Showdown vs. Vexillar

[hondarider550]

I used my Showdown again this weekend and I am totally impressed with how well it does work... The vertical display is very easy to watch and work with. I used the automatic senitivity as well as up to 7 for senitivity depending on how deep of water I was on. On 20 foot of water the Showdown has a transducer angle that covered the area of the shack underneath which was nice because I could view both of my lures at the same time. I think that the Showdown is definitly a purchase worth looking into if you are thinking about buying a flasher. The price is definitely right.

[Freewheeler]

I also just purchased a new showdown and took it out to Lake of the Woods for the weekend to try her out. I previously had an FL-8 SL and was just kinda getting tired of the constant noise on those quiet days. I had it since they first came out way back when[before the 12's or18's] so you know I was ready for a change. Sold my old Vex with the soft cover and battery indicator for 180 so the new one didn't set me back too much. Read the book and tried it in simulator mode a couple of times to make sure I knew how to operate it and make the necessary adjustments for sens and zoom, noise reduction ect,heck I even took the book with me to help me along. What I found out was that this thing has the slowest reaction time of any thing I've ever used. In 30' or 20' it didn't matter! Go to jig, it disapears, unless you hold it there in one spot untill it apears one or two seconds later. With the old Vex you never lost sight of your jig at any time. It says Quick on it, but it aint its SUPER SLOW! This piece of marketing genius is going back to Cabelas in the morning. Give me back my old Vex anyday! I never noticed in any posting anybody bragging about the speed of these machines and I now know why. Reread the book quite a few times in the fish house and had things adjusted both ways to see if that made adifference but it didn't. Also caught some fish that didn't even show up on the showdown unless they came up REAL SLOW to the bait. So I now feel like I traded down from a Mustang to a Pinto! I would gladly trade even up for my old Vex if I could but its too late now. I think the Vertical concept is good but a lot more speed and Sensitivity need to be put into these machines before I would waste a buck on one! The small noise of the Vexilar suddenly doesn't seem so bad now!

[tisosy11]

Never had any trouble keeping the bait/setup on the screen. Only time i lose it is when i don't look at the unit. or when i am taking the minnow off under water...

Never had trouble with this though. Maybe you got a bad unit? Nature Vision will update it i know...

[CNCMike]

I've never had any issue with the "speed" of mine either, Though I have heard a few people complain, mine has never had this issue. My jig, no matter how small or deep I am fishing doesn't disappear when I jig, nor anytime for that matter. I was in 31 fow this weekend with a Shrimpo on and had no issue what so ever. Noise on 2, sens on 5. Never lost sight of anything.

[hondarider550]

I had no problem with the speed either. If I would lose sight of my jig then I would just set the sensitivity up alittle and I would not have any problem. I saw fish on the Showdown a couple of times before I saw them on the camera. They would show up on the Showdown then I would check the camera and finally they would show up from either under or over the camera.

This is my first flasher so I really am not the familiar with a Vexilar. My buddy has a FL18 and between the camera and Vex the camera is definitely used alot more.

Don't give up on the Showdown right away. I think that it does have potential...

[tisosy11]

Yeah i have no problem seeing my splitshot and minnow on a plain hook.

[AOJ]

Can't speak for the Vexilar, but I like my Showdown. Have been using it since January. No problems at all. I like the vertical display.The fact that it is not color is really not an issue. I turn the sensitivity down 'til I can just see my jig. It's easy to see the fish as that line is wider and much darker. The battery charge is excellent. It is not supposed to be the greatest flasher on the market; but it is a great alternative at an affordable price. I can't quite justify spending more. The Showdown does the job for me.

[hayseed]

Had a chance to use mine last night. Worked flawlessly. Fished a 1/32 oz. gypsy in 16 ft and no problem with any delays or disappearance. Saw the fish approach and even the take. I'm very pleased with mine.

[Devin]

I have the older VPG with the upgrade. Fishing in 20 ft I can see two lines the lure and the treble hook tipped with a minnow head on a weasel. Which I never experienced this degree of target seperation on the fl-18 which I had for 4 years. No problem with delays or disappearance on mine either. If its cold out and you dont have the ice mode that might cause delays because of the liquid crystal display being cold.

[JP Z]

Freewheeler,

It seems the Noise was set a bit high on that unit. If you aren't fishing with anyone turn it to zero. Otherwise call Nature vision Customer Service 866-777-0733 and they can get you straightened out.

[Freewheeler]

Thats affirmative on setting the noise down to 0 also. Been there done that! I have tried just about every thing to speed this thing up to my standards but nothing worked any better. Not in Ice Mode, not in Ice Mode, Full battery charge, you name it, I have tried it. [on a side note] I really do like the way the battery charger hooks up. But there has to be more in the way of performance enhancement before I would consider keeping this thing for my fishing needs. As for the temp,[wheeled house at 80] so we can forget the temp factor as well. One other item of this unit I didn't care for was when I was in 20' and my jig was at19' sometime the depth would jump to forty' range before coming back again. Once it even showed a depth of 256'[temporarily of course] before comung back to its snail like pace. I have fished Lake of the Woods for forty years and have seen and had alot of new products that have come down the road of fishing and in this time I have come to the point where I will NOT tolerate equipment failure. So this one GOES down the road, and I'll buy one that I know works. Didn't mean to [PoorWordUsage] in anybodys corn flakes if you bought one of these, but this one has a lemon flavor to it.

[tisosy11]

No issue - I would talk to nature vision...they might take a look at it and see if they can figure it out. I know there customer service is top notch!

[JP Z]

Freewheeler,

Sounds like yours is a lemon, call Nature vision's CS. They will have you send your head unit in and then swap with a good unit free of charge. Or if you are in the area swing in.

[Freewheeler]

jpz, I did call the customer service dept after your 11:00 posting and left my # and problem with them hoping they could shed some light on this thing for me. I was kinda hoping that this might have been a one in a million sort of deal and they would advise me to return it or exchange it or at least question if I had tried this or that. Well, I'm still waiting for that call. I'm hoping there not all tied up solving depth finder problems. So you could safely assume I'm also not real impressed with their Customer Service either! Is this a sign? Or am I just on roll of bad luck or Karma. Don't mean to seem to anxious here but we're in the middle of Ice fishing yet up north and I feel kinda bummed about borrowing a buddies Vex and answering the questions of "hows your new unit working out" or "Ithought you had one" on a positive note though, the fish are still biting and can still be had the old fashioned way before these things were invented.

[hondarider550]

Freewheeler, Be patient. NatureVision will answer your call. I just had my Aqua-vu worked on and I called on occasion. They do take your call in the order that they receive them and they will call you back. Every time that I talk to them they have been extremely helpful and were not afraid to back up their product. Give your Showdown a chance after you talk to their representative. I think that you will be happy with their service and product once they help you out...

[tisosy11]

If you are patient you will be pleased.

[hondarider550]

Hey FreeWheeler, Have you heard back yet from Nature Vision. If you did I would be interested in hearing about what they advised or was it something with the unit itself? Just wondering. I hope you turn out okay...