Lx3 outperforming lx5

Last year almost exactly my father and I purchased an LX3 (father) and LX5 (me). I have been having some issues picking up jigs and didn’t think anything of it until me and my father went out together today. His LX3 showed a stronger mark than mine with the same size jig and gain set the exact same. Mine was showing yellow and cutting out, when I dropped my dads down set exact same he showed yellow,green,red with absolutely no cutting out. We were in 18fow gain set at 2 on each. Where should I start troubleshooting this issue? I have cranked the gain up and there are yellow marks throughout the whole column on my lx5. I charge my unit after each use. Any input will be greatly appreciated, I feel maybe it has been like this from day one but can’t say for certain as I have never had a flasher and this is the first time fishing with another marcum in my house.

Do you know anyone around you with an LX-5 that you could just give there transducer a try on your unit? Or call MarCum, they will have you fixed up I’m sure.

Call Marcum,I’ll bet it is the transducer.My original LX3 ice-ducer did that,but worked perfect with a high-speed one(boat).

If you had your 5 set for the 20 foot depth it may have been simply some crossover confusion in the locator because you were too close to the bottom. Were you using the narrow phase of the transducer? In the shallow water you may need to use the 19 degree side of things, but I’d bet that you were too close to the limits of clear reading if you were locked at that 20 foot depth had some issues in the unit’s ability to decipher things clearly. Try jumping it up to the 40 foot scale and fishing the same jig in the same water. If this does the trick, simply lock your depth using the ten foot window with the bottom of the window at 20 feet and use your gain to clear up the picture. And then there is always the possibility that your Dad had his locked on the bottom and didn’t tell you… ….s’pose?

LX5’s had remarkably dependable transducers, the 3’s now, they had some issues. But there is always a chance that something is amiss in there so do some puttering around with it on the ice and if you can’t find a solution then send it in. Marcum has outstanding customer service.

I found that I had a situation similar to this also. What seemed to do the trick was to make sure that the transducer is indeed down below the ice far enough so the unit doesn’t get any feedback from the side of the hole. I almost went and bought another transducer but figured it out when I fished 2 different lakes with two different ice thicknesses. Lake 2 had thinner ice allowing the transducer to sit farther below the ice (2″). No problems with seeing the same set up in similar depths. Shortened the cord to put the transducer half in the hole and half out and the unit went all scatter-brained again. Hope this helps.

I’ve found it’s really important I get my ducer below the ice when fishing smaller jigs. Otherwise my LX5 doesn’t pick up the jig very well.

That’s exactly how the rotary display works on my LX5. But…it’s the other features on the unit that makes it a better unit.

Thanks for all the replies! What I ended up doing was drive over to Marcum and they took it in the back 15mins later he handed it to me and said give that a try. I don’t know what was done but it works better now still not as good as my dad’s. Also I always put the transducer top right at bottom ice but will try dropping it further like you all suggested and maybe will make it even better?

Mine was the same way. A friend sent me another transducer to try and that was the problem. Before that it wouldnt pick up a gil jig as well as my old Zircom.