is where I found mine.

[Chode2235]

I agree, I do have a flasher now and I have greatly increased my catches. But also, don't be afraid (assuming you fish the softwater season) to pick up a cheap used portable depth finder too.

I used one for a number of years. You just need to keep it warm, but it works for marking fish and structure.

I had a humminbird portable and it worked great until I could afford to upgrade.

[schweady]

What's with the goofy automatic link that forms when someone types marcum? I know they're a site sponsor, and I do love my LX-3tc, but c'mon...

[Duncan7709]

Chode2235 when you say a cheap portable depth finder do you mean those ones that kinda look like flashlights?

[Chode2235]

No, I mean like a humminbird portable. They come with a nice case, run off of AA batteries. I made a custom mount for the transducer to hang over the side of my hole. It worked really well for me.

[Duncan7709]

Thanks that really helps I guess I will have to look at those too.

[PerchPounder]

You could also looking into Bottomline's Fishin' Buddy. they are portable can shoot to the side and will do a decent job of telling you when there are fish there. The Showdown is another inexpensive alternative to a flasher. As others have said buying used is not always a bad option and the classifieds on here often have good deals on quality flashers.

[muc33]

I got my Marcu Lx3tc on here and so far love it, I think... Still learning and gaining knowledge.

[Surface Tension]

schweady, the links are automatic and they're being tested out. They don't bother me and if someone needs a quick reference to a site they are handy.

About getting a sounder. You might think you don't want to see fish but in time you will. Besides, all sounders will show you fish. Thats a small benefit of a sounder, theres a lot more to them then showing fish. That is why you'll see discussion about different brands and models. Its the subtle differences that the advanced user is interested in. Sounders have come a long way from just showing depth and fish.

Once you get used to using a sounder you'll realize the benefits of having it and then you start adjusting your presentations to whats happens down below. Yes a sounder will give you a very good indication of how fish interact with your presentation.

MarCum's entry level VX-1 will do everything you want it to do now and still have a lot of those subtle things that in time you'll learn about and come to appreciate.

On the Vex lineup the FL-8se will again do what your looking for now and then some once you get used to using a sounder.

So if its an entry level sounder your looking for I'd get one of the above. Both might be might be entry level but the technologically advances in the sounder market really give you a great bang for the buck.

[sodajerk]

Besides showing you the fish that are below you, if any, one of my favorite things about my MarCum is that it will alert you when something is coming after your bait.

After a while of not catching anything, a guy can get lulled into being a bit inattentive for a moment. Many times already I've snapped back to reality when I saw movement on the flasher heading for my bait, and I was able to get ready for the strike before it happened.

Definitely an advantage on quick-hitting fish, and it's helped me catch some I probably would have missed, just by tipping me off that a fish was about to hit.