Affordable Ice fishing electronics

[hotsky]

I want to give ice fishing a try, hope it's cold enough this year for that. I wouldn't mind getting something to improve my chances of catching fish. After reading the thread on flashers and looking more into them I was quite surprised to see that they go for half a grand. I thought well goes that idea lol. Are there any affordable units that would work for ice fishing? flashers or sonars? Also if i can use it on an inflatable in the summer all the better! I guess my budget would be up to $200.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Gray_Wolf

[irishfield]

Lots of used finders come up in the classifieds here regularily... any one of them can be used for ice fishing (even using the transom transducer)!

 

[Muskieman]

Eagle or Humminbird on sale at CTC will do the trick .. Slow down the scroll speed and zoom in ... get the Navionics app on your phone ...

 

Le tour est joué.

 

Randy

?

[Rich]

I bought a pihranamax 210 used for 20 bucks. 12v battery about 30 bucks. I used an old swiffer handle for the transducer, and an old tackle box for the... Well.. box. So for 50 bucks i have a nice portable unit year round and the 12v quad deep cycle lasts for days!

[Muskieman]

Lots of used finders come up in the classifieds here regularily... any one of them can be used for ice fishing (even using the transom transducer)!

 

Yep ...

[richyb]

I have a pirannah max portable and it does everything I want it to do. They are for about $130-150 new with battery and carry bag.

[Marko]

Radio world had a killer deal on a Lowrence Mark-5x DSI portable. With shipping it came to 130 dollars.

Going to give this ice fishing a fair shot this winter as well, may as well do it right

[hotsky]

^ I was looking at those but want sure how it does for still fishing; it says optimal speed is 14km an hour my trolling motor doesn't even go that fast...Anyone used it for ice fishing or low speed trolling?

[davey buoy]

^ I was looking at those but want sure how it does for still fishing; it says optimal speed is 14km an hour my trolling motor doesn't even go that fast...Anyone used it for ice fishing or low speed trolling?

 

I would think still fishing is the standard. They all will work even if the boat isn't moving.Don't they?

Edited December 8, 2012 by davey buoy

[Terry]

I would like to know how they do stationary too

they are meant to be moving at 5mph for best picture, because of the way the unit gathers the info and displays it. sitting still they don't get to see the objects frm different angles

[Tdel]

Marcum Showdown Troller Sonar Ice Flasher:

 

This is very portable. You can use 12volt battery or 6 AA batteries to power it.

$149 at Radioworld, carrying case and batteries are extra. Can be used without case. Fits into pocket.

 

Radioworld

 

Tom.

[Marko]

^ I was looking at those but want sure how it does for still fishing; it says optimal speed is 14km an hour my trolling motor doesn't even go that fast...Anyone used it for ice fishing or low speed trolling?

 

I read some reviews and watched some videos on youtube on the unit. Reviews are a bit mixed, people complaining about not being able to see fish. I guess fish dont show up like they would on a regular fish finder as a fish or an arc, on this one they show up as a ball. Most of the videos i found on youtube were European so good luck understanding some of it lol.

 

I am counting on the unit performing well ice fishing, I`ll be able to tell you more after few outings

[landry]

There was a very reasonable fl8 flasher on the classifieds page. 180 I think.

[Freshtrax]

I use a cheap hummingbird works ok. I can see my lure in 110 fow , if there's fish there I see them.

[LeXXington]

Radio world had a killer deal on a Lowrence Mark-5x DSI portable. With shipping it came to 130 dollars.

Going to give this ice fishing a fair shot this winter as well, may as well do it right

 

The DSI models are not good for the ice

 

The lowrence 4x with no GPS is a good deal but really you can get a decent used one for about 100

 

Good luck see you on the ice

[bare foot wader]

at end of season you can check walmart and canadian tire for clearance items..my first flasher was a vex fl8 on clearance at cdn tire for 125.99, i bought 2 and sold one to a buddy

 

check used classifieds, they always come up...you can probably get one for 200 or less

[bare foot wader]

http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-sporting-goods-exercise-fishing-camping-outdoors-Vexilar-FL8SE-value-pack-ice-fishing-flasher-W0QQAdIdZ434343591

[Gerritt]

I see a flasher in the classifieds here

[BillM]

For a newb the last thing I'd recommend is a flasher. Get a graph, so much easier.