Topic: The Best Ice Fishing Fish Finders of 2023 (Read 31 times)
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Why It Made the Cut
The FL-8 is as reliable and bulletproof as ever, crisply displaying the angler’s lure and fish in an exciting game of cat and mouse.
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The Vexilar FL-8SE is the archetypal ice fishing sonar that transformed ice fishing from static and sedentary to interactive and engaging. This classic piece of ice fishing gear has been around for 40 years and is the “Kleenex” brand of ice fishing sonar. It remains the most popular ice fishing fish finder, and I’ve been using my model for thirty years. My Vexilar FL-8SE is still alive and kicking after all those seasons of use, which is a testament to its durability.
In addition to being reliable and effective at finding fish, the FL-8SE is the best ice fishing fish finder for beginners to learn the ropes. That’s because it’s easy to set up and find fish. If you’re new to ice fishing or want a time-tested design, you can’t go wrong with the FL-8SE.
Why It Made the Cut
Four HD cameras in one fist-sized housing show anglers fish approaching from all directions or for monitoring multiple lures on one screen.
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The Aqua-Vu QUAD HD is an underwater camera that simultaneously gives you a co*plete view of the underwater terrain in every direction. Deploying the optics and watching fish approach from any direction is an incredible, immersive experience—as close to scuba diving as you’ll get without diving in. You watch the action on the crystal-clear 10 inch LCD, or you can even connect it to a big-screen TV inside a wheeled ice house. The Aqua-Vu is more than an ice fishing fish finder, it’s also interactive entertainment for kids and friends who will love watching the underwater action. The QUAD HD adds endless entertainment to your hardwater excursions even when the fish aren’t biting.
Why It Made the Cut
Probably the most powerful, precise, and smartly engineered ice sonar I’ve used, the MarCum LX-7L remains a top choice among expert ice anglers. MarCum’s industry-leading noise rejection software means I can fish close to several other anglers and their sonar units without any on-screen interference.
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MarCum Technologies’ LX-7L is the best digital ice fishing fish finder I’ve used. The acute target separation lets me see my jig hovering within an inch of the bottom or within a school of tightly clustered crappies. A specially designed sonar dashboard provides key data, such as sonar-beam diameter (bottom coverage) at any depth. The advanced digital ice sonar offers an almost endless array of on-screen options and customizable windows, including split-screen flasher and real-time vertical modes.
Also consider the Marcum LX-7Li for added features.
Read Next: The Best Fish Finders of 2023
Why It Made the Cut
The Micro Revolution Pro is invaluable for finding productive water as you move from hole to hole.
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The hand-sized Micro Revolution Pro 5.0 remains a key part of my arsenal for run-and-gun fish-finding. Deploying and retrieving the camera optics is as quick as cranking a fishing reel. I can instantly check underwater habitat or determine fish presence and species. It’s particularly helpful in shallow water vegetation, where sonar can’t differentiate signals.
Because it fits into my coat pocket, the self-contained Micro Revolution Pro underwater camera goes everywhere I go on ice. Sometimes, its value lies in quickly verifying species shown on sonar. When I’m trying to find big bluegills in grass I keep the Aqua-Vu active all day long. In addition to live, colorful underwater video and digital recording, the Aqua-Vu camera offers on-screen displays of water temperature and camera direction (for locating your lure and determining fish movements.)
Numerous North American Ice Fishing Championships have been won by anglers using this slick little device, and every serious angler needs one in their kit.
Why It Made the Cut
Running digital GPS maps and ice sonar on one unit has beco*e a no-brainer for many anglers, including myself. Up here in the northern ice belt, LakeMaster maps provide the most detailed and accurate depth contours available, even for some of the smaller, lesser-known lakes. Meanwhile, Humminbird’s vivid CHIRP sonar imagery continues to bolster its resolution and on-screen detail with each generation.
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Product Overview
The multifaceted talents of Humminbird’s Ice Helix units have prompted a major shift from analog flashers to co*bination digital sonar/GPS. My primary ice sonar unit the past three seasons, the Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4, differentiates fish with bottom or your jig, thanks to its acute ¾ inch target separation. I also like that I can select from the classic circular flasher view, or widescreen sonar mode—or both on separate windows, simultaneously. The unit’s adjustable zoom feature means I can magnify the bottom or any segment of the water column. The Helix 7 was chosen as one of the best portable fish finders too, so you can take it from your jon boat in the summer to the ice without missing a beat.
When shopping for a fish finder, your primary considerations should obviously include your budget and your co*fort level with various technology and extra features. If you simply want to see fish and your lure and aren’t interested in digital mapping, you’ll likely enjoy the simple functionality of an analog-style flasher. Also consider whether you’re a mobile angler like myself, fishing out on the open ice, or if you prefer to fish in the co*forts of an ice fishing shelter. An underwater camera might be the most exciting (and educational) option if you prefer the latter. Also, regardless of technology, consider upgrading to one of the newer, lighter lithium-ion batteries. Although more expensive than standard gel cell batteries, lithium-ions offer longer runtime per charge and better cold-weather performance.
Generally, because you’re physically carrying your ice fishing fish finder from hole to hole, these units must be highly portable, housing LCD, transducer, and a small battery in one. Most of the top ice fish finder co*panies offer handy carrying cases or “sonar shuttles.” Most of these units can also be adapted for summer use, with the addition of optional power cables and transom-mount transducers. Ice fishing fish finders also excel for use in smaller rental boats, kayaks, etc., adding value to your purchase.
Like your boat-mounted sonar, most ice units are fully sealed and largely water resistant. Ice fishing in rain isn’t a co*mon occurrence, though all major sonar manufacturers build their units to withstand heavy snow or snowmelt that often accumulates. So long as you don’t submerge your display unit, waterproofness shouldn’t be an issue. Meanwhile, consider adding some sort of screen protector, particularly with flatscreen LCD models, to safeguard it during transport in pickup truck beds, pull-behind sleds, etc.
The first difference between analog flashers and digital sonar units is that flashers present the water column in a circular dial configuration, with depths arranged like a clock. Generally, flashers operate and display fish and lure movements in near real-time, while digital sonar may present a barely perceptible lag. Analog flashers, however, don’t allow for split-screen sonar/map viewing and can’t offer quite the precision of digital technology, relative to target separation. Analog flashers are also perceived to be slightly more reliable, especially in sub-zero temperatures. That said, modern digital sonar units have beco*e increasingly dependable, employing special heated LCDs to keep the liquid crystals functioning in all conditions.
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Many anglers ponder which to buy first: an ice flasher/sonar versus an underwater camera. Both are considered invaluable hardwater fish-finding tools. For simply seeing fish and watching them interact with your lure, sonar remains the primary choice. And yet, for scouting new water—particularly shallow structure and vegetation where sonar views may be obscured—an underwater camera is invaluable, both as a fish-finder and as a learning tool. Eventually, most seasoned ice anglers add both tools to their arsenal.
Finally, consider the rise of live sonar, such as Garmin Panoptix. This powerful tool gives anglers the ability to read below the ice without requiring additional holes or running the risk of spooking fish. Live sonar will eventually beco*e standard ice fishing equipment among most serious hardwater explorers.