# Finder vs. Flasher



## uintahiker (Jan 19, 2012)

I don't know much about fish finders and flashers, but do know they are different. I'm intrigued with the idea of getting one, but need more information. I'd also be interested in meeting with someone in Davis County who could show me how theirs works.

How are they similar? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?


----------



## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

If you can make it up to the Ice Party at Rockport on Feb 4th, there will be demonstrations on finders.

The main difference between a finder and a flasher is that a flasher is made to be used on the ice and it has real time grafting. Some finders have real time grafting but they are not as easy to read as are flashers. I have been using a Fish Eagle 320 finder for 5 years now. It's the same unit that I have on my boat. It shows real time and has enough power to show my jigs in 2 different holes all the way down to 40' deep. After 40' it gets iffy on picking up both jigs.

I have used my son's flasher a few times this year and I must say that flashers are easier to look at and to see the fish as they come over to look at my jig.
If I had the money, I would move up to a flasher but I don't so I will stay with my finder.
You can get a good finder all set up with battery and a box for under $200.00.
A flasher starts out at over $300.00 and a good one with all the features will run over $500.00.


----------



## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

I've been plugging the Showdown 5.6 everywhere. It's the best of both worlds. Youtube it. I'm in Provo but I'd be happy to meet you in SLC and show you how it works. I'm up there a few times a week anyway. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.


----------



## cklspencer (Jun 25, 2009)

There are many fish finders on the market now that give you the best of both worlds. Many cost around the same price as just a flasher.

Two years ago when I bought mine I went with a hummin bird 565. I can set the display up so on the right hand side it will read out just like the showdown. I started with the transducer that came with the finder (made for a boat) and rigged it up to use ice fishing. This year I bought the ice transducer and can now leave the one on my kick boat.


One thing to think about is how much of the water colum you want to see. Most flasher only read out at a smaller angle than many of the fish finders. That can make a big differance when on the hunt for the fish.

The best thing to do is talk with other people on the ice that have units and see how they work. Get an idea of what you want and what you think will best fit your needs, making sure you understand how it is used. THe better you feel about it the better you will do with using it.


----------



## uintahiker (Jan 19, 2012)

It sounds like the finder is designed for soft water, the flasher for hard. 
finder= (generally) short delay flasher= instant read,
finder= broader area flasher= focused area
finder= might not like cold flasher= designed for cold
finder= detail flasher = more detail
finder= requires some interpretation flasher= easier to read/decipher
finder= abt $200 flasher= starts at $300


Does that about sum it up?


----------



## cklspencer (Jun 25, 2009)

> It sounds like the finder is designed for soft water, the flasher for hard.FOr the most part
> finder= (generally) short delay flasher= instant read,Some what yes. Many of the new finders have really time just like a flasher would.
> finder= broader area flasher= focused area Yes although many of the fish finders cover two areas, a wide area and a focused area. This does very from model to model and brand to brand.
> finder= might not like cold flasher= designed for cold. This can be true although I have never had a problem with mine.
> ...


----------



## Big Tiger (Jan 7, 2012)

flashers on the ice is the only way togo


----------



## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

To a certain extent, sonar is sonar. The difference is how the information is displayed. Flashers are 1950s and 1960s technology. Marcum has finally graduated from the spinning wheel flasher. They have finally embraced LCD displays. On another forum that is strictly related to ice fishing, the Marcum LX7 is the talk of the town. It is simply Marcum's version of a graph. A good graph can show more than a flasher. A cheap graph will only frustrate you and ruin your opinion of graph type fish finders. You get what you pay for.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

twinkielk15 said:


> I've been plugging the Showdown 5.6 everywhere. It's the best of both worlds. Youtube it. I'm in Provo but I'd be happy to meet you in SLC and show you how it works. I'm up there a few times a week anyway. Shoot me a PM if you're interested.


My son-in-law has the Showdown. We fished it yesterday. It is very cool. I like it's small size and bright screen.

I use circa 1986 Eagle portables with FasTrak™. They have a real time vertical sonar bar just like my son-in-law's Showdown. Eagle and Lowrance use FasTrack™ technology still to this day. It can pick up small ice flies in 30 to 40 foot of water and see the fish take the hook. Just turn the FasTrack™ off and use it like a regular fish finder in a boat or pontoon.

The circular flashers are great too, been around for about 55 years like Fishrmn said.


----------

