FL 18 trouble

[keystone]

My FL 18 in 11ft farm ponds will all of a sudden have lines all through it. Cant see a fish or bait. But to see fish or bait I have to have gain on 10 but there lots of lines through and I cant read it. But a half hour later its fine and I can turn my gain down to 4 and see my bait without lines through it. I try to clean the ice-ducer with the palm of my hand but it dont work. How do you guys clean them. Any other suggestions will be helpful. Thank you.

[Smoore]

did you try the low power setting, that might help

[LocalGuide]

Is it reading your line?
That happens to me sometimes, and then after a while it will just go away.
How and why? I dont know.
But you do have it on the low power mode right. That does help a little.

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AKA PikeEye 300

[minneman]

Make sure your ducer is below the ice!

[fishtank]

I'm having the same trouble. I have the ducer below the ice, but it seems it takes a while to start reading correctly.
Did anybody else with the same problem have it sent in to get a "free update" on it thru vex?

-Tank

[LwnmwnMan2]

I switched the line on my reels this weekend, and noticed that for the first 2-3 minutes the Vex was picking up my line, then it went away and everything was normal again.

Another thing you'll want to make sure of, is to check if there is a skim of ice on the bottom of the transducer. This might happen if you've been trying to check for fish through the ice instead of drilling a hole. Wipe the transducer off and give it another shot.

OR, make sure you've got a good battery.

OR, read through the rest of the posts.

Lwn

[Minnetonka]

Hit your IR button. even if there is no one else anywhere near you with another flasher, this still works. I had the same problem yesterday morning with my FL-8 SLT. After I hit the IR button it cleared up.

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"I'd rather be fishing"

Mike

[cisco kid]

don't [PoorWordUsage] in your hole. If you never have try it. It looks like zooplanton emerging from the ice instead of rising off the bottom.

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[keystone]

I have it on Low Power when it happends and I run spider ice line. The ducer is below the ice. When I hit the IR botton nothing happends. I know it works becuase when I run a fish finder by it it will reduce interference then. When I turn it off it will help some but not a lot. How often do I have to adjust my gain. Some times I can have it on 4 and other times I haft to have it on 10. Is this normal. It seems sometimes I am always messing with the gain. BUT otherwise I like the Vexilar and would recomend it to anyone. Thanks

[Pig_sticka]

make sure the transducer is pointing straight down the hole. sometimes i am not reading my bait and just check to make sure it isn't pointing a different way. and i make sure to hit the ir button sometimes more than 50 times to clear up some stuff on it.

[brava-pesca]

Keystone- Are you using a super line? I've tried to use Power Pro and the vexilar picks up the line and causes to much interference. I would suggest changing to a mono line.

[Ruttin' Buck]

I agree with Minnetonka...some depths produce reflections with certain frequencies...these will show up as little lines that look like a bait fish race around the entire dial of the vex and the IR will remedy the situation

However, if they only show up between 0 and 11 feet and don't spin around the dial, they're likely bait fish in 11 feet of water.

The first time I turned mine on this year I thought it was broke. In 30 feet of water, there was a 15 foot band of lines...did not look promising....until I dropped a line!

[goin fishin]

What works for me in this kind of situation is to turn the unit off (wait a couple of seconds)then turn it back on in Low power mode. This makes the fl-18 reacquire a lock on the bottom and has worked for me numerous times in the past.
Just my .02
GF

[EBass]

I second "goin fishin"

[LwnmwnMan2]

Brava-

I just switched to power pro, and my vex picks the line up, but after 2 minutes tops, it clears up... does yours still read it?

Lwn

[kenandheather1121]

Go to the Vexilar web site, go to get help, to frequently asked questions about the 18. If your serial number is below 192501 you can send it in and they will fix it. The address is on the site. It has something to do with the software in it. Hope this helps.
Good luck and be safe.

[Bill-E-Bazz]

Yep, get a Marcum

Good Fishin'...

[EBass]

LOL Bill-E-Bazz, first you need to know how to use it. Yuck - Yuck! Second MY FL-18 ROCKS!

[brava-pesca]

LwnmwnManZ Are you fishing inside a warm ice house? I enjoy sitting outside and hop from hole to hole. Power Pro worked fine on the warmer days in Dec., however on the days below freezing I can't use the line because of the interference. Are any of you able to use Power Pro or any other super-line outside on cold days (below freezing)without any interference from your Vexilar or Marcum?

[brava-pesca]

I forgot to say: Are you able to fish outside without constant interference.

[iffwalleyes]

If you are getting interferance off power pro maybe you need to switch to a Marcum. I have been using power pro all year and I have had no problems on my Marcum. I think there is some other issue than the line. I used fireline last year with my FL 8 and had no problems and this year my one buddy is using power pro and his vex isn't giving him any problems so I don't think your line has anything to do with it.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
[email protected]

[Guest]

Its the line. The unit is picking up the air pockets trapped in the line. Switch to mono and your problem is solved.

[Scott Steil]

Soak your line in water before you go out or live with it until that Powerpro absorbs some water. That is why I don't use that stuff.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
(320)293-3287
www.millelacsguideservice.com