# Showdown - Vertical Flasher Display



## zpyles_00 (Dec 15, 2004)

Anyone have any experience using one of these? I'm seriously considering purchasing one, i've read alot of good comments on their website about the units, but who puts bad stuff on their website about their product?

Just wondering if they have any flaws at all?


----------



## chaunc (Apr 11, 2004)

I bought one last season. Used it about a dozen times to really try to get the feel of it. It is just a basic, see a line, finder. Sort of like a low pixel count locator. Every thing is just a line. Couldn't tell rock from weeds or brushpiles. So i sold it and bought a HB ice 45 to use this season. Now i'm not saying dont buy a showdown but remember you'll get what you pay for. If you just want basic, it will show fish suspended. I'd just much rather prefer a flasher unit. And i also still have my old Vex fl-18 that i'll always keep as backup or for my brother to use when he fishes with me... those 3 times a year.


----------



## Crazy4Smallmouth (Apr 13, 2004)

I posted this as a reply to a thread in the hard water discussion area. Hope it helps!

I have been using my Showdown for two years now and I love it. I won't lie about wondering if there is something more with the Vexilar or Marcum flashers, but I can't bring myself to sell my Showdown to find out. So many guys swear by there Vexilars and Marcums, but not many guys talk about their Showdowns. Why? Because not many people own them. I have never seen another one on the ice anywhere I have fished. They have only been out for about 4 years to the best of my knowledge and they are in very limited supply. Try to find a Showdown anywhere by the end of November and you will be disappointed. 

Anyway, the flashers with their color change are cool, but the Showdown accomplishes the same thing by displaying a darker thicker line as the fish swims closer to the center of the cone (nears the jig). It is very easy to see when a fish is nose to nose with your jig. Target separation is 1/2" compared to 2 1/2" with the Vexilars/Marcums. The display is easy to understand since it is vertical like the water column and it is easy to read in both bright sun and dark. The Showdown is silent. No motor running which not only is quiet, but also saves battery. I could go on and on, but I made a short video of the unit in action last year. Check it out. I didn't really demonstrate the features, but you can see how it works. By the way, I just sent the unit in for the upgrade so my two year old unit now works just like the new ones being sold today. I can't wait to see it in action with the new updates. Enjoy the video!






Let me just say one more thing. Whatever you end up with I think you will fall in love with. Whether it is a vexilar, marcum, humminbird, showdown or whatever, they all do the job and whatever you learn on is what you will like the best. The only bad decision you can make is not to buy a unit of some kind. Ice fishing is a whole new game with electronics!


----------



## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

As much as your moving your rod, I'm just not seeing any lines moving on the screen like I do when I use my Humminbird?? If I'm jigging very aggresively, I see it very clearly. Am I missing it, or is it just not showing it?


----------



## Crazy4Smallmouth (Apr 13, 2004)

Of course the video was edited so I think what is happening is that I only show the times when there are fish on the Showdown. In other words, during most of the video there is a fish nose-to-nose with the jig. They followed the jig wherever it went most of the time. You can see it most clearly during the segment when I set the hook and missed the fish and nothing on the screen changed. Then a second later, you can see the jig coming back down and settling back by the fish. When I set the hook nothing changed because the fish was still there, unfortunately, I missed him. I did try to get separation from the fish to demonstrate the difference between the jig and fish, but the fish always followed the jig. I guess I edited out times when it was just the jig alone... boring video! I hope this helps. You made a good point!


----------



## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

ParmaBass said:


> As much as your moving your rod, I'm just not seeing any lines moving on the screen like I do when I use my Humminbird?? If I'm jigging very aggressively, I see it very clearly. Am I missing it, or is it just not showing it?


i was wondering the same thing...i didn't see anything on the screen but there was kinda a glare also...with my vex there really is no guessing, they're either they're or not!!


----------



## Crazy4Smallmouth (Apr 13, 2004)

MarCum and Showdown rebate information is listed in the Hot Deals forum!


----------

