Tony Roach & Dialed In Angling Take on Devils Lake – A MarCum Moment

It’s midwinter. Lakes are locked up with a solid layer of ice. Shanty towns dot the landscape – filled with anglers that are willing to trade long rods for those of a shorter variety. Panfish – crappies in particular – are some of the most targeted species throughout the hard water season.  Knowing how to find them and which tools to use will ultimately make for a more successful day on the ice.

Sports fanatics live for it. Athletes push all year for it.  And anglers should continue to pursue their favorite species into the “post-season.”  Fall can be just like that on the water, only a few have survived to make it this far.  So both the fish and remaining anglers get all the attention and action.

Lakes and rivers are wide open for anglers and fish are feeding more heavily as winter is approaching. Not only does your chance at numbers of fish increase but also the chance of catching your biggest fish of the year.  Pike, Bass, Walleye and panfish will all be more apt to hit your offerings. As the water cools it tends to bring fish shallower as baitfish often times will be there as well. Prior to the proverbial “turnover” is the best time to be out on the water. 

Marcum Technologies is a company built upon the sport of ice-fishing, bringing forth patented technology and exclusive features unprecedented in ice electronics. Though at MarCum, our mantra is that features for feature’s sake are worthless unless they put more fish on ice. For the last 20 years, MarCum has brought the bulk of fish-catching invention to the ice market, with a long list of patents, sonar-firsts, and innovations immediately copied by the rest of the industry. MarCum units are hand-built, one at a time, from a blank circuit board on up. All of those advancements have happened right here in the heart of the ice belt, meaning all Marcum sonars are American-made. Below is a list of this year’s systems, and what make them each the top-performing sonar in their respective classes.

The all-new MarCum MX-7GPS pairs GPS and mapping with the most advanced, proven ice sonar of all time. Gone are the days of using open-water sonar simply to get GPS capability; welcome an era of ice-specific sonar/GPS innovated for the rigors and mechanics of our sport.

Since introducing cutting edge sonar technology to mechanical flashers nearly 20 years ago, MarCum has sought to build the best sonar on-ice, bar-none. Recent advances saw MarCum bringing the first digital sonar to the market, giving anglers a host of ample options when hitting the ice this winter. Read on to gain a better understanding of your options, and ultimately decide which is best for your style of fishing.

Midwest angler Joel Nelson knows a thing or two about ice sonar.  As MarCum’s longest tenured pro-staff member and media personality, he’s been running a MarCum since the brand’s inception.  Though he could run any fish finder on the planet, he’s an avid fan of the M1.  “It’s really a sonar that takes me back to some of the original MarCum units that just flat caught fish,” says Nelson.  “You get exactly what you need in an ice locator, ready to fish out of the box.”  Nelson logs thousands of miles across the ice belt each season, fishing and filming for a host of TV and video segments, all while toting an M1.  “I appreciate so many of the MarCum units in the lineup, but I’ll always have an M1,” says Nelson.      

New Hope, MN (11/18/21) –Based on the growing demand for MarCum products in Eastern Canada, the Minneapolis manufacturer has engaged Raytech Electronics, a warranty and maintenance service center to enable owners to receive service without having to hassle with international shipments. Raytech will be handling warranty and non-warranty repairs for MarCum consumers starting November 17th, 2021. This new relationship is expected to decrease repair service times by at least 5 business days for Eastern Canadian customers.

Now, for the 2023 ice fishing season, MarCum raises the bar once again, introducing two new models that cater to different angler preferences and budgets.

Water temperatures that build into the high 60 and 70 degree marks will definitely get fish moving, and that usually coincides with a few hatches.
Bugs crawling out of the deep mud get rafted against the main-lake structure, and signify some of the initial pushes to offshore humps, bars, and reefs. It’s often when casual walleye anglers, or those who see early mixed bags of walleyes with crappies and gills, stop catching them.

Anglers don’t always follow, sometimes because they’re not required to. This is a dynamic time of year as the summer food chain ramps up production. That means anglers don’t always have to look deep to find fish, and several patterns can be going at the same time.

From the day you get your first flasher, the ice-fishing universe is forever changed. Ice anglers go from simply guessing at bites and what may or may not have been a fish, to tracking them throughout the water column. Not only can you use it to find fish and track how they respond to your bait, but you can also use it to find active fish before a line is even wetted.  At one time, it was considered somewhat odd; almost a novelty. Now, ice-fishing electronics are a multi-million dollar category, and the thought of fishing without one seems pointless.

Finding and CatchingEarly Ice Walleyes It’s been a few years, but I’ve always been a big fan of full-moon fall…

It’s this time of year when our ice sonar is swapped for long rods and soft water, but that doesn’t mean your MarCum should be put in the back corner of the garage. All sonar systems, digital or mechanical styles, offer keys and cues that help anglers be more successful on the water

That’s especially true in small crafts like kayaks, canoes, or small skiffs where a larger, permanently mounted traditional LCD display isn’t in play. Here’s just a few ways to trick your craft, whatever it may be, and get the very most from your MarCum.

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the ice season is coming to an end sooner than later. For many of us anglers, it was an odd season riddled with less-than-ideal conditions – including lack of ice and excess amounts of snow and ice. With snow melt in full force and deteriorating ice conditions, we can’t help but think of what’s coming next.

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to their ice fishing sonar. MarCum has you covered whether you like the proven technology of an ice flasher, or the customization and cutting-edge performance of a digital system.

It’s important to note the differences and strengths between systems, as each category has come a long way in recent history. 

TONY ROACH AND JOEL NELSON TALK ABOUT THE PAST 20 YEARS AND EVERYTHING THEY HAVE LEARNED A ANGLERS THROUGH THE LENS OF AN UNDERWATER CAMERA.