i have read about people using flashers along wiht there jigs. I cant figgure out what you all ae talking about. So a little help please. (pictures are helpful I'm a bit slow)
my next question is with fish finders what is the advantage to the velexar flasher vs the hummingbird finder i use on my little aluminum fishing boat?
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For aflasher I just use a castmaster and take the hook off and trail a jig about 4 to 6 inches below it. I use a castmaster because its heaver than most other flashers and gets you down faster
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For perch and crappie my set up is usually a small Swedish Pimple tied off on the end of the line with a small jig tied in about a foot of so above it. Besides providing needed weight to get to the bottom, the flashy Pimple catches alot of the fish. Don't forget to add Gulp maggots or Crappie Nibblets to the hooks....more often than not that'll make the difference in catching. Also use rods with very senstive tips to detect these light biters.
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As far as a flasher vs a finder, the other guys can correct me if I'm wrong, but the vexilar has a screen that only does the flasher display, so the cold weather won't have an effect on it. The LCD display on your fish finder can have problems when it gets really cold, so you might want it in a protected bucket or bag, and maybe a hand warmer that could be placed in with it on really cold days.
It also probably has a beam that goes down in a more concentrated cone, so more accurate straight down than a finder with wider angles, but that part I'm not as sure about.
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The vexilar (and other brands including humminbird) ice flashers are different from regular fish finders because they are so sensitive that they will pick up the smallest jig. Giving you the ability to see exactly where your jig is. I've got a humminbird portable fishin buddy fish finder that will pick up some of my bigger jigs, and then I've got a humminbird ice 45 that will pick up a sinking crumb of a potatoe chip that fell off my lap down the hole. They are expensive but if you plan on doing a lot of ice fishing they are awsome.
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I usually use a castmaster ( more flash) the most with a 6"to 14" leader to a jig. I am starting to use and make custom flashers that are painted with glow and glitter.
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Flasher style finders can take extremely cold temps. They also work closer to real time than all but the really expensive lcd type. they are super sensitive.
Windriver
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for the flashers above the jigs do you use them for all species or just kokes and perch?
what size castmasters are you all using?
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I use them for all species for ice fishing. it seems to attract them all and you dont know what youll catch. But if im fishing for bows or cuts ill use a bigger jig like a #8 with a night crawler with a kernal of corn or power bait
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I don't use flashers with jigs like the paddle bug because they are meant to glide and it takes the action out of them.
Windriver
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1/8 oz (1 1/4" or so) if less than 50 feet usually.
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Easy.... Easy....
That question pops up two or three times during each ice fishing season and it starts world war 3 between the flasher and the graph crowds!
Flasher Pros
Instantaneous Feedback
Almost 100% weatherproof
Great battery life
Flasher Cons
Takes a little while to learn to use
Expensive (not really sure why, considering it's 30 yr old technology)
No graph history (if you're not looking at it constantly you may miss something)
Does not work very well on a boat - a stable platform is best (not as versatile as a graph)
Graph Pros
Versatile (many people use them on their boats in the summer)
Shows you recent graph history
Much more versatility in adjusting settings
Graph Cons
LCD screens have a tendency to struggle in extreme cold
There's a slight delay in feedback (when compared to a comparable flasher)
Both will drastically increase your catch.
Lemme put my helmet on and get ready for the barrage of negative feedback. IMO, the flasher is the king of the hard deck. Graphs own the open water though. If I get to the lake and I'm missing my Vex FL-20, I just turn around and go home.
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I agree 100%
Windriver
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