Ice Fishing Sonars (Flashers & Fish Finders)
As ice fishing technology advances, more anglers are considering investing in high-quality gear. This is especially true when it comes to sonars or fish finders, which have become incredibly powerful.
Anglers with sonar equipment have a huge advantage over those without it.
While many sonars have a similar appearance from the outside, they’re all built with unique strengths and weaknesses. Many companies now make multiple ice fishing sonars, which has confused anglers on which designs are right for them.
With so many options that all have a similar appearance, which sonars are the best? In this guide, we’ll answer this with our list of the seven best ice fishing sonars of the year. We’ll also who the sonars appeal to and what needs they meet.
Garmin Striker Plus 5 Ice Fishing Bundle
The Garmin Striker Plus 5 Ice Fishing Bundle includes a 5” fishfinder sonar system, built-in GPS, and an ice fishing transducer that supports your ClearVü Scanning Sonar. Garmin’s CHIRP Transducer is used, which promises crisp, clear fish arches & the industry's best target separation.
Garmin’s famous Quickdraw Contours mapping software is pre-installed on the unit upon purchase. Having the ability to mark your favorite spots on the ice and return later is always an important criterion. One remarkable feature is the software’s ability to create and store maps for up to 2 million acres.
A built-in flasher allows you to see your jig or weighted bait and clearly see fish as they swim by under the ice. Get instant and accurate depth readings to help you catch fish.
All of these components are stored in a portable carrying case that protects your expensive investment from damage.
Included Items:
Rechargeable battery
Charger
Swivel Unit Mount
Foam Float
Portable Carrying Case
Humminbird ICE-35 Three Color Flasher
Humminbird’s ICE-35 Three Color Flashers has multiple incentivizing features. A dual-beam sonar, three-color fiber optic display, double dynamic zoom, dial-in sensitivity, and adjustable depth ranges are great additions.
The dual-beam sonar features allow you to choose between both narrow and wide beam anglers. These are better for precise detail and coverage of a large area, respectively. Clearly identify all fish, structure, and your lure underwater.
Three-color fiber-optic flasher display integration is a professional level feature. See the bottom, fish, and your lure with precise clarity. All components work in real-time for fast reaction times and are displayed on a bright and highly visible display for your convenience.
2X Dynamic Zoom allows for magnification of a specific depth range of the angler's choice. Instantly rotate the dial to change the area in focus.
Dial-in the sensitivity of your flasher unit to precisely match your fishing scenario.
Dynamic Zoom allows anglers to magnify a specific depth range. Instantly rotate the dial to change between multiple options. These include 1x, 2x, 4x, and 10x magnification, allowing you to fish depths up to 200’.
Marcum LX-7 Ice Fishing Sonar System
The Marcum LX-7 Ice Fishing Sonar System features an 8-inch LCD and four color palettes for you to choose from. It has a fully customizable dashboard that displays everything an ice fisherman needs to catch fish.
This system features adjustable water-column vertical, vertical zoom, flasher-dial, and the traditional widescreen graph display ice fishermen are accustomed to.
A unique feature of this device is its Sonar Footprint technology. This measures and displays the area of bottom coverage at any depth of your choice. This makes for a very beneficial quality with the choice between 8° or 20° transducer cone angles.
Garmin echoMap 73CV Panoptix PS22 Ice Fishing Bundle
The Garmin echoMap 73CV Panoptix PS22 is a bundle of ice fishing equipment that has a next-level performance. Included is a touchscreen combo, keyed assist, three sonar types, and the Garmin CHIRP transducer. Combining this gear will give you a precise reading of the fish and your jig.
Three sonar types included are the narrow beam Garmin CHIRP traditional, LiveVü Down
GT10HN-IF, and the Panoptix LiveVü Forward. This is a special set of equipment from three of the best developers in the industry. You’ll have access to every customization option imaginable.
In the recent model upgrade, Garmin enhanced the flasher’s user interface to make it easier to operate and readout even better. The unit has LakeVü g3 inland maps pre-installed to give angels coverage of more than 17,000 lakes.
To top it all off, the equipment is stored in a rugged and portable carrying case. This is a must-have to protect the expensive components of ice fishing sonars.
Humminbird ICE H5 Helix 5 Chirp
Another sonar system Humminbird’s known for is their ICE H5 Helix 5 Chirp. With a 5-inch high-resolution color displace, this is a beast of a setup. The flasher view has traditional ICE settings, and Shuttle produces the durable mounts and hardware used.
The transducer sold with this unit is the Dual Spectrum CHIRP ICE. One of the best transducers is paired with this great sonar system for a perfect match.
Included Components:
ICE HELIX 5 CHIRP GPS G2 Fish Finder
Dual Spectrum CHIRP Transducer (with Cable),
9 Amp Hour Battery and Charger
Mounting Bracket and Hardware
Portable Ice Bag
Lowrance HOOK² All-Season Pack
The Lawrence Hook² is available in 4”, 5”, 7”, 9”, and 12” high-resolution screen options. There’s a size in their lineup made for everyone. A SolarMax display is also used to ensure crisp and accurate quality.
An auto-tuning sonar makes this a great system for beginners who don’t have prior experience handling this equipment. It’s also a high-performance system with double the CHIRP sonar coverage that most fish finders offer.
This is an all-season fishing sonar. It works well for ice fishing but can also be attached to a kayak or boat for use throughout the entire year. If you’re looking for one product instead of spending thousands of dollars on different varieties, the Lawrence Hook² is likely your best bet.
Humminbird PIRANHAMAX
As the name suggests, the Hummingbird Piranhamax Portable Fish Finder Sonar is a serious piece of equipment. The image and teeth are both as sharp as sonars allow for. It has an elegant, modern design and a larger 4.3” color LCD.
Humminbird has incorporated groundbreaking technology into this product. It has Fish ID+, fish alarms, depth alarms, and a simple zoom feature. It’s operated with a suction cup transducer, 7Ah battery, and is all stored inside a soft-sided carrying case for protection.
Product Features
Dual Beam Sonar (narrow for great detail or wide for coverage area)
Tilt and Swivel Mount (Quickly adjust your viewing area angle)
Portable Carrying Case: (Safe transport)
Portable transducer
7 Amp Hour battery
Wall charger.
