# Fish finding options



## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

Alright, I'm going to end up asking quite a few questions here so bear with me. I am currently looking into my options of how to find fish this winter. I have never used ice electronics before and am looking to start. I watched a guy use a Vex last year and it was very cool to see, but the price tag is a little hefty for not even being sure how much ice fishing ill get to do this year. So I am pondering my options.

I have an older fish finder, but it has served me well on my boat so far. It is an eagle fishmark 320. Apparently there was an iceducer available for this, as well as a D battery size battery pack but I can not seem to find either. I assume that another iceducer will work for this unit, but I am also considering using a skimmer on a mount that keeps it stable. Will the wider angle of the skimmer make this useless? I assume the iceducer is a narrower angle. Anyone have any experience with this?

Another option is the marcum showdown. I see they have this for 190 around the interwebz and didnt know how good of a unit this is. Any thoughts? Any good cheap ice packages I should also consider? 

Also, I hear people mentioning chirp and non-chirp and I dont really know the difference, not sure what I would really be looking for. 

Sorry for all the general questions, I am just trying to get myself oriented here so I can get some stuff done. If anyone has any ice packages they are selling and want to make this easier on me I am all ears as well! Thanks guys.


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## Bay BornNRaised (Oct 23, 2017)

Take it how you will. I am 50 been on the water my whole life. I still have not used or feel the need to use electronics to put fish in the box while ice fishing. As you stated just pondering your options. $ spent better in other areas. JMO


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## Roughfish (Nov 2, 2018)

I use a deeper sonar connects to my phone works good as is pretty cheap compared to alot of the vexilars.


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

I've got a portable hummingbird self contained does everything I need it to do shows me depth fish and my bait paid about a hundred bucks for it at BPS


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## Aaronjeep2 (Nov 18, 2016)

Tag along with me on saint Clair jumbo whale perch limits every day shallow water sight fishing no need for fish finders only thing i use is navionics. I don't get why people still buy vexs when you can buy a nice lowrance or hummingbird for the same price and use it on the boat. Added bounes you get a graff not some stupid flashing lines.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

Bay BornNRaised said:


> .


How do you find fish on new bodies of water? Or in new areas?



Roughfish said:


> .


Was actually curious about that. Someone told me its only ok for its intended use but as long as its stable it is good. Does it show you your bait?



david boyko said:


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iceducer or traditional skimmer?



Aaronjeep2 said:


> .


Yeah I pretty much sight fish shallow lsc now, but want to find more gills in deeper water and that is what brings this up for me. We will fish together tho


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

ajkulish said:


> How do you find fish on new bodies of water? Or in new areas?
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I use a Fishing Buddy 2 to locate fish on a new lake ...it has a side finder transducer that shows how far you are from fish works great in shallow water .Once located i use a flasher but the Buddy 2 works also .


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## fish fanatic jr. (Feb 18, 2004)

I prefer using a flasher over a graph because you get instant information, and I don't have to stare at the side of my monitor. Depends on your style of fishing if you're sight fishing you don't need one. But if you're fishing dirty water, new area, or hole hop often you want some sort of electronics.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

^Agreed. I do a little bit of all 3 and am looking to do more, so I am just looking for the right option at this point. The side bar of my finder is fairly accurate, so watching it wouldnt be too hard, especially with a high ping and scroll speed. I just dont know if the cost of a 2nd transducer and rechargeable battery for my current unit is worth it or if i should just put it toward something better. 

I am gonna look into the fishing buddy, that sounds neat.


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## jumbojake (Apr 20, 2009)

I find my gps most important out dareI like a graph or flasher fur deeper water say erie,or sag bayon the other hand if I'm fashin lady coe even 30 foot flats.it's hard to beat a 1 man and camera.enables ya to pic out de whales sight fashin inn the depths.if I could pic a nice all around combo strictly fashin sag bay.I'd run a 7inch hummingbird with gps combo just my opinion doewhen I fash lsc it's rare i use a flasher or graph.feel it just slows me down unless on a canal fur gills


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## jstanley9798 (Dec 14, 2007)

jumbojake said:


> I find my gps most important out dareI like a graph or flasher fur deeper water say erie,or sag bayon the other hand if I'm fashin lady coe even 30 foot flats.it's hard to beat a 1 man and camera.enables ya to pic out de whales sight fashin inn the depths.if I could pic a nice all around combo strictly fashin sag bay.I'd run a 7inch hummingbird with gps combo just my opinion doewhen I fash lsc it's rare is use a flasher or graph.feel it just slows me down unless on a canal fur gills


I don’t think you can receive any better advice than that. Spot on!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## birdshooter (Jan 7, 2006)

Best fish finder I have ever seen is ..... soon as you crack a beer or pour a cup of coffee bam fish on .

I do like the deeper sonar


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

ajkulish said:


> iceducer or traditional skimmer?


 the traditional skimmer that came with it I use it on my Jon boat too was just at Cabela's this evening and seen the updated version for about 150$ I mounted on an old school tipup


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## Roughfish (Nov 2, 2018)

ajkulish said:


> How do you find fish on new bodies of water? Or in new areas?
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It works good with me shows the lure pretty good got alot of panfish with it as well as largemouth bass and catfish through the ice using it


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## 7mmsendero (Dec 2, 2010)

If you’re fishing shallow, then I highly recommend a camera. It will get you right on structure, and it’s a game changer. You’d be surprised the difference a few feet can make when setting up. It’s fun too, compact Aquavue is pretty affordable.


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

Was playing with my options at cabelas today. The vex fl8 is awesome, as is the Lowrance hook 5x Ice machine. I could use that on my boat in summer as well.

How effective is camera when the water is murky? I fish some stained water so that does play a role here. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

Also, my ice queen who just bought me a shanty for Christmas, has offered to put a good chunk of change toward an early birthday gift, so I have options! Don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'll take it! 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

here is a picture out fishing now


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## ajkulish (Nov 16, 2013)

What part of the state? Looks like good ice. Jealous! 

So I think I have come to a conclusion. I had ultimately narrowed it down to two options: Get vex fl8 now (280) and hook2 5x this summer for my boat (230) for 510 total, OR get the hook2 5x ice machine (399) for this winter, and get a bullet transducer later to put it on my boat in summer (50 bucks or so) for a total of 450. At a very similar price point it really came down to which does its job better. 

After watching some videos I think I really like watching a flasher next to a sonar graph, so I think the Lowrance is going to get the nod. I already have Navionics on my phone but having lake maps, down imaging, etc is a pretty big advantage that the Vex cant offer.

Here goes nothin!


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## david boyko (Feb 12, 2012)

Houghton lake East bay drove 3 hrs this morning to get here worth every minute even though the fish are not biting yet


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