The Ultimate IR Test – Marcum vs Vexilar at the Brainerd Jaycees Tourney

Well guys, I just got back from the tournament (and a little stop at Mille Lacs to catch a few jumbo Perch) –

Last year when I placed at this tourney, I was convinced that my Marcum VX1 Pro was the difference. Allowing me to mark a Walleye in 50ft suspended and target it. The year before, my Lowrance X67c which I loved couldn’t clear the interference at all.

So enter 2015. My plan was to test my LX5 vs my new Vexilar FLX28. With 20 steps of IR, the claim from Tom Zenanko was that we would have hardly any interference.

Long story short – They were both pretty awful. Not to be unexpected with 10,000 people but I talked to a few folks with Humminbird ICE units and as expected they did a little better due to the different frequency.

I was pretty disappointed with the FLX to be honest. It couldn’t clear up the interference at any gain and at any IR level. I always had some. The Marcum on the other hand could be turned down and reduce it far better, but not perfect by any means as by removing it you couldn’t ever mark your jig.

Enter Act II – Trying these units on Mille Lacs

Obviously with only 20 portables in 1 square mile it was a different test, but I walked away semi impressed with the FLX, and somewhat disappointed. The auto depth is flaky at best, and it seems to find jigs on one drop, vs not on another, then find them again. That really confused me. When I did mark fish, the LED screen was nice to see perch chase my jig up and I like the white color pallette. My LX5 and even my Troller were more consistent in finding jigs though overall on a consistent basis.

I have to think this is related to power, but as everyone knows too much power can blow out crystals and cause issues. So at this point, I might be stuck back in the Marcum camp, and just get another VX1 Pro to go with my LX5 and always have a backup unit or have a graph as a secondary unit in case my LX5 craps out again.

Overall it was interesting, but what I learned is that no unit can do much at a big tourney. I should have brought my camera instead.

I hope this is helpful to some folks, we had fun! We had 2 setlines and both lost fatheads, so apparently we had a chance in deep water and as usual C@cked it up! I have no excuse, I was sober this year.

I was there also, unfortunately I wasn’t driving home a new truck like I had planned… but that’s the way it goes. As far as the interference, I was using my LX6 and there were two hummingbirds in our group, a 35 and a 55. While the IR wasn’t great on either machine, I did feel that the Hummingbird was able to filter a little more, and by little, I mean not enough that Im sure there was a difference at all haha I cant speak for the vex machines but given the circumstances I was happy with my Marcum and would have been with a bird

Interesting, that other frequency plays with that many people. I got bottom bounce on my old Ice 35 but I liked it while I had it.

I couldn’t do anything on my Vex to reduce it. It sucked.

Live and learn.

We had 4 lx5 units in our group. Fishing 60′ of water and there was nothing we could do to get them to pick up any size jig or spoon. Although everyone else around us using there units of different brands they struugled also.

With the lx5 I think SFL shoulda helped.

I was out there in 60fow with my lx9. Dialing in a jig was tricky, very tricky. I had to dial back the sensitivity and adjust the target adjust, and use ir. I found one selection that seemed to work well for bigger jigs like buckshot spoons and ultra lite ripping raps, but not tungsten jig heads. I had to readjust for them.

Moving shallow helped, both with radar and catching fish lol. This year small perch didn’t get me a prize tho….

wish we’d of followed ya. we stayed deepish down to about 30′ but short of a bite or too off the bottom, we couldn’t catch a cold.

but i was able to dial down the lx5 everywhere i went to at least be able to see my jig…spoon or tungsten. even if it was a light blink.

We missed two but had a fantastic time. Buddy had his hit around 1pm and we were right on top of it. Swing and a miss. Had my chance at 2:55pm. too far away and by that time less than sober. Didn’t get there in time and the hook was cleaned.

Tenth year and by far the most fun we’ve had. Had about 15 guys in our extended group and the weather couldn’t have been better!

All of my group left their flashers at home. Didn’t figure it would help out that deep. Did talk to a guy next to us with a year old marcum, sorry not sure which model just know it wasn’t a 3. He wasn’t having much luck either.

Next year I’m going simple. Bringing a flasher/graph as a backup and using a camera as my primary. IR is a nightmare in those conditions, may as well jig and deadstick and hope I can see!

good luck seeing anything in the deep with the camera. at 50+ foot, that water in gull lake is aweful dark. I tried that on the south side of the lake and i could only see a few inches.

next year we have a new plan, lol. hope it pays off.