Am I just old fashioned or what?

[Lunker]

I am actually quite young, but feel kind of old fashioned in the world of ice fishing sometimes. I have no urge to get a vexilar, even after using them i dont see that much advantage. Everytime I have fished with a person with one(even poeple usually much better at fishing than I) I have outfished them, and I rarely have trouble catching fish. I think its compltely up to the preference of the person, and I'll probably get slammed for this post, but am I alone in the world on this subject? I just haven't been shown any huge difference in the fishing with or without one. Now I'll just sit back an watch the responses roll in

[Guest]

Nope, your not alone at all.

I often just as soon go low-tech when ice fishing. I will just go by instinct and drill and go.

Some days not knowing what is down there appears to catch more fish for me.

It's all about the experience and the fun. So do it the way it's the most fun for you.

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[aquafang]

Depends on the situation. for suspended light biting fish there is a huge difference. I use to think the same thing. Until a friend bought one a couple years ago. He out fished me about 50 to 1 in crappies! The fish were between 8 and 12 feet off the bottom. I had 4 lines out all in that range using the same bait. He was coaxing the fish to bite. They would not hit a still bait. I could not jig all baits at the same time. If you get into the situation, you will become a believer. I just want to say I am not slamming anyone. I think it's great that you guys can still catch fish the old way. For me, I was 10x more productive last year with the vexilar.

[Guest]

Sounds to me like you're awful lucky when it comes to fishing. That's a good thing. Ride the wave! I wish you continued good luck because fishing involves alot of that when you don't use electronics......Once or twice a year, I go out there "unarmed" just to remind myself that I used to be able to catch fish without all that stuff before I had it......T

[Bob Horn]

What do you fish for? Sounds like you fish areas that you know. Do you move alot or sit in one area? Looking for info and not bashing you at all. God has blessed you if you do`nt need the "extra eyes". Fish On

[This message has been edited by bhorn (edited 11-26-2003).]

[doubleUcubed]

I hear ya Lunker. I've never fished with one either, have no depth finder, gps or any other so called high-tech stuff. I will admit I only fish the one lake I live on and grew up with my Dad teaching me and showing me all the locations "tricks of the trade". I would imagine if I were to venture to a new lake a Vex. or Mar. would be a great addtition and help me to catch fish. As is, I don't get out fished much on the lake I fish exclusively, plus it's cheaper this way!

[honker23]

I think it's great that you fish old fashioned. But I have to agree with the post on crappies. You could never out fish someone with a vex in 20-40 ft of water fishing craps. I have caught them in 8' over 30' of water. Fish you would never get without the vex. The point on jigging the fish is very well taken too. You know precisely when to coax em.
Walleyes on tip up in a shallow dishpan is a different story, you wouldn't need one as much then, but I still take mine!
Good Luck this year.

[JohnO]

Slammed? Don't think so, that's the beautiful thing about fishing, hunting, music, watching TV, or what ever your down-time distraction is, you can take it to the level YOU want to take it to. No one tells me I have to take a Vex with me fishing, sometimes I do, sometimes I don't, never really paid much attention to the difference. Kinda cool that way. Good Luck, Happy Thanksgiving everybody. J'O

[marknamy]

No Vex for me. I like to go out, drill holes, set up, and enjoy the day. Sometimes luck prevails and I come home with a meal. Other times it's the big "skunk". No matter which way I still enjoy a day on the ice.
I do enjoy when I fish with someone who has a Vex though. Line wrapped in the transducer is always fun to watch. Have even pulled a fish up on a buddy's line because he was too busy watching the Vex, trying to coax a strike on his other line. Wasn't paying attention and when I looked over his bobber was down. Just thought I would teach him a lesson and pull one through his hole. After the laughter, he spent the rest of the day watching BOTH holes.

[EBass]

I fished for years without a vex. Then I used my buddies to reset my tip up on MilleLacs. I noticed a red mark half way down as I lowered my minnow. This fish swam up to my minnow and inhaled it. It was a nice 20" walter. (I have other stories to)

The next year I got a FL-18 and I won't leave home without it. I also put it on my boat to, so I have dual purposes for it.

Anyways, I also agree to each their own. If the shoe fits.....

[perca]

Are there any perch fishermen out there who feel as strongly as the crappie and walleye fishermen about the pros of flashers?

[Bob Cunningham]

Lucky is right. After the guy with the electronics finds an area with fish anybody can fish there and catch them if they are good with a jig. The main idea with the vexilar or similar electronics is finding fish. I had a friend that would go out blind and complain that he couldn't catch fish. I showed him how to use the vex and now he owns one. His catch ratio really went up and he said he should have taken time to really use one sooner. I have places that I know the fish are there but a new lake is almost impossible unless you follow the crowd.

[iffwalleyes]

Well I guess you are old fashion. I know one thing I have become so dependant on my electronics that it the battery goes dead I might as well pack it up and head home. I am suprised that you say you have fished with them and haven't seen the benefit that means to me that it wasn't used in the right situation. If I hit the ice now with out a flasher it would be about like going with out a rod. I don't know that I catch more with one but it doesn't hurt plus it gives me something to do when fishing. One question when you are fishing with your friends that have one do you listen to them when they say there is a fish down there and they aren't interested in what is down there for colors do you change accordingly. I had a friend that for 2 years fished without one but he fished right next to me so if I wasn't catching and I was change my presentation so was he. I know that I would be lost without my vex and now with my marcum.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
[email protected]

[Animal]

I have to agree with most everyone else that the Vexilar will put more fish on the ice. You state that you usually out-fish the people around you, but what about when you are moving around a lake solo? This is where a vexilar can realy help. Several times a winter I go to Canada to fish for lake trout. We snowmobile to many remote lakes. Most of the lakes are 1000's of acres and we have no idea where the fishing spots are. We can drill two hundred holes a day and only fish 10 percent of them, because we only fish the holes that have fish present. Sometimes we are lucky enough to find fish under thee first hole. A two fish day used to be a quality day now we average ten fish all because of the vexilar. I could go on and on about how this technolgy has changed the way I approach ice fishing.

[Lunker]

I fish mostly for gills, eyes, perch, and occasionally pike and crappie. I know its true for crappies when they are suspended, but I fish multiple lakes and species. I do always check out maps previously though, that helps with locating fish holding spots. I knew this topic would get some good responses, good to hear everyones opinions!

[Finlander]

No your not old fashioned, your just not having as much fun as I am watching my flasher. Plus just think how nice you are by not catching all those fish that suspend half way from bottom that will never see your jig with a minnow on it because most of the time most fishermen fish within one foot off the bottom. Espeacially feople fishing without flashers!

[straydog]

I'm glad to see no one is ripping on you, but if I forget my vex at home I have to drive back and get it.

[Turkeyhunter10ga]

Since getting my Zercom a couple of years ago, i won't go out w/o it. It's done so much more for my catch rate on ice than before i had it. (Not looking for a debate on the Vex/Zerc finders , everyone has an opinion and i like mine) Just like almost everyone else has stated about suspended fish, when you see one on the screen, you can adjust your presentation level and see if the fish is in an aggressive mood on not.

[Lunker]

Finlander, I take dislike the notion that I am having less fun without a flasher. I almost always have a blast when I am out fishing, and it is a rare day that I don't have consistent action!

[curt quesnell]

Lunker,

That's the thing about fishing, you can
participate at any level and still have a
blast.

I love the "old fashioned" way of fishing
too but I love the REAL old fashioned way.

I dont believe in those fancy hi tech warm
clothes, I put on as many layers of wool
as I can get my hands on. A pair of oversized boots from the second hand store
(anything will do as long as there is no
Thinsulate involved). Oversized because I
will wear many many pairs of socks.

Those new fangled Ice augers, not for me!
Get me a chisel that I can touch up with
a file and let me go to work on 42 inches
of ice underneath 17 layers of wool. Boy,
now there is some FUN!

Ok, just havin some fun with you. Fish the
way you want to, use the equipment you want
to and dont take any dump from anyone. It
is your free time, you are payin the bill.
I hope you outfish everyone 10 to one.

Not using a Vexilar isnt "old fashioned".
Vexilars are about a half hour old on the ice
fishing time line. Chisels, stick poles,
and black braided hand lines are old fashioned.

I love my Vexilar. I love GPS. But I wont
try to shove em down anyones throat.

Happy Thanksgiving all

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Curt Quesnell
NorthCountry Outdoors Radio

[hawgTime]

iffwalleyes

I'm with you. I'm so dependent on my vex these days that if the battery went dead I'd probably pack up and go home.

hawgTime

ROD or VEX?

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