Thread: Looks Like Ice!!!

Originally Posted by mmaveal

Are you talking about the Marcum Showdown 2.0 for about $199.00? I have never had one of these but they look interesting.

This would work OK. but if i was to start out with my 1st ice ff i would look on Craigslist for a used vexilar FL8 these ff are bullet proof or a hummingbird 35 or Marcum lx3

I did this for my first ff , you should be able to find something cheaper then 200.00

good luck and let us know when the perch are biting

Anybody ever try a Hawkeye hand-held sonar that is supposed to tell the depth through the ice?

Originally Posted by mmaveal

Anybody ever try a Hawkeye hand-held sonar that is supposed to tell the depth through the ice?

If its clear ice I can turn the gain up on vex, splash some water on the top of it and do the same.

Hermin - thanks for the info. I'm taking the advice and looking around for a vexilar fl 8.

Originally Posted by mmaveal

Hermin - thanks for the info. I'm taking the advice and looking around for a vexilar fl 8.

You wont be disappointed with whatever you end up getting. Fishing with a flasher is so much fun!

Drop your transducer into your minnow bucket. Turn the gain up and it will shoot through the ice. Also we use a ziplock with water. Originally, i wanted an fl8 but the year i bought mine they were discontinued. Like hermin said, once you fish with one, you will have a blast.

Originally Posted by mmaveal

Anybody ever try a Hawkeye hand-held sonar that is supposed to tell the depth through the ice?

They all do that if the ice is still good and clear, and you have a liquid connection between your transducer and the ice. The thicker the ice the more gain you will need. I believe there is a video at the Vexilar website showing Dave Gentz doing just that. Where that is possible you save a whole lot of time effort and power.

It also shows him using a cordless electric drill to cut his holes, which is how I cut mine (I use 6"), all winter, but you must keep your blades sharp or you will use a lot of batteries just to get to the water.

Originally Posted by Crappie 1

Hi no1. I have the FL18, I never owned one before I bought it, so have nothing to compare it to. We have ice now. The lake across the street must have 4" I took my spud and cut 4 holes out from shore. They are riding snow mobiles on it, don't think I would be doing that yet. Going to try and fish it tomorrow or Sat. I heard that a few lakes are being fished close by here.

Even the last of the smaller lakes to freeze over in most years have fishermen out around here already. I go right past one of the deep walleye holes to and from work and there were shacks out even tonight as cold as it is. We may get to 10 below tonight or colder and might not make it out of the single digits tomorrow. Too bitter for this old boy to sit in the open on a bucket for sure, but I will be out this week once the temps moderate a bit.

Once you get the hang of your flasher you are going to wonder how you ever got along without one before. Like I said I use the basic Marcum VX1. That has proven to be as rugged for me as the FL8 is known to be. Choosing between them is a Ford versus Chevy type of argument. I really doesn't make all that much difference.

Don't just use it on a singly hole or a permanent house. Take it out and explore up and down and along the breaks looking for activity before you wet a line.

There are definitely some good videos that show most of the "how" on the internet. A good place to start are both the Marcum and Vexilar sites. Both have videos that show how to use these units.