Fish finders - Ice fishing

[hermit]

Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
and winter is coming our way in the very near future.



Thanks,

Dick

[Charles B. Summers]

Where's Jim Laumann when you need him? He's an ice guy.

"hermit" > wrote in message
...
>
> Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
> recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
> both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
> and winter is coming our way in the very near future.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dick
>
>

[Jim Laumann]

On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:25:21 -0500, "Charles B. Summers"
(Comcast)> wrote:

>Where's Jim Laumann when you need him? He's an ice guy.

Here I am Charles!

I saw this post this morning, but I can't reply from work - I see all
the posts on our news server, but you (out there) don't see mine -
might be something w/ our firewall. So - I
got to do this from home.....
>
>"hermit" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
>> recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
>> both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
>> and winter is coming our way in the very near future.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Dick
>>
>>
>


Dick

I will vouch for the sonar I've got - and that is a Vexilar FL8 SLT in
the pro pack setup. Round carry basket (fits in a 5 gallon pail), 19
degree ice deucer, gel cell battery, battery monitor and charger. Have
had it since Christmas of 1999, and I won't be w/o it.

I also ice fish - alot. I'd rather fish hard water than soft. No jet
skis, no skiers, no speed boats.

I am not affilliated w/ Vexilar - just a satisfied owner. I can't
speak for the (current generation) Lowrance units - up here (MN), most
the guys I ice fish with run Vex's, and those few that don't have
Marcums or something else - ie LCR's they've converted, etc. I have
seen some folks still using the old Lowrance green boxes to. Can't
speak to Marcum, other than I've read good reviews on them, and
folks that have them like them.

You can get in to a FL8 for about $225 - depending on how you
deck it out. If you want to step up, there is the FL18 - which runs
$350-400, but has a really nifty feature called "bottom zoom" - which
basicly splits the screen, and allows you to see the bottom 6' on
1/2 of it, and the entire water column on the other half. The FL8
doesn't have this.

THis is important if you are going to target bottom huggers like
walleye and yellow perch. Contrary to what you might think (and what
I thought), what your LCR sonar shows as a flat bottom isn't always
the case (got to use a buddy's Aqua View camera a couple weeks
ago - amazing how many humps and bumps are down there).

With the FL8, you might see a flicker of red or orange on or right at
the bottom - just a slight movement - and this will be a fish - if its
flickering (the bottom shows as red on a Vex). With the FL18, you can
blow that area (bottom) up, and have better target seperation on the
screen.

The FL8 has a number of differant depth scales on it - so that you
can pick what works best for the lake your on. 2-3 scales, and 4
multiplers will cover just about any water depth.

Notice I said red and orange a bit ago - Vex's are color machines, as
are the Marcums. On a Vex, a small target is green - ie your
bait or jig, a larger target - a larger target that is some distance
away or on the outside edge of the sound cone is orange, and a
large target in the center of the sound cone shows up as red.

You can, after playing w/ a Vex for awhile, learn how to adjust
your gain setting, so that your jig/lure & bait show up as
a fine green line, and watch the line move on the screen as
you work your jig. Seeeing a 1/64th oz. jig tipped w/ a wax worm or
sprite is no problem. If you do it right, you can see it (your lures
blip) change when your bait is stripped. If your blip turns from
green to red, set the hook - even if you don't feel any thing, or
if your bobber doesn't twitch. There is a fish very near or actually
mouthing your bait. You can also see the fish reacting to your
presentation - so that if you are jigging a a given speed - you can
see what happens if speed up or slow down.

Vex's and Marcums (and I assume the Lowrance) are all real time
units - you see what is going on right now - which is not the case
with an LCR - unless your LCR has a flasher mode.

I had a old Humminbird 4000 LCR, which was converted for ice
fishing - they do work - but all you see on the screen is solid lines,
and you have to learn how to interpret the lines. #1 son has it now
and still uses it. But there is always a delay - and what is in the
center of a LCR's screen in graph mode in history.

Ice is the perfect platform for using sonar - your position is rock
solid - no movement what so ever - so if you see a blip moving on
the screen - you know that blip is you (your jig/bait), or its a fish.

I can't tell you how many times I've seen blips on the screen - higher
or lower in the water column - and adjusted the depth of my offering
to the blip - and gotten the fish. Finding suspended fish in
the column is no problem - ie crappie, 'gills, etc. Trout too - as
they tend to be all over the water column - as they like the cold
water - while most other fish like the bottom more, as the water is
the warmest there (39F), while closer to the ice its colder (see why
the FL18 is so handy?).

In the waters I fish, the depths are 20-30 ft avg, to a max of about
50-55ft. For anything under 20ft, you want an "S" cable, as the
Vex puts out to much power - you can't turn the gain down enough. The
S cable acts as a filter. Once you're in to deeper water, you can take
off the S cable. The 19 degree deucer is fine to - in really deep
water - say a impoundment, or an ore pit (100ft plus), you might want
to have a dual beam duecer, or a 9 degree deucer.

There are some goodies you might want to add:
- A magnifing screen - helps with reading the numbers on the
scale if your eyes are bad (like mine)
- A goose neck lamp - attaches to the battery - handy for at night
- A sun screen if your fishing out doors (you can make one of these
from a tomato juice/sauce can. Split it with a tin snips, then
squeeze it down (to fit) around the Vex screen, then wrap the cut
with a couple wraps of duck tape, and slip it on).

Vex's ice deucer is self leveling (a foam sleeve fits around the
transdeucer cable and floats) - no futzing with rods and a spirit
level - which is what you need to do with a puck deucer (ie the
Hummingbird) - in order to assure your self that the sonar is
shooting down your hole, and not off to once side.

About the only other thing I can say is that there is no prettier
site than to be ice fishing at night, and have the screen of your
Vex lit up like a Christmas tree.

Just to keep this on topic a bit - the best LM bass I've caught to
date was thru the ice - about 4-4.5 #. Caught it while fishing for
walleyes at first ice - on a Swedish pimple and 1/2 minnow.

If you have any other questions - post them.

Its supposed to be 37 degrees in the morning - we're "makin' ice".

Hope this helps.
Jim

2003 ROFB NWC
Biggest Non Bass Trophy Winner

[hermit]

Hi Jim -

I printed your reply - lot's to digest.

What got me interested in the Vexilar was the fishing show Canadian
Fishing - they were on Lake Simco using the Vexilars. Your
description of the color indicators was right on. Looks like I just
might have to buy one.

Thanks again,

Dick

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 04:56:58 GMT, Jim Laumann >
wrote:

>On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:25:21 -0500, "Charles B. Summers"
(Comcast)> wrote:
>
>>Where's Jim Laumann when you need him? He's an ice guy.
>
>Here I am Charles!
>
>I saw this post this morning, but I can't reply from work - I see all
>the posts on our news server, but you (out there) don't see mine -
>might be something w/ our firewall. So - I
>got to do this from home.....
>>
>>"hermit" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>> Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
>>> recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
>>> both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
>>> and winter is coming our way in the very near future.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Dick
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
>Dick
>
>I will vouch for the sonar I've got - and that is a Vexilar FL8 SLT in
>the pro pack setup. Round carry basket (fits in a 5 gallon pail), 19
>degree ice deucer, gel cell battery, battery monitor and charger. Have
>had it since Christmas of 1999, and I won't be w/o it.
>
>I also ice fish - alot. I'd rather fish hard water than soft. No jet
>skis, no skiers, no speed boats.
>
>I am not affilliated w/ Vexilar - just a satisfied owner. I can't
>speak for the (current generation) Lowrance units - up here (MN), most
>the guys I ice fish with run Vex's, and those few that don't have
>Marcums or something else - ie LCR's they've converted, etc. I have
>seen some folks still using the old Lowrance green boxes to. Can't
>speak to Marcum, other than I've read good reviews on them, and
>folks that have them like them.
>
>You can get in to a FL8 for about $225 - depending on how you
>deck it out. If you want to step up, there is the FL18 - which runs
>$350-400, but has a really nifty feature called "bottom zoom" - which
>basicly splits the screen, and allows you to see the bottom 6' on
>1/2 of it, and the entire water column on the other half. The FL8
>doesn't have this.
>
>THis is important if you are going to target bottom huggers like
>walleye and yellow perch. Contrary to what you might think (and what
>I thought), what your LCR sonar shows as a flat bottom isn't always
>the case (got to use a buddy's Aqua View camera a couple weeks
>ago - amazing how many humps and bumps are down there).
>
>With the FL8, you might see a flicker of red or orange on or right at
>the bottom - just a slight movement - and this will be a fish - if its
>flickering (the bottom shows as red on a Vex). With the FL18, you can
>blow that area (bottom) up, and have better target seperation on the
>screen.
>
>The FL8 has a number of differant depth scales on it - so that you
>can pick what works best for the lake your on. 2-3 scales, and 4
>multiplers will cover just about any water depth.
>
>Notice I said red and orange a bit ago - Vex's are color machines, as
>are the Marcums. On a Vex, a small target is green - ie your
>bait or jig, a larger target - a larger target that is some distance
>away or on the outside edge of the sound cone is orange, and a
>large target in the center of the sound cone shows up as red.
>
>You can, after playing w/ a Vex for awhile, learn how to adjust
>your gain setting, so that your jig/lure & bait show up as
>a fine green line, and watch the line move on the screen as
>you work your jig. Seeeing a 1/64th oz. jig tipped w/ a wax worm or
>sprite is no problem. If you do it right, you can see it (your lures
>blip) change when your bait is stripped. If your blip turns from
>green to red, set the hook - even if you don't feel any thing, or
>if your bobber doesn't twitch. There is a fish very near or actually
>mouthing your bait. You can also see the fish reacting to your
>presentation - so that if you are jigging a a given speed - you can
>see what happens if speed up or slow down.
>
>Vex's and Marcums (and I assume the Lowrance) are all real time
>units - you see what is going on right now - which is not the case
>with an LCR - unless your LCR has a flasher mode.
>
>I had a old Humminbird 4000 LCR, which was converted for ice
>fishing - they do work - but all you see on the screen is solid lines,
>and you have to learn how to interpret the lines. #1 son has it now
>and still uses it. But there is always a delay - and what is in the
>center of a LCR's screen in graph mode in history.
>
>Ice is the perfect platform for using sonar - your position is rock
>solid - no movement what so ever - so if you see a blip moving on
>the screen - you know that blip is you (your jig/bait), or its a fish.
>
>I can't tell you how many times I've seen blips on the screen - higher
>or lower in the water column - and adjusted the depth of my offering
>to the blip - and gotten the fish. Finding suspended fish in
>the column is no problem - ie crappie, 'gills, etc. Trout too - as
>they tend to be all over the water column - as they like the cold
>water - while most other fish like the bottom more, as the water is
>the warmest there (39F), while closer to the ice its colder (see why
>the FL18 is so handy?).
>
>In the waters I fish, the depths are 20-30 ft avg, to a max of about
>50-55ft. For anything under 20ft, you want an "S" cable, as the
>Vex puts out to much power - you can't turn the gain down enough. The
>S cable acts as a filter. Once you're in to deeper water, you can take
>off the S cable. The 19 degree deucer is fine to - in really deep
>water - say a impoundment, or an ore pit (100ft plus), you might want
>to have a dual beam duecer, or a 9 degree deucer.
>
>There are some goodies you might want to add:
>- A magnifing screen - helps with reading the numbers on the
>scale if your eyes are bad (like mine)
>- A goose neck lamp - attaches to the battery - handy for at night
>- A sun screen if your fishing out doors (you can make one of these
>from a tomato juice/sauce can. Split it with a tin snips, then
>squeeze it down (to fit) around the Vex screen, then wrap the cut
>with a couple wraps of duck tape, and slip it on).
>
>Vex's ice deucer is self leveling (a foam sleeve fits around the
>transdeucer cable and floats) - no futzing with rods and a spirit
>level - which is what you need to do with a puck deucer (ie the
>Hummingbird) - in order to assure your self that the sonar is
>shooting down your hole, and not off to once side.
>
>About the only other thing I can say is that there is no prettier
>site than to be ice fishing at night, and have the screen of your
>Vex lit up like a Christmas tree.
>
>Just to keep this on topic a bit - the best LM bass I've caught to
>date was thru the ice - about 4-4.5 #. Caught it while fishing for
>walleyes at first ice - on a Swedish pimple and 1/2 minnow.
>
>If you have any other questions - post them.
>
>Its supposed to be 37 degrees in the morning - we're "makin' ice".
>
>Hope this helps.
>Jim
>
>2003 ROFB NWC
>Biggest Non Bass Trophy Winner

[alwaysfishking]

Jeez Jim you almost convinced me to try ice fishing again...almost.


2003 R.O.F.B Classic
2nd Place Trophy Winner(Which means I'm the first loser)
"hermit" > wrote in message
...
>
> Hi Jim -
>
> I printed your reply - lot's to digest.
>
> What got me interested in the Vexilar was the fishing show Canadian
> Fishing - they were on Lake Simco using the Vexilars. Your
> description of the color indicators was right on. Looks like I just
> might have to buy one.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Dick
>
> On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 04:56:58 GMT, Jim Laumann >
> wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:25:21 -0500, "Charles B. Summers"
> (Comcast)> wrote:
> >
> >>Where's Jim Laumann when you need him? He's an ice guy.
> >
> >Here I am Charles!
> >
> >I saw this post this morning, but I can't reply from work - I see all
> >the posts on our news server, but you (out there) don't see mine -
> >might be something w/ our firewall. So - I
> >got to do this from home.....
> >>
> >>"hermit" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>>
> >>> Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
> >>> recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
> >>> both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
> >>> and winter is coming our way in the very near future.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Thanks,
> >>>
> >>> Dick
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >
> >
> >Dick
> >
> >I will vouch for the sonar I've got - and that is a Vexilar FL8 SLT in
> >the pro pack setup. Round carry basket (fits in a 5 gallon pail), 19
> >degree ice deucer, gel cell battery, battery monitor and charger. Have
> >had it since Christmas of 1999, and I won't be w/o it.
> >
> >I also ice fish - alot. I'd rather fish hard water than soft. No jet
> >skis, no skiers, no speed boats.
> >
> >I am not affilliated w/ Vexilar - just a satisfied owner. I can't
> >speak for the (current generation) Lowrance units - up here (MN), most
> >the guys I ice fish with run Vex's, and those few that don't have
> >Marcums or something else - ie LCR's they've converted, etc. I have
> >seen some folks still using the old Lowrance green boxes to. Can't
> >speak to Marcum, other than I've read good reviews on them, and
> >folks that have them like them.
> >
> >You can get in to a FL8 for about $225 - depending on how you
> >deck it out. If you want to step up, there is the FL18 - which runs
> >$350-400, but has a really nifty feature called "bottom zoom" - which
> >basicly splits the screen, and allows you to see the bottom 6' on
> >1/2 of it, and the entire water column on the other half. The FL8
> >doesn't have this.
> >
> >THis is important if you are going to target bottom huggers like
> >walleye and yellow perch. Contrary to what you might think (and what
> >I thought), what your LCR sonar shows as a flat bottom isn't always
> >the case (got to use a buddy's Aqua View camera a couple weeks
> >ago - amazing how many humps and bumps are down there).
> >
> >With the FL8, you might see a flicker of red or orange on or right at
> >the bottom - just a slight movement - and this will be a fish - if its
> >flickering (the bottom shows as red on a Vex). With the FL18, you can
> >blow that area (bottom) up, and have better target seperation on the
> >screen.
> >
> >The FL8 has a number of differant depth scales on it - so that you
> >can pick what works best for the lake your on. 2-3 scales, and 4
> >multiplers will cover just about any water depth.
> >
> >Notice I said red and orange a bit ago - Vex's are color machines, as
> >are the Marcums. On a Vex, a small target is green - ie your
> >bait or jig, a larger target - a larger target that is some distance
> >away or on the outside edge of the sound cone is orange, and a
> >large target in the center of the sound cone shows up as red.
> >
> >You can, after playing w/ a Vex for awhile, learn how to adjust
> >your gain setting, so that your jig/lure & bait show up as
> >a fine green line, and watch the line move on the screen as
> >you work your jig. Seeeing a 1/64th oz. jig tipped w/ a wax worm or
> >sprite is no problem. If you do it right, you can see it (your lures
> >blip) change when your bait is stripped. If your blip turns from
> >green to red, set the hook - even if you don't feel any thing, or
> >if your bobber doesn't twitch. There is a fish very near or actually
> >mouthing your bait. You can also see the fish reacting to your
> >presentation - so that if you are jigging a a given speed - you can
> >see what happens if speed up or slow down.
> >
> >Vex's and Marcums (and I assume the Lowrance) are all real time
> >units - you see what is going on right now - which is not the case
> >with an LCR - unless your LCR has a flasher mode.
> >
> >I had a old Humminbird 4000 LCR, which was converted for ice
> >fishing - they do work - but all you see on the screen is solid lines,
> >and you have to learn how to interpret the lines. #1 son has it now
> >and still uses it. But there is always a delay - and what is in the
> >center of a LCR's screen in graph mode in history.
> >
> >Ice is the perfect platform for using sonar - your position is rock
> >solid - no movement what so ever - so if you see a blip moving on
> >the screen - you know that blip is you (your jig/bait), or its a fish.
> >
> >I can't tell you how many times I've seen blips on the screen - higher
> >or lower in the water column - and adjusted the depth of my offering
> >to the blip - and gotten the fish. Finding suspended fish in
> >the column is no problem - ie crappie, 'gills, etc. Trout too - as
> >they tend to be all over the water column - as they like the cold
> >water - while most other fish like the bottom more, as the water is
> >the warmest there (39F), while closer to the ice its colder (see why
> >the FL18 is so handy?).
> >
> >In the waters I fish, the depths are 20-30 ft avg, to a max of about
> >50-55ft. For anything under 20ft, you want an "S" cable, as the
> >Vex puts out to much power - you can't turn the gain down enough. The
> >S cable acts as a filter. Once you're in to deeper water, you can take
> >off the S cable. The 19 degree deucer is fine to - in really deep
> >water - say a impoundment, or an ore pit (100ft plus), you might want
> >to have a dual beam duecer, or a 9 degree deucer.
> >
> >There are some goodies you might want to add:
> >- A magnifing screen - helps with reading the numbers on the
> >scale if your eyes are bad (like mine)
> >- A goose neck lamp - attaches to the battery - handy for at night
> >- A sun screen if your fishing out doors (you can make one of these
> >from a tomato juice/sauce can. Split it with a tin snips, then
> >squeeze it down (to fit) around the Vex screen, then wrap the cut
> >with a couple wraps of duck tape, and slip it on).
> >
> >Vex's ice deucer is self leveling (a foam sleeve fits around the
> >transdeucer cable and floats) - no futzing with rods and a spirit
> >level - which is what you need to do with a puck deucer (ie the
> >Hummingbird) - in order to assure your self that the sonar is
> >shooting down your hole, and not off to once side.
> >
> >About the only other thing I can say is that there is no prettier
> >site than to be ice fishing at night, and have the screen of your
> >Vex lit up like a Christmas tree.
> >
> >Just to keep this on topic a bit - the best LM bass I've caught to
> >date was thru the ice - about 4-4.5 #. Caught it while fishing for
> >walleyes at first ice - on a Swedish pimple and 1/2 minnow.
> >
> >If you have any other questions - post them.
> >
> >Its supposed to be 37 degrees in the morning - we're "makin' ice".
> >
> >Hope this helps.
> >Jim
> >
> >2003 ROFB NWC
> >Biggest Non Bass Trophy Winner
>

[Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers]

"hermit" > wrote in message ...
>
> Hi Jim -
>
> I printed your reply - lot's to digest.
>
> What got me interested in the Vexilar was the fishing show Canadian
> Fishing - they were on Lake Simco using the Vexilars. Your
> description of the color indicators was right on. Looks like I just
> might have to buy one.

Hi Hermit,

I was going to reply, but Jim did such a good job, he just saved me a lot of typing. I've fished
using the Vexilars through the ice and in my opinion, there's no finer unit out there. Read
carefully what Jim wrote, then go and make Vexilar some money. :) They're worth it.
--
Steve
OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

[Charles B. Summers]

I knew you'd be the man for the job!

"Jim Laumann" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 24 Sep 2003 10:25:21 -0500, "Charles B. Summers"
> (Comcast)> wrote:
>
> >Where's Jim Laumann when you need him? He's an ice guy.
>
> Here I am Charles!
>
> I saw this post this morning, but I can't reply from work - I see all
> the posts on our news server, but you (out there) don't see mine -
> might be something w/ our firewall. So - I
> got to do this from home.....
> >
> >"hermit" > wrote in message
> ...
> >>
> >> Any ice fisherman in this newsgroup? I am interested in
> >> recommendations for fish finders for ice fishing. I have checked out
> >> both the Vexilar and the Lowrance, but cannot seem to make up my mind,
> >> and winter is coming our way in the very near future.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Dick
> >>
> >>
> >
>
>
> Dick
>
> I will vouch for the sonar I've got - and that is a Vexilar FL8 SLT in
> the pro pack setup. Round carry basket (fits in a 5 gallon pail), 19
> degree ice deucer, gel cell battery, battery monitor and charger. Have
> had it since Christmas of 1999, and I won't be w/o it.
>
> I also ice fish - alot. I'd rather fish hard water than soft. No jet
> skis, no skiers, no speed boats.
>
> I am not affilliated w/ Vexilar - just a satisfied owner. I can't
> speak for the (current generation) Lowrance units - up here (MN), most
> the guys I ice fish with run Vex's, and those few that don't have
> Marcums or something else - ie LCR's they've converted, etc. I have
> seen some folks still using the old Lowrance green boxes to. Can't
> speak to Marcum, other than I've read good reviews on them, and
> folks that have them like them.
>
> You can get in to a FL8 for about $225 - depending on how you
> deck it out. If you want to step up, there is the FL18 - which runs
> $350-400, but has a really nifty feature called "bottom zoom" - which
> basicly splits the screen, and allows you to see the bottom 6' on
> 1/2 of it, and the entire water column on the other half. The FL8
> doesn't have this.
>
> THis is important if you are going to target bottom huggers like
> walleye and yellow perch. Contrary to what you might think (and what
> I thought), what your LCR sonar shows as a flat bottom isn't always
> the case (got to use a buddy's Aqua View camera a couple weeks
> ago - amazing how many humps and bumps are down there).
>
> With the FL8, you might see a flicker of red or orange on or right at
> the bottom - just a slight movement - and this will be a fish - if its
> flickering (the bottom shows as red on a Vex). With the FL18, you can
> blow that area (bottom) up, and have better target seperation on the
> screen.
>
> The FL8 has a number of differant depth scales on it - so that you
> can pick what works best for the lake your on. 2-3 scales, and 4
> multiplers will cover just about any water depth.
>
> Notice I said red and orange a bit ago - Vex's are color machines, as
> are the Marcums. On a Vex, a small target is green - ie your
> bait or jig, a larger target - a larger target that is some distance
> away or on the outside edge of the sound cone is orange, and a
> large target in the center of the sound cone shows up as red.
>
> You can, after playing w/ a Vex for awhile, learn how to adjust
> your gain setting, so that your jig/lure & bait show up as
> a fine green line, and watch the line move on the screen as
> you work your jig. Seeeing a 1/64th oz. jig tipped w/ a wax worm or
> sprite is no problem. If you do it right, you can see it (your lures
> blip) change when your bait is stripped. If your blip turns from
> green to red, set the hook - even if you don't feel any thing, or
> if your bobber doesn't twitch. There is a fish very near or actually
> mouthing your bait. You can also see the fish reacting to your
> presentation - so that if you are jigging a a given speed - you can
> see what happens if speed up or slow down.
>
> Vex's and Marcums (and I assume the Lowrance) are all real time
> units - you see what is going on right now - which is not the case
> with an LCR - unless your LCR has a flasher mode.
>
> I had a old Humminbird 4000 LCR, which was converted for ice
> fishing - they do work - but all you see on the screen is solid lines,
> and you have to learn how to interpret the lines. #1 son has it now
> and still uses it. But there is always a delay - and what is in the
> center of a LCR's screen in graph mode in history.
>
> Ice is the perfect platform for using sonar - your position is rock
> solid - no movement what so ever - so if you see a blip moving on
> the screen - you know that blip is you (your jig/bait), or its a fish.
>
> I can't tell you how many times I've seen blips on the screen - higher
> or lower in the water column - and adjusted the depth of my offering
> to the blip - and gotten the fish. Finding suspended fish in
> the column is no problem - ie crappie, 'gills, etc. Trout too - as
> they tend to be all over the water column - as they like the cold
> water - while most other fish like the bottom more, as the water is
> the warmest there (39F), while closer to the ice its colder (see why
> the FL18 is so handy?).
>
> In the waters I fish, the depths are 20-30 ft avg, to a max of about
> 50-55ft. For anything under 20ft, you want an "S" cable, as the
> Vex puts out to much power - you can't turn the gain down enough. The
> S cable acts as a filter. Once you're in to deeper water, you can take
> off the S cable. The 19 degree deucer is fine to - in really deep
> water - say a impoundment, or an ore pit (100ft plus), you might want
> to have a dual beam duecer, or a 9 degree deucer.
>
> There are some goodies you might want to add:
> - A magnifing screen - helps with reading the numbers on the
> scale if your eyes are bad (like mine)
> - A goose neck lamp - attaches to the battery - handy for at night
> - A sun screen if your fishing out doors (you can make one of these
> from a tomato juice/sauce can. Split it with a tin snips, then
> squeeze it down (to fit) around the Vex screen, then wrap the cut
> with a couple wraps of duck tape, and slip it on).
>
> Vex's ice deucer is self leveling (a foam sleeve fits around the
> transdeucer cable and floats) - no futzing with rods and a spirit
> level - which is what you need to do with a puck deucer (ie the
> Hummingbird) - in order to assure your self that the sonar is
> shooting down your hole, and not off to once side.
>
> About the only other thing I can say is that there is no prettier
> site than to be ice fishing at night, and have the screen of your
> Vex lit up like a Christmas tree.
>
> Just to keep this on topic a bit - the best LM bass I've caught to
> date was thru the ice - about 4-4.5 #. Caught it while fishing for
> walleyes at first ice - on a Swedish pimple and 1/2 minnow.
>
> If you have any other questions - post them.
>
> Its supposed to be 37 degrees in the morning - we're "makin' ice".
>
> Hope this helps.
> Jim
>
> 2003 ROFB NWC
> Biggest Non Bass Trophy Winner