Flasher question
 

I am looking to get a flasher for this season and was looking for some feedback. I have never used one so I am looking for a quality entry level one in the 400-600 range. I have seen guys with Vexilar and Marcum but I’m sure everyone has their favourites. I would like a user friendly model with good battery life. It’s always a good place on this forum to learn about equipment so that’s what I’m asking. Any info will help my decision making. BTW I generally fish Pigeon and Sylvan if that makes a difference. Thanks in advance.

I like the Humminbird Helix 5 PT GPS CHIRP. It works for both open water and ice fishing (with the ice transducer), shows the flasher screen or a 2D image, and you can Autochart on open water and use it for ice fishing too.

Here’s an on ice video I made of mine. I like it netter than my flasher for its versatility.

https://youtu.be/an8F0372kR8




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As said Hands down helix 5 or 7. Can use it both summer or winter if you get the second transducer. The part I love the most is I can auto chart all summer building my depth charts and then utilize this in the winter! Sure is nice showing up on a piece of structure and drilling a hole in the exact depth I intended too.

I've had a Helix 7 for 1 winter and a summer and it's been good. Only thing with the bigger LCD unit is it sucks more battery then my regular flashers. I bought the summer unit and a ice ducer seperate and built my own box to fit a big battery in it (14ah). It runs all day with that.

Try the ice 35 45 55

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

I have the helix 7 as well and went with a Dakota lithium 10ah and it seems to be the trick to make it through the day. The stock battery seemed to die in the cold after 8 hrs however if it was in the shack warm never died on me on long days. I had a marcum lx6 prior and it never once died from a long day on the ice

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...938bb1c6cc.jpg

I added a metal transducer arm to my Helix and removed the float on the ice transducer. This will make it much easier to hole hop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Somebody on here used to sell those any idea where you got yours thanks the bracket

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

Buddy started making and selling them. PM me if you want details so I don’t derail this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just a tip for you guys running finders. I run a 7 as well and yes it is hard on power. If you havent turn down the brightness on your screen and you will be amazed the increase in battery time. Just like your cell or a tablet bright screens suck the battery pretty quick. I know on mine I crank it up in the sun then if I move inside I forget to turn it down sometimes even though I dont need it that bright on the inside.

For sure! I usually set mine on 5 - 6 and leave it there. Works fine unless it’s in direct sun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am using vexilar fl12, very simple to use and it works great

Here’s another vote for the Humminbird Helix Series. Just got my G3N Helix 7 set up and it’s going to be a game changer this winter. Used it all summer on the boat and bought the conversion kit last week. Love it.

If you only plan to use it as a flasher for ice fishing I would skip the extra stuff and go with a Hummingbird 45.

Vexilar make great units to, I have the 28 and in all honesty it's my go to most of the time. If the OP is looking for user friendly and longest battery life this actually might be a better bet if the other stuff like gps and having different options for viewing aren't a big paramount, and vexilar are know for reliability. I think the only downside on some of the lower end vexilars are having to add the dd100 if you want digital depth.

The FLX series have really bright screens and if you fish outside a lot are great no matter how bright it is. The humminbird ice units are good to but not quite as nice in bright sunlight. They are a bit quieter than the vexilars.

It’s a Ford/Chevy/Dodge thing, in my opinion. I love my Marcum and have also used Vexilars. Uncut Angling did a flasher comparison on YouTube, that might be worth checking out. I believe Vexilar won out in terms of the display in heavy sunlight.

I was looking at those lithiums as well but really just the cost compared to a higher capacity lead acid led me to go that route. I think I paid 30 bucks or so. Definitely a heavier battery than what the lithium would be though. I never got a stock battery with mine as I bought a summer unit and the ice ducer seperate but saw enough evidence that a standard 7 ah or whatever the ice helix package comes with wouldn't cut it.

I don't have experience with the lx6 but a couple buddies have the 7's and they will die long before my mechanical flashers on those real long march days. If in strictly graph mode they really burn the juice.

How deep have you fished with FLX12?

Thanks for all the input.It was appreciated.I ended up today getting a used vexillar from another AO member.It is easy and simple just like me.I have never used one before and I cant wait to try it out.This way I can Upgrade to a fancier model when I learn how to use it over the next ten years.Lol Now all i need is some thick ice.Good luck to all this season.

Welcome to the addiction. A word of warning though once you start fishing with one you will have a hard time fishing without.

You made the right decision in my opinion. You can certainly chase bells and whistles and spend stupid amounts of money, but sometimes simple and reliable is best. I am embarrassed to say how many flashers I have had, so I know a bit of what I speak.

Vexilar = Bulletproof

Love my Vexliar, money well spent. Congrats on your new purchase!

Yeah the extra bells and whistles aren't absolutely required but they are sure great to have. Having GPS is a HUGE benefit in my opinion. Yeah they burn more juice.

BUT I have a 2 extra batteries for the flasher (and the camera) in a milk crate that stays in the truck along with extra auger blades and extra 1lb propane tank or two for the auger and some basic tools.

If my flasher or camera runs out of juice, I swap the batteries and carry on. I think I paid $50 for 2 larger capacity replacement batteries (I think the added batteries are something like 2 amp hours higher in capacity and only 1/4" taller - so they fit nicely and last significantly longer).

I like bells and whistles. I can't live without the GPS - I can return right to the perfect spot where I found that highly productive spot right on weed line or drop off letting me limit out on jumbos more days than not.

I can do the same thing off my phone. Ice fishing you are just looking to get back to a certain way point and the gps on most phones these days is good enough to get you within feet.

Cabela’s have the Dakota Lithium 10amp
Batteries in stock and on sale. Ordered one the other day.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/13037...-10-ah-battery

I understand you like your Helix 5 as i am looking at them but do you or others have any experience with Garmin Striker Plus 5 Ice bundle? I am torn between the 2 (Helix 5 ice 5 gps g2 and the Striker plus 5 ice bundle) and want to pull the trigger in the next few days. I found a new site to order sonars from that has good deals on these units and free shipping. https://www.sail.ca/en/fishing/ice-fishing/sonars. Very nice to see those kind of deals, but would like opinions on both as i havent owned these before.

Thanks,

Skawtty

"Most excellent choice sir", as they say in some of the fine dining restaurants. Used them all, still own the Vexillar. Simple, bright enough to use outside, real good target separation shallow or deep, bulletproof and excellent battery life. Mine will easily run 3 or 4 days between charges. If you want GPS use a separate unit or your phone, you don't need the battery suck of full time GPS on a flasher that is sitting in one spot most of the day.

Try some of the others while you are out fishing with others and you probably will stick with the Vexillar., especially if they are honest about how many times theirs have had to go back for repairs.

BIL has a Garmin Striker, although I’m not sure the specific model. He uses it for open water only so I’m not sure how the ice mode works (if his has that mode). I do know that his mapping is pretty basic. It looks like Tetris blocks when he is mapping.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Helix suck. Buy an LX7 or LX9.

If I was to raise my price from 500-700 I would probably have looked at Marcum but my budget is 500 -700. Looked at most reviews and the helix 5 and Garmin caught my attention for sonar/flasher combo.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk