Sonars for Ice Fishing

South · **Joined:** Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:32 am **Posts:** 49

How well do the handheld sonars really work? Specifically the Vexilar LPS-1 Handheld Sonar. Anyone know where you can buy one in Canada? Are there other brands that work better? Why do all the pros seem to use the full size flashers?

YO · **Posted:** Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:31 pm

Handhelds tell you the depth, some might tell you the temp. A full blown flasher tells you depth, marks fish, and also marks your lure. If you can't afford to buy a good flasher, save your money untill you can. If you are serious about buying a sonar specifically for ice fishing, you want a flasher. Your other option is to use a portable LCD finder, it can double as a finder for in your boat. But it won't mark your lure unless it's big and sitting still. After using a flasher for about 1 season, I can honestly say that I catch a lot more fish through the ice than ever before. I still have bad days, but on average, the vex has helped a lot!

BATMAN · **Posted:** Mon Jan 10, 2005 6:26 pm

I agree,

It's best to save your money and invest in a flasher
if you want to use it exclusively for ice fishing. The
Vexilar hand held unit tells depth and has a fish alarm.
The alarm can only tell presents of fish, not exact
depth, fish movement up and down, or how far out
from your bait it is (Vexilar uses 3 colors to achieve
this).

Look at Canadian tires Vexilar FL-8. Its probably
available at most stores. They do not have the FL-18
which has a bright display, split ranges with zoom,
automatic noise reduction. Both units have the same
resolution. I believe it can distinguish 1/2" between
two objects. An LCD unit would have difficulty even
coming close to a flasher in an ice fishing application.

Good Luck,
BATMAN

Bassn51 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 10, 2005 7:00 pm

On a related topic, I was in CTC the other night and I see they are clearing the Hummingbird remote fish finder for about $100.00 (this is the one you cast out the transducer). I've often thought that this would be a great tool for bass fishermen but haven't talked to anyone who has used one. Any one had any experience with one? Is it a valuable tool or just a novelty?

Thanks.

Bassn51
take the grandkids fishing

big-o · **Posted:** Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:41 pm

I have to agree with all the Guys.....the Vexilar is the way to go, the fl18 will zoom in on the bottom 6 feet, great for walleye

, plus it will show you in real time, where as the LCD will not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can see a 1/64 once jig down 50 feet.....you can see the fish move to the jig or bait, Once you see one of these units work ...you will wonder how you ever got along with out it !!

South · **Joined:** Wed Nov 19, 2003 12:32 am **Posts:** 49

Very convincing arguments for buying a Vexilar, thank you ... I think, there goes another $500 bucks ... LOL

U & ME · **Posted:** Tue Jan 11, 2005 12:11 pm

Just so you all know a LCD will show you real time if it has fast track. fast track is just like a flasher and with a unit that has 3000 watts of power nothing will hide and the plus about LCD over flasher is with split screen you can have real time on one side and normal on the other side so you can see what you have seen or missed if you were not looking at the screen at the time. I use a x70a and fish with guys that use vex and trust me i see what they see and with the split screen i can see things they cant.
by the way can see 1/16oz jig down 70 feet ([i]have never fished deeper on simcoe so cant say if it will show deeper[/i]) and can tell if a fish is coming or going by putting gray line at 100% so like the vex thr reder it gets the bigger and better it is well same for gray line thicker the line the closer he is and bigger he is. The vex is great machine but for guys and gals the want to use a sonar for all seasons any unit that has fast track and greay or white line will do you fine.

BATMAN · **Posted:** Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:40 pm

I have an LMS-350A and an X-18 that I use on my boat.
The LMS is almost identical to an X-70A with added bells
and whistles and GPS. I have used the fastrac on both
units of an on but never used it that extensively. It shows
a flasher type vertical real time bar.

For ice fishing I use the Vexilar FL-18. It really does excel
in ready what is happening below you. Like other state, you
can see a 1/64 oz jig in 50 feet of water with ease. The main
difference I see between the LCD fastrac and the vexilar is
the ability it tell were fish are in the transducers cone. The
unit uses 3 colors to help you determine if a fish is to or away
from your offering. You can adjust your presentation to entice
strikes just by watching the reactions or mode of the fish. On
an LCD you can see a fish move up or down to your bait but
may not be able to see its horizontal movements which may
be the most important sometimes.

Also I don't think you are comparing apples and apples. The X-70A
back in the early 90's was one of Lowrances top end Walleye units.
Although the Vexilar is $500, if you were to buy a unit now similar
to the X-70A it would be the LMS-320 which is over $1000 and almost
$2000 after taxes with GPS.

Good Luck choosing,

I always buy what my wife wants,
Whatever keeps me happy she saids,

She let me get the Vexilar,

BATMAN

dwc67 · **Joined:** Wed Nov 10, 2004 7:02 pm **Posts:** 1

big o

i will put my X67 against a vex anyday.

i will say this if you are needing just an icefishing sonar go with the vex or marcum because the lowrance has interferance problems right beside another sonar. it you need a dual duty sonar get the lowrance, it uses a differant screen then other lcds so it does not slow down in the cold. it is also a graph on the bow mount come soft water.

shamanic · **Posted:** Wed Jan 12, 2005 1:14 pm

I bought a vex fl8 pro-pac last year on e-bay for 400.00 . After one season using it i will never go hardwater fishing with out it .

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Sonars for Ice Fishing

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