How to use a Vexilar on hard water....

[HD]

 

[Rebel SS]

I was really surprised years ago when folks didn't know how to "shoot thru the ice" with their transducer to check depth, instead of swiss cheesing everywhere to drop the transducer....they don't have to be in water to work!!! 
It works, of course, with all transducers....even the one off yer boat, which can easily be used on the ice. I used my Hbird that way for years (with a separate transducer) before I had my Showdown. Just put a little puddle of water on the ice in a flat spot (really crusty/bumpy ice does not work well) and set the tducer down to check depth. Doesn't matter what brand or cone angle Tducer ya run; it'll still work. Remember the LXi handheld units? They were just a Tducer in a small body with top digital readout. I had one of those, too, and they were awful handy little guys. Carried right in my bib pocket. They worked well.  So, make yer fish finder work for ya...and save some energy!

[mike89]

I like my Vex, and Reb your right, just a touch of water!!   

[glenn57]

Since most of my winter fishing starts out with spearing I gotz me a marcum LX-i digital sonar dumma hickies. I don't take my locator out spearing. Never tried checking depth with my marcum locater thru the ice.

I know they also don't work to good thru honey combed ice.

[Rebel SS]

  dumma hickies.....

Nope, they don't work too swell thru honeycombed ice. Gotta be nice solid stuff or return sig gets fudged.