Learning about and using the Hummingbird ICE 35 Flasher

[John Sheehan]

Using  the Hummingbird ICE 35 Flasher -bottom to top

How transducers work-easy assembly see Manual pgs1-16 manual

Using Simulation mode

To use simulation or demo mode ,Push in top knob and turn bottom knob on

A simulation will show a red line at the top indicating your transducer  , a lure dropping to a depth of 7.5 '(Green line) and a rising Green and Yellow line (Fish) from 11 ' coming up to your lure

Bottom will show Red green and yellow bands indicating differing composition and signal strengths

Two Knobs and four Buttons and their functions

1) Bottom Knob-5 settings ;power ON/OFF…4 Depth Ranges
Turning bottom knob   to x1 depth range turns on the unit and sets depth range to 20' shown on unit face with numbers in 1/2 foot increments   4 readings x1= 20'outside ring ,x2=40'orange ring, x4=80' innermost ring ,x10 200'( add zero to outside ring) see pg 22??

2)Beam Button …3 settings; Thin line =9 degree  cone; more defined concentrated for deep water  -Wider line =19 degree cone shallow water wider view- Battery check …press and hold till beep

3)Noise Button..Two options for reducing Noise and interference 1)switch to a different cone degree using BEAM button or or hit NOISE button and  reduce or increase  with top Selection knob

4)Gain Button  press and turn Selection knob

5) Zoom Button press zoom and turn selection dial (You can adjust gain while still in zoom mode)

 6)Top Knob Simulator/Sensitivity/Selection  Knob at Top…press for Sim…turn for increase or decrease sensitivity /gain/ noise reduction PUSH IN TO SET LEVEL AND FINALIZE COMMAND

 Sounds: soft beep 1/turning on unit pushing Buttons ,pushing and holding 

Continuous Beeping while turning selection knob ,  indicates minimum and maximum range

Middle Dial  4 readings 20'outside ring ,40'orange ring, 80' innermost ring ,200'( add zero to outside ring)

Color

4 Colors; Blue wide or narrow signal strength,

Red -strong or big….hard bottom

Yellow-medium ….soft bottom ..mud sand weeds see pg 19

Green-weak or small 

suspended fish

  My flasher unit, pictured here ,  is a Humingbird  ICE-35 Tri-color ,costs $300.00.Very useful for ice fishing as it saves me energy by preventing me from cutting unproductive holes and giving up a fish hole too quickly. It tells me if there are fish there or not .Fish show up as moving targets either coming in from the side of the transducer cone or coming up off bottom and the color yellow and Green show that .If it's your lure it will show up  and you can see the dropping green line representing your offering. The unit is very sensitive and even shows a small barrel swivel or tiny ice fly. The trick is to adjust the sensitivity so it shows a clear reading of bottom and your lure .Hard bottom is a wide red mark and wide yellow or green is softer bottom . Quick flashing moving targets are active fish ,that's exciting to see .Fish moving slower show as a slowly moving line and not much flashing .Using this unit helps me quickly find the zone to put and work my bait at . I learned to use it first watching a you tube video ,then reading sections of the manual from the hummingbird site and finally getting out on the ice and seeing fish rise to my lure and catching them .The  Hummingbird ICE 35 Flasher   has a simulator mode that helps you learn about the unit before getting out on the ice . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqBwC_w71dA

This video doesn't answer the question I have :What's the Middle input on the back of the Unit for ?  The left input is for battery and the Right input is for the Transducer .Perhaps an add on feature to link with another apparatus.

[dick tabbert]

Thanks again John. This stuff has jump ahead leaps and bounds the fish almost don't have a chance. Now if we can figure out how to get their mouths open

[John Sheehan]

Yea Dick the electronics work to find the fish but we have to catch them.This is a work in progress. I am making a summation of the manual in a way I can understand how to get the most out of the unit for my needs .I intend to fill in the many gaps in this write up.

[Slip Sinker]

Nice write-up John...

how long have you owned this model?

do you use any gps and/or contour maps on another device to locate your position?

thanks for sharing John

[John Sheehan]

No, haven't gotten to the point of GPS   or other devices. I am getting the feeling I fish much smaller lakes and much fewer areas than you Slip.I plan on tweaking this write up with more experience.

 I've had the ICE 35 Flasher  for about 5 years I think with maybe 3 years on the ice using it to help catch.
I locate non specific position easily with houses on the Community  lake i fish that's about 50 acres .,and triangulating trees ,rocks and  state buildings on larger state owned lakes I fish .I dont think I cover more than 255 acres but usually  much less.

[John Sheehan]

Of course i don't "cover" 255 acres ,what i meant was i rarely fish a lake that's as much as 255 acres .I usually fish lakes 75 acres and under. I walk to spots not ride a snowmobile so I am covering small areas actually. I have  ice fished only 5 or 6 different lakes .

[John Sheehan]

ANYONE here seen this unit in action? https://thirstybuyer.com/products/ice-fishing-pocket-portable-sonar...

[carl hendrix]

GUYS;;   HAS ANYBODY CHECKED OUT THOSE NEW FISHFINDERS FOR ICE FISHING ??  THE ONES IM REFERRING TO;; I JUST CHECKED OUT ON GOOGLE;;  UNDERWATER FISHFINDERS FOR ICE FISHING;;;;  SEVERAL THERE;; ARE JUST LIKE WATCHING A MOVIE I BELIEVE;; OR AT LEAST; WHAT IM LED TO BELIEVE !  SOME UNITS ARE;; QUITE PRICEY FOR SURE;; BUT SEEMS SOME; ARE AFFORDABLE....    FLASHER UNITS;; I NEVER UNDERSTOOD ALWAYS SEEMED  TO HARD TO UNDERSTAND;; THESE NEWER ONES;;  SHOWS  FISH SWIMMING AROUND; TAKING BAITS; AS IT HAPPENS !

[John Sheehan]

I had a $100.00 AQUA VIEW  Fish Camera about  8 or 9 years  ago but it crapped out after 5 or so uses and the company wouldn't answer back to emails and I couldnt reach them by phone .I was hugely dissapointed but would love to have one that works good ,not too expensive and some respect from the company making it .

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ive always had a fascination for flashers, John.
I appreciate you doing this.

[John Sheehan]

Cool McScruff!.I had one in the 80's ,cant recall the model or what happened to it ! I used it in a boat  for depth and bottom reading and still have to have way more experience to learn the subtleties..I like it's use on the ice and didn't want to spent more than 300 bucks.