# problem



## jordanpratt (Feb 28, 2006)

alright ive been ice fishing the last couple week and been catching a few here and there but i go around to the neighboring fisherman and it seems they all have vexilars and there just reeling in the fish cant get the fish off there hook and i was just wondering what the vexilars does for them what it tells them to catch more fish and if i were to get one what would be a good used one to get


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

IMO a vexilar is indeed a MUST have item for ice fishing. Won't go on the ice without it!! It allows you to "see" the water column and bottom structure.

All you need is a FL-8. I'm going to guess by saying you could probably pick one up for around 125-140 used. Maybe a little bit more, mabe a little bit less. I don't know for sure though, I haven't looked.

If you are even somewhat serious about hardwater fishing go ahead and invest in one. You won't be sorry!! :beer:


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

I have to agree with Jiffy. I was against it for a while because I thought it was an extravigant toy for the rich. Then a few years ago I bought the FL-8 and I still use that one. It is a tool just like anything else.

I have no need (yet) of a newer fancy one. This one tells me everything I need to know.


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

Ditto...

1) You can see the bottom and the entire water column
2) You can see fish approach your bait. 
3) You can tell what kind of bottom you are fishing over and if there are weeds or structure under you.
These three factors help you eliminate unproductive areas, adjust your presentation to the fish and simply help you catch more of them.

MSG is right, what might seem at first like a "toy" is really a big deal on the ice. And the basic FL8 is really all you need to see why you aren't catching as many fish as you could be, and enjoying ice fishing even more. I hate to sound like a commercial, but I really truly believe that the sonar flasher has been one of fishing's greatest inventions.

Problem solved?


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Flashers or Vexlars shows.

1. Depth of area
2. Structure
3. Bottom Type
4. Location of fish (suspended or at the bottom)
5. Depth of lure (adjust to where fish are)
6. Incoming fish.

I also thought I would never need one. But once you get one and figure out how to use it. I would never go with out!

It is a good investment if you like to ice fish.

Chuck


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## jordanpratt (Feb 28, 2006)

thanks guys i fish alot so i think im going to invest i one i didnt now they could do all of that


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## MSG Rude (Oct 6, 2003)

Another thing that has been mentioned but I want to pontificate on is this:

It is a little tricky tring to get used to working one of these. It might be a little over-whelming at first reading the colors and getting to know it but once you do it is well worth it.

If you are going to the ice-fising get-together I would be happy to show you how I use mine. 

Take care,

David


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## njsimonson (Sep 24, 2002)

I think what helped me the most was fishing a fast-action lake. Ashtabula was good for pike and perch the winter I first used a Vex.

Then I got one the next winter and the Hob was at its peak. You learn to identify things much better in a "fishy" environment.

If you buy a new Vex, you'll get an instructional DVD with it, which is a very good production as a whole!


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## method (Dec 5, 2006)

They are nice, but not entirely necessary. If you catch really active fish that swim in circles like bluegills they will get wrapped up in your sonar cable every time. Last time I used one on gills all I did was to see how deep it was and then turned it off.

Last week I iced fifteen jumbo perch, the smallest was over a pound, threw back a few smaller ones, a walleye, and 2 nice pike. I never had electronics on me.

I've caught a lot of fish in my day and very few have been iced using electronics. Knowing how to fish is a big key. The electronics only help you to refine your game. If you don't know how to present a jig to a fish it's not going to help you to know that it's right in front of the fish.

I've fished with people that are so wrapped up in their electronics that they miss a lot of opportunities. They can't see the forest for the trees.

That being said, when the fish are really sluggish and aren't very active at all it can help you refine your technique to see when you're scaing them off by doing certain things.

If you have the money, by all means, invest in one. But you will do well for yourself to invest in good rods and reels, good lines, and a wide variety of tackle to handle different situations. If you can add the electronics after that it's a bonus.

-Mike


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## BROWNDOG (Nov 2, 2004)

Sorry but if I had to pick one or the other I would pick a Vexlar and a spool of line and use my finger as the rod over a highly sensitive rod, line, and all the tackle in the world. A person with some fishing and electronics knowlage with a vexlar will outfish a person with that same knowlage and no vex every time. If there is one thing that has revolutionized ice fishing the Vexlar is that item. My first one was a Sitex FL7 and only had one color, it was a great tool but they have improved alot since then. Bottom line is they allow you to read a fishes activness and that is very critical during the hard water season.


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## CNY Tim (Jul 1, 2005)

method said:


> I've caught a lot of fish in my day and very few have been iced using electronics. Knowing how to fish is a big key. The electronics only help you to refine your game. If you don't know how to present a jig to a fish it's not going to help you to know that it's right in front of the fish.
> 
> I've fished with people that are so wrapped up in their electronics that they miss a lot of opportunities. They can't see the forest for the trees.
> 
> ...


Mike - I agree some of the best bluegill anglers I have seen do not use electronics and fish the entire rod vertical to the hole, these guys are pretty much pirates but they do catch fish better than most, they have perfected there craft by being out there every day.
It's like anything practice, practice and more practice. For 10 years I have run electronics fishing and this is the first year I am incorporating an underwater camera and I'm pretty stoked about that.

They are all tools of the trade and in my fishing situations help catch, understand, educate and have fun. Amanda my 7 yr. old will be going with me this year and I can't wait.

I have forgotten my unit 2 hours away from home and I had a ball sight fishing in 6' of water and caught a nice mess of gills and craps, it can be done...

My MarCum LX-5 in zoom mode allows me the surgical ability to adjust my presentation to the fishes liking. You can see that right on the screen.

When I won Michigan my vex at the time was useless because of the heavy weed we were fishing through the redears were below a mat of debris basically broken weed tops that settled. I put a jig on that was bright enough that I could visually see it below the mat where the big ones were and crushed em.

Versatility in your game can make the difference. I know that I try to learn something new every time I walk off the ice.


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## cavedude (Oct 20, 2006)

i just bought an Fl-18 last week and im sold on vexilars, i do agree however that you do not need them....it will help you with a few bonus fish but i think that anyones fully capable of catching fish w/out one...but damn are they fun :beer:


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## mntwins (May 19, 2005)

I can't speak for vexilars, however I love my marcum LX-5 made right in this country. I would not gofishing with out it. It really helps when the crappies are changing dpths all the time.


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## wiskodie1 (Sep 11, 2006)

I also believe fish graphs are a must on the ice, it can help you cut out a lot of bad water in a hurry, but I much prefer my Lowrance X67 to a flash graph of any type. Not saying flash graphs don't work, but there is a lot better technologies on the market these days. Ill take a digitally enhanced graph with a large easy to read display over a flash graph any time. If you think it's easy to see your lure and fish on your graph wait until you come out fishing with me and watch my graph. Then tell me which one is easier to read, understand, control. Sorry but flash graphs have been the only reliable ice fishing graph for so long, and have such a large following and word of mouth sales force that I don't think anyone takes the time to look at what else is on the market. Even the salesman at the store tried to talk me out of buying the Lowrance in favor of a flash graph.  
I was just out fishing a few weeks ago with my dad and brother, he took one look at my Lowrance in action and turned around and told my uncle (who was looking to get a graph) to buy it. I will say this about flash graphs, they do work, and every time I see one, I think back to when I was a little kid watching my grandpa's flash graph mounted in his boat 25 years ago  
I have worked with top of the line sonar systems most every day for the last 10 years.
Resume
United States Navy, Submariner, Sonar tech, 5 years
Deep-Sea Robotics, ROV Supervisor, 5 years and still going

at the end of the day, anything is better then nothing at all.
:beer:


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