# Flasher/Finder/Camera



## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

If you can only buy one, what is the best. I have read that Flasher's are great, but I can't even understand how they would work, where as a fish finder or Camera make great sense to me. Also it looks like flasher's are the most expensive. I am leaning towards a Camera, but I wonder if that is something that just seems the coolest, but doesn't produce results as much as the other's would.

Any suggested brands would be great as well.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

gitterdone81 said:


> If you can only buy one, what is the best. I have read that Flasher's are great, but I can't even understand how they would work, where as a fish finder or Camera make great sense to me. Also it looks like flasher's are the most expensive. I am leaning towards a Camera, but I wonder if that is something that *just seems the coolest, but doesn't produce results as much as the other's would.*
> 
> Any suggested brands would be great as well.


+1 and Ditto...IMHO you'll find yourself memorized by the camera watch'n the fishy and not paying attention to the fish nipping at your lure...waste of money. Plus cameras are hard to use outside on a sunny day and you'll be sit'n in a tent locked to the camera.

Save the money and invest in a flasher is my recommendation...you won't be disappointed. I've said this numerous times...I'm by far not a techno geek at all but if I can learn a flasher anyone can. They look intimidating...but they ain't. :wink:

Here's a link to Vexilar Instructional Videos.

http://vexilar.com/pages/support/support_videos.html

We purchased Vexilar FL-12s last year...first time on the ice using them it was like we'd been using them all along. Again I don't believe you'll be disappointed investing in a flasher...yes they are pricey but well worth the $$$ and way better than investing in a camera. My two-bits anyways... :wink: :wink:


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

There is no one that's best.
You have to decide which one fits your needs.

I have used an Eagle 320 finder for about 5 years and I'm happy with it.
My son used a Vexlar and woundn't trade it.
Others swear by a camera.
To me, a camera requires too much work to keep it where your jig is.

Go with people that have different types and see how they work and then pick the one that you want.

FYI,
Fasher give me a headache after watching them for a while.


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## cklspencer (Jun 25, 2009)

Geterdone I spent some time at cabelas and alot of time on the internet looking and many different options. I was really wanting to see a showdown before I made up my mind but could not find anyone that had one. I went with a humminbird 565 fishfinder. It does real time sonar on the right of the screen looks about like the read out from a showdown flasher. I figured that way I can have the best of both worlds There are many other fishfiders tha will show the same thing some are a little less money. I got it all set up in a box with a gel cell battery. Looks like it should do just fine. I will give it a go later today or tomorrow and let you all know how it works.


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## gitterdone81 (Sep 3, 2009)

Let me know how it goes. When you mention real time sonar - are others on a delay? Five minutes? When a fish finder (non flasher) claims to be able to show the weeds and fish (including fish size) and has the "pretty" pictures on its screen. How accurate is that?


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

gitterdone81 said:


> Let me know how it goes. When you mention real time sonar - are others on a delay? Five minutes? When a fish finder (non flasher) claims to be able to show the weeds and fish (including fish size) and has the "pretty" pictures on its screen. How accurate is that?


Some finders, like the Fishin Buddy have a delay that is about 10 seconds.
This is too long for ice fishing.

You don't want to use fish ID when ice fishing.
Just watch the screen for fish to move by.
They will show up as an arch or hump.
Your jig will look the same when you move it.


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## summit72 (Oct 4, 2008)

A camera is alot of work to set up and get it right but its alot of fun to see what you have been missing! I enjoy mine but the conditions have to be right in order for it to work well. I have learned alot about where fish hold at what times of the day now that I see it with my own eyes. Agian just my opinion and i am no pro.


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## cklspencer (Jun 25, 2009)

Okay. Used the fishfinder over the weekend and all I can say is I sould have bought one along time ago. Set up in a few spots and did not see any fish. (I would let it see for around 5 mins while I had jigs drop in just in case. Could see the small jigs and even an ice fly really well so I knew where I was at. I was able to find a large school of perch yeasterday right on the bottom at DC. I had the RTS on so the right side of the screen I could view it as if it was a showdown. I had a large fish rise of the bottom and come right up and take the jig. It was a good size fish. I never got it to the hole. I landed a few other perch and trout.


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## whiteknuckler (Apr 1, 2009)

I'd go with the Aqua Vu. I use one at Fishlake and have for several years. However, if you fishing in a lake with murky water, these are useless. You're able to see how those big macs react to the presentation of your lure. Priceless info right there. Good luck.


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

cklspencer said:


> Geterdone I spent some time at cabelas and alot of time on the internet looking and many different options. I was really wanting to see a showdown before I made up my mind but could not find anyone that had one. I went with a humminbird 565 fishfinder. It does real time sonar on the right of the screen looks about like the read out from a showdown flasher. I figured that way I can have the best of both worlds There are many other fishfiders tha will show the same thing some are a little less money. I got it all set up in a box with a gel cell battery. Looks like it should do just fine. I will give it a go later today or tomorrow and let you all know how it works.


How much was it at cabelas?


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

Actually...second thought....What does everyone think the best unit would be if it was used for 50/50 Ice fishing/Float Tubing?


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## cklspencer (Jun 25, 2009)

Fishfinder for sure if you plan on using it on a float tube.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

My son uses his flasher on his tube and it works great.
I use my finder and use a piece of PVC tubing to hold the transducer and that works great for me.
So both will work on a tube.


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## Hardwater (Sep 14, 2007)

Gitterdone asks how flashers work. I purchased a flasher 5-6 years ago and love it. This is my attempt to explain how they work: Consider the image you see on a "regular" LCD fish finder. The data (fish/bottom/lures) enters the screen from the right, moves across the screen to the left, and leaves the screen. (When trolling in a boat, this movement makes sense. When ice fishing just remember the movement represents the refresh rate of the date entering your fish finder.) The bottom of the lake is at the bottom of the screen, the ice is at the top of the screen. If a fish enters the cone (narrow just under the ice, wider at the bottom of the lake) of sonar shot down by the transducer, you will see the fish at the correct depth. 

With a flasher, the same data is displayed, just in a vertical orientation that is then "wrapped" around the flasher display...like a rubber ruler bent/wrapped in the shape of a backward "C." Think of the flasher display as a wall clock...the kind with an hour and minute hands. Say you are fishing 30 feet of water. 12:00 represents the ice and 6:00 represents the bottom 30 feet below you (just like your LCD fish finder). If a fish enters the sonar cone at say 15 feet, the flasher will "flash" a line at 3:00. 

Most flashers are 3-color display: Yellow, Orange, Red on mine. That fish that enters the sonar cone at a depth of 15 feet will display as a yellow line at 3:00 as he just enters the cone, the display will change to orange as it swims towards the center of the cone, and the display will finally change to red as it is in the center of the cone...which is directly under your hole. You then can reel up or drop down to exactly where the fish is. 

If the color change is rapid, the fish is moving through the cone quickly. If the change is slow, it is lumbering along. 

The thickness and color of the line reveals additional data. With practice you can distinguish mud bottoms (good for perch) from rock bottoms (good for burbot) and weeds from trees and rocks. You can adjust the sensitivity of your flasher and tell if your meal worm is still on your hook or like I noticed today, my meal worm fall off my hook and fall all the way to the bottom. 

Which is best? That's like asking if a .270 is better than a 30-06, it all depends on you. I have both a flasher and LCD, but when it is just me and I'm not worrying about "entertaining" the kids, I grab the flasher. However, the newer real time LCD's are fantastic, but I've not used one...just fished next to one. 

Whichever you chose, welcome to the world of electronics on the ice. Just don't get too frustrated when you see all of the fish that don't want your offerings!


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