Flasher (How to properly use one)

ernst · **Joined:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:25 pm **Posts:** 31

Well, I am old school and never really relied on any type of electronics to catch fish, but I broke down and bought one of these flasher units.. They are quite interesting, but I am not sure I know how to properly use it. I drill the hole, put the transducer in the water and watch my jig go up and down. Gets boring fast, but reading allot of posts here, seems that most wouldn't be without one. Is the idea to drill hole, set the transducer, look for green or red marks to indicate fish down there, then start fishing, or do as I am doing, drill hole, see nothing then start fishing (lol).. sounds funny, but seriously I am so new to the technology, I must be doing something wrong (and the family is starving, haha).. any tips would be appreciated! thanks

littledog · **Posted:** Fri Jan 23, 2015 9:43 am

I learned how to use mine by watching videos online. Radio world produces videos for some models which shows general use,fine tuning ect . Various videos, for various models, are online on Youtube as well .I found reading the instructions that came with my model also helpful, but some of the videos show someone actually setting up and using the flasher and catching fish.(AS DOES GRIZZLEY'S RECENT VIDEO, WHICH IS POSTED ON THIS BOARD)The online videos also explain the various features of the unit . To me, once I knew the difference between the bottom,the fish on ,or near bottom ,the fish suspended within the water coluum,and my lure, and then learning how to fine tune it all and use the various features, it all seemed less boring......became exciting!Regardless, it will take some practice ,and some time !

ernst · **Joined:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:25 pm **Posts:** 31

Thanks so much for the response... Is the idea to drill the hole, set the transducer and see if you mark fish? If nothing marks, move on and repeat?? Sorry for stupid questions, but I think if I figure it out, my results will be improved!

Jig&swig · **Joined:** Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:51 pm **Posts:** 9

Just sent you a PM Ernst

bestday · **Joined:** Fri Jan 16, 2015 11:52 am **Posts:** 6

just do your fishing as previous way, fish finder just remind you there is a fish or not under water, and tell you the depth.

middlewick · **Posted:** Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:08 am

The biggest thing is to determine bottom, on my vex it the solid red.
The 0 point is at the top and it's read clockwise. Find where bottom is and that will tell you depth.
When you lower your jig towards the bottom, you will be able to see if anything separates from the bottom and comes towards your jig, that's fish.
For me I turn my sensitivity down as low as possible, just enough to register my lure.
Watch for anything coming up off bottom and watch what it does, does it follow your jig up when you lift. A lot of the walleye will keep following it up and hit up high.
It will take some use before you can differentiate between perch and walleye, with the coloured flashers the larger fish will usually be red and the perch will be a combo of green, yellow and sometimes red.

I am by no means an expert and all flashers will be different, but these are the basics as I have come to understand them. It's been a learning process. Good luck.
I'm sure that once you master it, you won't leave home without it.

littledog · **Posted:** Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:23 am

If nothing marks,drill,repeat?.....Well,I wouldn't quite put it that way.First ,I would drill my hole in an area that I'm confident would attract fish at some point.(Would have to be deep enough for the Walleye bite)Using this board to find the areas where fish are being caught, is a good starting point!Then ,I would set up my flasher so that I can distinguish bottom....a lot of these bigger fish are on bottom.....The fact that I don't mark any fish right away would not cause me to move away from a spot that I'm confident will hold fish at some point.....If after a while,I am marking nothing, then I may try another, perhaps deeper,or perhaps just different ,spot .But knowing how to use the flasher,and spending the effort to learn,is huge.Its not just about seeing your lure....knowing the difference between bottom and the fish is also huge.(and like I said, it was the video of my specific model on Radio World, that really made it easier for me to grasp)........The above post(Middlewick) also explains it well!

ernst · **Joined:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 2:25 pm **Posts:** 31

Thanks so much fellas! it is very interesting and I have watched a couple videos on youtube for my machine. Will give her another try tonight.. Thanks for the discussion, I have a better feel for it now.

Grizzly · **Posted:** Fri Jan 23, 2015 6:26 pm

one thing I can honestly say is there is always fish under any hole you drill once you start jigging the fish will come.......... I remember back before my first flasher I would drill a hole and fish 10 minutes if nothing happened id move and drill another hole, hell on a bad day I would drill 30 holes in a days fishing........... Now . saying that....... once I got a flasher I have never once drilled a hole started jigging and not had a fish show up in 5 minutes or less so there is always fish willing to show up to some jig action and I do mean always... now learning to read a flasher will take you some time to start out play with the gain as a rule in quinte you set it very low bring your jig up a few feet off bottom and watch it on your flasher turn your gain down so you see the jig get smaller turn your gain way up the jig gets bigger you want it small enough so you can track it closer to bottom once you catch a few fish it will all make sense and you will become addicted when you see a fish raise up quick to your jig you will become obsessed lol

bluenotedixieband · **Joined:** Sun Feb 03, 2013 9:51 pm **Posts:** 22

I drill a hole or four in an area. If after a few minutes nothing marked, I go to next hole. Depending on weather / temp, I could drill a few holes in a potentially good area and rotate through them until I mark a fish. Then stay until mark caught or moved on . . .

In my opinion - if just watching your own bait go up and down - may as well not have flasher - apart from depth and structure - flasher should be showing you fish if they are there . . .

water-werx.ca · **Joined:** Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:46 pm **Posts:** 93

bestday wrote:

just do your fishing as previous way, fish finder just remind you there is a fish or not under water, and tell you the depth.

Just started using a Markum LX7 this season , first time using flasher... - couldn't agree with the ABOVE statement more

key is to not let the flasher change your normal jigging cadence --- alot of guys I'm sure ( myself included ) stop or change what they're doing as soon as fish are marked.... causes less hook ups in my opinion.

my advice ( take it with a grain of salt ) from the fish we've caught while using a flasher is only start messing with a fish that doesn't strike while using your normal jigging technique - let the flasher show you the DEPTH the fish are running, so you can adjust, and to be simply more prepared for a strike ... but whatever brought the fish into the flasher zone, don't stop that unless they won't strike

just my 2 cents!

ALSO - something I really like about the Markum digital unit is how accurate they are ABOVE the ice ( without drilling a hole ) .- just slap transducer on the flat ice surface and it reads the depth bang on!
On updated Navionics ( android app) we found a difference of 6 feet of depth inaccuracy this weekend...
advice - don't expect Navionics to be BANG ON with depths, I was shocked to see how inaccurate the app was in a few locations on Quinte

best of luck to you on the water/ice
Spenc

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Flasher (How to properly use one)

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