# Flashers vs. Sonars



## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Being an old fart, I need some help understanding a few things. Back when i muskie fished hard I used a Hummingbird 60 flasher and loved it. They were reasonably priced then too. Flashers were the only things available then. Now I look at flashers and can't believe the prices. (1) what's the difference between the old flashers and the new ones? (2) I have an old Eagle magna view sonar. Why don't I hear about guys using sonars? What's the advantages of flasher over sonar? (3) what is the differnce in ice transducers and regular transducers? Thanks guys, appreciate any input to clear my mind.


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## cglynn (Dec 20, 2009)

I used an Eagle Magna II last season and it worked okay. That model has a scrolling view but also a vertical view of the water column, very similar to the Vex Countdown or whatever its called. I built a quick plywood box for it and powered it with a couple of 6V latern batteries ($5 for a two pack at Wally World) wired in series with a small piece of speaker wire and alligator clips. It was light, portable and did what it needed to. One issue that I had was that I couldn't really tell the size of the mark. The flashers are all tri color or more today and use different colors to indicate different return strengths. The stronger the return, the larger or closer the fish. The other disadvantage to using an LCD sonar display is that cold can affect the display. I have heard that a handwarmer taped to the back of the unit will solve that issue, but have yet to try it. The last issue is getting the transducer to stay upright. The iceducers are designed to hang veritcally while the Eagle and similar are designed to be mounted on a boat transom or similar. My solution to that is to screw the transducer to a piece of 1x2x16. Then drill holes in that board every 4 inches or so. Those holse are for a wing nut and bolt that goes through a hole in the main box. Set the depth for the ice thickness and lock it down. Works a treat.

If you don't have a flasher and buying one is out of the question, I am under the opinion that any fish finder is better than none. If nothing else you can use an LCD type fish finder to get depth and structure as soon as you drill. Might not show fish (though mine did), but if you can find structure I bet there would be fish holding near it. 

Hope that helps or at least gives you some ideas.

CG


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks cglynn, Glad to finaly hear about someone using the sonar. I couldn't see any reason not to try it. Granted, the flasher will show your baits, not sure the sonar will. With the Hummingbird 60 I attached a transducer on a 45 degree andgle on my bow mount motor so I could scan with it to find humps, structure, weed lines and found that I could see my muskie baits when retrieved. Just couldn't relieve the pricing on the new flashers. I suppose the multi color is the difference and understand how that could be an advantage. Thanks


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

A flasher and LCD display unit are both sonars, they just display the signals differently. Provided the units are using the same operating frequencies, both will show the same amount of detail. The obvious advantage of an LCD display unit (that isn't set to display as a flasher) is that the information stays on the screen longer, so you don't have to be as attentive in watching the screen.

Yes you can see your bait on unit with an LCD display. When I still ice fished, I would take the front unit off of my boat and use it on the ice. It is a fairly basic unit with less resolution than all but the cheapest depth finders of today, and as long as I had the sensitivity set properly, I could see a pin min with a couple of maggots on it, in any depth of water that you could fish on an inland lake in northeast Ohio. 

Quite a few people use LCD display units for ice fishing. In fact, my guess would be that the majority use them over a flasher nowadays. As far as an LCD displays operation in the cold, I never found the need to do anything to keep it warm. And I never noticed a difference in the way it operated in the cold, when compared to the way it operated in the summer. The owners manuals for my current units state an operating range of -28 to +167 degrees Fahrenheit, so I suppose you'd need to find a way to keep it warm if you wanted to use one in temperatures colder than -28. 

I used a similar set up for the transducer that CG mentioned in his post. He also mentioned that you can get depth as soon as you cut through the ice. You don't have to drill a hole in the ice to see what's under it. Your depth finder will shoot through the ice. Simply take a bottle of water with you, pour some of it on the ice (I used to chip a little depression in the ice) and put your transducer in the puddle. You'll be able to see the depth as well as any cover that is present, and you'll even be able to see fish. 

One thing I will say though ... when I say you can shoot through the ice, I am talking about clean clear ice. If there is a layer of frozen slush on top of the good ice, you'll need to chip that away, or air bubbles and pockets in the slush will interfere with getting a good reading. It really works quite well, and as in the description of the unit I used to take on the ice, it doesn't require a high dollar unit to be able to do.


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks bass, now i am encouraged. Couldn't figure out what I was missing. As far a shooting thru the ice, My old fiberglass bassboat had a recessed area in one of the livewells to set a tranducer in. I tried it to see if it worked and it did but put it on transum anyway. Thanks


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## cglynn (Dec 20, 2009)

Glad to have helped John. I say go for it. I forgot to mention, but I was able to pick up a size 10 jig with a wax worm on it easily with my Eagle. I have found the best settings are to turn the sensitivity up as high as you can without getting a lot of clutter on the screen, and the chart speed as fast as it will go. Set like that, its not quite a flasher in terms of true real time view, but its pretty darn close. And again, I think any electronics are better than none.

Let us know how it works out. 
Chris


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## cglynn (Dec 20, 2009)

So I dug out my sonar unit and figured I would take some photos to add to the discussion. I had to remake the transducer mount, and opted to use a spring clamp instead of a bolt/wingnut. It is quicker, doesn't matter if the wood swells a bit from moisture, and you don't have to worry about frozen wingnuts at the end of the day. 

Hope you all like and maybe find some inspiration for your own project.

Chris


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks, I like the spring clamp idea. I was a little apprehensive about the bolt and wingnut idea. Have most everything gathered for mine except i am putting my in a bag with wood frame inside. Cut wood today so will be working on this project tomorrow. Getting anxous to try it. I have a 1 1/4 acre pond in my yard so it won't be far to try it out. Got the batteries this morning and have them wired and ready to go. Thanks a bunch guys.


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## cglynn (Dec 20, 2009)

Good deal John. Would like to see some pictures of your rig when its done. I think the spring clamp is going to work out much better than the bolt/nut. It has to be easier and quicker. Keep it simple. The nut/bolt would look much neater and cleaner, but this is ice fishing, not a fashion show, and the fish won't care how I mounted my 'ducer bracket.

Have fun getting yours together.

Chris


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## JohnD (Sep 11, 2007)

Didn't fish but I did walk out on my pond, drilled one hole thru, drilled a second hole about 3 inches deep and let it fill with water. Tried in the thru hold and the shallow hole. Worked great in both cases. Marked fish. Slowed the scan rate down and jacked the intensity up. Thanks


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