Premium Ice Fishing Sonars

[catfish77]

I know this subject has been hashed around many times, but I may looking to upgrade my Marcum LX5 to a unit that has digital read outs and vertical bars. Who has experience with the LX6 or 7 or the new Hummingbird Helix Units?

What's the best way to go?

Thanks,

Justin
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[RonPaulFan]

I like my MarCum LX-9. All of it's features work very well and a wide range of adjustments can make what you're looking to see big and bold. Best of all, when there's something on the screen that I haven't seen before, the camera makes it clear what structure is there.
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[lakepowellnut]

I have the LX7 and love it. Lots of adjustments and works great in shallower water. I also have a LX3tc and the LX7 is my go to sonar.
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[El_Matador]

I have the Helix 5 and really like it. This sonar is primarily designed for use on a boat, but it works very well for ice fishing. I use mine for both open water and ice so it's great for me. If you want a machine designed specifically for ice fishing the Marcum is probably a better choice.
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[08trdoffroad]

I have an LX7 and couldn't be happier! It has the ability to be used on open water too! It is extremely customizable and is pretty future proof with firmware updates free from Marcum! Hard to beat IMO!
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[catfish77]

I've been looking at the 7 since the screen is so much bigger than the 6. Most reviews are good, but I've seen a few that say it doesn't read things in 6 feet or shallower. What's your experience? Thx!
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[lakepowellnut]

The new update they just released resolve the shallow water issue. I've used it at Pelican in 12 FOW and didn't have any issues in water less than 6'.
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[catfish77]

How do you update the unit?
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[GoodGravy]

I have a friend with the LX-7 and it is really nice. Easy to see the screen and operate under the tent or in the sun. It has great target separation, something like 1/4" between objects, and even the lightest jigs seem to show up quite well. I ended up buying a Humminbird Helix 5 myself due to wanting to use it with a kayak the rest of the year and (mostly) being poorer than I'd like to be. Pros for it are small size, wider beam angle (comes at a loss of signal strength on those small jigs), and about half the price of the LX-6 or 7. I typically use the dual beam screen for ice when I'm out away from others and interference isn't an issue as it shows fish well on the edges and I can see my jigs in all the holes in the tent with the narrow beam. My model has down imaging and GPS for those kayak adventures, but base model Helix 5 can be had for less than $200 and it will show what you need to see as far as fish being there or not. I have used it for two seasons and it has worked very well for me in both ice and open water applications, but it's not really the best for either. If money were no object I would have the Marcum for the ice, and probably a much bigger, faster, powered boat with a sweet lowrance finder on the dash.
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[Kipe]

Another vote for the Marcum. I own the LX-7 but if I could do it again I think I would get the 6. The 7 is just a little big and bulky for my run and gun style. I originally bought the 7 to upgrade to get the camera installed but now have decided I'm just going to buy a separate camera. Overall very happy with the unit, and after the newest update fixing the shallow water problem I have no complaints. To upgrade you download the file from Marcum then basically drag and drop via usb.
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[lakepowellnut]

All you do is download the update from the Marcum site, connect your sonar to your computer using a USB to microUSB cord and follow the instructions found on the site. You can also find the instructions on their Facebook page.

Here is what the upgrade does:

A free firmware update makes it easier to use your MarCum® digital flasher to find and catch fish in both shallow and deep water.
"We made adjustments to our sonar gain curve that improve both shallow-water and deep-water performance," says MarCum® Products Engineer Rocky Holmes. "Now you're able to see your bait in less than 10 feet much easier than you were before, and with less screen interference when fishing deep."
Unlike most ice-fishing flashers - which just get older with time - MarCum's LX-6, LX-6s and LX-7 digital sonar units get better over time, thanks to free firmware upgrades such as the one recently released and available at this link.
"We're always working on upgrades, whether it's a performance tweak or new features," Holmes explains. "You're always going to be able to upgrade them to make your digital MarCum sonar even better at finding fish than on the day you bought it."
After installing the free firmware update, "you'll be able to see your jig on your screen when it's about two and a half feet deep," Holmes says. That will be a great help to anglers when fish are biting in shallow water. In deep water, the new firmware update cleans up screen resolution by eliminating some transducer interference "noise," Holmes explains. "It was minimal interference - you were always able to fish through and still use it - but we made some improvements."
MarCum is the only ice-fishing-centric electronics manufacturer that makes digital units that can be upgraded to add features and improve performance. LX-6, LX-6s and LX-7 owners can install the free firmware updates in a matter of minutes from the comfort of their own homes.
"Like on our smartphones and laptops, software updates include performance tweaks that improve upon MarCum's proven products and level of performance," Holmes says. "And it couldn't be easier - just follow the instructions on the website and your digital unit will be better than ever in no time."
MarCum's firmware upgrades often follow customer feedback. "We get a lot of great suggestions from anglers who spend a lot of time on the ice, and a lot of those ideas are incorporated into our updates," Holmes says.
Update System Requirements:
The upgrades are available via download from MarCum's website, marcumtech.com. The LX-6, LX-6s and LX-7 update requires a PC computer with 2.0 USB port and a 2.0 USB cable. Do not attempt an upgrade without 2.0 port or cable.
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[RonPaulFan]

[quote catfish77]How do you update the unit?[/quote]

I've updated my MarCum LX-9 twice since I bought it when it first came out. It just takes a few minutes. Use your computer to print the one page instructions, download an update file and move it onto it's memory chip using a chip reader. When the MarCum is turned on, it will update from that new file.

Here is what the website says for mine, but if it's an LX-7, then click on that:

SOFTWARE UPDATES
Your Marcum LX-9 has the ability to have the software updated. We may come out with new software
versions to add features or to improve performance. To see which version you have, press the MENU
button, then select SYSTEM SETTINGS. The version will be displayed at the top of the menu window as a
number with a “v” in front of it.
To see if there are new versions available, check our website www.marcumtech.com or stay in touch
through various social media outlets. Compare the software version on your system with what we have
available online, and ensure your system has the highest numbered version.
For more information, be sure to go to our website, click on the “Updates” tab and check out the step-
by-step instructions and watch the video tutorial.
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