I found this at iceleaders.com while debating the same thing. It's kind of long but informative. He's also sponsored by Marcum so take it with a grain of salt. Hope it helps. BTW, I ended up getting a Marcum LX-3 from Cabelas in the bargain cave for a very good price. It had the TrueColor upgrade so the colors are green, yellow, red instead of yellow, orange, red. I am happy so far. The unit did a great job showing a pending fish bite and fish hugging the bottom or in the weeds. The colors make a big difference. Here it is:
It’s an understandable and valid question,
“Which one to get, Marcum or Vexilar?” The
topic gets brought up on a regular basis
and for good cause. Both brands are
intended for similar purposes, both brands
have units with similar prices, and both
brands are available at many different
tackle stores and are at the same place, at
the same time. So, which one to get?
Eventually it will all come down to personal
preference, and each person will either
choose what they are most comfortable with, what they feel suits their
fishing needs the best, or which unit lies more in their price range
(adding in the factor of certain deals, discounts and help from friends
or whatnot). For me, at least when talking about a piece of fishing
equipment like a flasher unit, I’ll throw out the last variable all
together. I’m willing to spend a few extra bucks to make sure I’m
getting what I want, but that’s just me.
Your flasher unit is your fish’s mood indicator (in reference to what’s
around it) when out on the ice, and it’s very important that you have a
unit that will give you everything you want. Too much time is already
wasted out on the ice trying to locate fish, so I’m trying to limit the
amount of wasted time trying to get them to bite once I find them.
Having a flasher unit that performs the way you want it is highly
important, and being that the flasher unit plays the role it does, it only
seems right that you make sure it’s the one for you. So with tossing
out the last variable, we now have “which particular unit are you the
most comfortable with” and “which particular unit suits your ice
fishing needs the best.”
Being comfortable with a piece of fishing equipment is important, and
being comfortable and understanding your electronics can save a lot
of frustration and headache when out on the ice. Many ice anglers
have used Vexilar (Hondex, etc) for years and years, mainly because it
was one of the only options available and at the time it was truly
cutting edge. Vexilar has helped a lot of ice anglers catch more fish, I
don’t think anyone is going to argue that, but it wasn’t always the only
option. Later we had more units available (Clearwater Classic, Zercom,
Hummingbird, etc) and more options were thrown at ice anglers. I’ve
used all three and put time into each one, and again, it comes down to
the 3 variables when choosing a flasher unit, “comfort,
productiveness/fishing needs, and price range.”
Some of these units were priced right and anglers bought them.
Saving a hundred or so bucks was well worth it to many people, and I’
m not going to argue that, but I personally would save up the few extra
bucks until I had what I considered to be the best unit for me. Then,
we had a new advancement in flasher units, one that would truly rival
Vexilar, and that came in the form of MarCum. Competition is a good
thing; I don’t think anyone is going to argue with that.
Now, the Clearwater Classic and other units work just fine, and people
have used them for years to catch fish as well, but having the much
demanded three-color technology along with the widespread
availability, put Vexilar and MarCum on the same page. Everyplace you
went you saw Vexilar and MarCum, both running at about the same
price, both stocked full of features and both in the hands of ice
anglers. You hear one thing from one person, one thing from another
person and then something totally different from someone else.
Makes choosing the right flasher pretty tough, especially if you don’t
have the experience of previously owning a flasher unit.
Many ice anglers have been using Vexilar since the beginning, or
close to, and they are strong in their ways and won’t switch to
anything else. That’s fine, they are free to use what they want, no
arguments. Some Vexilar users (like me in the past) made the switch
to the MarCum units once they came onto the market. And then we
have the new buyers who have been buying either Vexilar or MarCum
(or both) not knowing a whole lot about either one. Sure they might
gather a few pieces of info from magazines, articles, word of mouth
and from websites or whatnot, but often times there was not enough
planning before buying the unit.
You need to sit down and ask yourself what you want out of your
flasher unit. Are you a recreational ice angler who will only fish once
or twice a month? Are you a die hard who spends every waking hour
on the ice? What type of fish to you target? Deep water? Shallow
water? Bottom hugging fish or suspended fish? There are hundreds
of questions that should be running through a person’s brain before
making a selection on which flasher unit is best for them. However,
hopefully I can layout a few of the more sought out answers…
Both Vexilar and MarCum provide a variety of flasher units ranging
from standard, more basic flashers, all the way to the high-end, fully-
loaded flasher with all the bells and whistles.
Here’s a list of the various flashers available for ice anglers between
MarCum and Vexilar and a little more background info on each…
MarCum VX-1
* 600 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection
* 2.5” Target Separation
* Super Bright Display
* Bottom Zoom (5’ in 20 and 40 foot scale, 10’ in 80 foot scale, 20’
in 160 foot scale)
A basic overview of the VX-1… This unit comes complete with battery,
charger, electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm, self-
aligning transducer, gimbal bracket, and VX-1 sonar powerhead. The
Marcum VX-1 offers their patented interference rejection, a bottom
zoom feature that automatically locks on bottom: 5' in 20- and 40-ft
scale, 10' in 80-ft scale, and 20' in 160-ft scale, and expertly
engineered receiver design. With its 600 watts of peak-to-peak power
and complete package of features and accessories.
MarCum LX-2
* 1,000 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 3 color display
* 20° Self-aligning Transducer
* Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection
* “Auto Zoom” mode which automatically sets the zoom window to
the bottom 5 or 10 feet, your choice
* 600 denier PVC backed embroidered soft pack carrying case
* Electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm
A basic overview of the LX-2… This sonar unit offers superior features
at an affordable price. Featuring the new “Auto Zoom” mode which
automatically sets the zoom window to the bottom 5 or 10 feet, your
choice. The LX-2 has 1,000 watts of output power and offers a
patented “Interference Rejection” system that knocks out
interference from other nearby sonar.
MarCum LX-3tc
* 1,500 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 3 color display – TrueColor technology
* 20° Self-aligning Transducer
* Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection
* 2.15" Target Separation
* Adjustable Zoom Anywhere in the Water Column
* Weather-resistant, padded soft pack
* Electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm
* Fully automatic DCS (Digital Charging System - fully automatic
three stage charging system with LCD display) with battery
monitor
A basic overview of the LX-3tc… The LX-3tc three-color sonar flasher
has a patent pending TrueColor display. TrueColor is the latest from
MarCum Technologies improving color separation and resulting in an
ultra crisp and highly visible display (even in bright sunlight). The LX-
3tc is manufactured in the USA and boasts 1,500 watts of peak to peak
power. Featuring a patented adjustable Zoom Mode that allows the
user to choose between a 5 or 10 foot Zoom window in the 20 & 40 ft
scale or choose between a 10 or 20 foot Zoom window in the 80 scale
& a 20 or 40 Zoom window in the 160 foot scale. The Zoom window can
be moved anywhere between the surface and bottom. This allows the
user to effectively utilize the flexible Zoom Mode to display
suspended fish as well as separating those difficult to see bottom
huggers. Target separation improves from 2.15 to 1 inch in the Zoom
Mode. The unit has a patented new and improved twelve level
“Interference Rejection” feature that allows the user to knock out
interference from other nearby sonar units.
MarCum LX-5
* 2,000 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 3 color display – TrueColor technology
* 8° or 20° cone angle: dual beam feature
* Adjustable Multi-level Interference Rejection: 12 levels
* Down to 0.75" Target Separation with SuperFine Line
* Adjustable Zoom Anywhere in the Water Column
* Weather-resistant, padded soft pack
* Electronics shuttle with adjustable transducer arm
* Fully automatic DCS (Digital Charging System - fully automatic
three stage charging system with LCD display) with battery
monitor
A basic overview of the LX-5… The LX-5 sonar flasher features
MarCum's patent pending TrueColor Display. TrueColor is the latest
from MarCum Technologies improving color separation and resulting
in an ultra crisp and highly visible display (even in bright sunlight).
The new LX-5 is the most powerful, most sensitive, most feature laden
flasher ever designed. Manufactured in the USA, this sonar unit
boasts 2,000 watts of peak to peak power. The LX-5 comes standard
with a dual beam transducer. To switch between the 8 and 20 degree
cone angle is as simple as the touch of a key. The unit has a patented
twelve level “Interference Rejection” feature that allows the user to
knock out interference from other nearby sonar units. The LX-5
incorporates a patented movable zoom feature that allows the user to
zoom in on a segment of water anywhere within the water column. This
unit also features another of MarCum Technologies latest break
throughs, SuperFine Line. The SuperFine Line feature allows the user
to improve the units resolution resulting in target separation down to .
.75 inch. You can now use the unit in its full display and separate those
hard to see bottom hugging Walleyes.
Vexilar FL-8
* 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 9°, 12°, 19° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
* Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
* 2.65" Target Separation
A basic overview of the FL-8… A 400-Watt transmitter and an ultra-
sensitive receiver back the vivid display. It is easily sensitive enough
to show the thermocline and plankton layers. The colors and high
sensitivity also make finding changes in bottom content easy. And Ice
fishermen know the FL-8 series flashers have become famous for
their ability to see small baits at deep depths. The FL-8 SE can be
rigged for almost any application. With a wide variety of transducers
and accessories to choose from, the FL-8 SE can be used year-round.
Improved Interference Rejection technology lets you fish side by side
with almost any flasher or LCD graph with interference free operation.
The 10 step IR switch lets you knock out interference between you
and another depth finder. FL-8 SE anglers can even fish two depth
finders in the same ice shelter or boat. It allows you to have two depth
finders close together on a boat or in a fish house without the
annoying interference.
Vexilar FL-12
* 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 19° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
* Large Wide-Angle Display: The flat-screen display is 12% larger
than the FL-8
* 20' Low Power Mode (LP): Reduces the output power by 50%
* Super Bright and Rock Solid Display
* Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
* 2.65" Target Separation
* Target ID: 1”
* Weatherproof High Impact Case
* Five Depth Scales: 20', 40', 60', 80', and 200'
A basic overview of the FL-12… The FL-12 operates using only two
control knobs and offers a ten step interference rejection feature. The
operation of the FL-12 is similar to the FL-8. Externally, the classic
three-color flasher display performs like the FL-8, but internally, the
sonar receiver has been enhanced to increase the system's immunity
to noise. The FL-12 is a 200 kHz frequency unit with depth ranges
capable of showing depths to 200 feet. It also offers a new 20' Low
Power, shallow water range option built right into the range control,
so you can fish in super shallow water and get a very clean signal,
even in weeds.
Vexilar FL-18
* 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* 12° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
* Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
* 2.65" Target Separation
* Auto Zoom Mode
* Bottom Lock Mode
* Low Power Mode
* Weatherproof High Impact Case
A basic overview of the FL-18…The FL-18 offers a patented split
screen flasher display. This allows you to zoom-in on the bottom six
feet while watching the entire water column at the same time in real
time. The Auto Zoom mode is fantastic for watching Perch or Walleye
while ice fishing. These fish commonly hold tight on the bottom, and
with a target ID of less than 1/2 inch, the FL-18 makes them easy to
spot. And that's not all. The FL-18 depth finder / fish finder is equipped
with features like a built-in shallow water mode for fishing waters
under 15 feet. Five depth scales down to 200 feet for the standard
model, and down to 300 feet for the custom deep model. Built-in
interference rejection. A three color LED readout that tells you if the
targets you see are weak (green) medium (orange) or strong (red).
This three color LED technology has proven to be the most reliable
and accurate way of understanding where fish are holding.
Vexilar FL-20
* 400 Watts of Peak-to-Peak Power
* Auto Zoom Mode (AZ): Gives a half screen zoom window of the
bottom six feet or bottom 12 feet of depth
* 12° (standard), or Dual 9/19 Beam Transducer
* Large Wide-Angle Display: The flat-screen display is 12% larger
than the FL-8
* 20' Low Power Mode (LP): Reduces the output power by 50%
* Super Bright and Rock Solid Display
* Exclusive Interference Rejection: 10 Step
* 2.65" Target Separation
* Target ID: .5”
* Weatherproof High Impact Case
* Five Depth Scales: 20', 40', 60', 80', and 200'
A basic overview of the FL-20… The FL-20 uses the same easy to
operate, three-knob control system as their popular FL-18 Flasher
sonar, but with some enhanced features. A ten step interference
rejection feature is standard with the FL-20. You will also be glad to
know the Vexilar FL-20 enhanced receiver performance and increased
noise immunity. This means less inference when fishing with other 200
kHz systems. The FL-20 boasts two auto zoom ranges that split the
display screen to let you focus in on just the bottom 6 or 12 feet of the
water column, depending on your needs. The FL-20 is capable of
showing target I.D. of less than 1/2 inch, but can also display depths
down to 200 feet. Another new feature is a 20 foot shallow water mode
that is available for anglers when fishing in thick weeds or in very
shallow water.
So, what does all this mean? Some features are obvious in
distinguishing between some of the differences between Vexilar and
MarCum. For example, the amount of power each unit provides.
MarCum provides up to 2,000 watts and Vexilar provides 400 watts.
The argument is brought up every year on the issue that added power
only causes problems, or that not enough power doesn’t allow you to
see what you’re suppose to see, it goes both ways.
The new Vexilar models with the enhanced color displays are much
better than the Vexilars of old, hands down, and both the MarCum and
Vexilar units both provide a clear signal read-out, allowing us to better
distinguish between certain fish in a school or when our bait is
amongst that school of fish. It also helps us better distinguish where
our jig is amongst the weeds, especially on lakes where we have to
fish through 5 feet of weeds to get to the bottom where the fish are.
Both companies have designed products that provide a clear readout.
The issue of fishing side-by-side with another flasher unit is a
reoccurring one as well. Cluttered signals and frustration are caused
by overlapping sonar signals. Fishing too close to each other while
running a flasher unit can cause those problems, but not always.
Variance in model (Vexilar and MarCum) will make a difference. There
are several factors to consider with this though.
Water depth is a huge one. Many times you won’t have to worry as
much when fishing in 5-6 feet of water. Sonar signals are not
overlapping as much as they would when fishing in 30 feet of water.
Most of the problems occur when anglers are fishing side-by-side
while holding over a deep water crappie bite, or something of the
sort. You get several anglers, all with flasher units, holding in the
same area with conflicting sonar waves and things will get a little
hectic. Sometimes there is nothing you can do about it, but other
times there are precautions that can be made.
Running similar units next to each other, like a MarCum and a
MarCum, will aid in the amount of clutter-up. Two anglers can sit side-
by-side with MarCum units in 30 feet of water and knock out almost all,
if not all, of the clutter on their screens. But when a Vexilar and a
MarCum are sitting side-by-side, the MarCum user can knock out the
clutter on his/her screen, but the Vexilar user won’t be able to clear
everything.
Now, I’m not saying that the Vexilar unit is going to be unreadable,
because you can adjust the Vexilar to knock out some of the opposing
signal as well, but you will notice a difference between the two. The
case brought up here (in part) is the added power that the MarCum
unit provides, which enables it to knock out surrounding interference.
There have been many times that I’ve sat next to, or near, another
angler who is using an FL-18 (while I’m using a LX-5) only to have him
ask why his screen is full of clutter while mine is virtually clear.
The ICE Series event out on Medicine Lake is one of those
occurrences that come to mind. Several of us were fishing a deep
water crappie bite (40 feet plus) and we were all crammed into an area
no bigger than a basketball court. As I walked around talking with
nearby anglers I noticed that those using Vexilars had cluttered up
screens and it was nearly impossible to make out where their jig was.
At this point I noticed a lot of those same anglers were rigging up
bobbers and floats because they were getting frustrated with their
flasher units. Now, the amount of productive time spent on the ice is
being wasted.
However, as I walked by those who were using MarCum units, I
noticed a slightly different story. I’m not going to say their screens
were entirely clear, because with thirty flasher units running in a small
area it’s going to obviously cause some problems regardless, but
their screens were clear enough to where they could still effectively
fish. To keep things short, I watched those with MarCum units
continue to pull up fish.
Now again, keep in mind these situations are not the situations that
you will run into every time out on the ice, but when I’m out guiding or
expected to produce fish, I don’t like to have any hang-ups. It all
comes down to limiting the amount of wasted time spent on the ice
and increasing the amount of productive time catching fish.
With making the change from the FL-8 or FL-12 to the VX-1, LX-2, LX-
3tc, LX-5, FL-18, or FL-20 you are going to gain the added zoom
features (as well as a higher price tag, but remember, you get what
you pay for… added features and productivity). And in my opinion, they
are a must have when ice fishing. Having a zoom option only
increases your productivity out on the ice. Now your fish’s mood
indicator has a much broader playing field, allowing you to zoom in and
focus on the area where the fish are. But, this doesn’t only limit you to
the zoomed in area, you get to see the rest of the water column as
well.
How does this work? What happens is your circular display screen will
turn into two, causing one side of your flasher panel to read just the
zoomed in area, and the other side to read the entire water column
but in a condensed version. This will still enable you to spot roaming
fish that come through outside the zoomed in area. It’s a very
versatile tool to have for a variety of conditions. So, what’s the
difference between the VX-1, LX-2, LX-3tc, LX-5, FL-18 and FL-20? All of
them have zoom features, but again, they are entirely different units.
The zoom feature on the LX-3tc and LX-5 allows you to zoom
throughout any part of the water column. When in the 20 or 40 foot
viewing mode you have the option of a 5 foot zoom window or a 10
foot zoom window. When in the 80 foot viewing mode you have the
option of a 10 or 20 foot zoom window. And in the 160 foot viewing
mode you have the option of a 20 or 40 foot zoom window. This allows
you to pinpoint on bottom hugging fish like perch and walleye out on
Mille Lacs Lake, or smallmouth bass on Chequamegon Bay.
However, it also allows you to focus in on a school of suspended
crappies in 40 feet of water. If the crappies are holding 15 feet off
bottom, you can adjust your zoom window to show the depths of 20-30
feet, which will allow you to focus on the target zone, giving you a
crisper and clear read-out of not only the fish, but you jig as well. So,
whether you’re targeting bottom hugging fish or suspended fish, the
LX-3tc and LX-5 have you covered when it comes to the zoom feature.
And, the zoom feature can be adjusted anytime without causing you to
lose your position. This means that you can adjust the zoom up and
down without changing depth modes.
Fish will move throughout the water column and we need to move
with them, and this feature makes doing so very easy. Almost every
time I’m working over a suspended school of crappies I’ll use this
feature. Now I can see a 10 foot zoom window covering the entire
school of crappies on one side, and I can see the rest of the water
column on the other side. Even when targeting suspended crappies in
55 feet of water, I can still effectively target those suspended fish with
a zoom window. I’ll set the zoom window at either 10 or 20 feet, which
will span over the area the fish are holding at, yet I’ll still have a
condensed version of the entire water column in sight as well. I won’t
have to only rely on just the 60 foot depth window to target those
suspended fish, instead I can zoom in on the school and have a crisp,
clear read-out.
The VX-1 and LX-2 also have a zoom feature, but it’s restricted to the
bottom 5 or 10 feet (with the LX-2) and the bottom 5, 10 or 20 feet (with
the VX-1).
The FL-20 has a couple zoom options allowing the user to have a half
screen zoom window of the bottom 6 feet or bottom 12 feet of depth
depending on your fishing situation.
The FL-18 also has a zoom feature, much like the zoom feature of the
FL-20, but it’s restricted to only the bottom 6 feet and there is not a 12
foot option.
However, when using the VX-1, LX-2, FL-20, or FL-18, and fishing a
suspended school of crappies in 45 feet of water, you won’t be able to
zoom in on just the area where the fish are located at. And when
targeting a school of fish in 45 feet of water, you will need to use the
60 foot depth window (for the FL-18 and FL-20) or the 80 foot depth
window (for the LX-2) in order to see the entire water column, but
when using the larger depth window you lose a lot of definition and
targets are not as crisp and clear.
Sure you can get around this by just using the 40 foot window knowing
that the fish are suspended up off the bottom, but we all know that
there are times when crappies will cruise through on the bottom as
well, and with the 40 foot depth window they will go undetected when
working in depths deeper than 40 feet. This would mean that you
would have to be fishing in 40 feet or less to effectively target the
entire water column. Trying to decipher the activity level of a green
flickering object in the larger depth range can be very, very tough, not
to mention how effective you will be at depicting the exact movements
of your jig.
But, when targeting bottom hugging fish like perch and walleye, the 6
foot zoom window of the FL-18, 6 or 12 foot zoom window of the FL-20,
the 5 or 10 foot zoom window of the LX-2, or the 5, 10, or 20 foot zoom
window of the VX-1 will work just fine. I know a lot of guides who run
FL-18 and LX-2 units out on Mille Lacs Lake, Lake Winnibigoshish or
Lake of the Woods, but they are primarily only targeting perch and
walleye. Guides on Red Lake will use the FL-18 or LX-2 on occasion as
well because they are only fishing in depths of about 13 feet or less.
No need for a zoom window.
I spend a lot of time chasing crappies and sunfish, and they have a
tendency to suspend more often than not during the winter months,
so either the LX-3tc or LX-5 suits my fishing needs much better. And,
when I need to target bottom hugging fish, I can do so just the same. It’
s really a personal preference on how much use you will get out of the
zoom feature, but remember, I’m trying to be the most productive I can
be when I’m out on the ice, and I feel the LX-3tc or LX-5 allows me to
do so.
Even when fishing the above mentioned lakes like Mille Lacs, Winni
and Lake of the Woods, I can still zoom in on bottom hugging fish with
the LX-3tc or LX-5. Those two units allow me to fish just about any body
of water, and zoom in on any part of the water column. I firmly believe
this has helped me land more fish. Not having the available zoom
option when needed can make or break a day of fishing, especially
when the fish go deep.
So we have the whole “zoom” thing covered, now what about the dual
beam topic?
Dual beam is an outstanding feature to have on a flasher unit. It allows
the user to really hone in on the desired area, as well as aid in
avoiding other opposing nearby signals. Having the ability to switch to
a narrower cone angle will reduce the area your cone covers, and in
turn the area your cone has to cross with nearby cones of other
flasher units. So when fishing next to other flasher units in deep
water, you can switch to the narrower cone angle and reduce the
amount of clutter-up on your display.
This also allows you to get a better understanding of what is “really”
beneath you and not 20 yards to the side. A 19 or 20 degree cone
angle in 40 feet of water is covering a large area of the bottom of the
lake. However, an 8 or 9 degree cone angle is going to cut down on
that area dramatically, and give you a much better readout of the
immediate area (strike zone beneath you).
The other beauty of a dual beam unit is when fishing in weeds. By
switching to the narrower cone angle, you reduce the amount of
weeds that the sonar crosses, thus giving you a more clear readout
and a better idea of where your jig is located. This really comes in
handy when fishing lakes where the monster bluegills and slab
crappies like burrowing themselves into the weeds.
The LX-5 and the Vexilar models all have the ability to work as a dual
beam system.
Whether I need to use the zoom feature on suspended crappies,
knock out an opposing signal with my Interference Rejection, or pull
fish out of the thick weeds, I feel confident knowing that I’m prepared
for any situation a day on the ice can throw at me.
I grew up fishing with the Vexilar units, and some of my closest friends
and relatives use them, and I’m not here to ridicule or put-down
anyone who uses a Vexilar. Vexilar makes a very good product and I’m
not going to down-grade them in any way. I still have Vexilars that get
used. It’s essentially a matter of personal preference and I’m just
trying to lay down a few of things I’ve experienced as well as my
personal opinion on the situation.
I spend a lot of time on the ice and I’m always looking at new products
and trying to find ways to improve my productivity on the ice. I feel the
LX-5 allows me to be the most productive I can be. So for me it’s the
MarCum LX-5, but for you it might be something different.
Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
[signature]
