I have read a lot of good things about the ice enhancements of the G2 Helix. I’m planning on getting a new unit after Christmas (Santa is always broke in December). I was pretty much set on a LX6, but the Helix 7 has me intrigued. Just curious if anyone has had an opportunity to fish with one on the ice, how they like the unit, and how they compare to the Marcum. Specifically, showdown and graph, as I don’t use the flasher.
Thanks!
Mark
This will be my second year with my helix 7. I pull my SI unit off my boat and bought the soft pack and ice ducer for it and love it. To be able to have gps/mapping along with sonar all in one unit vs having to use your phone or other device is key for me. I haven’t used a traditional flasher for years now and only use the 2D.
Can’t give you a comparison against a Marcum, as I’m a vex guy, but got the unit out last night for the first time and was really impressed. I was really impressed when I saw that first fish come up to my bait, and see it on both the flasher and the chart and then see my rod tip bend. Since this was my first time out with it, I was a little preoccupied with going through options and playing with settings, and I could easily find myself getting lost for hours with playing around with it. The new features are awesome and I’m super glad they rolled that update out. I honestly think it’s one of the most powerful electronics on the water today. Truly a versatile unit. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
I’m curious as to how good the IR is on these units when fishing next to a vex or a marcum. I have one of the Gen 1 helix and they have a lot of room for improvement.
Any info appreciated guys.
Thanks!
Good question. I have a helix 7 and 5 both g2 chirp and I’m thinking of setting one up for ice. Used a gen 1 helix a couple years ago and wasn’t impressed with the ir. Hopefully things have changed with the g2’s.
I have yet to use my new Helix 7 G2 on the ice but am patiently waiting for the ice to form here so I can get out. I cant wait to stop playing with it on the kitchen table and get it out there to do some real world testing. I will let you know my findings once I have been out with it a few times. For now here are some of the differences between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Helix’s.
This new Ice Helix Chirp G2 is quite abit different compared to the Gen1 series Helix, It has the new chirp transducer, includes much improved preloaded basemap VS old uni map, has more screen(view) choices more tailored to ice fishing VS only basic ice views, much better IR (due to chirp), a better resolution screen, autochart live (make your own lake maps)
The Ice Helix Gen1 – no autochart live, basemap old uni map(much less detailed maps), no chirp transducer, less screen resolution, only basic ice views, and only(3)IR settings low/med/high.
I have yet to use my new Helix 7 G2 on the ice but am patiently waiting for the ice to form here so I can get out. I cant wait to stop playing with it on the kitchen table and get it out there to do some real world testing. I will let you know my findings once I have been out with it a few times. For now here are some of the differences between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Helix’s.
This new Ice Helix Chirp G2 is quite abit different compared to the Gen1 series Helix, It has the new chirp transducer, includes much improved preloaded basemap VS old uni map, has more screen(view) choices more tailored to ice fishing VS only basic ice views, much better IR (due to chirp), a better resolution screen, autochart live (make your own lake maps)
The Ice Helix Gen1 – no autochart live, basemap old uni map(much less detailed maps), no chirp transducer, less screen resolution, only basic ice views, and only(3)IR settings low/med/high.
I thought it was only the G2N that had autochart?
I just ordered the G2 and didn’t think I saw autochart.
I sat next to my uncles vex last weekend and neither of us had issues. Then gen 2 helix are fantastic. I actually updated from gen one this spring so I could auto chart on my small boat in the summer. Gen 1 ice fishing wasn’t great on the non ice units. So when I saw this updated I jumped on it and got the new ice ducer and updated it. Been out a couple times and it seems to have worked great. We’ll see how the rest of the season goes before making a final review but so far so good.
I thought it was only the G2N that had autochart?
I just ordered the G2 and didn’t think I saw autochart.
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The regular G2 has autochart as well as the G2N, check it out its listed right under the G2 on hummingbird.com
I fished next to my vexilar FLX-28 with no interference problems. Very sharp display. Will see this week how it works next to my vexilar and my buddy’s two marcum units.
I have the Helix 7 G2N that I took off the boat and am patiently awaiting good ice in this part of the country. One question I’ve seen thrown out is do you switch it to ICE mode on the unit or just keep it set up just like I have it in the boat. Anyone played with both settings? I guess I’m not even sure how to switch it to ICE mode. Haven’t played around with that part of it yet.
I have the Helix 7 G2N that I took off the boat and am patiently awaiting good ice in this part of the country. One question I’ve seen thrown out is do you switch it to ICE mode on the unit or just keep it set up just like I have it in the boat. Anyone played with both settings? I guess I’m not even sure how to switch it to ICE mode. Haven’t played around with that part of it yet.
You have to switch it to ice mode. When you do, the unit should restart entirely and start in the new ice mode with new views.
Bought a helix 7 G2N for the bow of my boat, but have it rigged up for ice this winter. Took it out today and was really impressed by how well it worked. My FL-20 is probably going to be relegated to second string backup duty this winter.
using the Helix 7 this weekend for the first time and was really impressed with it.
The specs and new features really makes me wanna sell my G1 and buy the G2…
I had a hard time deciding between the marxum LX-7 and the Helix 7 a couple weeks ago. I decided to go with the helix and tried it out this past weekend for the first time. I’m not regretting that decision one bit! I haven’t fished with the Marcum but I am very happy with the unit and love having the mapping, flasher, and sonar on one unit
I have a Helix 7 Gen 1 that I outfitted for the ice this year, used for the first time this past weekend. I had trouble with the depth. Most of my fishing was in the 13-16′ range, and it would show correct depth for a few seconds then start going funky and showing I was in about 95′ depth for awhile. Just back and forth.
I have the correct transducer, brand new, everything looks okay on it. It really made the machine nearly impossible to use. I did switch the depth setting from auto to about 20′, then I could at least use the flasher to see the jig and bottom structure without it moving to 95′, but the depth on the center screen would still show 95′.
Anybody ever experienced something like that?
I had a gen 1 helix that did the same thing. Worked fine in the boat but on ice the depth jumped around.
I had a gen 1 helix that did the same thing. Worked fine in the boat but on ice the depth jumped around.
Did you ever come up with a fix for it? I did update the software on it last night, should have done that a year ago…
Ordered the 1521 transducer but its back ordered until January 5th. Man this is going to be a brutal wait. Ran into a guy on the ice on sunday that said his mechanical flasher has been kicked to the backup/guest unit and that it wasn’t even a close decision.
Ordered the 1521 transducer but its back ordered until January 5th. Man this is going to be a brutal wait. Ran into a guy on the ice on sunday that said his mechanical flasher has been kicked to the backup/guest unit and that it wasn’t even a close decision.
After using my G2 Helix 7 this past weekend, I couldn’t agree more. The ICE 55 has now taken a back seat.
Just got mine, can’t Waite to get out and use it. Talked a couple guys that have it and nothing but good things to say about it.
Just got mine, can’t Waite to get out and use it. Talked a couple guys that have it and nothing but good things to say about it.
When did you order yours?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>targaman wrote:</div>
I had a gen 1 helix that did the same thing. Worked fine in the boat but on ice the depth jumped around.Did you ever come up with a fix for it? I did update the software on it last night, should have done that a year ago…
Nope it was just a plain sonar no card slot.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>weedis wrote:</div>
Just got mine, can’t Waite to get out and use it. Talked a couple guys that have it and nothing but good things to say about it.When did you order yours?
I actually got it through a guy I work with, so it took about a week for him to bring it in for me. I was in St. Cloud Scheels today and noticed they didn’t have display models up of the 5 or 7. The guy in fishing department said they aren’t even putting display models out because they are being sold so fast.
one thing to keep in mind to up your battery life is to turn the backlight down a few notches, I think it defaults at 10 when turned on but if you bump down to 6 or 7 -which is still plenty bright-it will increase the battery life for the day
one thing to keep in mind to up your battery life is to turn the backlight down a few notches, I think it defaults at 10 when turned on but if you bump down to 6 or 7 -which is still plenty bright-it will increase the battery life for the day
I bump mine down to about 4.
I’ve read a few posts that say to use salt water setting….Anyone try both salt and fresh and see any difference?
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