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I am really wanting to get a Flasher for Christmas this year and my wife is willing if I can convince her it is a necessary part of ice fishing[  ].
I go ice fishing probably 20-30 times a year so I think it is a necessity but have never owned or used one.
Help me out convincing her that I need a flasher for ice fishing and possibly which brands are best so she can surprise me[sly]
Thanks,
Frozen Rod
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I got a hummingbird ice-45 last year and love it! I don't know how I went ice-fishing without one for all them years. My catch rate has gone up and it keeps me occupied looking at the screen seeing all the fish swim by. I'm sure there are better flashers out there but the one I got is easy to use and I haven't had one problem with it.
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]YES; you need one. Period. End of sentence. [cool][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Now; which one do you need? Well that's going to be a can of worms for sure. The first step is to establish how much your budget will allow you to spend. Work within that restriction. The more they cost, the more features they offer, so spend your entire budget and get all the features you can afford. There are way to many makes and models to cover here. I have been using a Vexilar FL20 for 6 or 7 years now and I wouldn't trade you for any other make or model out there. I have friends who think the Humminbird is the best thing since peanut butter. Still others will argue the Marcum is the cat's meow. They will all get you more fish. Buy the very best with the most features your budget will allow. You will not be disappointed.[/#800000][/font]
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Bob Hicks, from Utah
I'm 81 years young and going as hard as I can for as long as I can.
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Been a Vex fan for many years. I have a FL-8. When I bought mine, it was the only model they made. I have friends with all the new bells and whistles, but I have found that I don't need them. I can tell you this much... one year several years ago, my son and I sat in our ice tent 4 feet apart. We were fishing new years weekend at Wanship. It was one of those exceptional days. My son was "blind" fishing and iced 52 or so. I was using the Vex and iced 168. I went at least 5 years straight without being skunked. I can depend on out fishing those without any kind of sonar 10 to 1, sometimes more. A few years ago my wife and I drove to our destination and discovered I had forgotten the Vex's. Of course, we faired as well as the others around us, 0, none, nada, zip, skunk. First time skunked for many a year. My wife's vex is 4 years old, much newer than mine. It doesn't work any better, just is easier to see in bright sunlight. If I could justify it, I would get a newer one. So... to answer your question... YES!!. Definitely Flash rather than not flash.
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I own a vex fl-8 fl-18 and a hummingbird 55. I like different things on all models. Long story short I would turn around and go home if I left my flasher at home. On boring days I have dropped M&M'S down the hole and it will mark them until it hits the bottom.
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flasher is a MUST! I would rather leave my auger at home and use dull rusty credit card or a wooden spoon to get through the ice [ ] than fish with out my flasher..
Flashers are game changer
Too convince my wife they were worth the money i let her use mine and proceded to watch her "play the game" on my flasher
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Yes, you'll catch more fish, and you won't waste time fishin where the fish ain't. But for me, it's just more fun using a flasher, period. It doesn't matter much to me whether I catch 15 or 150, I'm not competing with anyone. But using a flasher puts the extra element of fun in it, seeing the fish, and then maybe seeing the fish come right up off the bottom toward your bait, and then the bite on your rod. That never gets old. BTW mine's the Marcum 5, $500, excellent definition, excellent unit, but a cheaper one would work fine too.
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I realize I am not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to technology but when I looked at flashers I just didn't 'get' them. I then looked at a Showdown and it immediately made sense so I bought it.
It was an immediate game changer for me also!
Ice season just used to be just something I did between goose season and first walleyes at UL at ice out.
Watching that dang Showdown became addictive. Last year I caugh t carp, muds, and channels through the ice, multiple trips. The most amazing thing was the hook was not actually in their mouths. I would just watch the graph until the lcd jig bar met the lcd fish bar for half a second and then set the hook. 90% of the time these "weird" ice season fish (carp, muds, and channels) would be hooked just barely on the outside edge of the lip.
I got so addicted I was fishing UL harbors last year so late in the year I fell through the ice. I think that was late feb or maybe even early march.
Dont buy an ice finder. You will catch too many fish and then I will catch less!
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Thank you for all the post so far...my mouth is watering!
Just about ready to have a talk with my DW.
Any last minute thoughts ![[Image: scaredworried.gif]](http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/scaredworried.gif)
Frozen Rod
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I pulled the trigger last year, and went with the marcum lx5. They all have features that you will love, but really find which unit is the most intuitive for you. Lots of different opinions out there.... And they are all correct!
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I bought a Lowrance Ice Machine 4 last season. I didn't use it too much but it has a gps with an awesome map. I brought the unit out on my boat this summer and marked a bunch of waypoints on drop offs and humps for laker fishing this winter. This feature may be more valuable than seeing your jig. Finding the right spot is half the battle !
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I may be late (was traveling) but here's my dos centavos.
I bought a used Marcum Showdown with the bag and battery option from an online auction site. Used it last year and was amazed at the difference it made in my success. Just seeing the water depth and fish below before I drilled was worth the price. Seeing fish approach my jig and taking - or NOT taking! - was an education.
This summer, I did the upgrade to the Showdown II and believe that the zoom function will be another huge help. (The upgrade is only $50 with an older unit.) The zoom lets you see only the bottom five or 10 feet of the water column, which might miss any suspended fish but is like a telephoto lens for bottom eaters like perch.
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I would not suggest a flasher. Contentious position, I know, but I don't buy into "conventional wisdom" when times have changed making that 'wisdom' not so smart.
Back in the day, flashers had a great advantage of speed of data compared to a 2d display depth/fish finder. That was primarily driven by the simplicity (low tech) nature of sending signals to rotating led's, and not having to process them into a graphical display.
But, with the computing power available in very small packages, there is no longer a speed advantage. Not only is there not a speed advantage, there is now a di  vantage with flasher's singular modality. My hummingbird can display a flasher circle if that is what someone wants, and it is every bit as sensitive and fast as flashers that have been right next to it. I' have watched separate returns for my 1/4 oz jig, and 1/64th oz ice fly at 30 ft down, reflecting even the smallest movements of the tip of my rod in real time.
But, I can also choose many other modes, including one view showing the typical historical graph with a vertical flasher on the leading edge. With the down imaging, I can get a 3d image of the bottom below me, allowing me to note structure or fish off to the side of my hole, indicating that perhaps I need to move just a couple feet. Plus, there is a GPS to mark spots, with a second transducer there is no setup to move it between my ice tackle box and the boat, etc, etc, etc. Lots more functionality and flexibility than a flasher.
The largest downside that I see is that they are not often setup for ice fishing like many flasher options, so some DIY setup is often necessary.
Choose a flasher if you budget is limited, and you think that later on you may be in a better position to upgrade. But if you can swing for a home run with the boss, I'd suggest getting something more versatile.
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^^^ YUP ^^^
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For me, it's more fun ice fishing with a fish finder. The downside is it's no fun without it now. I have a lowrance something, can tell if my wax worm is still on up yo 30'
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I own both types of fish finders and I prefer using my flasher for ice fishing, and I have my Lowrance rigged up so it can be used for ice fishing. I just prefer the simplicity of the flasher and when I use the Lowrance I must carry two batteries, because one will not last all day. I have also found that when I jerk my rod that often the Lowrance screen looks like there are fish everywhere for a few seconds; whereas, the Marcum doesn't have that problem. All of this may change when I try out my new Lowrance LMS-525C DF this ice season (found out that it uses the same transducer and power connection as my older Lowrance).
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If I am fishing in water over about 60' deep(fishing for macks) the Marcum is almost useless. That is when the Lowrance definitely earns it's keep.
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What is the best place to purchase a used flasher? I want to get one but paying over $200 for anything is tough being a student. Ksl is an obvious resource but I haven't seen any flashers on there lately.
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"Just seeing the water depth and fish below before I drilled was worth the price."
Wait. You can get water depth and mark fish on a flasher before drilling any holes?
Frozen Rod
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Absolutely. Brush away any snow so you get solid ice, then pour an ounce of water and set the transducer down in it. Ice is "invisible" to the sonar pulses. As long as you don't have an air gap, the flasher won't care if you're shooting through ice.
It's a very quick way to prospect for a known depth or structure.
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