As other have said, the great thing about a flasher is that you can see your hook and watch as fish approach it. It certainly adds to the whole ice fishing experience. I personally have a FL-8 Vexlar, which some have said here is only good up to 30 feet. I use mine to fish for lakers in water up to 80 feet with no problems. I've also have friends with other makes and models, Marcum's and Hummingbirds and they all are good. All I can say is once you get use to ice fishing with a flasher, it will be hard not to.