How-to guide · Fish Finders
Ice Fishing Flasher vs Fish Finder: Which Should You Buy?
A flasher shows what is under the hole right now; an LCD fish finder adds history, GPS and summer use. How to choose, with figures from the makers.
By Outdoor Spec Desk Editorial· Updated · 5 steps
This page was drafted with AI assistance from manufacturers' specs and manuals, and is checked by our editor.
Most ice anglers choose between two kinds of sonar. A flasher shows the water under your hole on a round dial, in real time: the bottom, your jig and any fish moving toward it. An LCD fish finder draws the same sonar as a scrolling picture, so you also see what passed a few seconds ago, and many add GPS and a flasher page.
What each one is good at
- Flashers such as the Vexilar FLX-12 and Humminbird ICE 55 do one job: watch the jig. Both come as a pack with a battery, charger and ice transducer that fits a five-gallon bucket, by their makers.
- LCD ice kits such as the Garmin STRIKER Plus 4 Ice Fishing Bundle add a color screen, a flasher page and built-in GPS for marking holes, and the same unit can go on a boat in summer with a boat transducer.
- Castable sonars such as the Deeper PRO+ 2 drop in the hole on a line and show the sonar on your phone, with no cables, but depend on your phone's battery in the cold.
Numbers to compare
| Vexilar FLX-12 | Humminbird ICE 55 | Garmin STRIKER Plus 4 Ice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 525-segment flasher | 526-segment flasher | 4.3 in color LCD with flasher page |
| Beam | 12° at 200 kHz | 19° and 9° | 45° and 15° CHIRP |
| Max depth | 120 ft | 200 ft | Not confirmed for the bundle |
| GPS | No | No | Yes |
| Battery | 12 V, 9 Ah, 200 mA draw | 12 V, 9 Ah, 250 mA draw | 7 Ah lead-acid, up to 11 hr |
Figures come from each maker's product pages; see our reviews for sources. For more models, see the best fish finders for ice fishing.
Step by step
- 1
Decide what you need to see
If you mainly jig and watch fish rise to the bait, a flasher's real-time dial is the simplest tool. If you also want to mark holes, see a history of what passed, or use the same unit on a boat, choose an LCD kit with a flasher page and GPS.
- 2
Match depth range to your lakes
Vexilar lists 120 ft for the FLX-12 and Humminbird 200 ft for the ICE 55. Most ice fishing is far shallower, but check the deepest water you fish.
- 3
Pick the beam for how you fish
A narrow beam, such as the FLX-12's 12° or the ICE 55's 9°, shows your jig in a tight cone. A wider beam, such as Garmin's 45°, shows more of the water around the hole.
- 4
Plan battery life in the cold
Divide amp-hours by the draw for a rough runtime: a 9 Ah battery at 200 to 250 mA is in the range of 36 to 45 hours on paper. Garmin notes lead-acid batteries hold less charge in the cold, so expect less on the ice and charge after every trip.
- 5
Check what is in the box
Flasher packs include the battery, charger and ice transducer. Boat fish finders need a maker's ice kit, and a castable sonar needs only your phone.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a flasher better than a fish finder for ice fishing?
- For watching a jig and a fish rising to it, a flasher's real-time dial is simple and fast. An LCD fish finder adds a scrolling history, GPS and summer use, and many have a flasher page too.
- How long does a flasher battery last?
- Divide amp-hours by the draw: Vexilar lists 200 mA for the FLX-12 and Humminbird 250 mA for the ICE 55, each with a 9 Ah battery. Cold reduces lead-acid capacity, so real runtime is lower.
- Can I use my boat fish finder on the ice?
- Often, with the maker's ice kit: an ice transducer, a float and a battery pack. Check the kit list for your exact model.