Aqua vu VS vexilar

[crappie master]

hello i am debating on geting an aqua vu or a vexilar what is the all around better buy for year round use?? any info would help.

[Eyecrosser]

Hands down, go with the Vexilar. The versitility of this unit is incredible. I use mine all year round. The cameras work great for scouting and playing, but try to use one in the summer while the boat is acually moving. It gets to be pretty hard to control the boat, your rod, and the camera at the same time. All I know is for three years, my Vexilar has never let me down, summer or winter. I have two friend who own Aqua-Views, and they always seem to be in the shop getting a new camera, or getting a new cord. Althou the company always seems good about fixing their stuff, the fact remains that they are always broke!

[curt quesnell]

It certainly is not badmouthing aquaview to suggest you get a
vexilar first....heck get both but if you can get only one better
get the vexilar first.

They are different products and really shouldnt be put into the
same basket.

Curt Quesnell

[hawg]

like the guy said,they are two completely different products. aqua view is hands down the best camera set-up but hard to use in a boat. all cameras are. if your new at this don,t even consider a vexilar for your first flasher. because of the wierd scale you are never going to know how deep you are because the scale just keeps going around and around. best there is on ice though. get a lowrance with a depth scale your going to fish in. you wont be sorry.

[mark]

I second the lowrance. Its hard to figure a vexilar even in the winter because of that multiple of 20 ft scale.

[camolund]

Hard to figure? Huh? How is reading the Vexilar flasher scale difficult to understand?

Go for the Vexilar. We used the camera (ice) when we first got it and it was more of a "gee whiz" thing. After a while it got left home. Too much hassle. And no good in stained water.

The Vexilar, on the other hand, comes with every time.

[Lodger]

Camolund Hawg is right. You never know on a vexilar what multiple scale you should be on. 1x-2x-3x-etc, or inside /outside . The flash is going to be right but you need to be pretty experienced to use it. I would opt for another system for a new person. If you know your water then ok but thats not always the case. When I'm out I want to be sure.

[camolund]

I respectfully disagree. If you can read what time it is on your watch, you can read the depth on the flasher. You don't need to be a genius to figure it out.

[REW]

I would definitely get a depth finder, before getting a camera.
I would get the depth finder that would make the most sense for you.

You can get a flasher - or you can get an LCD.

If you are going to be using it mainly out of doors, and mainly for open water fishing - I have to go with an lcd style depth finder.

The vexilar works great, and is very sensitive, and easy to figure out - but you have to do two things when fishing with a flasher

1. You have to keep your eyes on it all the time, to see the fish as they come through the cone of the flasher -- that works great if you are ice fishing, when there is nothing else going on - and you can stare intently all the time at the flasher. However, it doesn't work well at all - if you are in an open boat driving the boat- fishing and doing a million other things. that is where the memory of the lcd really pays off. You can have a fish go through and a few seconds later - glance at the lcd, and see that you have gone over fish. You can be going at 40 mph over the lake, go over fish - and the lcd will capture that fact -- simply back up --- don't turn - or you might lose the fish or school, until you find the fish again.

2. The problem with the vexilar in an open boat in the bright summer sun is visability. It is simply pretty tough to see. Yes, you can use shields, etc. -- I have one and have used it - but compared to an lcd there is no comparison as far as visablity is concerned. With an lcd, the brighter the sun, the brighter the display.

Now, if you get one of the depth finders that use a "conventional" display - in conjuntion with a flasher style display - using the lcd devices for the display - then you can have the best of both worlds if you like. i.e. the intant update of a flasher - with the visability of an lcd. Or you can get one of the old style zercom flashers - that used lcds for a display unit.

--
If I was mainly fishing open water - in the bright sun, or even if ice fishing - mainly outside - I have to opt for the lcd style depth finder, simply for the reason of readability in the bright sun.

--
Now, if you already have a depth finder, and want a vexiler to ice fish, or to use on the inside of a shaded boat cabin - and want the instant updateability of the vexilar - then by all means get the vexilar or other led style flasher.

Take care
REW