vexilars versus regular fish finders

[wballard77]

The response time isn't the issue @ 3 milliseconds vs 7milliseconds you cant tell the difference, because the human eye response time is 8-16 ms. However to get the same target separation as a bottom of the barrel VX-1 you will need a $1000+ graph machine. Also keep in mind that old school flasher last forever.

There is no wrong choice, you will catch more with a finder of any sort than none @ all!

[erierider]

With all due respect, I think your comments are along the same line of the flasher companies. I own a flasher now (FL-18), to be exact and love it. However, seeing the demonstrations and a lot of the new features of these sonars, I think they are being overlooked because it is hard to break the old school flasher mentality.
Mix in GPS mapping all in one unit and you get a pretty nice package which can not only see fish on the screen but help you fish breaks, contours or a hot spot to increase your productivity on the ice. I for one, find myself throwing my handheld GPS in my pocket not to be seen for many hours on the ice. These new set ups make it all in one and easy to use

[slabslayer]

The only reason I'm considering getting one is the GPS factor. Less things to carry and can use my Navionics with a sonar unit. I'm considering trying sideways imagining with my lowrance unit. I have an extra transducer for it. Anything to lighten the load on the ice is a good thing!!

[erierider]

Thats along the same line I was thinking as well, do more with less. From what I am seeing from the online and youtube demos, they are pretty darn nice. From reviews on other sites and doing extensive research, it appears as if people who own them love them. I have an eye on a 'bird Hopefully, I can pull it off and get mine. Will let you guys know how it goes. We have a few trips planned coming up over the holidays here so hopefully I get it and can get some real life feedback on it.
The integrated gps and a navionics card with all the maps and contours would be awesome!

[Hillbilly]

Slabslayer, i havent tried it myself, but my tech guru( he's forgot more about fishfinders than i'll ever know) told me that it wont work...well.
Says the side-scanning works best while moving. It will read, but will become "muddy" was the word he used, if stationary.

again, i have no first hand experience on the ice with one.

erierider, welcome to the darkside!

[slabslayer]

Thanks for the heads up before I try to build an ice bracket for my sidescan. Must be a reason they don't make one!

[erierider]

Well pulled the trigger and got a humminbird 597 ci HD ice machine. Loved my vexilar and am still hoping I made the right decision. I can only speak great things of my fl18 and has performed flawlessly. However, I really wanted to integrate gps/fish finder into one on the ice. Love the concept of being able to go back to exact spots per se, or fishing breaks contours etc. 
If only vexilar could somehow come up with the idea of integrating GPS with their flashers, to me that would be the perfect unit.
Hope my research does not let me down but as small of a world this is I know my vexilar will be continued to be enjoyed by its new owner. Turns out I know him and he loves the ice!!

[Northeast Panfish League]

I used an Eagle Cuda LCD fishfinder for years as my ice rig. I paid $30 for it used and rigged it up so the transducer set level in the hole. I could dial it in to see my jig in 30 ft. of water and see the fish coming in. It can be done and the delay is minimal on some units. Sometimes the extreme cold affected it but it got the job done most times. I know own a Vex FL-22 and a Vex double vision...

[steelneyes]

Some interesting thoughts here.  And I must say, I felt I was missing out 7 or 8 years ago not having a vex, but no longer do.
I have always used my boat sonar with an ice ducer.  In addition to the GPS onboard, my consideration was financial.  If I had an extra $500 to spend would I put it into a flasher that I can only use 2-3 months a year vs. my boat that I am on 9 months out of the year?  I don't doubt the ability of either a flasher or traditional sonar.  And actually, the slowest of all would be a camera.  But as mentioned above, it is milliseconds.
So for me, I took the flasher money and invested it into the structure scan for my boat.  I have used that to now mark spots and find individual stumps and trees that then I can ice fish.  $1000 can buy a lot of sonar these days.  If I lived in MN or upstate MI where they have a 4-5 month ice season, then I may have considered a flasher.  But for the money, if you own a boat as well, you can get 1 really nice unit rather than 2 midline units.