Vexilar or Lowrance Ice machine?

[huntervasili]

Well for a while now I have been looking at getting a Vex and hopefully I will be within the next little while, but I have seen the Ice machines and was wondering which of the two you would get if it was your choice... Figure the Vex will be more durable and usable in really cold temps but what are the advanteges and disadvantages to each? Thanks for any input Ohh yea if ya havent keyed in it will be for ice fishing eyes and perch

[huntervasili]

Ohh and an upside is it has the regular sonar too and I can buy the mount and put it on my tinny too, and I can also get GPS on it too... The basic units are approx the same price

[Dondorfish]

I use an ice machine, but if I were to be in the market right now - no question - it would be a marcum! The Marcums are more powerfull then either of the other 2.

 

 

Don

[Dondorfish]

Hey Bill - Here's a link to Cabelas in the states - check out the Marcum LX-5

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...rentId=cat20166

[wallyboss]

Doesn't matter which one you chose as long as you chose one. I won't go ice fishing if I don't have my flasher!! I have an FL-18 Vex

[icefisherman]

Well,

you have missed MarCum LX-5. I have what probably was one of the first LX-5 in Canada a month after they came out few years ago and this thing is amazing. I love it!

Got me a lot of fish I wouldn't know is under me otherwise. Durable, very powerful, better priced then Vex, better looking and will all options included...

Strongly recommend it!

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[huntervasili]

I hadn't really been looking at the MarCum Flashers I guess just because I havent heard much about em... I realize they are priced better but what do you loose/gain with that over the Vex/IM?

[huntervasili]

Ohh I meant to say keep in mind I didn't want the highest end ones running 500+ bucks... The vex I was looking at was the FL8 and its near the same price as the Ice machine...

[icefisherman]

LX-5 is top of the line model. Options that may cost you extra on the Vex come included in the LX-5.

But if you want less bells and whistles while still having great ice machine check some of the other Marcum models here:

 

http://www.marcumtech.com/products/product...&ProdCat1=1

 

I believe you'll save some comparing to Vex.

 

Cheers,

Ice Fisherman

[DT10Sam]

Hi Bill,

 

This is really not the information that I like to pass on but the fellow that owns it is not in great health and moving back to Barrie. We have a customer of ours that he bought a Vexilar FL18 last winter and hardly used it as there was only 6 weeks of ice fishing here at BOQ. Paul is his name and he is dying from cancer and wants to sell everything to cover his treatments. He has expressed that he would sell his Vexilar for 300.00 if I knew of anyone. I am thinking of just getting it so that someone can benefit from it.

 

He also has other fishing equipment and I'm not sure if he has sold his boat etc. His depression over his cancer is also taking a toll on him. If you are interested let me know and I will pay for it and if you do not like it you are not obligated to buy it at all.

 

Regards,

Sam

Edited November 23, 2007 by DT10Sam

[Vanselena]

Hi, if the Vexilar is still available the I would love to buy it! Let me know and I will send you the money!

 

Matthew

[Terry]

once you learn to read the flasher, they are a bit better then the icemachine, on the ice

but I use my 67c icemachine as a portable for my folding boat and others and unless you are always anchored flashers are less useful in open water

[Uncle Buck]

I've got an LX5 as well... yes it is top of the line...

 

figure you will have the thing for many many years, might as well drop a little extra coin, and not have to upgrade later...

 

If buying new....

 

even though only the lx5 comes with a dual cone, it's still an option for a vex....

 

damn vex is like a car, buy it, then start adding options...

 

s-cable, charging system, case etc...

 

Marcum comes good to go out of the box...

 

only place where vex beats marcum is depth... max depth on marcum is 160ft, 200 on a vex...

 

vex is living off it's name... the fl20 was a dissappointment to many vex fans....

 

i did research before buying the marcum, and hands down marcum was the way to go... i believe that they lx5 and fl20 are both around the same price, but then start adding options then the vex becomes more expensive...

 

Marcum has as a standard lx5 unit:

 

more wattage 2000 vs Vex's 400

 

soft cover case ( optional on a vex)

 

digital charging system with lcd display (not 4 leds like a vex)

 

dual cone transducer ( no optional s-cable required)

 

dual cone changes at the press of a button, no need to change transducers

 

finer resolution (up to 3/4"... not that it makes a difference too much...)

 

adjustable zoom throughout the entire water column ( vex only has bottom lock)

 

12 level interference rejection (10 levels on a vex...)

 

granted they all help catch fish, but dollar for dollar, a marcum gives you a lot more...

[dwc67]

they all work and they all mark fish, jigs, weed and bottom hardness. i have a lx3 going into season 3 and see no reason to upgrade. the ice machine would be a good dual purpose but if you are going to do that skip the 800watt and get a more powerfull lowrance or hummingbird with tft screen (thin film tech). they all have a flasher screen and you can make box or something for use on the ice. basically i am saying you can get a far better sonar for the same money as the ice machine.

 

 

if you do not want dual purpose buy a flasher. i spend most of my time panfishing and do not need dual beam but i can still mark lakers and whitefish coming to my jig in 100ft with the lx3. the sweet thing with my marcum is i can move my zoom anywhere in the water column so if the fish are suspended just below the ice over 30 ft of water i can put my zoom there, an fl18 won't do that

[douG]

dwc is one of the fishiest guys on the ice I've ever seen. Take his advice straight to the bank.

[TAH]

dwc67, where have you been

[pikeie]

none of them....... MARCUM all the way.

[huntervasili]

thanks for the ongoing info guys...

[Grimace]

I have a fl-18 and it is incredible. Having said that, I have seen an lx-5 in action and it is even better!!. I am not sure about and lcd screen if you do not have a hut. so I am unsure about the Lowrance. Try the lx-3 if you dont want to spend the big bucks, it is an awesome machine

Edited November 25, 2007 by Grimace

[Nater]

I have the lower end marcim (VX1) got it for a great price and for what I paid am happy with how it performs. I got a 9 degree vex transducer from vanselena (thanks again) and use it on my Marcum while fishing for whitties at simcoe. 9 degree cone is a great idea in deeper water for whitties and lakers. The zoom on the vx1 isn't as fancy as the lx5 zoom but it is still better then no zoom like the FL8.

 

I wish I had just bit the bullet and got the lx3 or lx5 now but the vx1 has treated me well and I can upgrade when I scrounge up the money.

 

Nate

 

once you use a flasher you will never go on the ice without it again

[Rustic-Fisher]

I owned the icemachine when it first came out and was not that impressed. The unit was prone to tons of interferance from other machines. And 800watts is a little under powered. I also found the flasher a little trickey in water over 50'. Pros were the battery life and the color screen. Its just an opinion. But if ya do decide on the icemachine I just saw them at www.radioworld.ca for 299.99.

 

later

[huntervasili]

Thanks for all the Info guys... I have decided on the FL18 I have seen the vexilars in action several times and like em and according to the votes and several posts they are good... Thanks for all your help