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NEW MARCUM LX-3TC ICE FISHING SONAR FLASHER FISH FINDER    US $369.99

Marcum LX-3tc Ice Fishing Sonar System - LX-3tc    US $389.99

Marcum LX-3tc Ice System Fishfinder    US $369.95

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Our list of reviews on the ice fishing flashers take a front and center look at the Marcum LX-3 fish finder.  The Marcum fish finders are well known to be quality flashers with a great reputation and a long list of features for your dollar.  The LX-3 is the middle unit in the Marcum line of ice fishing flashers.  It builds on the great baseline unit the Marcum VX-1 and adds functionality for the ice angler who is a little more discerning in his ice fishing gear.  Without further blabbering on my part, here is the LX-3 review.  For those looking for my other Marcum flasher reviews please see the following:

Marcum VX-1 Review
Marcum LX-5 Review

Key Features of the Marcum LX-3

Again, most anglers can get by with a baseline unit, but if you want a few more features you are going to have to step up in price and in the flasher line.  The biggest difference noticed by ice fishermen is from no flasher to a flasher, but for those that are well versed in the flasher game the LX-3 does offer some nice features.  In addition to the great features on the VX-1 such as a 3 color sonar system,  that shows the difference between small, medium and large objects (small or far away objects are shown in green, medium in yellow and large fish are shown in red) you get more power, better target separation and an adjustable zoom.  The VX-1 has an impressive 1,000 watts peak to peak power, but the LX-3 brings it to the next level and goes to 1,500 watts of peak to peak power.  While the VX-1 has a bottom zoom where the bottom 6 feet is shown in more detail, the LX-3 has an adjustable zoom that allows you to zoom anywhere in the water column.  This can be especially important when ice fishing crappie and a little less so when you are ice fishing walleye since crappies tend to suspend over deep water and walleyes tend to hug the bottom.  When compared to the Vexilar FL-12 (the mid point Vexilar unit) you get a lot more features for the same money.

Marcum LX-3 prices

Unlike the baseline VX-1 unit, you are going to need to pony up a bit more scratch to get yourself into a Marcum LX-3.  While the VX-1 tends to be around $300, the LX-3 is another $100 and retails at around $400.

Where can I find the best Marcum LX-3 price online?

The age old question since Al Gore invented the internet, the best places I have found to look are the same places people talk about all the time: Ebay and Craigslist.  I generally point people in the direction of Ebay  for those that want assurances that the unit will work (PayPal has very buyer friendly policies and can make sure you are covered if you get a unit that doesn’t work).  If you are willing to forgo the consumer friendly policies of PayPal for a chance to save some money on shipping and overall cost, craigslist is great place to look, especially if you are in a populated city that has an active CL presence.   If you look around you can at times find small sales on these units (like 5% off to maybe 10% off) at respected retailers like Cabelas and Red Rock Store), but generally you won’t find the best deals at these places.

Final recommendation on the Marcum LX-3

When it comes to ice fishing flashers I think that the Marcum line is a hard line to beat given their features for the price.  I personally steer people towards a baseline unit for the bang for the buck, but if you are looking to get a little more out of your flasher I think that the LX-3 is a solid choice.  In terms of longevity and quality rep it is on par with the Vexilar with one key exception and the price point is the same.  However, it has more features than Vexilar and therefore I generally suggest going with a Marcum even though the Vexilars are fine units in and of themselves.

What are your experiences with the Marcum LX-3?  What would you tell someone that is in the market for a flasher and is considering the LX-3?

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Humminbird New Ice-45 Flasher Fishfinder Color 407030-1    US $356.99

Hummingbird 407030-1-Humminbird Ice-45 Ice Fishing Flasher - Kit    US $431.99

Humminbird ICE 45 Ice Fishing Flasher    US $382.20

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When it comes to the ice fishing flashers world, Humminbird is a relatively Johnny come lately.  While well accomplished on the soft water with their impressive line of Humminbird fish finders, the ice versions in the “birds” line have only been around for a few years.  Thankfully their quality reputation is carried over into the ice fishing world.  And to be sure, a flasher is a key part of your ice fishing gear and is not something to be screwed around with!  Many people, myself included, would turn around and not fish if our flasher wasn’t working correctly on the ice.  But on to this specific model, the Ice-45 is the middle version of the ice fishing flasher lineup from Humminbird.

For other reviews please see the following articles:

Humminbird Ice-35 Review

Humminbird Ice-55 Review

Key Features of the Hummingbird Ice-45

Here is where the rubber hits the road.  The Ice-45 has a slightly higher price tag than the baseline units from all the flasher companies (i.e. the Ice-35, Vexilar FL-8, and Marcum VX-1) and therefore would expect some added features.  And this is the case.  A flat screen is standard on these units.  The center of the screen has a digital read out of the depth that is easy to read when hopping from hole to hole.  In addition, the Ice-45 has a great feature that allows for adjustable zoom.  The whole water column is shown on the right hand side of the screen, but the left hand side only show the portion of the water column that you are focusing on.  Unlike the VX-1 (for those interested here is the Marcum VX-1 review) where it is the bottom 6 feet of the water column, the Ice-45 allows you to pick any part of the water column to be zoomed on.  Similar to almost all of the modern flashers on the market, the Hummingbird Ice 45 has 3 colors to depict how big the object being reflected is (green is the smallest, yellow the medium and red the large).

Humminbird Ice-45 Prices

When it comes to buying a flasher this is often one of the first questions that people have.  While the baseline units of all are about $300 to get into the game, the middle tier units also tend to be priced similarly.  The Humminbird Ice 45 is normally priced around $400, if you can find it for less than that you are doing well and should go about it.  If you can find a Humminbird Ice-45 model on Craigslist you are likely still going to pay near retail since these units are so new and widely popular.  Anything for 25% off retail I would consider good.  You can often find good deals for these units from sellers on Ebay that are selling new units for good prices.  I would check their first personally.

My recommendation on the Humminbird Ice-45 Flasher

If it were my money to plunk down in buying a flasher I personally would either save the $100 and go with a baseline unit (VX-1, Ice 35 or FL8) or step up and get a top of the line unit (FL-20 or FL-22, LX-5, or Ice 55).  This middle unit offers some additional bells and whistles, but there is not enough there to pick it over the Ice 35 for me.

What are your experiences with the Humminbird Ice fish finders?  How would you write your Hummingbird Ice-45 review?

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Humminbird New Ice-35 Flasher Fishfinder Color 407020-1    US $286.99

Humminbird Ice-35 Ice Fishing Flasher    US $335.47

Humminbird Ice-35-------------------------New for 2009!    US $359.00

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As was discussed in the other baseline ice fishing flashers on the market, the Humminbird Ice-35 is the baseline model from its namesake and compared to the other brands is measures up nicely.  As with all of the baseline models they aren't as feature laden as their big brother counterparts, but they get the job done and get fish on the ice.  As I have mentioned many times on this site, it is often in the best interest of the new ice fisherman to start with a base line fish finder in order to get the knack of using this crucial piece of ice fishing gear. The Humminbird Ice-35 is the base version in the line from Humminbird. For those looking for the other Humminbird flasher reviews please see one of the following:

Humminbird Ice-45 Review
Humminbird Ice-55 Review

Key Features of the Humminbird Ice-35

As a baseline flasher, the Ice-35 is one meant to get you into the flasher game. The largest benefit for ice fisherman is from when you have no ice fishing flasher to having one. Hard water fisherman who have used one will not even bother fishing without one and would rather go home than “fish blind” due to not being able to see what is going on in the water column. I'm of a similar thinking, I would rather go home than be without.  Like nearly all of the modern ice fishing flashers, the Hummingbird Ice-35 has a 3 color display system that shows the difference between small, medium and large objects (small is shown as green, medium as yellow and large as red lines on the screen). The target separation is 3 inches which is worse than the higher end Humminbird fish finders, but definitely good enough for the beginning angler!  It is also a bit behind the Marcum VX-1 (see as review at Marcum VX-1 review) You don’t want to be caught out ice fishing crappie without your flasher.  It also comes with 800 watts of peak to peak power, which again is lower than the Marcum, but more than the FL-8 (see Vexilar FL-8 review).  The biggest advantage that the Ice-35 has is that not only does it have zoom (which is more than the Vexilar baseline model can say as it doesn't have any), but it has an adjustable zoom that you can lock to any part of the water column (similar to Vexilars top model.  See as review at Vexilar FL-20 review).  It beats the baseline Marcum as you will need to go with their high end models to get that adjustable zoom (see the Marcum LX-5 review).

Humminbird Ice-35 prices

Being the lowest unit in the Hummingbird family affords a lower price. They are the new kids on the block when it comes to the ice fishing flasher game, but they have a great reputation in open water applications of sonar / fish finders.  Given that they have matched the baseline model prices of the other companies in that the Ice-35 costs a standard $300 which is the standard price point.

Where can I find the best Humminbird Ice-35 price online?

This is the most commonly asked question people who are in the market for a flasher have.  The easy answer is one that many you will hear repeatedly in online circles: Ebay and Craigslist. I always recommend using Ebay for those that want gurantees that the unit will function as promised (PayPal has very buyer friendly policies) while Craigslist is good for those looking to deal with local people and avoid shipping fees, but are willing to take on more risk. You can also find these units for sale many places online (including well respected retailers like Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, and Red Rock Store), but generally you won’t find the best prices at these sites.  You will need to look elsewhere.

Final recommendation on the Humminbird Ice 35

When it comes to ice fishing flashers I think that the Humminbird Ice-35 is the most feature laden model on the market today for the baseline models.  I would steer people to either go with this model or the Marcum VX-1.  If you are willing to look past the lack of track record with these units I would definitely go with the Ice-35 as it has adjustable zoom and a dual beam transducer in a baseline model.  For those that want more track record go with the VX-1.  I would not go with the Vexilar FL-8 due to the lack of features for the same price.  Vexilar does have the longest tenure and a great reputation, however.

What are your experiences with the Ice-35? What would you tell someone that is in the market for a flasher and is considering the Bird Ice-35?

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Vexilar FL8 -Genz flasher - NO reserve    US $177.50

Vexilar FL-8 with carrying case    US $167.50

Vexilar New Genz Pack Fishfinder System FL8SE GP10819    US $249.99

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The latest in our series of ice fishing flasher reviews focuses on the Vexilar baseline model, the Vexilar FL-8 ice fishing flasher.  As I have discussed several times on this site, it is often in the best interest of the new ice angler to start with a baseline flasher in order to get the knack of using this crucial piece of ice fishing gear.  The Vexilar FL-8 (also known as the Vexilar FL-8SE, Vexilar FL-8 Genz Box, and other similar variants) is the base version available from Vexilar.   For those looking for the other Vexilar flasher reviews please see one of the following:

Vexilar FL-18 Review
Vexilar FL-20 Review
Vexilar FL-22 Review

Key Features of the Vexilar FL-8

A baseline flasher, the FL-8 is on that is mean t to first and foremost get you into the flasher game.  The biggest difference noticed among ice anglers is from when you have no flasher to having one.  Anglers who have used one will not even both fishing without one and it is often referred to as “fishing blind” due to not being able to see what is going on in the water column.  I would agree here, the time you have to spend ice fishing is too valuable to waste without a flasher.  Like nearly all of the modern ice fishing flashers, the FL-8 has a 3 color display system that shows the difference between small, medium and large objects (small with green, medium with yellow and large with red lines on the screen).  The target separation is 2 inches which is worse than the higher end Vexilar fish finders, but definitely good enough for the beginning angler and those that have even used it for a while!  You don’t want to be caught out ice fishing crappie without your flasher.

Vexilar FL-8 prices

Being the lowest unit in the Vexilar family allows a lower price.  Given their stellar reputation, it is impressive that they are on par with the other brands baseline counterparts.  Priced normally at around $300 the FL-8 is a good deal in the market of flashers and will help you put more fish on the dinner table (or release to the grease if you prefer)

Where can I find the best Vexilar FL-8 price online?

This is the most common question that people have when it comes time to finally plunk down your hard cash, and the fast  answer is one that many you will hear over and over again: Ebay and Craigslist.  I generally recommend using Ebay  for those that want assurances that the unit will function as promised (PayPal has very buyer friendly policies) while craigslist is good for those looking to deal locally and avoid shipping fees, but are accepting of more risk.  You can also find these units for sale many places online (including well respected retailers like Cabelas, Gander Mountain, and Red Rock Store), but generally you won’t find the best deals at these places.

Final recommendation on the Vexilar FL-8

When it comes to ice fishing flashers I think that the Vexilar FL-8 is a solid model that has helped ice fisherman for years.  However, I would recommend going with either the Marcum VX-1 (for more info see Marcum VX-1 review) or the Humminbird Ice-35 (for more info see the Humminbird Ice-35 review) for the same price.  In terms of reputation and features it is the leader, but I think the other units have better features for the same price.

What are your experiences with the FL-8?  What would you tell someone that is in the market for a flasher and is considering the FL-8?

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Marcum VX-1 Pro Ice Fishing Sonar System / Fish Finder - VX-1P    US $289.95

NEW MARCUM VX-1 VX-1P PRO ICE FISHING SONAR FLASHER FISH FINDER    US $269.99

MarCum VX-1 Pro Ice Sonar System New FREE SHIPPING!!    US $299.99

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Our series of ice fishing flasher reviews takes a turn with Marcum’s baseline model.  As alluded to in the past oftentimes it is in the best interest of the novice ice flasher user to start with a baseline model in order to get used to using this critical piece of ice fishing gear.  The Marcum VX-1 is the lowest version available in the Marcum line and has a decent amount of features to allow the ability to catch more fish this winter.  Without further adieu here is the VX-1 review.  For those looking for the other Marcum flasher reviews please see one of the following:

Marcum LX-3 Review
Marcum LX-5 Review

Key Features of the Marcum VX-1

Again, a baseline unit is one that gets you into the flasher game.  The biggest difference between ice anglers is one who uses a flasher vs one that doesn’t.  Like all of the modern ice flashers, the VX-1 boasts a 3 color system that shows the difference between small, medium and large objects (small or far away objects are shown in green, medium in yellow and large fish are shown in red).  Even though it is a baseline unit the VX-1 has an impressive 1000 watts of peak to peak power to detail what is below your hole.  The target separation is 2” which is a bit worse than the high end units, but for the beginner it is plenty sufficient to make a huge impact on the ice.  One of the key differences between the VX-1 and its Vexilar counterpart, the FL-8 (which you can read about in our Vexilar FL-8 review) is that the VX-1 comes standard with bottom zoom.  This feature is very nice when chasing those bottom hugging fish like perch and when ice fishing walleye.

Marcum VX-1 prices

Being the bottom line of the Marcum charges, the VX-1 is the least expensive.  Priced normally at around $300 the VX-1 is a good deal in the market of flashers and will help you put more fish on the ice especially when ice fishing crappies with their penchant for suspending over deep water in the winter.

Where can I find the best Marcum VX-1 price online?

This is a common question that people have and the quick answer is one that many people hear over and over again: Ebay and Craigslist.  I generally recommend using Ebay  for those that want assurances that the unit will work (PayPal has a very buyer friendly slant and can make sure you are covered if you get a lemon) while craigslist is good for those looking to deal locally and avoid shipping fees, but willing to take on a bit more risk.  To be sure you can find these for sale many places on the web (including well respected retailers like Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, and Red Rock Store), but generally you won’t find the best deals at these places.

Final recommendation on the Marcum VX-1

When it comes to ice fishing flashers I think that the Marcum VX-1 is the best baseline model to buy.  In terms of reputation and features it is on par with the Vexilar with one key exception, it comes standard with the bottom zoom.  This feature alone makes it a better buy in my opinion and is the reason that I purchased one of these myself as my first flasher.

What are your experiences with the VX-1?  What would you tell someone that is in the market for a flasher and is considering the VX-1?

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Marcum LX-5 Ice Fishing Sonar System / Fish Finder - LX-5    US $449.95

Marcum~LX-5 Ice System Sonar Fishfinder~3-color~New!    US $459.99

NEW MARCUM LX-5 ICE FISHING SONAR FLASHER FISH FINDER    US $469.99

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As we discussed in the ice fishing flasher reviews in my previous post, one of the most important piece of ice fishing gear is the ice fishing flasher.  Using your Marcum fish finders to get on fish, stay on fish and catch fish is simply a better way to be productive on the ice.  This post will target the Marcum LX-5 specifically, which is Marcum's top of the line flasher and has many bells and whistles that are the envy of ice anglers everywhere.  With that said, what makes the Marcum LX-5 different than the LX-3 or the VX-1?  Why should you spend the extra money on it and not a baseline model?  I will attempt to answer all of these questions here.  For those that are interested, here are the other Marcum flasher reviews:

Marcum VX-1 Review
Marcum LX-3 Review

Key Features of the Marcum LX-5

The Marcum LX-5 is the top of the line unit from Marcum and therefore must have some features that make it more expensive, right?  Of course.  All of the Marcum line of flashers have the bottom zoom, however unlike the baseline VX-1, the LX-5 has an adjustable zoom that can zoom in on any portion of the water column you choose.  In addition this unit pumps out 2,500 watts of power and is able to display a very clear picture.  The transducer comes standard with a dual beam option that allows for you to go between an 8 degree and 20 degree cone angle.  The 8 degree can be extremely helpful for those suspended fish over deep water or while out and about fishing among the large fish villages many ice fisherman frequent.  However, one of the most prominent features that I have seen used well is the greatly improved target separation.  An LX-5 can get the target separation down to 0.75 inches and if you are ice fishing panfish in a school you know full well this can be helpful.

What is the Marcum LX-5 price?

When you are looking to buy an LX-5 you are going to be opening your wallet, plain and simply.  In a retail store you are going to be forking out a solid $500 plus tax.  If you are willing to shop online you can often find better deals on new units.  Check out Ebay and often they have good deals on these units.  If you are willing to go with a used model you can often find good deals on Craigslist and Ebay.

Are the extra Marcum LX-5 features worth the price?

The final moment of truth from this cowboy.  Of course it will be kind of wishy washy.  Unless you are a serious ice fisherman I would say that the extra features are not necessary and you could easily get by on a base unit like the Marcum VX-1, Vexilar FL-8 or the Humminbird Ice-35.  If you are serious about your fishing and know how to use the features the LX-5 can really help you put more fish on the ice.

What are your experience with this flasher?  What would you add if you were writing your own Marcum LX-5 review?

This particular article won't go too much into the specifics of each company's models and what they have to offer and what they normally cost, but will be a general overview of the ice fishing flasher market.  Subsequent posts will be targeted specifically at reviewing the different models and comparing / contrasting them against other similar models.   If you would like to see specific reviews of specific models here is the list:

Vexilar FL-8 Review
Vexilar FL-12 Review
Vexilar FL-18 Review
Vexilar FL-20 Review
Vexilar FL-22 Review
Marcum VX-1 Review
Marcum LX-3 Review
Marcum LX-5 Review
Humminbird Ice-35 Review
Humminbird Ice-45 Review
Humminbird Ice-55 Review

With that said, here is the breakdown of what is on the market:

There are 3 main players in the flasher market -> Vexilar (the old reliable company that has been around for decades), Marcum (the somewhat newer brand with a good reputation) and Humminbird (a stalwart in the depth finder game, but a relative new comer to this game with their ice series of flashers).  All of the companies market at least 3 different flavors of their flashers , an entry level model for the bargain shoppers that gets them in the game, a mid tier version with some more features and their flagship top end models that have all the bells and whistles a guy could want.  Vexilar has further added to their line with a few other models that fit in between those three.

When it comes time to purchase one of these units it should be noted that the biggest jump you will notice is from no flasher to any flasher.  This normally entails purchasing the base model of your favorite manufacturer.  And generally speaking this is my advice to anglers new to ice fishing: buy a baseline model flasher and use it for a couple of year.  you can always sell it in the secondary market and they hold their value very well.  And the bells and whistles on the higher end models (different transducer beams, variable zoom, multiple power modes, etc) are going to be lost on a new user anyway until they understand how to use a base model.

What do Ice Fishing Flashers Cost?

As far as cost, much like all three companies have similar offering in terms of features, they also have similar prices.  Baseline models cost around $300 and generally will sell on the secondary market (Ebay, Craigslist, etc) for around $200-$250.  Mid point models run about $400 and the high end models run around $500.

Here is a list of the manufacturer's websites:

Marcum
Vexilar
Humminbird

What is your experience with flashers and what advice would you have for people that are looking for ice fishing flasher reviews online?

When it comes to a quality flasher on the market, the initial thought in everyone’s head when talking about ice fishing flashers is the great line of Vexilar Fish Finders.  Along with its reputation that has built over the span of several decades, it is important to note that these finders retain their values extremely well.  It is not uncommon to be able to sell your well used flasher for 80% of the value that you bought it for.  On top of making ice fishing a much easier endeavor to master, the resale value makes it easy to give it a shot and then sell it off at a later date if you want.  I’m going to warn you, though.  Once you buy a flasher and use it on the ice, you are not going to ever want to get rid of it or ice fish without it ever again.  It will become your most cherished piece of ice fishing gear.

The key reason that ice fishing flashers work so well is that it maximizes your time on the ice.  Gone are the days of sitting atop a hole waiting for the fish to come find you.  Simply drop your flasher down and see if there are any fish in the water column.  If not, move to the next hole!  No sense in wasting your time where there are no fish.  On top of that, you can see the fish move up and attack your bait on the screen.  Watch how they react to different presentations and the action you impart on the lure.  This can easily double or triple your catch rate.

When it comes to the specifics of what is available in Vexilar’s fish fijnder line you really have 3 options.  They range in price from about $300 to $550 depending on the model.  The Vexilar FL-8 is a staple of many ice fishermen thoughout the world.  This flasher has likely caught more fish in this sport than any other due to its wide use and longevity.  Of course, the fact that it works great doesn’t hurt!  Next up in line is the Vexilar FL-18 flasher.  In addition to the great features on the FL-8, the Fl-18 offers up better target separation and an adjustable zoom (the zoom is especially great for those suspending fish you find while ice fishing crappie).  The top of the line model is the Vexilar FL-20, which is the dream of many ice fishermen today.  The target separation is second to none and the sensitivity on this unit is really something to see.S

In comparison to the Vexilars, the Marcum stacks up very nicely.  First and foremost the features on the Marcum’s are as good or better across the board as the Vexilar units.  A good example of this is the bottom zoom feature that is standard on the baseline offering, the Marcum VX-1 fish finder.  The zoom is not offered on the Vexilar line until you get up into their mid tier unit which costs $100 to $150 more than their baseline unit the Vexilar FL-8.  In addition, the peak to peak power available on the Marcum units put them light years ahead of the Vexilars.  Granted a low power setting on the Vexilars are nice when you are fishing in the weeds or for use in the open water under similar circumstances, but this is a pretty small degree of usage among ice anglers.  The adjustable zoom available on the top of the line Marcum LX-5 is a great feature for those suspended crappies that are the target of many ice anglers around the world.

Going on the ice these days without a sonar unit is highly inadvisable.  Experienced ice fishermen often refer to this type of fishing as “fishing blind” for the fact that they have no idea if there are actually fish below their hole.  On top of that you can literally see your bait on the screen of the flasher and see how the fish are reacting to it.  Paired with a St. Croix spring bobber the combination is deadly on many fish through the ice including crappies, sunfish, walleyes, perch and tullibee.  In fact, using it while ice fishing tullibee proved very effective this year while ice fishing Mille Lacs Lake.

Marcum offers its fish finders in 3 varieties which range in price from just north of $200 to over $500 for its top of the line model.  The baseline model is the Marcum VX-1 model which sports 3 color sonar and a zoom feature for the bottom 5 feet of the water column.  Stepping up to the Marcum LX-3 allows for a more precise display of your bait and the fish (referred to as “target separation” by the ice fishing flasher industry).  The top of the line model is the Marcum LX-5 flasher.  This unit offers a ton of peak to peak capacity and an even finer “target separation” than the other models in the line.

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UltraTech UT1270 12V 7Ah Sealed Lead Acid Alarm Battery UT-1270    US $23.45

So back to my story.  To say I was disheartened would be an understatement.  The unit would spin up, but no colors, no depth readout, nothing.  Used my buddies unit to test out my transducer, it worked great on his flasher.  The problem wasn't the transducer.  Used his transducer which also worked fine on his unit, nothing on mine.  Again, flasher would spin, no readout.  Very upset I placed the unit back in my vehicle and went to fish that day without one.  Which was painful for me as it is one of the main ways I ensure catching fish on the ice.  My spring bobber was good that day and I managed a decent number of crappies, but not anywhere near what I normally catch. At this point I was resigned to the fact that I was going to have to call customer service and prepare to ship it in to be fixed.  I didn't even want to know what it was going to cost at that point....

It wasn't until well after getting home, cleaning fish, relaxing on the couch with the family watching television that it hit me.  In fact, I had even gone as far as laying down to fall asleep when something occurred to me.  When I went to grab the flasher that morning to head out ice fishing I remembered noticing that the battery wasn't charging quite right the last time I charged it after fishing all day.  Up from bed I got, ran downstairs and grabbed the unit.  Luckily I have a ice fishing camera also which uses the exact same type of battery, so I simply swapped the battery to my Vexilar.  Turned the power on and woolahh unit worked perfectly.  This had me intrigued at this point, so I took my vexilar battery and used it to power the camera.  It would kind of power up, but only display about half of the screen.  It truly was a bad vexilar battery.

Where can you buy vexilar batteries online?

This question was the first one that came to mind.  Sure I knew I could go to the local sporting goods store and pick up a new battery, but I remembered the price being upwards of $50 last time I was there.  My brain started thinking that if I'm able to find a flash drive for half to one quarter the price of what I can find at Best Buy online, why would a Vexilar battery be any different?  Luckily it wasn't.  Going to the usual suspects was quite rewarding.  If you go to Ebay you can find a wide range of vexilar batteries, just understand they won't call them "vexilar batteries".  They will simply be called by their generic name, which is a 7 amp hour 12 volt sealed lead acid battery.  The beauty is they will ship right to your door for less than $15.  That is crazy cheap.  It made the fact that my battery was toast much easier to swallow.  It should be mentioned that these are the same batteries that are used in Marcum flashers (VX-1, LX3, LX5), Vexilar flashers (FL-8, FL-18, FL-20), as well as Humminbird flashers (Ice-35, Ice-45, and Ice-55).

No need to break the bank when buying that new Vexilar battery, simply go online and find a great deal!