Flasher vs. Sonar for Ice Fishing: Which Is Better?
Winter may not be the best time to catch fish since most lakes are covered by ice, with the waters their lowest temperatures and the fish at a much deeper level. It, therefore, becomes a challenge for anglers to locate the fish. The use of modern electronics has elevated fishing by providing anglers with accurate visual underwater information.
But between Flasher and Sonar, which is the better electronic for ice fishing? Choosing between the two may be the hardest decision you have to make when planning to ice fish. The goal of both electronics is to provide you with a clear view of under the ice water. They both reveal the water’s depth, where you can find fish and show you how the fish are responding to your lures. Moreover, the information you receive is in real-time. Both the flasher and sonar have certain advantages and disadvantages, but they will help you catch fish.
The decision to choose between the two is personal. You first have to consider the benefits of all their basic and advanced features to make the decision that will be most beneficial to you. Both options are great for you, and none is perfect. However, when selecting whether to use a flasher or sonar, it is best to consider what fish species you are targeting, your budget, fishing style, and ease of use. Moreover, it is best to have electronics to help make your fishing experience on ice easier than not. Therefore, irrespective of the decision you make, you can be sure to benefit tremendously.
The rest of this article will take a more in-depth look into the differences between a flasher and sonar device and answer some questions about the topic, such as using both a fish finder and sonar.
What is An Ice Fishing Flasher?
Most anglers will most probably agree that the most crucial equipment to have when ice fishing is a fish finder. A fish finder provides you with a clear view of what is happening underneath the water, increasing your catching fish’s odds.
It is a crucial tool that can help you locate fish for jigging purposes. It utilizes sonar technology to find items in the water. A flasher has three main parts that include a transducer, a screen, and a power pack. The power pack produces the electrical energy that the transducer converts into sound waves. The transducer sends these sound waves into the water and acts as a microphone picking up on any echo created when the sound waves collide with any object.
You will only receive an echo when the sound waves hit an object in the water. The results are shown on the screen in the form of a colored blip. A flasher can display different items in the water and the depth you can find them.
Every material is displayed with a different color on the screen, depending on the object’s hardness. If the item is hard such as the sea bottom, you will note a red color. But if the object has a soft reading, such as fish and plants, the color on the screen will be green.
Flashers are best for use if you are fishing through vertical jigging. One of its primary components is its ability to detect even the slightest jig allowing you to capture fish at the right depth using your lure. The flasher also enables you to see the fish’s movement underwater and help position your bait correctly to increase a potential strike’s chances.
What should you Consider When Shopping for a Flasher?
Portability
For a unit that you will continuously move around the ice with, you do not want to use a piece of equipment that may weigh you down. Since you also have other tools to carry around, it is best to consider a flasher that is not too heavy and sturdy.
It may be even better to find one that comes with its case to protect it from any potential damage as you move it around.
Durability
How long can the flasher you select last? Remember, you will use it in sub-zero temperatures and with a high probability of water exposure.
It may, therefore, be ideal to find a flasher that is weather resistant. When choosing a flasher, opt for that have ice ducers to mitigate the cold conditions.
Lighting and Resolution
You do not want to have a headache every time you want to read your flasher display screen. Therefore, it would help if you considered finding one with good enough lighting to allow you to read with ease without straining your eyes.
The screen resolution is also an important consideration. Choose one with a high screen resolution to prevent mistaking items when reading your flasher display screen.
Cone Size
The size of the cone directly affects the area of coverage by the sonar beams by your flasher. It determines how far the rays can reach and the depth your transducer can scan.
It also determines the number of items your flasher can detect under the water. If you use a wider cone, the coverage area may be vast, but the number of details displayed may be few. If you use a narrow cone, the beam it produces is thin, allowing you to have q better view of what is deep down in the water.
You may also opt to get a come with a dual-beam system to benefit from both items.
Battery Life
One of the most critical considerations should be the battery life of your flasher. Since you are in a cold environment, it is common for batteries to drain out quickly.
As such, you should find a flasher that has a battery that can last you for as long as you want to fish.
Transducer and Frequency
The transducer plays a vital role in a flasher. It emits signals into the water and receives the bouncing signals to survey what lies underneath the water.
The results are then displayed on the screen for you to read. It is imperative to choose a flasher with a high-quality transducer that can work even in the chilliest conditions. Consider choosing one that emits sonar of a high frequency. The higher the frequency, the better the target resolution and details.
It may be even better if you opt to find a transducer that emits both high and low frequencies. Such a transducer can effectively help you pinpoint the exact item you want to focus on in your coverage.
What is an Ice Fishing Sonar?
Sonar is an electrical device that uses sound waves to find items underwater. Also known as a fish finder, it is a valuable item to anglers looking to take part in ice fishing. It helps you see what is under the ice and through the water, allowing you to target fish effectively.
Sonar units are mostly designed for use on boats in open water. However, that does not mean that you cannot use them for ice fishing. It would be a waste to let them sit in storage. You can easily convert a fish finder to use it for ice fishing. All you need to find is a portable power supply and a better way to level the transducer into an ice hole.
Like a flasher, a sonar device made for ice fishing is designed with some added protection against the cold. It may be an unavailable feature in a regular fish finder. Its LCD screen performs well in cold temperatures below zero degrees and has a transducer insulated to protect it from damage through freezing.
Since the elements can negatively affect electronics, you should take proper measures to protect your sonar device to prevent any damage. Such efforts include covering the screen when not in use and leaving your unit in an ice shelter if you have one.
You may also try to towel dry the transducer every time you pull it from the water. It can help in preventing excessive freezing. When the battery gets affected by the cold, the sonar device may stop working suddenly. If so, your best option is to disconnect the unit from the power supply and dry it in a dry place.
How to use an Ice Fishing Finder?
The first step is drilling a hole in the ice where you can hang the transducer in the water. As you watch your screen, you should have a clear view of the bottom of the lake. The sonar should also read the depth of water and notify you on the screen.
If it is sensitive enough, it should also show your lure once you drop it in the ice hole. The screen displays various items in different colors and shapes. Therefore, you can quickly spot if there is any fish underwater and how they react to your lure.
If you do not happen to spot any fish, then you should consider moving to a different location and digging up a new ice hole until you find an area with plenty of fish targets.
Does an Ice Fishing Sonar Require a Special Transducer?
A fish finder does not require a special transducer to function. You only need to know how to remove the boat’s transducer without causing any damage to it or its wiring.
For the transducer to work appropriately, you should ensure that it is level with the water’s surface. Sonar works by emitting sound waves into the water and bouncing back to the transducer after hitting an object such as fish. Therefore, if the transducer is not on the level with the water’s surface, the waves may not deliver accurate results, preventing you from getting a clear picture.
The best way to ensure that your transducer is on the level is by setting up a support structure over the ice hole.
What Should you Consider When Shopping for Sonar?
Portability
Your topmost consideration should be finding a fish finder that is convenient to carry while on the ice. Consider purchasing one that does not have a massive battery. The best option is one that can fit in a pouch, making it easy to carry away.
GPS
The best sonar devices come with an inbuilt GPS. A GPS comes in handy when you are trying to locate an area that is densely populated with fish.
Side Finding
If your sonar has a side finding function, you can quickly locate fish spots that are situated close to each other without going around digging ice hole all over the water body. It makes work easier for anglers by allowing them to find more than one location at one go.
What Is The Difference Between a Flasher and Sonar?
While both the flasher and sonar devices’ goals may be the same, they have specific distinguishable differences. Some of the differences include:
Display
The most significant difference between the two is the display. You can choose which best suits you depending on your preference.
The flasher’s display screen is simple, with items detected underwater by the sonar represented by multicolored lights. It allows you to track the movement of fish underwater and see their reaction to your lure.
Flashers are very popular with anglers since they cab fine-tune the display to view every little detail of everything in the water. A flasher can show you everything from plants to your lure or even the size of a fish. It offers an even better experience with its zoom function that allows you to see deep into the water.
Still, not all anglers can read and interpret a flasher dial since it is not very intuitive. You may, therefore, need first to learn how to read the display before using it.
Fish finders, on the other hand, are relatively more comfortable to read and interpret. If you have used it on open water, you do not have to go through the learning curve. Most displays come with an RTS window on the right of the scrolling chart that stores the history of what happened in a few moments. It comes in handy with you slightly shift your attention away, and a fish passes through the solar cone. When using a flasher, you may miss a passing fish if you turn your concentration to something else for a while.
When a fish finder does not have an RTS window, it becomes hard to track fish movement since there is a slight delay when something significant happens to the time the sonar makes a record on the graph.
You can benefit from incredible detail from both electronics. They are easy to use as they require only a small learning curve to get you started. However, between the two, the flasher stands out more due to its ability to provide real-time information.
Battery Life
A Fish finder suffers from the lack of providing a better battery alternative. It has a bright LED screen that sicks up plenty of juice from the battery reducing its operational time. Though you can reduce the display’s brightness, it may make it harder to view the screen, especially on a bright day.
The best-case scenario of a battery’s lifetime is between 4 to 12 hours, depending on the battery size and model. Another feature that may add to the burden is the GPS. Cold temperatures, too, may play a part in depleting the energy of a battery.
Flashers are quite different since they have straightforward displays that do not consume much power. A flasher can facilitate your fishing experience all weekend without having to think about recharging. A standard unit can take more than 18 hours when on a full charge.
GPS and Mapping
If you want to fish on ice successfully, you need to know where you can find plenty of fish—as such, having a device that can make it easier to track a fish’s location is a great advantage. Good fish finders come with an inbuilt GPS and mapping that allow you to track fish spots quickly. Plenty of the modern fish finders also come with maps for lakes that are detailed on contours.
It becomes even more comfortable to locate dish zones since you only need to identify the areas with humps, reefs, or submerged points.
Flashers do not come with in-built GPS. Therefore, you may require a lot more planning if you want to find fish hotspots. You can also choose to use a handheld GPS to find more fish.
Summing Up
As an ice angler, you deserve to use the best equipment to improve your fishing experience. As such, you can opt to use either a flasher or sonar device, depending on your preference. With the various brands in the market, choosing one that suits your needs may be quite tricky.
Therefore, you should consider the type of fish and the style of fishing you plan to use. If you want to find fish with less effort and jump from hole to hole, you can consider using a flasher. If you want a device you can use throughout the year on the ice and open water, you should consider using a fish finder.