How accurate/precise is a flasher through the ice?

Ill be using a fl-18 through the ice for the first time this year. If you put the flasher on the ice and you get a bottom signal, how reliable is what the flasher is showing you? Will it get more reliable if you wet the ice with water?

[perchjerker]

It all depends on the ice. Remember, you are shooting sound waves through the ice. Any air, either in the form of bubbles in the ice or air between the transducer face and the ice will cause a loss of signal and resolution. Thats why you want to put the t/d in a puddle of water on the ice. Also, the thicker the ice the weaker the signal will be. I use the shoot through the ice method for telling me the depth of the water and maybe if there are weeds present or the bottom composition. If I see something I like, I will drill a hole and check it out further. I usually dont rely on the method to look for fish. Doesnt mean it wont work for fish, thats just what I do.

[stevefellegy]

In very few cases will ANY depthfinder shoot clearly through ice WITHOUT first wetting the ice. You should ALWAYS carry a squirt bottle of water/non-freezing liquid with you when probing through ice with a depthfinder(unless you drill or chop a hole before you check).

[Chuckles]

Spit works fine if you or a buddy chew tobacco you don't need a squirt bottle! I have not seen great results on locating fish while shooting through ice - but the depth should be as accurate as the transducer angle allows it to be. Narrow angle on an incline would be more accurate than a wider one - another reason the dual beam iceducer rocks! The clearer the ice the better as others have indicated. Hope for a calm night when the ice freezes. Chuckles