After buying and fishing out of a one man shack, the Kenai Pro thermal in my case, I decided that the best one man shack is a small two man. I sold the Kenai Pro and bought a Nanook Thermal. I use that whenever I go out by myself and I’ve fished two people out of it fairly comfortably although I take the Otter Lodge out whenever I actually plan on fishing with someone else.
Slayer Custom Jigs
Brantner Jigs
Ventura Tackle Company
Regular Panoptix has been around for a couple years but LiveScope just came out recently, like in the last couple months. The difference is basically the width of the sonar cone (Panoptix is 20 degees x 100 degrees and LiveScope is 20 x 135), and a big difference in clarity. Regular Panoptix is like a live or real-time representation of traditional sonar where LiveScope is more of a live or real-time representation of side imaging or down imaging, it almost looks like a low quality video where you can make out shapes of larger fish and structure rather than just blobs like the original Panoptix (which is still awesome).
As far as the learning curve goes it’s not a steep learning curve at all, it’s actually very intuitive. It’s a lot easier to explain to someone who hasn’t ice fished before than a traditional flasher is.
Yep, I’ve seen it. I have regular Panoptix but I’m seriously considering LiveScope this year. I wish my 93sv was a plus unit but unfortunately its and Echomap Chirp so it’s not compatible with Livescope, which means it’s going to cost me $2,500+ when I decide to do it.
I fish out of an 8 inch hole, and drill a hole in between my buddy and I. We both use my panoptix screen. He leaves his Vex at home. It still works great in a separate hole. I’m totally fine with fishing like that. Set it and forget it.
I do the same, if I’m fishing alone I still drill 3 holes and put the transducer in the middle. It’s too easy for a fish to wrap the line around the transducer and pole to try to fish out of the same hole that your transducer is in. The only time I fish through the transducer hole is when I’m out searching for fish, when I find some I’ll drop a jig down the same hole at first to see how they react or verify what they are.
I fish out of an 8 inch hole, and drill a hole in between my buddy and I. We both use my panoptix screen. He leaves his Vex at home. It still works great in a separate hole. I’m totally fine with fishing like that. Set it and forget it.
I do the same, if I’m fishing alone I still drill3 holes and put the transducer in the middle. It’s too easy for a fish to wrap the line around the transducer and pole to try to fish out of the same hole that your transducer is in. The only time I fish through the transducer hole is when I’m out searching for fish, when I find some I’ll drop a jig down the same hole at first to see how they react or verify what they are.
I do but I don’t really like them because the back half of the split grip goes past the end of the rod holder cylinder and gets hung up when you try to take the rod out.
I’ve been ready for a couple months! I wish there was somewhere in the southern hemisphere to go ice fishing when it’s summer here, LOL
Like Merican said the impact won’t work at all. The drill may work but ideally a hammer drill is the way to go, they have a second handle on them that you position opposite of the regular handle so it doesn’t twist the hell out of your wrist when the auger catches on the ice. They are also built a little heavier and probably have more power/torque than the one you got in the kit. You can get the bare tool (no battery, case or charger) for about $150. You already have the batteries and charger that it takes.
How do you like that transducer?the GT10 that is? Have you used it much? What depths you use it in?
I haven’t had a chance to use it at all. I live in Nebraska and it’s looking like it’s going to be a while before we get any ice. It was 70 degrees the other day and still in the 50’s for highs all week.
Randy, when you bought the ice package did you get the gt10 transducer with it? Or did you find a place to buy the ice bag alone without a transducer? I think as it stands now I want the ice bag with the gt8 transducer… I dont see that as an option anywhere.
Ya, I bought the whole package, not just the bag. It came with the gt10 and as far as I know that’s the only way they sell it.
Just in case anyone was wondering the 9″ units will fit in the ice package case also and it will still zip closed easily. I took the 93sv off my kayak and put it in the Ice Package. I don’t know why they don’t offer it as an option.
I used that drill with a 7″ lazer last year and it worked great. I bought an 8″ K-drill a couple weeks ago but we don’t have ice down here yet so I haven’t had a chance to try it out. I would assume it will work fine though, at the Sioux Falls Ice Institute they had Dewalts on theirs at the Clam booth and if you watch any videos with Dave Genz he usually has a Dewalt on his.
How is the target separation with Panoptix? The way I see it the videos that they are posting on youtube, etc. are probably the best footage they have with it and to me it still looks pretty rough. The fish look like big blobs and it looks like it would be pretty hard to tell a fish from the bottom when they are hanging close to the bottom. It looks like it would work good for targeting suspended fish but what about perch, walleye, etc. that like to hang out on the bottom?
That’s the one thing that’s keeping me from dropping $1,000 on a transducer right now.
My friend and I both have 7″ lazers on clam plates and Dewalt 20v brushless hammer drills. His binds at the bottom of the hole, mine doesn’t. I don’t know if its the way he’s using it or what…..maybe he’s anticipating breaking through and letting off the trigger a little, I don’t know but I just go full speed until I pull it back out of the hole and I’ve had no issues with mine. (I need to try it and see if it binds when I drill with it.)
I just bought the ice pack with the gt10 500W transducer for my echomap chirp 73sv and the ducer does not work. It says its not supported so I don’t know how people are using that because my 2 friends and I all updated our software and got the same packs and the GT10 ducer does not work and noticed that they aren’t available to purchase online anymore. Any insight on this Danny??
Did you ever find an answer on this? I have the same unit and was thinking about getting the same transducer but I don’t want to waste the money if it’s not going to work. They still have the GT10HW-IF on their website and that’s what comes in the Panoptix Ice Bundle but the Ice Bundle doesn’t use the SV units
I would go with the Eskimo, I haven’t lifted or fished out of it but I did have a Kenai Pro Thermal and it was just too small in my opinion, it was light though. I use a Jason Mitchell Nanook when I go by myself now and it weighs 82lb I think which is still light and still big enough to fish 2 people out of if you want but if you’re set on a one man I would go with the Eskimo over the Clam.
Last year I had the LX9 and the Showdown 2.0. The showdown comes in handy for setting tip-ups because you can just take it out of the pack and run it off the AA batteries, I take it with every time for a backup and in case someone doesn’t have a flasher.
In the off season i picked up an FLX-28 which I can’t wait to try and another Showdown 2.0 combo because it was like $120 in the bargain cave…….so I guess I have 3 backups.
Facebook page (I ordered mine from him on facebook but I guess he has a website now) https://www.facebook.com/IJCustom/
Website http://www.ijcustom.com/
I just bought the glow cup from the guy that’s selling them on facebook. I’m sure you could make your own for cheaper but I didn’t feel like messing with it, plus his come with a deal to mount them to your flasher.
That’s the same setup I’m going to try out this year Dave!
…..and speaking of the LTP, I just got my LTP and Fusion in the mail a couple days ago, thanks John!
I just ordered the mount and I don’t even have the Panoptix transducer yet lol. I do have an echomap93sv and 73sv though and I’ve been wanting to rig something up for the panoptix for ice fishing. Looks like I don’t have to worry about that anymore, just have to go get the transducer now……like I wasn’t already going to spend too much on ice fishing stuff
Definitely will be an interesting option. I was watching videos from the Garmin guys last season with how they were using it and it was pretty cool.
Did you see this online, or in their mailer? Link if online?
http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/_/N-1105957?CQ_view=list&CQ_ztype=GNU&CQ_ref=~brand-Garmin
Looks like you can get the whole package or just the deal to mount your panoptix transducer on
Thanks guys, that helps. I agree, used wouldn’t be a bad idea considering where I live I don’t know if it would be worth it to buy new anyway. I’d only be able to use it a couple times a year when I go up north so I’d try to find something with a shower and toilet so I could use it for camping in the off season…..
Thanks Clint but I’m not going to be buying anything until this winter at the earliest but that looks like a nice rig!
Hey Danny, is Garmin planning on selling that “U” shaped stopper thing that you have your PVC pipe running through any time soon?
