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This review of the Marcum LX 5 Flasher goes into details about one of the best quality ice fishing flashers (and open water) on the market today. Though the LX 5 is no longer the top model for Marcum flashers, it has great features to help all levels of fisherman catch more fish. Scroll down to learn about many of the key aspects of the Marcum LX 5, and how it will increase your fish catching rates better than ever before.
Marcum LX 5 Features
- 2,500 watts peak-to-peak power
- 8/20 degree dual-beam transducer
- 3/4 inch target separation
- Adjustable zoom
- 12 levels interference rejection (IR)
- SuperFineLine screen resolution
- 160 foot depth range
Display
The Marcum LX 5’s display is unique from other flasher units in the fact that the 3 color (TrueColor) display is clear as can be. The LX-5’s color doesn’t blend, or blob together, keeping the distinction between your lure/fish/structure/bottom clear as day. This is definitely a plus over Marcum’s main competitors, Humminbird (ICE series) and Vexilar (FL series).
Target Separation
The Marcum LX 5 has a .75 inch target separation. This means you can see the one-inch gap between your lure and the fish going after it, even though that may be 60 feet down in the water. To get a better idea, space your thumb and index finger about an inch apart, and you will be able to see the separation of the lure and fish on your LX 5.
Super Fine Line
Super Fine Line is a feature available with the Marcum LX 5 that displays your flasher ‘marks’ in a thinner diameter, to help reduce clutter on the display. If you like to fish panfish and have a school of fish moving through, the SFL button can help distinguish the blob appearance and show you individual marks.
Zoom (Adjustable)
Having a flasher unit with zoom capabilities is absolutely crucial when fishing for fish that are always in a particular part of the water column. The Marcum LX 5 has an adjustable zoom, in both 5 foot and 10-foot displays. This means that on the right half of the screen, you can display the entire water column, from top to bottom, and on the left side, you can display either a 5 foot or 10 foot (vertical) section of the water column.
A multi-species angler can set the zoom to the bottom 5 feet to fish for walleyes hugging the bottom, and notice a school of crappies swimming above them (on the right side of the flasher display), and adjust the zoom to focus on a 10-foot section where the suspended crappies are swimming though. The advantage of having the vertical zoom is so easy and yet so effective for catching those fish that don’t always feel like biting.
Marcum LX 5 Additional Features
Transducer
The Marcum LX 5 Flasher has two different transducer cone angles-8 and 20 degrees. Many fisherman don’t know why they would need more than one cone angle from their transducer, and that’s okay. A 20 degree cone shoots from the bottom of your transducer at an angle of 20 degrees…sounds kind of simple right? The 20 degree cone shoots wider than the 8 degree cone (NBT-Narrow Beam Transducer).
So when would you use one over the other?
If you fish shallow water (20 feet or less), generally you will want to use the 20 degree cone angle. When you turn the LX-5 on, it will automatically be set to this.
To set it to the 8 degree, hit the NBT button. Generally you will want to use the 8 degree cone (NBT) when fishing deeper water (20 feet or deeper), or when you are fishing areas that are steep with drop offs, boulders, or other structure than can create ‘blind spots’. A blind spot occurs because the signal from your transducer bounces downward, then back up to provide a reading, and if the transducer signals off of the top of the boulder, you will not be able to signal to the side of the boulder.
Sometimes blind spots are unavoidable without moving, but having the option to switch between different cone angles can help you mark more fish, and catch more fish.
Interference Rejection (IR)
The interference rejection on the Marcum LX 5 is second to none. If you have ever used a flasher next to other fishermen with flashers, you know that it can drive you nuts to get interference and have your screen going haywire. The Marcum LX-5 will block out almost any interference from other brands of flashers, with it’s 12 different levels of IR.
If you cruise the online forums, you will notice that most fishermen say Marcum can’t be beat when it comes to interference rejection. The competition just doesn’t match it, and they may have trouble seeing a clear display while the Marcum’s fish clean and fine.
If you fish with others that use a Vexilar or Humminbird, don’t worry, too much about the interference. You can almost always get the two different flashers to ‘play nice’ with each other. Which is perfect for those annual ice fishing trips.
Summary and Additional Information
If you like to fish multiple species, you will especially like this flasher. From bluegills to lake trout, this will excel. 5 feet to 160 feet, you can fish it all, with quality and confidence. The interference rejection is unmatched and will keep your display clearer, longer, helping you catch more fish.
After a long day of fishing, the simple plugin charger, with digital battery power display, can keep you confident of how long you can still fish with a lasting battery.
Another Marcum Flasher Review: Marcum VX 1
Overall, this review shows this ice fishing flasher is a top of the line performer at a reasonable price and will give you everything you are asking from it. Click below to find a great deal on a Marcum LX-5 for your next fishing trip.
