Vexilar was founded by John Uldrich and Robert Knutson. The first product was a small range-finder device for determining visual distances for golfers.

Vexilar develops the G-Mini, a device that measures and records impact forces. The device would eventually help NASA on their Apollo missions.

The Model 104 “Deptherm®” was introduced, Vexilar's first venture into the sport fishing industry, and remains in the product line for over 40 years. Along with it, they developed the first fish preference temperature chart that has now become an industry standard for over 40 years.

Now a public company, Vexilar Engineering, Inc. introduced their first sonar device, the Model 120 S.O.S (Sound Off Sonar). It is the first of its kind to offer an audible alarm when a fish or minimum depth is detected. The innovation was important enough to be featured on NBCs Today show.

Richard E. “Skip” Christman joins the company as a new electronic engineer. He later becomes President until his passing in 1995.

Vexilar introduced the first straight-line paper graph to the sport fishing industry. The model 155A forever changed the way anglers expected to see the underwater world.

Vexilar introduces the Model 60 Fish Scout, an ultra-portable sonar that uses a needle readout to display depth. Its the first sport fishing sonar to be sold for under $100.

Vexilar introduces the model 510 paper graph. A smaller graph targeted towards walleye and bass fishermen. Later this model is updated to the 555, which became the number 1 selling paper graph of the day.

Vexilar introduced the model 660, the first CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) display sonar device. This model was well accepted and was followed by the 330 and 990.

Vexilar took an industry leading role that lead to the defeat of a proposed law in Minnesota to ban sonar for fishing. If passed, Minnesota would have been the only state in the USA to have such a law on their books.

Vexilar begins working with Hondex Electronics in Japan to introduce the HE-33, the first shallow water (0-12 feet) paper graph. Also, the DE-12 is introduced. This is the first solid state, three-color display, sonar device with no moving parts.

Vexilar introduces their new logo, developed by a legendary Japanese designer simply called Mr. Logo as a gift from Hondex Marine of Japan. The now Classic Vexilar bird is the image of a Wilson's Storm Petrel, a sea bird that spends nearly its entire life far out at sea and is considered a good luck sign to sailors.

Steven E. Baumann joins the company as a Mechanical Engineer. He will later become President in 1995.

Vexilar falls victim to bankruptcy and is purchased by Dave Rush of ACR, that later became APTEK, of Hollywood, FL.

Vexilar introduces the first Liquid Crystal Display depth sounder, the model 480. This innovation would change the shape of sport fishing sonar for many years to come.

Steve Baumann (left) and Skip Christman (right) pose with a parts supplier. The two decide to buy the struggling Vexilar with high hopes of bringing the company back to its prominence in the Sport Fishing Industry.

Vexilar's Steve Baumann and Skip Christman develop the first digital fish weight scale with the help of company founder Robert Knutson. The device is marketed through the Normark Corporation as the Weigh-In Scale.

Vexilar discovered the classic FL-8®, a threecolor spinning wheel flasher. The live-action, real-time response of the FL-8® was
the ideal tool for winter fishing. This understanding of what the FL-8® could do
that no other sonar has ever done, sparked the modern ice fishing revolution.

Vexilar enters back into the LCD market for boating applications with the Boundary Waters model LC-8, an ultra-compact depth sounder. This model would later be replaced with the LC-10 and CLC-200.

With the popularity of Vexilar FL-8® flashers
increasing each year, crosstalk interference became a major issue. In response, the FL-8®SLT (SiLenT) was introduced with the first
interference rejection system. This effectively knocked out the problematic
signals in both units

Vexilar is issued a patent for the “Ice-Ducer®” transducer, a sonar transducer
designed specifically for ice fishing.

Vexilar enters the high-end LCD market with the Edge LC-507, a dual sonar model that offers both wide and narrow coverage at the same time. This model is later updated to the LC-507C, a color display unit.

Vexilar introduced the FL-18®. This is the first flasher to incorporate a split screen zoom. The popularity is overwhelming and Vexilar's sales climb to all time highs.

The FL-8SLT is improved and renamed the FL-8SE, with a brighter display and improved interference rejection. Also, the FL-10 is introduced, a new in-dash version of the three-color flasher strictly for boating.

Vexilar debuts the new AlumaDucer transducer system, the world's first transducer designed to shoot through an aluminum boats hull. This was awarded product of the year by the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

The next generation of three-color flashers were introduced with great anticipation. The FL-12 and FL-20 joined the Vexilar product line-up with a stylish flat panel design and more built-in features. These 2 new models were a big hit with fishermen and Vexilar sales soared.

Ice Fishing Today television show debuts with host Tom Zenanko, Vexilar Sale and Marketing Manager. The show offers a unique concept, supported by the website

Vexilar introduces their Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Ultra Pack with a FL-20. This was a limited edition offering of only five-hundred of the most advanced ice fishing systems ever created to celebrate Vexilar's 50th Birthday!

Steve Baumann, President of Vexilar inc. is inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame "Baumann has been a pioneer in the fishing industry designing and advancing cutting-edge products and introducing products that never exsisted on the market untill his vision made them reality."

For the first time, anglers were able to download a free app to their smart phone or tablet and turn it into the best HD quality touch screen sonar in the world for a fraction of the cost of conventional sonar. Vexilar launched the ultra-portable Sonarphone® SP100 and the SP200 for permanent boat installation which can integrate with Navionics to allow for sonar/GPS display and the ability to make sonar charts live.

Vexilar introduced a digital depth display
which works with all flashers made in the last 30 years. Simply attaching the DD-100 between the transducer and head unit allows anglers to get exact depth readings. As an added bonus, the battery status can be indicated with the touch of a button.

The name Vexilar is synonymous with the ice-fishing market’s dynamic growth in recent years. Talk ice fishing and a common topic is what anglers see on “the Vexilar.” Legendary for its fishing-electronics innovations, the Bloomington-based firm boasts a history dating to 1960 and its first product, the Deptherm—a small clear tube showing the depth it was lowered to, plus the water temperature at that depth.

Vexilar unveils the next generation FLX-12™ and FLX-20™ flashers, which feature
its pioneering brushless data transfer technology.

Vexilar wows ice anglers with the Glo-Ring. This glow-lure charger instantly sells by the
tens of thousands.

Vexilar reaches the 60-year mark and continues to help generations of anglers catch more and bigger fish.

Vexilar releases the FLX-30BB which comes standard with the powerful Broad Band Ice-Ducer transducer.

Independent investor Robert Jablonski and Valiant Wealth Management acquire Vexilar Incorporated and AWC Distribution Incorporated from Steve Baumann on Monday October 16, 2023. The two investors partnered to make the acquisition, and Rob Jablonski will lead the businesses as CEO going forward. Vexilar and AWC have been owned by Steven Baumann, President of Vexilar and AWC since 1995. The new owners look to continue and further Vexilar’s history of developing the fastest and most durable fish finders on the market.

Vexilar releases the FLX-38BB and Pro Pack Elite, making it the most advanced sonar flasher to hit the market. The Fish Scout Predator and Base Camp cameras are also added to the lineup.