Hello –
I am wondering what everyone is using for a flasher these days. I have had the Marcum LX7 for a handful of years. I really like it especially if you are fishing with 3-4 guys. However, I have never been impressed with the battery life. Battery life is one thing I miss with my old vexilar. Anyone still purchasing the new Vexilars or has their time passed because of technology?
Thanks – Chad
Get a better battery.
Get a better battery.
Done that.
I’m a Vexilar holdout. The target separation and response of the unit is top notch and I have yet to see anything, including another traditional flasher to be as good. The trade-off of a screen unit is GPS and sonar history. I still use my phone or tablet on my SXS for GPS.
I am still using a Garmin 4, no issues, lasts all day
Been fishing an ice 35 humminbird flasher for like 7 years now… Simple design but that’s what I like about it. No problems with it ever. The mount for it got smashed up but the unit still works so I made a mount out of wood. Great unit, can’t see myself using anything else
I have a vex, Garmin, and Bird. All run on lithium batteries that last more than a day.
Still using my old Marcum LX5. I put a Lithium battery in a few years back. Very light and keeps on trucking. I have no desire to replace it yet.
Been using an Ice 55 Humminbird for last 2 years. Simple and nice big screen for sunny days outside. No issues with battery life. I use my phone if I want to look at lake maps or GPS.
I am wondering what everyone is using for a flasher these days. I have had the Marcum LX7 for a handful of years. I really like it especially if you are fishing with 3-4 guys. However, I have never been impressed with the battery life. Battery life is one thing I miss with my old vexilar. Anyone still purchasing the new Vexilars or has their time passed because of technology?
The Marcum screen units burn through battery twice as fast as an old school vex, marcum, or bird flasher. Helix are closer to 3x depending on size. It is what it is, just the nature of the beast to have an LCD display. Those units should all be upgraded 15 ah batteries.
Personally I’m an old school vex guy, go to unit is an FL-12 and I also have a couple 20s that are basically backups. I have owned and used Helix and Lowrance HDS in the past but they just didn’t do anything better than the Vex for me. I still use the Helix for GPS whether walking out, in the truck, or on the snowmobile.
I have a vex flx28 and flx12. Also a garmin 73 and 93.
Garmin is for mapping. I’d rather jig under the vex any day of the week. I has marcums for years but the customer service was lacking so I switched back to vex this year.
My 28 has the lithium vex battery and it was on last weekend for 2.5 days without shutting it off. I still had battery.
I bought cheap LFP batteries on Amazon just for the weight factor, they’re 7 or 8 AH. I ran them until dead on the FL-12 and FL-20 side by side, and they both died somewhere between 32-36 hours. That was in a 40ish degree garage so I’m sure it’s less in typical outside temps.
I’ve owned Vexilars since they were called Micronar. I’ve owned the FL8, FL12, FL20, FLX28 and now a FLX30. I bought the FLX30 this season and like it more than the FLX28 by a lot.
I also use my Lowrance HDS7 Gen 2 on ice for the sonar and GPS and much prefer jigging with the Vex. Especially in deep water. I fish 100’+ often so I need something that is sensitive but without the interference and clutter.
If you’ve got about $3K burning a hole in your pocket you could go with panoptics or livescope, but you aren’t going to get the simplicity of setup, mobility and battery life of a Vex.
Pretty tough to beat a Vex if you’re looking for accuracy, and durability. If you want the bells and whistles I would go with a Helix or a Garmin. I love my Helix because of the ability to have Lakemaster maps and 2d, but I still use my FL-18 now and then. Especially in shallow water.
I’ve owned Vexilars since they were called Micronar. I’ve owned the FL8, FL12, FL20, FLX28 and now a FLX30. I bought the FLX30 this season and like it more than the FLX28 by a lot.
Matt what do you like better about the FLX 30 over the FLX 28?
The fact that you have many different cone angles and the ability to adjust the power on any of them. You can really get the most out of a narrow or wide cone angle. For the people that loved the tri-beam transducer, it’s like that on steroids.
You get the ability to choose any depth range in manual. Can’t do that with the 28. Plus you get an 18’ bottom zoom. Might come in useful for lake trout fishing.
How much battery life do you need? I’m running a Dakota 10AH battery on my LX7 and getting 16-18 hrs run time. I have my brightness set at 50. I’m out hole hoping in minus 20 during the morning and evening and sitting in my hub any other time.
tswaboda-what do you like about the 12?
i have a amped outdoors 12ah lithium battery on my flx28. i can fish for 3 days no problem before having to charge. ive never tried longer before charging
Thanks Matt. Good info. 
tswaboda-what do you like about the 12?
I have a flx12 and I love it. It’s simple and that’s my style. The woman and kid use my 28 and I rock the 12.
I had the FL12 and sold it for a 28. I rarely fish deeper than 29 feet. I love the zoom on the 28.
tswaboda-what do you like about the 12?
First off, bottom zoom just isn’t something I use. I rarely do the typical sit on Mille Lacs or LOTW walleye fishing in 30′ like I think most midwest fishermen do. But the main reason is my FL-12 gives a stronger reading with less gain and clutter than the FL-20s I have. I have no idea why that is and it took me awhile to figure out, but I’ve compared them swapping the 12 & 20 head units onto the same case/battery/ducer in the same hole with the same jig and there is no doubt the FL-12 gives a better reading. I actually sent a FL-20 head unit into vexilar when I first found that because I thought something was wrong with it. They tested it and replaced a couple small parts for free but after many conversations they basically told me there’s nothing wrong with it. And they’re right, it works just fine – just not as good as the 12 I have.
For the vast majority it would be just fine, but I do a lot of lake trout fishing in big groups. That’s probably the most challenging conditions for flashers. Deep water, hard bottom, fast sloping structure… it’s an interference nightmare for any flasher if you turn the gain up high.
I have not used a 28 or 30, but they are probably better.
Here’s an example… My snowmobile is in 22′ and I’m fishing in 62′. If someone comes and fishes the 22′ hole then my vex is getting lit up (unless they have a Humminbird… love the Bird guys).
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Might have to buy a 12-and they are cheaper!!! Last chance for someone to talk me into a 28 (what I was going to buy)
Might have to buy a 12-and they are cheaper!!! Last chance for someone to talk me into a 28 (what I was going to buy)
I really enjoy the 12. And I think you would to. My 28 has all the bells and whistles, many of which I never have used. Maybe one day but I like simple and the flx 12 is simple
Speaking of bells and whistles, does anyone remember when the old fl8 had a fish alarm? My old one does. It’s pretty slick and wish they had it on the new models.
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