8 Best Ice Fishing Flashers 2023 – Reviews

For most people, winter signifies a time of the year typically mostly spent indoors sipping cups of hot chocolate. However, for the anglers in winter-prone areas, this is the time they can indulge in ice fishing.

For most of the anglers, catching fish is not in their list of priorities, although it would make sense if you have something to take home.

A fish flasher, also known as a fish finder or sonar, aims to boost your chances of making a catch in ice fishing.

However, due to the many models of the devices available, getting the best ice fishing fish flasher is not that easy and may end up being a confusing affair.

Luckily for you, this article intends to make this search easier. For instance, we shall tell you the factors that you need to focus on so that you can land your ideal fish flasher, and they include:

  • Portability
  • Compactness
  • Display
  • Battery life, among others

We have also taken out time to review some fish flashers, which we believe are some of the best in the market.

Best Ice Fishing Flashers

Best-Rated 8 Ice Fishing Flashers: Comparison List

Are you looking for good value for money? Here’s a list you need to take a quick look at.

RankingNameDimensionWeight
1Humminbird ICE-45 Three Color Flasher7.4 x 12.2 x 14 inches10.9 pounds
2Marcum LX-7 Ice Fishing Sonar System13.2 pounds
3Garmin Striker 4 with Portable Kit3.6 x 1.6 x 5.9 inches10.85 pounds
4Vexilar FLX-28 Ice ProPack II Locator2.5 x 6 x 4.4 inches11.6 pounds
5Deeper PRO+ Smart Sonar3 x 5.3 x 5.9 inches0.56 pounds
6Vexilar’s GP1812 FL18 Genz Ice-Ducer Combo8.8 x 11 x 9.5 inches10.23 pounds
7Garmin Striker Plus 5 Ice Fishing Bundle13.3 x 10.1 x 8.2 inches1 pounds
8MarCum M3 Flasher System

1. Humminbird ICE-45 Three Color Flasher

Are you eager to see what you are fishing in the ice but wondering which accessory to use? Well, try out this ice flasher from Humminbird that is said to be able to show you the bottom of the water body due to its fiber-optic display.

The center dial LCD screen can display the depth and the automatic depth scale of your fishing environment. Besides that, the flasher is claimed to work efficiently in temperatures as low as -20⁰!

Key Features

You can select the beam to use as the flasher features the Dual Frequency Sonar. Moreover, you can fine-tune the sonar coverage to be able to zone in on the fish.

The LCD backlight enables you to use the flasher even in dark environments. However, this flasher lacks mounting options, meaning it is challenging to use, especially when you need to use both hands.

Pros

  • LCD back light feature
  • User-selectable beam
  • Center dial control
  • Three color fiber-optic display

Cons

  • No mounting options

2. Marcum LX-7 Ice Fishing Sonar System

Marcum has used Sonar Footprint technology on their flasher that is said to show you any depth of the scanned area. As such, you are likely to make a better decision of where and how deep to fish from.

You can use cone angles of 8⁰ or 20⁰ on the transducer with this flasher. These angles are said to enable you to have a better view of the target fish and your lure.

Key Features

An eight-inch LCD screen with four color palettes is likely to provide a fascinating view of your environment. Moreover, the dashboard can show you the battery voltage, range, gain, depth and interference rejection.

There is a USB port on the flasher that makes it possible for you to upgrade the system as you desire. Some customers have reported that the system works well although the battery on the Marcum product runs out fast, rendering it useless when out fishing.

Pros

  • Four color palettes
  • Eight-inch LCD display
  • Dual-beam transducer
  • Upgradeable via the USB port

Cons

  • Short battery user time

Also read: 12 Best Ice Fishing Gloves: Latest Details

3. Garmin Striker 4 with Portable Kit

Navigation is simpler when you have a way point map to lead you. This can be made possible with this Garmin Striker 4 that has a GPS stated to be highly sensitive.

The Garmin CHIRP transducer is said to be clear since it features A –scope technology that displays in real-time. Moreover, the CHIRP is claimed to send low and high continuous frequencies as a guide to fish location.

Key Features

You can use the fishing flasher on both saltwater and freshwater although the depths vary. The flasher works up to 750ft for saltwater and 1600ft for freshwater, although saltwater use is discouraged as it can cause damage.

In as much as this seems like a good fishing flasher, it is said to only show fish schools. As such, you are likely to miss out on a big catch in case the fish is alone and at the end have no fish at all. 

Pros

  • Dual-beam CHIRP sonar
  • Fresh and saltwater use
  • 3.5-inch diagonal display
  • Built-in flasher

Cons

  • Only shows fish in schools

4. Vexilar FLX-28 Ice ProPack II Locator

Are you aware that fishing can also be fun in a water body with weeds? Well, maybe it is time you gave it a try with this flasher that has weed mode feature, said to be able to display even in weed-filled water bodies.

You can choose which mode to use when out fishing with this locator as it has day and night mode brightness setting options. In addition, the screen is said to have five color palettes to enhance your visibility.

Key Features

The depth range when using Vexilar locator can be adjusted at a range of five feet, starting from ten feet. This locator is alleged to be able to cover a maximum of 300 feet in the water.

The unfortunate part about this flasher from Sportman Supply Inc is that you cannot mount it on your boat. As a result, using it may turn out to be cumbersome, considering how involving fishing can be.

Pros

  • Weed mode feature
  • Day and night brightness setting
  • Five color palettes
  • Two zoom zones

Cons

  • You cannot mount it on a boat

5. Deeper PRO + Smart Sonar Fish Finder

Since you need a flasher that works fast, we recommend you try this one from Deeper. The transducer of smart sonar fish finder is said to be able to send 15 scans per second with a target separation of a half-inch.

You can choose between the wide and narrow beam options, depending on the depth of the water. The narrow beam is said to give finer details when scanning while the wide beam can scan wider areas.

Key Features

This fish finder uses Wi-Fi and you can sync it to your Android devices to record or save data. Furthermore, the fish finder can be monitored from the comfort of your boat or offshore.

The smart sonar fish finder is said to be light in weight, enabling it to cast further while causing less disturbance to other fish finding devices. In addition, it can scan deeper while showing you how the bottom of the water is: whether soft or hard and its consistency.

Pros

  • Sync with Android devices
  • Casts further
  • Scans deeper
  • Causes less disturbance

Cons

  • Unsuitable for thick ice

6. Vexilar’s GP 1812 FL18 Genz Pack

Are you the kind who considers target distance when looking for a fish finder? Vexilar’s GP 1812 may be an option to consider given their flasher has three color readouts; green for weak, orange for medium and red for strong in relation to the fish location range.

The interference rejection technology present in the fishing flasher is said to prevent disturbance from other fish finders within your location. As such, you are likely to locate fish and, if lucky, get a rewarding catch even with other fishermen in the area.

Key Features

You can easily fit any size of Ice-Ducers of your choice on the Genz Pack. This is because the Vexilar’sGenz pack is designed with a transducer holder that is compatible with most of the Ice-Ducers available in the market.

The base of this fishing flasher is designed to fit on top of a five-gallon bucket. You may have to use the bucket as some customers have reported that they mounted the fishing flasher on their boat and the readings were inaccurate.

Pros

  • Rechargeable battery
  • High-resolution display
  • Features a transducer holder
  • Interference rejection technology available

Cons

  • Inaccurate when mounted on boat

7. Garmin 010-01872-20 Black 5-inch Display Striker

The difficulty of reading the display screen in bright sunlight should be a thing of the past, given today’s technology. Take Garmin up on their offer and try out their product which has a 5-inch display screen that is useable in the bright sunlight, unlike most available fishing flasher screens.

You can use the Quickdraw Contours mapping software to create your own maps as you fish. The kayak GPS makes your navigation much easier as you mark the fish hot spots, if the fishing area is large, to allow for navigation. 

Key Features

The Garmin ice fishing transducer used on this fish finder is said to be able to locate fish arches while separating the target. Besides that, the built-in flasher is claimed to allow you to see the bait and fish depth.

Featuring a foam float, you can let the device float on the surface or choose to mount it on your boat using the swivel or tilt mount as you engage in other activities. On the flip side, you cannot upgrade the fishing flasher.

Pros

  • In-built GPS
  • Portable carrying case
  • Sunlight-readable screen
  • Garmin CHIRP transducer included

Cons

  • Non-upgradable

8. MarCum M Series Flashers

Marcum flashers have selectable depth ranges for you to pick after considering the water type. In addition, these flashers are said to be easy to use.

The noise rejection settings on the flashers are supposed to allow you to control how much noise comes in from the water. These flashers are said to be quiet because of their brushless motor designs.

Key Features

When using these Marcum flashers, they are said to clearly separate the bait, the fish and the bottom. As such, your fishing becomes simpler as you are likely to know what to expect at that particular location.

The battery user time on the flashers is most likely long although the weather conditions can affect how long the battery lasts. However, the screen has no battery voltage indicator and your flasher may go off without warning in case the battery runs low.

Pros

  • Selectable depth ranges
  • Split-screen options
  • Noise rejection settings
  • Easily separates target

Cons

  • No battery voltage indicator

The Buying Guide

As we stated earlier, there are several aspects that you need to put into consideration to boost your chances of landing the best ice fishing flasher.

We have discussed these factors below.

Portability

Since ice fishing involves moving from one ice hole to another, it should be portable so that it does not weigh or drag you down.

Ideally, the unit should come with its bag for transport.

The Display

Ice fishing takes place in winter, which is characterized by gloomy conditions. An ideal flasher should be easy to read, even in the poorest lit situations.

A back lit  display would ensure that reading in such poorly lit conditions is not a struggle.

Battery life

Since ice fishing flashers are powered by batteries, you need to ensure that the battery is one that would power the device all-through your expedition.

No one would want their trip to be interrupted just because the battery has died.

The Construction

Your ideal ice fishing flasher should be well-built such that it would withstand rain and unexpected water splashes as is likely to happen during ice fishing.

In general, it should be capable of surviving the harsh conditions in the ice fishing site.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Check out the following questions to gain a deeper understanding of ice fishing flashers.

What is an Ice Fishing Flasher?

This is a sonar device that you can use to detect fish and other objects vertically, to boost your chances of making a kill during the ice fishing trip.

The gadget relies on different colors to distinguish the objects that it detects under the ice.

Between a small and a large screen, which one is best for my ideal Ice Fishing Flasher?

Although a larger screen would make it easier for you to identify what the gadget has detected, it has the disadvantage of draining your batteries at a higher rate.

Best Overall Choice

Our best ice fishing flasher is Deeper Pro + Smart Sonar Fish Finder that is easy to use and said to cast further while scanning deeper. Moreover, you can sync it with your Android devices and save your fishing data for easy access. It seems like a good value for money and we recommend it.

Final Thoughts

Having a successful ice fishing trip largely depends on the gear that you carry for the occasion, one of them being an ice flasher.

We believe that our article has given you some knowledge on this device so that next time you have an ice fishing expedition on the horizon, you can make an informed choice on the ice fishing flasher that you acquire.

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