Why do I need Zoom?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I dont want this to sound anything like a commercial. That is not my intent.

I worked the MarCum High Power Challenge this last weekend, and had the pleasure of meeting an elderly man named Bob. If your reading this Bob, it truely was a pleasure to meet and share stories and time with you. I was the guy in the green hat, not sure if you remember who I was or not. But the question came up as I was explaining the MarCum LX-5..

"why do I need zoom?"

Tonight was the perfect example. I was fishing crappie in 38 feet of water, many fish were suspended anywhere from 7 feet below the ice, all the way to the bottom. For some reason, the fish were not all that active, I dont think it was the weather, but more the noise going on above the ice, but that is just my own theory.. anyway...

I had my thorne brothers rod rigged with 1.5lb gamma, with the thorne brothers spring bobber... By nights end I believe I caught close to 50 fish. Yet, I felt or saw the bite on about 5 of those fish. The fish were hitting so light that they would not even move the spring bobber. I have never in my life had fish do that... So I took my LX-5 and put it on Zoom, and started setting the hook when ever the fish and my lure lined up. Sure I wiffed on a few, but for the most part a fish was there. I tried to duplicate this same thing with the zoom off, and couldnt.

I could hear people outside my portable complaining about how they could see tons of fish on their flashers, but couldnt get them to bite... I have a storng feeling they were, but didn't put it all together...

No matter what unit you buy, if you ever fish for something that can and will suspend, you owe yourself to buy a unit that can give you the target seperation you deserve.

Hope this helps someone catch more fish this winter.

[jigginjim]

I agree with you, Deitz, I run a lowrance 522 in ice mode. When I find the depth that most of the fish are coming at I'll zoom to the target area. I have had a split shot 3" up from a crappie minnow, I easily saw both, and watch fish move to either. I crappie coming up to the split, HHMMM, a new lure maybe?

[Eric Wettschreck]

I can't remember the last time I went fishing, and didn't have the zoom on.

[fishing tech]

As said above, target seperation.

[Bigslugger]

With the more peak power on a Marcum does it show better target separation on ZOOM mode than the Vexilars?

[jwhjr]

We had some really light biters this past weekend as well, and I used the same technique to pull some of them in. I just waited until I was lined up and set the hook after a few seconds when I didn't feel the bite. It was about a 50/50 success rate.

[FISHINGURU]

lol to funny

quit lettin the cat out of the bag deitz...i found that out about a year or two ago when watching my bait with my vex and my cam...the perch and crappie were coming up and inhaling my bait on cam but my bobber wouldn't budge...same thing with the jig the fish would appear on my vex right on my lure but i wouldn't feel anything even know the cam showed plain as day my jig was in it's mouth so i'd set the hook.

this year i'm nailing them knowing what i learned while other people around me say there's fish everywhere but no takers and fish were on there bait but wouldn't take it lol.

when i see them on my vex right on my bait i either set the hook and go for broke or i slowly lift up and feel them then set it...or i've found when u slowly pull it away they chase then hit it a little more agressive....the higher i can get them off bottom the more likely they will hit.

ps...i love my zoom i wouldn't fish without it...i've also had crappies go right past my minnow to hammer on my sinkers....even when i'm slowly pulling it up sometimes they choose to attack my sinkers instead...and no matter what i always still try to set the hook..its like a natural reaction lol

[Sandmannd]

I gotta say, I always thought a flasher was a flasher. Now with having an LX5 it's really nice to have the zoom. I don't think I'd go back to fishing without a zoom.

[Esox_Magnum]

On an LX-5 you can get 3/4" target seperation in zoom mode with the super fine line feature. My favorite feature on the LX next to the zoom. Vex offers what for tagret seperation?? 2"+

[Loos15]

That's exactly what happen to me on the ice today. Couldn't feel the bite, and the meat-stick couldn't pick up the bite at all(nothing wrong with it, just very very tender bites). I figured every time my jig turned red on zoom, I would test the bite, and sure enough they were there, and that's how I iced a lot of my fish today.

Zoom is good, Adjustable zoom is better, adjustable zoom with 3/4 separation, well it made my day

Although I wonder if a good spring bobber rod would've solved that dilemma.

[Drewski]

Gotta have the zoom. It always seems like something is hugging the bottom!

[ChuckN]

Deitz, it's funny you mention the zoom and the finicky bite. I was fishing walleyes last Sunday after a cold front and the fish were actively chasing the lure, but these fish wouldn't give me the true "tap" on the line/rod when they ate the lure. Strange...

The LX-5 zoom was the ticket! I love the 5' zoom mode, and used it the entire evening. I began setting the hook when I thought that fish mouthed the lure. I did lose some of those super-light biters, but I also caught some and had some great fun.

I think 95% of the time I'm in zoom. Incredible detail I cannot resist!

[harvey lee]

I will use the zoom on both my LX5 amd my Humminbird. There have been times when the bite is that light that I will just use my camera in downview mode and watch the bait go into their mouths and then set the hook.

Many ways to catch these finicky fish.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Holy Cwap, Harvy... You pack an LX5 and a Hummingbird and a underwater camera with you? That's a lot of toys!

[harvey lee]

Not all at one time. Typically I have 1 camera with and 1 flasher.

I have been comparing the LX5, Humminbird and Vexilar to see what each one has to offer and how they interfere with each other.

[WallyGader]

The only time im not using the zoom on my fl-20 is when i am just checking the depth.