Hello. I am new to ice fishing and want to purchase a flasher to increase my catch. I am stuck in between buying the vexilar fl8, hummingbird ice 35, or marcum vx1. All great machines I’ve been doing a lot of research but am stuck and need some advise. Anyone?
While all are quality units, the Marcum VX-1 has a bottom zoom feature. I know that the FL-8 for sure does not and am pretty sure the Bird doesn’t, either.
That feature alone would steer me to the Marcum if I was in your shoes. You also get a nice soft pack included with the Marcum.
Good luck,
Andy
Coming from me I would say vexilar. If its within your budget get a fl 18 genz pack at fleet farm $369 right now.. the fl 18 has all the options for your needs. I’ve never used the ice 35 so I can’t comment on that. But the marcum in my experience is crap.
Yes.. marcum has more options but I find myself never using infinite zoom mode. I don’t use zoom on the vex also.
All in all the fl8 is enough for you to catch fish.
The FL8 would be the weakest link in the category of these budget flashers. The FL18 has basically similar or the same features as the Marcum VX1 and the VX1 cost $100 or more less.
The Ice35 has adjustable zoom feature and dual angle transducer capabilities. Both the VX1 and Ice35 an be had for less then $300 new.
Hi Carter,
I bought a VX-1 Pro last season and have had nothing but good things to say about it. I haven’t tried the others (FL8 or Humminbird) so I can’t really compare.
Jon
Personally I’d get a Showdown Troller with the soft pack. Cheaper than all the options you explored and it does an excellent job. It’s easy to read and operate, can run off AA’s if you forget to charge the external battery. Portability is great for setting tip-ups and dead sticks. Cheap enough to buy an extra one for taking a kid along.
I would go with the VX-1 Pro or even an LX-3tc, I personally upgraded from a vexilar to marcum because the LX-3tc can do things that the fl-28 can’t even do, like the variable zoom and its really nice for fishing suspended crappies in deep water. The VX-1 is also a great unit! Only difference between the 2 is variable zoom and levels of IR rejection! Another thing is that for a vexilar you pay a lot for the name!
Would you need the zoom mode if fishing in less than 15 ft of water. Or even thirty feet. Is it really needed?
Would you need the zoom mode if fishing in less than 15 ft of water. Or even thirty feet. Is it really needed?
I use it often in those depths when fishing for perch, gills, eyes, and sauger. You won’t “need” it until you fish with it. Then you will realize what you are missing.
FDR
It will help you separate multiple fish, as well as seeing fish tight to the bottom. Yes, Its very useful, even shallow.
I have the VX-1 and my girlfriend uses the FL-8 and personally I love my VX-1 a million times more than that FL-8 and I’ll list my reasons below.
– Zoom feature
– Less noisy because of the awesome carrying case it comes with
– I feel like my VX-1 is not as flickery as the FL-8
– It all around looks like a better unit, the FL-8 is just ugly lol!
I think I’m heading towards the VX-1 thanks everyone
Great choice! Some days I like my VX1 Pro better than my LX5
I had a FL-8 as my first flasher and it was a good entry level flasher. I then bought a VX-1 and the bottom zoom is a game changer for bottom hugging fish. What would show up as bottom on the Fl-8 would show as fish on the VX-1.
My GF was using the Fl-8 and I was using the VX-1, after she saw the VX-1, guess what I had to do? Sold the Fl-8 and bought her a VX-1.
VX-1 is far and above better than the other 2. Humminbird zoom is worthless and I owned an FL-8 and it’s nothing special. If I could go back I’d get a VX-1 no doubt.
Good choice with the VX-1! It will NOT Disappoint you!
I got a VX-1pro 2 years ago for my first flasher unit as well. I really, really like it, and it wasn’t super expensive. Bottom zoom is great, the target separation is decent, and it’s very user friendly. Definitely recommend as a first-time unit.
I’ve had a Vexilar FL-8 for the last 8 years and its worked perfectly every time. Still use the original battery it came with too. Its a very straight forward easy to use flasher. I fish mostly small shallow-ish lakes so it is just right for me.
I’ve had a Vexilar FL-8 for the last 8 years and its worked perfectly every time. Still use the original battery it came with too. Its a very straight forward easy to use flasher. I fish mostly small shallow-ish lakes so it is just right for me.
That’s the one thing that I’ve noticed. Not very many marcum owner can say that about their unit. And that is the main reason why I switched over. Many years from now i hope i can say the same thing about my unit. I know a friend with an fl8 and he had it for 6 years and was shared by 3 people. I never heard him complained about it not working or had it worked on.
That’s the one thing that I’ve noticed. Not very many marcum owner can say that about their unit. And that is the main reason why I switched over. Many years from now i hope i can say the same thing about my unit. I know a friend with an fl8 and he had it for 6 years and was shared by 3 people. I never heard him complained about it not working or had it worked on.
Well I’m a Marcum owner that can say that…
My VX(it’s not even the pro)is 7 years old (and still on the original battery)and it has never been “in the shop”…
This is my 3 season on my LX6 and I have had only 1 issue and that was taken care of over the phone by CS…
I think some of the “issues” with Marcum are just overblown by people who have nothing better to do with their time….
Hello. More questions for you. What are the times when your vx1 is the greatest thing and helps you a lot and then times when you wish you’d had something else? Thanks
Always and never. Does that work? 
Hello. More questions for you. What are the times when your vx1 is the greatest thing and helps you a lot and then times when you wish you’d had something else? Thanks
I love it almost all the time, the only times I wish I had something else is when I want the infinite zoom feature that the LX-3TC has so I could zoom on suspending fish or when I wish I had the LX-3 or LX-5 unit with better target separation. Other than that, my VX-1 has been the cat’s meow. Love it.
VX-1 Pro for the price by far, UNLESS you fish with others ALOT who use vexilar, then I would go with a hummingbird 35 for the simple fact the Marcum will wreck havoc with the interference on all of your buddies vex’s while hummingbird uses its own frequency and will not have issues. I have a VX-1 pro and love it, I think FL-8’s are just very dated, yet work incredibly well. The vx-1 bottom zoom makes it the winner IMO.
Hello. I am new to ice fishing and want to purchase a flasher to increase my catch. I am stuck in between buying the vexilar fl8, hummingbird ice 35, or marcum vx1. All great machines I’ve been doing a lot of research but am stuck and need some advise. Anyone?
Hi I happen to own both the vexilar FL8 and the Marcum VX1. I like them both. The FL8 is great and very simple to learn and understand. I would be will to sell if interested as I am downsizing my equipment. let me know, maybe we can work somethingt out
VX-1 Pro….best bang for the buck. I also own an LX-9 and there are times I prefer my VX-1. Great unit!
Great choice! Some days I like my VX1 Pro better than my LX5
Lx5 is the best mechanical flasher on the market. The vx1pro has every feature the vexilar fl-18 has for $100 less like already mentioned. If you want a tip for using the vx1 pro or any flasher without a zoom for that matter, when I had a fl8se vex it had 20,30,40 and so on depth scales. If I was fishing in say 25′ of water and the fish were suspended crappie 9′ off the bottom I would switch it to 20′ scale instead of 30 and it showed down 20′ giving better separation using the whole dial. Like a reverse zoom almost. If you ever plan to fish in deeper water for suspended fish with the vx1 pro you could do the same. Good luck and that is the choice I would make as well.
I also have a VX-1 pro and an LX-7… I’m always grabbing for the VX-1 first. It’s a great unit. Never owned anything besides Marcum and they are awesome units!!
Awesome thanks guys!
Carter, the obvious answer is….one of each.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
