Recommend a flasher...

[Ed Carlson]

For that price range a Marcum LX-1 or a newer VX-1 or even a GS-1 if you can find one (the Gander Mountain Guide Series GS-1 is the LX-1 model made for Gander) all would be a good bet.

I would like it a lot better if they had a Low Power Mode to help deal with suspended particulates, dense weeds, and clutter issues. That is my biggest gripe with all the Marcums, no LP mode.

[Surface Tension]

Anything flasher is better then nothing but, I wouldn't buy a sounder without interference reduction because you'll get in situations where you flasher would be useless. Could be interference from your buddies flasher or someone fishing next to you. Eventually you'll be looking to upgrade so if your going to spend around the $200 mark get a flasher with IR. fl8 does not have IR. fl8slt and se will have the interference reduction and that flasher will serve you well. You might be able to find a used MarCum in that price range also. Any of the MarCum flashers have a very good IR that have proven to effectively knock out interference. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up any used MarCum or Vex that fits in my price range as long as that Vex had IR.

[Surface Tension]

Ed, I've been using MarCums for 4 or 5 years now and never came across the situation where I couldn't turn the gain down far enough to eliminate weeds or particles and still see my jig.

MarCum and Vex are very different in that aspect and its one

thing that sets MarCum and Vex apart. The Vex suppression cable or LP mode is a good point though and a feature you'll want with a Vex.

So if you have a Vex without either, the suppression cable can be bought for $20 and that is money well spent.

[vook]

I think ST said it best. IMO, a vex fl-8 should be available at online auctions for under 200... I personally have an fl-20 which I would'nt trade for any other unit. I've used marcum's and vex's but have yet to see a bird in action...from what I've been reading lately I don't think I want to.

[Schobs]

Thanks again for all the tips, I ended up picking up a vexilar fl-8se from c-list. I brought it out to a little backwater just to test it out today and just had a quick question. I could clearly see the bottom at about 7 feet, but past the solid red line that represented the bottom, there was alot of noise I guess you could call it, lots of green and orange lines. I'll be fishing Lake of the Woods in a week and I know the ice will be thick. When fishing through alot of ice, how low do you drop the transducer? just below the white float, or down at the bottom of the ice? I'm so excited and absolutely love the new toy!!

[Bottle Fish]

I drop to the bottom of the ice.

[croixflats]

Ditto that

[TravP]

The FL8 is a great unit to start with as its a little less money like the MarCum VxI PRO.

Now if we are talking an open check book, then check out the MarCum lX5 and the Ice 55 by Hmminbird.

Vexilar gives a guy all the goobbly gook about how cheap the crystals are in the MarCum units and it will ruin the MarCum transducer in a matter of a season or two.

I cannot understand why Vexilar will sit here and say that the transducers for the MarCum units are junk when mine seems to work just fiNE After years of service. Vexilar will also state the the Birds are nothing more than junk also.

Thats ALL HOGWASH.

Lol. And why not an FL20?

[Scott K]

I have an FL-18 and a Marcum LX5, they are both great units, but I like the Marcum better. I am a little color blind and I cant see the difference in the greens and yellows with the FL-18, but I can clearly see the difference with the LX5. I also like the finer target seperation with the LX5.

I havent ever used an FL-20 to compare them, but I have seen a Ice 55 in action and I really like the display on that.

[TravP]

I've n ever used a h-bird but have owned an LX-3, which was a very unreliable unit, the reason I went back to vex. I will say that Marcums display is better but I can read my fl20 just as easy as my marcum. I also like the LP mode and the dimming mode. Much easier on your eyes in lowlight conditions. The flat screen is a huge plus in my eyes too.

[newoodhntr]

It's best if you get the transducer below the ice.

[hondarider550]

Well I want to put my two cents worth in too... I purchased Showdown flasher made my Nature Vision for around that $200 mark and im pretty impressed with it. It has a vertical screen which is easy to understand. If you want to know more just let me know..

[Surface Tension]

TravP, please stay on topic here. If your happy with your fl20 that is good but you really don't need to validate your purchase.

Schobs, when you say you see green and yellow lines where are these lines? If they are from 0-7ft and you can't get rid of them by turning down the gain then a suppression cable would be a great help. If they are after the 7' mark that is normal and you should be seeing that. You'll also be able to tell bottom hardness by observing the relationship of the bottom at different gain levels and depths. That'll take time and experience using the sounder to interpret that reading.

Also if your sharing a hole with the ducer off to the side then you'll want to get your ducer close to the bottom of the hole. If your ducer has its own hole you'll want to center it in the hole. You might find that you don't need to get the ducer to the bottom of the hole if it centered.

[Surface Tension]

A little bit about the Vex suppression cable and LP.

This isn't a magic item that gets rid of weeds, and clutter. Its simply reduces the the output power to the transducer.

When would you use suppression, mostly in shallow water when your gain can't be turned down any lower to get rid of weeds and clutter. More importantly, your jig, baitfish, and fish just entering your ducer cone angle won't be lit as hot red. You have 3 colors and you should be using all of those colors in your interpretation of what is going on below you. A constant hot red tells you very little. Many times I see long time flasher users watching a red hot jig. You might see your jig and fish but your missing out on a lot of information that your sounder is capable of telling you.

I mentioned earlier about MarCum not needing suppression. That is because right out of the box MarCum's gain will drop well below marking anything mentioned hot red. You'll be able to turn the gain down far enough to not mark bottom.

With either MarCum or a Vex using suppression the procedure is the same. As you turn the gain from 0 you'll start to read bottom first. As you continue to turn the gain up your jig will show up. Leave your jig to the weaker designating red for fish directly under your ducer. You'll then see those yellows and greens for fish entering your cone angle. If you have weeds you'll fine tune the gain in relation to weeds and your jig. You might want to see just the tops of the weeds or not mark them at all. Somewhere there will be a compromise on the jig.

Depending on the density of the weeds your jig might show up on a fall as it changes its profile or you may be able to keep it in constant view. Whatever the case you'll know that when a fish enters the cone angle it'll be marked from yellow,green, red as it should be.

Specifically your fl8se with a suppression cable is a fl18. Only difference is you don't have the LP switch.

[Schobs]

Thanks ST, that's the answer I was looking for. I've got the 19 degree transducer, and I'll be fishing out of a 6-man sleeper (12 holes) with only 1 other guy, so I'll have plenty of holes, if I'm fishing in 25'-30' of water, would you suggest putting it in the same hole im fishing at the bottom of the ice or try centering it in the hole next to the one i'm jigging from?

[Surface Tension]

If you have holes within 3' you'll be good to go. When you start increasing that even though you might see your jig, the relationship in distance of jig to fish won't be accurate. You could mark a hot target but in reality it is under your ducer and not close to your lure.

[hamms-scooter]

s t -

Quote:

Specifically your fl8se with a suppression cable is a fl18. Only difference is you don't have the LP switch.

by this do you mean separation or just ability to have lower power setting available to you?

[Surface Tension]

Something without the autozoom and bottom lock.