I’m new here but not new to ice fishing. I have both the Vex FL-18 and the Marcum LX-5. Both work well for all around fishing including shallow in my opinion. I don’t know if you’re using a shelter but if you are then in 4 ft of water I would just sight fish.
I plan on hitting a lot of inland lakes over weekends also which are deeper and is the reason I want one. But I don’t live close to any that are worth driving too on the weekdays because I have school. But lake st.clair is my backyard so I wouldn’t mind using it there on warmer days when you don’t need a shack and I won’t have to deal with a sore neck looking down the hole. Lol.