What flasher would you buy????

[D-Ranger]

Hey guys I need some help. I am looking for a Flasher either Vexilar, Hummingbrid, MarCum or Lowrance. I had an older FL-8 and it worked ok but when my friends would be fishing by me and they could see their jig move 2” off bottom or even less with their FL-18 or FL- 20. I had to pick my rod up about 6” I didn’t like that. I am going on a trip in a week and need a different one. I am looking for pros and cons of Vexilar, Hummingbrid, MarCum or Lowrance. Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!!

Buy a Marcum LX-5, you won't be disapointed.

[KTurner]

If the bank account is stocked, Marcum LX-7.... can't wait until my piggy bank has enuf pennies for one.

[thump55]

I have a Vexilar FL-8 and a Marcum LX-3. There truly is no comparison between these two. The Marcum is hands down better. Granted, a better Vex might match up better, but here are a few things I like better on the Marcum:

Marcum is much quieter. On a quiet morning I can hear my tip-up flags go up. I can alos hear my buddy in the portable next to me and we can talk easily. Can't do that with the noiser Vex.

The transducer arm on the Marcum is much nicer than the Vex floatie thing. Takes up way less room in the hole.

Fantastic interference rejection. I have not fished next to any other locator that I could not block with a sinlge push if the IR button.

Compared the FL-8, the Marcum has vastly superior target separation and detection. Granted, the FL-8 is at the bottom of the Vex scale. I know an 18 or 20 would be much more comparable, but for me the ease of use and quietness is what sets the Marcums above.

If my LX-3 fell off my truck and was lost, I would go buy another one in a heartbeat.

You won't go wrong with any of them though.

[bmeighan]

I just replaced my FL8 with a Marcum LX5 this winter and there is no comparison. The Marcum has zoom for anywhere in the water column and has much better target separation. The only thing that the Marcum does not have is a battery charge indicator. My FL8 had one and I was surprised that the Marcum did not come with one. I would gladly give up the charge indicator for the better resolution and zoom on the Marcum. I have a friend that purchased the lower end Marcum (LX1?) and we went out together and I was impressed with his unit as well. I was thinking I could have saved money and bought the LX1 since it does have the zoom for the bottom, but it did not have the dual beam transducer that I wanted. When I fished at LOTW with another friend that has an older FL18, he agreed that my Marcum had much better resolution than his FL18, although a newer one might be more comparable.

[Swmncruzer]

I love my Marcum LX 3. It has worked great for years.

[Litchfieldwalleye]

Originally Posted by thump55

I have a Vexilar FL-8 and a Marcum LX-3. There truly is no comparison between these two. The Marcum is hands down better. Granted, a better Vex might match up better, but here are a few things I like better on the Marcum:

Marcum is much quieter. On a quiet morning I can hear my tip-up flags go up. I can alos hear my buddy in the portable next to me and we can talk easily. Can't do that with the noiser Vex.

The transducer arm on the Marcum is much nicer than the Vex floatie thing. Takes up way less room in the hole.

Fantastic interference rejection. I have not fished next to any other locator that I could not block with a sinlge push if the IR button.

Compared the FL-8, the Marcum has vastly superior target separation and detection. Granted, the FL-8 is at the bottom of the Vex scale. I know an 18 or 20 would be much more comparable, but for me the ease of use and quietness is what sets the Marcums above.

If my LX-3 fell off my truck and was lost, I would go buy another one in a heartbeat.
You won't go wrong with any of them though.

I also have a Vex. FL-8 and a Marcum LX-3. The Vex is a bullet-proof warhorse, as dependable as they come. It chatters like a woman periodically, though. I had two different issues w/the Marcum: the timing mechanism on the motor s#!$ the bed, but they replaced quickly and shipped back to me in 2 days, no cost. Then, this year, a transducer transistor went bad. Again, fast repair, no cost. Despite these issues, I like the design and I.R., target separation, ultra-crisp display, and quietness of the Marcum. My Marcum is like that hilarious friend who drinks too much and gets you into trouble... yet I still find myself hanging out with him...

[LLewellin]

I have had the FL-8, FL18 and now the FL20. Almost everybody that I fish with have Vexilar's. I must know 25+ people personally that have Vexilar's and NO one, "0", has ever had a problem. They are truly bullet proof. I was up on LOTW last winter and my nephew rented a Marcum Lx3 or Lx5 I can't remember for sure but they did not compare with the FL20. Now if you're talking underwater camera's Marcum all the way. IMHO

Remember to compare apples to apples. The older FL8's were bullet proof but they have improved immensely since then. My first FL8 was from back in the early 90's and its still going strong. Is it as good as my 2 year old FL20, not even close but you get the idea.

[Bigstorm]

I purchased a Humminbird ICE35 at the start of this season, I went from an older Eagle graph style locator to the ICE35 as my first flasher. Took a while to get used to using a flasher, not even sure if I fully understand what I'm looking at all the time since most of my ice fishing is in weedy areas for panfish but I still caught fish and was able to see them on the flasher so no complaints here on the HB ICE35

You might consider the Marcum Showdown. It's not a traditional flasher but i'[ve fished alongside several friends that use them and I think they perform very well. about half the price of an LX-5 to boot.