# Which Vex to buy?



## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I have an Fl-10 on my boat. I want to get a portable for ice fishing. Mostly ponds and inland lakes. I don't want bells and whistles on the unit. Is there much difference in sensitivity of the Fl 8, 12, 18, or 20? I'm going to buy an Fl-8 unless the other models have more sensitivity.


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## powerstrokin73 (May 21, 2008)

i dont know much about the senstivity diference in the units i just wanted to make sure you know about the recondioned units on vex's site. a lil cheaper than normal price with a warranty and 20 bucks to add an extra 2 year warranty... ~Evin~


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Oh yea, that's what I'm looking at. I also was wondering do the blue "Gentz" type cases fit in a bucket, or are they too large? They have the fl8 gentz model for $220 or $229.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

The FL8SE is a great unit. The one feature that it is missing however, that is standard on a 12, 18, and 20 is the low power mode.

If you fish shallow water, 10' of less I think you would want and need the low power setting. I was fishing Indian lake Monday in around 10' and needed the low power mode to be able to decrease the gain far enough with the rap I was using. Without the low power mode the separation from bottom and lure was lacking with the big return of the rapala.

I purchased a 20 last year and really like the flat screen and increased size, night mode, etc, etc. You are not interested in the bells and whistles so those features won't mean much to you. The 12 is stripped down 20.

If I were in the market for new one and didn't want the extras I would purchase a 12 just to have the lower power mode without needing to add a "S" cable on the 8 to reduce the power when needed. I don't think the new 8's have a low power mode, if they do you would be all set.

My opinion


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

supercanoe said:


> Oh yea, that's what I'm looking at. I also was wondering do the blue "Gentz" type cases fit in a bucket, or are they too large? They have the fl8 gentz model for $220 or $229.


They will not fit in a bucket horizontal, they are designed to sit on top of a bucket. They will, I THINK, fit in a bucket if you put them in lengthwise, on end.

I sold one of my 8's in the Genz box to Shakedown. He could answer for sure, but that is what I remember.


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Thank, that's the kind of differences I was looking for.


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## powerstrokin73 (May 21, 2008)

i think the ultra pak fits in a 5 gal bucket if i remember readin it rite on their site


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## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

The nicest thing I have found between the FL-8 and FL-18 is the autozoom feature. This enables you to zoom in on the bottom 6 feet of the water column and allows for a better picture/more separation. Not really needed for waters under 12' or so feet, but it is really nice for fishing water deeper than that. The low power mode is nice as well.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

I've never needed an s-cable either and I usually fish in pretty shallow water too (10' or less). It depends on what kind of ice fisherman you are and how much money you have to spend. FL-8 is all I'll ever need, and it's a MAJOR, MAJOR upgrade from having nothing at all.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

The low power would only come into play when using a lure profile that provide a lot of surface area for a signal return. A vertical spoon has a small profile, a jigging rap or any horizontal lure provides for a big return area based upon the actual lure size. Small profile lures and panfish jigs would not benefit much from the low power setting capability, unless in very shallow water.

When I use a rap shallow the lowest gain setting with the low power mode does not allow for enough definition and bottom separation for ME. Can you fish shallow with a high signal return lure and still see what is going on, absolutely. Is it the optimal setup that can be achieved, no.

Vexilar sells "s" cables for the 8's and incorparates the low power mode on the 12, 18, and 20 for a reason. There are times when it can be used to optimize the performance


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

ive used an s cable on my 8 and ive found that it weakens the signal so much that even when you turn the gain up to 10 you cant see really small ice jigs in 5 ft of water. Which is what I thought it would be good for. 
It seems to me that the newer units have a stronger signal to start with, so the low power mode is more useful. 

with my 8
To see a tiny jig in 10 ft of water using a wide cone angle I need to turn my sensitivity up to about 6.5.
To fish a rapala i bump it down to about 3.5 - 4

If you (lundy) had to turn down to low power mode then im guessing the 20 has more top end signal strength than an 8. Unless the cone angle is much smaller. Then the signal much stronger and would nessitate the high and low power. Mine is a 9 - 19 switchable degree transducer. I think yours is a 12. That could explain it.

I just did some reading on the vexilar site. the 8 only has 1" target separation, and the 20 has less than .5" inch separation. It dosent sound like much but Ice fishing is a game of inches alot of the time.

And If I were buying a new unit and I fished much in 10 ft of water or more I would for sure get one with the split zoom feature. 99% of your action is down at the bottom so If your concerned about detail that is the best way to maximize it. Its not a bell or whistle just plain old improved accuracy.

If the fl-8 is a shotgun, the 20 is a rifle.


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## capt j-rod (Feb 14, 2008)

dual beam transducer is money well spent... If you want to go to the deeper water its awesome. Zoom is another great option. If you hit the crappies, remember that they suspend the entire water column. I use the humminbird 35 and love it. I know this will start the whole marcum/ vex/ humminbird conspiracy, but this is not new technology and it can be duplicated. The bird works well, has a warranty, and sells for $270. I got mine from jandhproducts.com . Do what ever you feel, but the options are worth the money and I've fished under a Fl20, and a marcum... The ICE35 does the same thing for less money.


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## reelmanly (May 19, 2005)

Blue Genz FL8SE got it last year wouldnt fit in a 5 gal, I removed the unit and Batt from the blue case , had an old something or other in a hard shell, stripped out the guts did a little Mcgyvering and fit the Vex and Batt into it, works great and slides into a 5 gal with no prob, holds Vex, Batt, cables, cone, and float perfect, no problem to recharge either.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Don't overlook the Marcum. I feel it has a more defined screen signal than the Vex. Marcum also offers the reconditioned units at a substantial savings.


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## krustydawg (Apr 26, 2004)

Shortdrift said:


> Don't overlook the Marcum. I feel it has a more defined screen signal than the Vex. Marcum also offers the reconditioned units at a substantial savings.


I've used both the Vex and the marcum's. The Marcum LX-3tc is sweeeeet ! The humminbirds look like a great unit also. Choices, choices..


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

well the display ring is larger and brighter on the 20 so right there you get more definition.
Also the vex site claims .5 inch target separation. Whether its in zoom mode that you get that or not its unattainable separation with a fl-8. 

Who dosen't understand how it works???


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## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

Once again, WHO is confused???

better target separation hepls when trying to coax a fish into biting. you can more easily tell whether the fish is right at you lure or just below it. If anyone uses a vexilar just as a "fish finder" they are not using it to its full potential. Its a tool that when used correctly is like sight fishing through the ice. It gives you the abilty to read a fishes mood, vertical and horizontal direction and distance from the bottom, and most imprortantly how they are reacting to your lure. A good flasher will even let you know if you just lost your minnow or grub so you dont waste your time trying to coax a fish without any bait. 

Its like sight fishing for bass in the shallows on a sunny day with a pair of regular sun glasses or polarized sunglasses. Ill take the higher definition, it will give you the edge, the abilty to read the fish just that much more.

All that being said, yeah its a small difference. But its still a difference which is the purpose of this thread, to discuss the sensitivity differences between the units.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

back lash,

You are missing to entire concept of target separation and gain as it relates to power and the low power mode.

One of the benefits of the low power mode is to filter out weak returns such as weeds and tree limbs and provide better definition of the bottom, your lure and the fish.; simple stuff really. In shallow water the fl8 minus an "s" cable it can not achieve this optimization of the "old technology"

Another benefit of low power mode is to provide better separation from the bottom with a high signal return lure such as a jigging rapala. When in the standard full power mode and the 20' scale, the return on the jigging rap is very heavy with the gain at the zero setting. As you know, since this is old technology and you understand how it works, when a saugeye comes into the outer fringes of the cone angle very near the bottom, which is typical, the bottom return signal changes slightly and begins to flutter on the leading edge of the bottom return signal. As the saugeye swims closer to center of the cone angle the upper band of the bottom return increases in thickness. As it comes still closer to the center it begins to separate from the bottom signal. The benifit of using the low power mode in this instance is without it the return signal of your lure, with the bottom of your jig stroke within a couple of inches of bottom, is so wide that it reduces the visible separation of your lure return signal and the bottom return signal. You can not see a bottom hugging saugeye on the outer edge of your cone angle. By reducing to low power mode the lure return, with the gain control, can be adjusted to provide a much narrower band of return or better visual separation between your lure and the bottom. You can easily see saugeye on the outer edge of the cone angle.

Now if you are fishing for fish that suspend a foot off of the bottom, or more as a rule, this setting will have little to no benefit. However if you are fishing for saugeye that are almost always on or very near bottom this setting, if you know how to read and use it, will allow you to see more than you would otherwise.


Supercanoe, sorry your question took off down this path. I think you see by the responses that any of them will work very well to help you catch more fish. Good luck, you'll love what ever you purchase.

Thanks,
Kim


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

"I can get a good look at t-bone steak by sticking my head up a bull's ass, but I'd rather take the butcher's word for it."
-Tommy Boy


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Lundy and Big Joshy laid it all on the line in the difference between the flashers.If you have the extra money go for the FL-18 or FL-20 you won't be disappointed and it will save you from upgrading in a year or 2.Example:I used an FL-8 for a couple years and upgraded to the FL-18 3 years ago.Again, I just upgraded from the FL-18 to the FL-20 dual beam and am very happy with my decision.I sold the 3 year old barely used FL-18 for $125.00 less than I paid for it.I would have saved $75.00 if I bought the FL-20 to start with.I would recommend the FL-20 to anyone out there looking for a flasher if it's in your budget.The zoom mode functions on the FL-18 and FL-20 are priceless...................Mark


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

back lash,

Sorry, You are right I took a little offense at your earlier comment. _The best way to figure out how to use a flasher would be to understand how it works! Google it...B.L_

It was fairly obvious it was directed at me and probably Big Joshy, You don't know me or him, have never fished with either of us, yet made a pretty clear implication about our lack of understanding of "old technology" We were just offering real world, out on the lake, using our electronics, fish catching results. We prefer to be out on the lake catching fish rather than behind a computer googling about fishing.

All of that considered I shouldn't have gone down the path that I did. I should have just ignored your comment and moved on. Sorry about that.

Again, my apologies.
Kim


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

Thanks for the info guys.


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## back lash (Sep 13, 2008)

I have deleted every message i have put in this thread. If what is written below does not make sense, it is because it is a reply to what i had posted.If what I said offended anyone, in any way It is because I was taken the wrong way.for that i am sorry..I come on here to have fun, learn some trick's of the trade. I won't come on here to argue with people I don't even know. If you caught this thread before I deleted all the reply's i had on here, It will make sense.I If you didn't ...this won't....B.L.


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## GusOrviston (Mar 10, 2007)

Supercanoe,

An alternative to the Vex or Marcum is the Showdown. Google it and watch the videos. All I can say is that it is awesome. I'm not writing this to get Vex or Marcum or Humminbird guys upset; I just really like my Showdown. I figured if it's the unit of the In-Fisherman staff (and they really know ice fishing)it's good enough for me.


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