Thanks James getting Helix 5 ice easy to use after using a flasher?

I ordered a helix 5 ice/summer locator. Watched James in a youtube video for Humminbird. Decided to get new technology rather than buying another flasher. So the question is it hard to go from a flasher to the regular depth finder screen meaning the one you would use in the summer or is it a fairly quick learning curve? The only thing I was not real sold on is the foam floaty for the transducer could I make a u bolt and hang it from it like a Vexilar unit. A 6 inch hole is small enough without the float. Can’t wait to get it. Thanks

Helix units make it really easy as they have an “ice fishing mode” that changes the available options and menus. When I had a Helix, I really liked using the split screen flasher and 2d sonar page. I would set my 2d to the bottom 6-10 feet if i was fishing bottom and then have the whole water column on the flasher so if I saw a flash up high i could keep an eye on it.

I will say, They are very nice units, but navigating pages and options can be tricky and they can be extremely finicky if you start diving into the advanced options and messing around with settings. If the unit starts acting funny or your feel like you’ve gotten yourself in a weird spot with settings, don’t hesitate to reset to factory settings. It will not erase your data, just set the settings back to factory so you have a baseline starting point.

Also the humminbird floats are garbage, waaaaayyyyy too much float for how light the ducer is. you’re much better off using an ibolt type attachment and some type of float stop like vexilar has.

I hate the float as well. I added a shop made arm. Super simple. I did mine out of walnut and Brazilin cherry, only because that is what I had on hand and thought it looked nice. I also cut a washer out of plastic to put between the wood arms so they articulate nicely without rubbing and catching. Folds in nicely out of the way for packing.

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I like the arm idea… I have been really liking the flasher mode in A-Scope… I really don’t even use the other screens.

brewerybuilder, do you have any more pics of how you mounted the adjustable arm? Looks awesome!

kbeck12 wrote:

brewerybuilder, do you have any more pics of how you mounted the adjustable arm? Looks awesome!

Here are a couple more pics. There are those little “arms” that hold the extra cable. The first pic is the one on the right. It has that little black cap on it. I think that just popped off but I don’t remember. I may have drilled it out but I don’t think so. I then just replaced the bolt that holds it on with a longer bolt (it comes from the bottom of the shuttle) that runs through my added arm. EZPZ.

Added pic. I added a glow cup on the other side. I screwed it to the upright of the shuttle. Worked perfect and folds inside the case above my added arm. Added a switch for it and attached it to the left upright (no pic).

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Guess my pics ended up in reverse. First one is the third and vise versa…you get the idea.

I also noticed you can see the switch for the glow cup in the one pic. It all worked out pretty good. I think I will like the way it will all work out.

I put mine on a Genz box as I thought it would be the most customizable (from my boat, so I didn’t buy the ice bundle). Also bought a ducer arm from Marcum so I didn’t have to use the janky float or have the cables on the edge of the hole. You might be able to find a spot for one of them on your shuttle that your unit came with. It way better than the float or just hanging it off the side.

One other tip, READ THE MANUAL. These are powerful units with a lot of features. It really helps in the beginning if you read it.

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I never use the flasher screen but wish the graph views showed cone area info like the flasher does – it’d just be nice. I love using a Helix and find them very easy to navigate/adjust as needed