# Transducer help



## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

So my buddy bought a Garmin striker 4 portable unit after getting tired of seeing me and my vexilar out fish him every outing. we took it to the lake yesterday and can't seem to keep the transducer straight in the water, the unit is sold with a boat transducer so any help from the guys who use a boat unit on the ice would be amazing


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

The unit came with the foam noodle to keep the transducer straight but it don't help


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## lovin life (Jan 2, 2010)

Drill a big hole in the ice. Borrow a 10" auger if possible. Make sure its at a perfect 90' angle with the top of the ice. Id use a protracter maybe to be sure. Take the foam noodle, using gorilla tape if needed to secure everything together. Now very carefully hover the garmin unit over the hole....and release. Now take him to buy a vexilar and don't turn back.


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## bobberbucket (Mar 30, 2008)

lovin life said:


> Drill a big hole in the ice. Borrow a 10" auger if possible. Make sure its at a perfect 90' angle with the top of the ice. Id use a protracter maybe to be sure. Take the foam noodle, using gorilla tape if needed to secure everything together. Now very carefully hover the garmin unit over the hole....and release. Now take him to buy a vexilar and don't turn back.


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## Bass-N-Buck (Jan 6, 2011)

I bought the striker 4 portable this year, I having had an issue with their float and transducer. I have the transducer hanging about 8in under the float. While holding the cable I adjust the transducer so it's hanging level. I believe there are videos only showing the set up too.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

guys its really easy fix , take small plastic pipe about 28" and with electrical tape attatch to pipe, have your batt and fish finder in a box of some sort, on side of your box attatch a spring clamp like used to hold brooms. put box next to hole and lower ducer in hole and snap to box done hahahaha


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

I had it straight for a little bit but the wire being stiff moved it out of alignment pretty quick


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

lovin life said:


> Drill a big hole in the ice. Borrow a 10" auger if possible. Make sure its at a perfect 90' angle with the top of the ice. Id use a protracter maybe to be sure. Take the foam noodle, using gorilla tape if needed to secure everything together. Now very carefully hover the garmin unit over the hole....and release. Now take him to buy a vexilar and don't turn back.


If we can't figure it out before the next outing he's going to return it and buy a used vexilar


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

try this it works good once you lower the ducer in the hole you can align pipe straight and even lower ducer below the ice and twist it and it will spin under the ice to get it out of the way somewhat. your boat is hardly ever level bobbing on the water but it stills reads, if it is a tweek off wont hurt. I would go head to head with my garmin to the vexs .. lol


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## Minnowhead (Jan 12, 2011)

Buy a boat, install Garmin. Go get a Vex...


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## RStock521 (Jul 17, 2008)

The Garmin can be a great unit. Create a "T" with PVC and mount the transducer to that. Or buy the ice ducer. 

I personally prefer a graph to a Vex style, just my preference. Does that Garmin have amplitude scope? That's what I watch on my Lowrance. The graph is just the history. Plus, you have the added bonus of GPS and can mark hot spots for next time.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Garmin came out with an puck-style Ice transducer but don't put it on their portable, just the transom ducer with a foam noodle because of the cost! The Ice transducer alone is One hundred and forty bucks!!


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

I have seen the ice transducer but working on a budget won't allow the purchase. I built a rig to hold the transducer straight down, nothing special I just zip tied the transducer to a dowel and ran it through a piece of 2x4 something quick for now to see if it helps with the other problems the unit was having thanks for any help that was provided


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## WHITE DEVIL (Jun 12, 2016)

I have a used vex for sale in the marketplace.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

WHITE DEVIL said:


> I have a used vex for sale in the marketplace.


Even the price of a "used Vex" would buy TWO Stryker 4's! It's about the "budget"!


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

bustedrod said:


> guys its really easy fix , take small plastic pipe about 28" and with electrical tape attatch to pipe, have your batt and fish finder in a box of some sort, on side of your box attatch a spring clamp like used to hold brooms. put box next to hole and lower ducer in hole and snap to box done hahahaha


Where'd you get that fattie(perch)??


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## WHITE DEVIL (Jun 12, 2016)

The vex will give you a lot less headaches and help you catch a lot more fish. Don't throw good money after bad, I'll sell you the Vex for 200.00$


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

jeez is that vex gonna catch more than my garmin lol I don't think so served lol


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## kozeye72 (Jul 15, 2016)

i purchased the striker 4 just recently and set it up in an ammo box. I used it for the first time this weekend and liked it. the amplitude scope is awesome with the regular sonar page. I had to play with the chord a bit to get a good reading but every time i had it aligned right it stayed in place. I was in 20 FOW I dont know how it would be in deeper water but I like the unit alot. I do have a vex 8 I dint think the target separation is as good on the vex as the garmin. I will carry them both with me though when i go out though. May invest next year in the ice ducer for the garmin just not this year


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## WHITE DEVIL (Jun 12, 2016)

Okay good luck. Hope you get it figured out. If you don't, look me up I might still have it.


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

But the ice transducer- worth it. Game changer


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## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

Hodges Marine $109. Free shipping!


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## bumpus (Jan 17, 2015)

I'd buy the vexilar if it was me but seeing this is my buddy's system he's gotta decide what he wants to do. We have not been out fishing since I built a rig to hold the transducer straight, I'm hoping to get out so if he don't like the unit he can send it back


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## quackpot (May 17, 2009)

If you are coming to the fishing expo in Columbus this weekend I can show you mine. I use a vex but set it up for my son in law. Mine is set up on a genz box with a battery for a power wheel. I had it setting around.


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## Rambo_sambo (Feb 8, 2018)

White devil I am very interested in the vex.


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## WHITE DEVIL (Jun 12, 2016)

Sorry Rambo someone's coming to get it tonight. If the deal falls through I'll get in touch with you. Thanks anyways. I'm going to be putting a Marcum LX 7 up for sale here soon. First 575 takes it.


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## Rambo_sambo (Feb 8, 2018)

WHITE DEVIL said:


> Sorry Rambo someone's coming to get it tonight. If the deal falls through I'll get in touch with you. Thanks anyways. I'm going to be putting a Marcum LX 7 up for sale here soon. First 575 takes it.


Thanks I left you my number in a message.


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## GILLRAKER (May 5, 2004)

bumpus said:


> So my buddy bought a Garmin striker 4 portable unit after getting tired of seeing me and my vexilar out fish him every outing. we took it to the lake yesterday and can't seem to keep the transducer straight in the water, the unit is sold with a boat transducer so any help from the guys who use a boat unit on the ice would be amazing


Jim at One Stop has a used FL8 Vexlar for sale great condition cover and accessories included. Give him call. His bait shop is located by Ladue


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Just get a couple zip ties and set it up like this. It'll work fine.


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