# How important is target seperation?



## DaveW731 (Jan 12, 2001)

I'm in the market for a sonar unit (first time!) and in my price range I like the Humminbird 35: dual transducer, zoom anywhere in the water column, ease of use/ ease on the eyes being the biggest selling points. Concerned about the 2.5" target seperation. Will that be a problem, fishing for perch or walleye?
I've done a search on this topic already, couldn't find an answer, so any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
DaveW


----------



## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

You either go the route a lot of first time buyers go for; buy a flasher and then eventually try or start using a machine with more digital signal manipulation.... a.k.a. LCD display - or never want to go beyond the flasher.

For any brand regardless, each 200Khz (I chose that as a baseline frequency, since many are) transceiver only has so much target separation available due to it's physical wavelength characteristics. Having the ability to filter and slice your sonar returns to the most razor sharp wavelength tuning possible can help you to see the most *detail *possible.
That 'Bird is a pretty good machine, I'm not really familiar with the price point (but I'm looking this up as I type) , I just know the 300 series LCDs are some pretty nice multifunction easy to run combo units with great menu systems & great info.


The HB 365i is $299 but a B&W display.










The HB 385i is $399 but DOES have a color display.










Both machines have Map card slots. To me it's all about "Bang for the Buck" - even though guys will argue forever on which is the best for what, in my eyes I'd rather have a machine that can bring me back to a spot with no land marks, use the computer chip inside to tune up my display to give me the most accurate screen returns possible and do it in a way that's economical and makes sense.

There are guys on the site that don't bat an eye about spending $500 on _just_ a flasher and they usually have a hand held GPS with a map chip in it and probably have close to $400 wrapped up in it, I just think having something like the 385 with a Lakemaster card in it runs around $500 and pretty well does it all, and quite well at that!

RAS


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

What SFW said is correct, 'Flashers' are outdated and over priced. There are better alternatives than something that has to use a motor to turn a wheel with some lights attached to it for a display.This is the year 2010 not 1985.


----------



## sfw1960 (Apr 7, 2002)

And... to Ian's point; Yes Virginia, target separation is important.

:lol: :lol:


----------



## Chad Smith (Dec 13, 2008)

You get what you pay for...


----------



## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

ih772 said:


> There are better alternatives than something that has to use a motor to turn a wheel with some lights attached to it for a display.This is the year 2010 not 1985.


 I think you're picking a fight with the Vex guys...


----------



## double trouble (Nov 20, 2003)

Here are links to make your decisions. Everyone on here knows my thoughts... go digital....

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=140229.msg1384351#msg1384351

50 more threads to read on the same subject. You can join and read...

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?action=search2

Yes it is important , especially for perch and walleye. Whirlygig Flashers can only process so much information. Digital receivers can process faster , with less power , with better clarity. 
Does that lead to better separation? you bet.... ,but you still have practical limits of 1/2 inch . In theory you can "see" 2 jigs 1/8 inch or less apart. 
Right now the best flashers equal the best color lcd's in detail ,but fail to have g.p.s.(which I think has become necessary) and tons of other features on board and still cost more. 
Any decent flasher or lcd that has zoom and bottom lock will do a good job with separation , but at what price point and other features.


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

Funny I have used Flasher that get 1/2" target separation, I have also had a LCD that a few on here champion have problems in really cold weather(not in this state) You also have to bay these LCD screens don't want anything hit it while pull it behind a machine its a good way to mess up a day of fishing.

*Vexilar FL-22
*

Less than ¼ inch​*Vexilar FL-20*
Less then 1/2"
​*Vexilar FL-18*(the unit I use)
less than 1/2 inch​And thats just some of the Vexilars, Marcums for the most part follow the same line of things also. Not to bad for an outdated tech. Just simple fish catching power and design. No fuss no muss.


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Good luck getting Vexilar's claimed separation in the real world. What they claim in their specs and what you actually get are two very different numbers. In the 5 years I used a FL-18 I wasn't able to get anything close to 'less than a half inch' separation.


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

I get that all the time with mine.


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Uh huh, sure you do.......:16suspect


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

ih772 said:


> Uh huh, sure you do.......:16suspect



we are going to have to agree to disagree here I think lol:lol:


----------



## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

You've certainly got the needle on my BS detector pegged.


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

I am not BS here at all. Just speaking from my experiences with LCD and flashers. Its my opinion just like you have your own on this topic.


----------



## ready2fish (Apr 2, 2009)

go with what ever your budget is and style of fishing your going to do. the main point here is to have some type of locater. they all help locate the fish in the water column the rest is up to the fishing person to ice fish..... and i seen some peoples empty buckets while out on the ice 

kept it simple


----------



## Ice Hopper (Jan 24, 2010)

Still waiting to even see a Non-flasher unit in the hands of a competitive tournament team, on the ice of course. Sorry, but a flasher in the hands of someone with experience, is a powerful pc of equipment. I can even see my leader knot and often times tell if my spikes got plucked.

The problem isn't technology, it's market size. The big boys that make LCD's have really stayed out of the ice fishing market. The market is just too small for them. Their technology probably would raise the bar, if they chose to apply it, but they haven't.

I have a 67c to try, so I do have an open mind. But to suggest that guys are better off using any LCD is just incorrect. Of course it's just my 2 cents.

But for target separation, any of the new units out there will perform well. The place where target separation is important to me, is when fish are the bottom. I always try to fish high. Make the fish come up. No matter where they are, if you make them move, you'll be able to see them and separate them.


----------



## DaveW731 (Jan 12, 2001)

Taking everything into consideration (features, price, warrenty, comfort with using it) I end up going back to the humminbird 35. I do most of my fishing for gills, crappie and pike, so I would not be targeting exact bottom very often. Still, if I do want to fish walleye or perch, am I setting myself up for frustration by using a unit that only has 2.5" separation, or is that enough to be effective?


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

I would say for bottom hugging fish be it gills, cats eyss or what ever type,you are setting yourself up for missing out on some fish below you.Keep in mind also, just because there tight to the bottom doesn't mean they are not hungry.There is a lot of reason for them to put there bellies on the bottom.


----------



## Michfisherman (Sep 23, 2009)

I just used a $300 Bass Pro Shop gift card to get a Humminbird Ice 35. I look forward to using it on the ice. I have never used a flasher so am guessing regardless of target separation that using it will increase my catch.... I hope.


----------



## LuckyChucky (Mar 28, 2005)

Michfisherman said:


> I just used a $300 Bass Pro Shop gift card to get a Humminbird Ice 35. I look forward to using it on the ice. I have never used a flasher so am guessing regardless of target separation that using it will increase my catch.... I hope.


it will,you just have to get used to using it.Learn how to read it and set it properly.


----------



## Ryderr (Jul 22, 2010)

I think we can all agree that having A flasher is better than nothing at all. Its just important to have one! I wont go fishing without my vexilar!


----------



## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

raisinrat said:


> .. And yes I was able to put both units in the same hole at the same time.:lol:


I've seen that before, on a few websites I visit, when no one is home.


----------



## cbgale2 (Oct 21, 2008)

William H Bonney said:


> I've seen that before, on a few websites I visit, when no one is home.


:lol::lol::tsk:


----------



## mcfish (Jan 24, 2010)

William H Bonney said:


> I've seen that before, on a few websites I visit, when no one is home.


Oh no you didn't! Leave it to you lend some humor to an otherwise dry discussion. Good job.


----------



## raisinrat (Feb 9, 2006)

William H Bonney said:


> I've seen that before, on a few websites I visit, when no one is home.



Thats why I had the smiley on the end of it , I know someone would say something along those lines.lol


----------



## William H Bonney (Jan 14, 2003)

raisinrat said:


> Thats why I had the smiley on the end of it , I know someone would say something along those lines.lol


Yeah, I appreciate that,,, you tee'd it up high enough, just figured I better take a swing at it....:chillin:


----------

