[BrittSC]

Anybody use or own a aqua view or other name brand under water camera. Just wandering if it would be worth having. I am new to fishing lakes. Thought it might help me understand underwater structure if I could see it in person and on the sonar.

Thanks

 

[StayNCharge]

They are really big here in MN. They are built by the same company that started building our products. They are great for ice fishing but kinda hard to see when on the water running. Sorry lol. They use them here alot more now from boats were you use your regular electronics to find the spot and then stop and sit there and then they look. They are really pretty cool to watch.

 

[oldschool]

Where are you planning to fish? To take advantage of underwater camera systems you need to have good visibility. Several pro's that I know used underwater camera systems to prefish lakes. They find fish on structure and validate that the sonar signals are in fact bass, without catching any of them.
The best way to know what a sonar signal is showing is to see it and a camera can help with that. I do not own a camera system because I'm not a tournament bass fisherman looking for that edge. Whenever a lake is drawn down and structure is exposed, you should photograph areas of interest. Then when the lake has covered the structure you can look at the pictures and the sonar returns to get familiar what looks like what. If you plan to fish off shore deep structure, and the water clarity is good, then a underwater camera may be a good investment. If the water clarity is average or poor then all you may see is light reflecting particulates, like looking at snow falling through binoculars. Have you ever hunted using a rifle scope when snow is falling? A scope is a great tool in good light, worthless in poor ilght, unless it's a night vison model. Same is true with underwater camera.
Tom

 

[StayNCharge]

oldschool that is very true. I have seen some anglers in the past few years and when they get to spot they pull out books with pictures in them that they took when the levels were at different levels and it just through me for a loop at how good they do by doing this. So yes knowing the lakes at differnet levels is a great thing to do. :tbh_flag:

 

[BrittSC]

Thanks for the info. I do tournament fish, but not hardcore. I just want to get better. I fish reservoirs in the south east, mainly. Most are power lakes. For the most part they are very clear to stained. I struggle with the sonar. I think if i knew what exactly was down there I would get a better understanding. I just didn't know if anyone had used them. I am looking at the Aqua view scout xl , about $280 100feet of camera cable and 7inch screen. Anyway, I really appreciate the fast replies at this web site.
Britt,
Gville, SC

 

[oldschool]

You might want to invest in a book on sonar.
http://www.iovino.com/donbook.htm
Finesse Bass Fishing and the Sonar Connection by Don Iovino is a good tutorial on how to use sonar.
Tom
Ps; Ouachita is very good with sonar questions, you may want to ask Jim about some specific questions you may have.

 

[Oldfart9999]

I have started to use a camera, need to do more pratice. As Tom said it teaches you how to read the bottom by showing you what your sonar "sees". The other thing it can do is tell you what the specie of fish is & if they are chasing bait the sonar is not picking up. Rodney

 

[fishincable]

I own the Atlantis camera. It is a great set up and is all self contained in an one box (Battery, etc). For tournament fishing I think it gets in the way and a bit of a pain, but for pre-fishing it is a great asset. I have seen certain Aqua Vue cameras at Menards for under $100.00. I would question how good they are, but the price is great. MIKE

 

[StayNCharge]

If I could show you how to charge the battery onthe camera from your boat would that get your interest?

 

[BrittSC]

Rodney what camera do you have? Model etc... and Mike tell me more about your camera, I have not bought one yet but was about to order one. I was going to order the Aqua view scout xl. 7 inch b&w screen. 100 foot camera cable, battery and charger. About $279. but, I'm open to suggestions of different models or name brands.

Britt

 

[TampaCountryBoy]

I would also be interested in the water clarity from those that have and use a underwater camera setup. I just do not feel they would be that valuable to Florida waters due to the clarity issues. Thoughts?

BigBear, I will bite, let us know how you would charge the camera battery, ya got my interest

 

[Oldfart9999]

Britt, sorry to take so long to get back to you. I use the basic Aqua Vue Scout, with 60 ' of cable. there are 1 or 2 problems I have with it, & they would be the same with more expensive units too. !: You have to keep an eye on the keel weights, they can loosen up & fall off, locktite meght be the answer. 2: When the cover is folded up for storage it is able to touch the on-off switch turning the unit on. Drains the battery while you aren't using it, it happened to me a couple of times before I figuered it out. I leave the battery unhooked until I am ready to use it.
This year I want to hook it to the boat battery. I was disappointed at first, at my age I should know better, but I bought into the hype about seeing the whole area. Maybe if the water were gin clear I could, but as Tom & others have said, there are limits depending on water clarity. With clear water you could drop the camera & very slowly, no more than 2 mph, cruise around. This is, in my mind, not the most productive way to use the camera. If, while cruising you see something on your sonar, or if you want to explore a piece of structure you already know about, then the camera shines. Say you have found a point & have the basic shape down, you can then lower the camera & see the different features or cover on the structure. You have the ability to know if you are on bass or walleye, for all you deprived southerners, lets say catfish. You can tell what kind of baitfish, or if they are eating craws or gobies. With pratice you will be able to follow a weed line, and you can tell what kind of bottom. With the camera I have, & it is the 1 I see being sold on most units you are able to set the cord so the camera looks forward or looks down.
Rodney   

 

[joecr]

Has anybody had any problem with say a walleye going after your camera and trying to eat it, since it looks like a fish?

 

[Doc Samson]

Walleyes swim ignore the camera, swim away slowly or sometimes all you see is a puff of dust. I suspect it depends on their mood. I haven’t tried to correlate it with cold fronts. I have never had one try to eat the camera and I have viewed thousands of walleyes. I think the best open water uses of an Aqua-Vu are to identify non-biting fish, bottom content and to identify the “what is it” object on the graph. Darker water is a problem but no wind, mid day sun will change the light penetration just like water clarity.

 

[Ouachita]

The Doc has the edge on this topic. I don't know of a better expertise on video that would offer suggestions here, so I'll be looking his way for underwater video information. Like he said above just one benefit is getting an idea about bottom content. Without video most of us have had to sacrifice casts to "feel" bottom with a jig or dredge up bottom materials. You can put a camera lens right against bottom and decide between gravel and 3" stones, stumps versus boulders, etc.

If your lake is deep or water most of the times dirty, consider buying video with some good lighting watts to light up the targets.

Jim

 

[Oldfart9999]

Because of the size of my boat I have trouble in wind that some of you wouldn't have, I get blown around & bounced up & down in the wind. Because of that I was not able to use it like I wanted last year, the days I could were few but when I was able it helped, they do not do well in weeds for obvious reasons, but on the weed edges & over nonweeded areas they can be a big help. While you can't move very fast with one you are able to keep moving, because of the drag from the camera it will work it's way up the faster you go, also, over aneven bottom you will have to raise it up & let it down, still worth the effort. I tend to use mine while I'm on the trolling motor, it's easier for me to see what's going on in the water. I can cover a hundred yard of area i want to check in a quater of the time with the camera than I can with a rod & reel, & no, I wouldn't use one in a tournament, then I want to soak a lure. If you are considering buying one, I would say do it, unless your fishing against me lol, they can become a very useful tool in your arsenal.
Oldfart

 

[lineside]

I have used mine to watch how Bass respond to different colors of worms. It has made me change to colors that I would not have used,and put more fish in the boat.