# Vexilar



## Lungbuster (Apr 8, 2012)

So I'm relatively a newbie to ice fishing. I just go out and pick a spot until I find some fish. Are these Vexilars and such worth the price? Seems steep for such a short timeframe.


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Put it this way... 

Mine is acting up.... I could hardly fish without it.. 

I would say they are well worth it, it has improved my catch rate.. But, if all you do is fish honey holes then it may not be worth it. 

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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

I thought that until I fished with a buddy who had one, then a switch got turned on in my head that said.."how in the world did I actualy catch fish withOUT one of these?" It truly is the single best piece of equipment youll ever invest in. At least thats my thought....

It will allow you to increase your ice fishing catch rate many times over...Just depends if you think youll use it enough to make it worth your while. Many Vexilars have been around over 10 years so getting a used one and using it for 10 years or so with the only cost hopefully to replace a 25$ battery every 3-4 years is a good solid investment in my book

Salmonid


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## Lungbuster (Apr 8, 2012)

No honey holes...I fish all over just to find different spots. Try to catch different species whenever I can.


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

Definitely worth the investment. I wouldnt even think of going out without mine. I took a buddy ice fishing one time and he always said that he could out fish me without a vexilar so I took him out to let him try. He sat beside me in my shantie and we fished about 5 hours that day. I caught 29 and he caught 2 and the 2 he caught he was trying out my vexilar at the time. Needless to say at the end of the day he looked at me and said well I guess those things do work. 


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

If I drove an hour to icefish somewhere and realized I left it at home, I would turn around and go back for it.


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## Lungbuster (Apr 8, 2012)

ParmaBass said:


> If I drove an hour to icefish somewhere and realized I left it at home, I would turn around and go back for it.


Lol!! Already trying to convince my wife I need it! Haha


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## Perchy101 (Apr 14, 2004)

Lungbuster said:


> No honey holes...I fish all over just to find different spots. Try to catch different species whenever I can.
> 
> 
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Get one... You won't regret it.. 

There will be a learning curve with it as you'll be fishing different but don't get frustrated.. 

I find them extremely helpful with Eyes, Crappie and Perch. 

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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

Salmonid said:


> I thought that until I fished with a buddy who had one, then a switch got turned on in my head that said.."how in the world did I actualy catch fish withOUT one of these?" It truly is the single best piece of equipment youll ever invest in. At least thats my thought....
> 
> It will allow you to increase your ice fishing catch rate many times over...Just depends if you think youll use it enough to make it worth your while. Many Vexilars have been around over 10 years so getting a used one and using it for 10 years or so with the only cost hopefully to replace a 25$ battery every 3-4 years is a good solid investment in my book
> 
> Salmonid


My vexilar is 15-20 years old and still going strong. You know its old when the owners manual and all the papers don't have any web site address on them.


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## Erieangler51 (Sep 24, 2012)

ParmaBass said:


> If I drove an hour to icefish somewhere and realized I left it at home, I would turn around and go back for it.


I've done that a few times. I've also got to the lake and realized the battery was dead and turned aroun and went home... Well worth the money because you can throw it over the side of your boat and use it open water.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

I have a Vexilar because so many guys on here were saying that Vexilar Flashers are great for Ice Fishing. They are right. I got the hang of it after only 20 minutes of Fishing. It is a wonderful piece of equipment. They make Ice Fishing a lot more fun. The Vexilar Company gives really good Customer Service from what everyone says. I would not Ice Fish without my Vexilar. It does improve your Catch Rate. If you buy one - and the Wife makes you sleep on the couch - you can always hold your Vexilar.


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## foundationfisher (May 12, 2008)

ParmaBass said:


> If I drove an hour to icefish somewhere and realized I left it at home, I would turn around and go back for it.


 over the years, i've forgot just about every piece of equipment there is, but 
i don't forget the vex. it's the first thing in the truck. rides shotgun right beside me.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Get 1 you will love it 


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## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

I think the most important thing a Vex or other electronic can tell you is NOBODY LIVES IN THIS HOLE....MOVE! Makes finding fish easier if your not wasting 10 minutes in each hole.


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

Vex's are such a great piece of equipment. You say you go from spot to spot til you find fish. Well with a vex on good ice (not cloudy crappy ice) you can make a clear spot dump some water on the ice then shoot the vex through the ice and see what's going on below before you drill. I dont do it often but it can save time. We have both any aqua view and vex. If you had told me i could only take one out fishing it would be the vex everytime. A vex picks up fish through the entire depth and shows fish 360 around you. It's a very dependable wonderful tool. Craigslist had a few recently more around Toledo and Detroit area but they can be found. I would suggest one with a auto zoom. Great target separation.
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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

foundationfisher said:


> over the years, i've forgot just about every piece of equipment there is, but
> i don't forget the vex. it's the first thing in the truck. rides shotgun right beside me.


I'm pretty sure my Vex could kick Chuck Norris's ass...


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## Lungbuster (Apr 8, 2012)

I'm up by toledo. If anyone wants to do some icin before I own one...please let me know! Haha...I'm def gonna try and find me one based on this thread. Thx for your input!


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## bassmastermjb (Apr 8, 2004)

Vexilars are not limited to just the hard water. You can use it 12 months out of the year.It's one of the best investments you can make..........Mark


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## mousejam515 (Jun 3, 2004)

I will say having a fish finder in the hole is very helpful. I do not have a vex. But I did take my portable humminbird fish finder and rigged the transducer on a float and it works pretty good to show me my lure and fish. Some of the newer fish finders have a flasher view screen as well as a regular screen. So they can be used open water and then with a portable case and battery and set on ice mode you can use them winter time too.


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## Eriesteamer (Mar 9, 2007)

To buy a few these to fix and ( Vex ) any other name as I can fix these. to guy says his is acting up. care to sell it. What you guys got in spin fish finders. your junk my treasures


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## rutnut245 (Jan 18, 2009)

Long before they made Vexilars we used to use Hummingbird flashers that were left in junk boats. They work the same. They are real time, no lag. When companies found out there was an icefishing application the prices for flashers went through the roof. If you have an old flasher with gain, as most do, it will work.

I will not fish without a Vex or flasher as you can tell exactly where the fish are in the water column and how they react to your bait. Suspended fish are usually the most aggressive. There are techniques you can use to trigger a bite. After many,many hours of playing with a flasher I figured out some that work very well and others not so much. Without the flasher though, you have no idea what is going on under you.

I had a camera but only used it to identify marks on the vex so I sold it. It was a lot of fun when you were really putting a smack on walleyes but that was a lot of cable in the water even with the nose of the camara weghted so it pointed down.

Flashers are the way to go. JMHO


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

ParmaBass said:


> If I drove an hour to icefish somewhere and realized I left it at home, I would turn around and go back for it.


Agreed...I never would ice fish without a flasher. 

Or a auger, or a ice rod, or a ice scoop, or a shanty, or a heater, or a gps, or a camera, or a ....lol


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

As Mark has previously stated the Vex or any other flsher can be a year round tool. Can be used off of a pier or boat. I still use the ice ducer as it floats lever is easily deployed using an aluminum shaft about 3/4 in diameter . I use those cheap wire ties to secure cable to rod.

This is done to keep transducer about a rods length from the boat. When still fishing either anchored or tied to a bridge or dock it is just like icefishing with it.

It is especially effective when night fishing. As crappies change the depth position the vex will reveal their new location almost immediately. I use a regular Humminbird 997 to find them. When I settle down to fish the flasher comes on and the 997 is put to bed unless I move again.


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