12-29-10, 02:08 PM | #1 |
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Aqua vu type cameras
The thread on Biosonix and the ascendancy of side imaging in bass fishing made me think to ask about the other kinda goofy, but intriguing electronic device out there; underwater cameras. Who uses them? Do they add to your fishing? How often do you need them?
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12-29-10, 02:18 PM | #2 |
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While I don't own one, I do fish with a buddy who quite often brings his along.
I don't know that they really add anything to the experience for me other than a coolness factor. I have gotten to see how a fish investigates my bait and how changes in my presentation will either bring more attention or in some cases scare them off. I consider it no different than recording a golf swing. It allows me to see the results of minor tweaking. So for me, it is more about research than finding and catching a particular fish on a particular day. Since my buddy has one of the cheaper models, (relative) it does not give the greatest clarity in deeper water. I think that past 20 foot, my on board electronics shoed me more fish than the camera.
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12-29-10, 02:41 PM | #3 |
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I had an older Aqua-Vu. It was pretty cool to see what is really down there even though you can't see very far. I really wanted to use it for ice fishing but it died and they wanted too much $ to fix it, especially since I paid very little for it used.
I don't think it really helped any but I still wish I had it. Even when you see something on side-imaging it is nice to see what it really looks like with a camera. Plus you can see what types of fish you are marking on your sonar. It was really cool seeing all the gobies swimming around rock piles on Lake Erie. If I ever have extra money sitting around I might get another one. The old one I had showed a direction arrow on the screen so you knew where the camera was pointing too. |
12-29-10, 03:18 PM | #4 |
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A friend of mine has the Cabela's model. He has spent hours using it to match up what he is seeing on his depth finder, it was a good learning tool, as i was with him for some of those trips. We also used it to find a rod and reel that went overboard, never found it again,sorry to say
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12-29-10, 03:40 PM | #5 |
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You need to have very clear water for them to work decent. If you do have clear water, they can be a great tool to show you what the under water world really looks like. Hihg dollar down and side scan units probably show almost as much as a camera now.
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12-29-10, 11:21 PM | #6 |
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We use the Cabela's model ice fishing. It's interesting to watch, but very hard to see in sunlight. I don't think it would be very practical on a boat.
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12-30-10, 03:42 PM | #7 |
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You can see as far as the water clarity allows you, so, for very few places I fish I can find some benefit of having one, however why do I need it if I can see them ?, but for the most part I see no point in shelling out the money for something with such a limited usefulness, better save that money for a side imaging unit, sonar waves are not limited by clarity.
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12-30-10, 04:01 PM | #8 |
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Thanks everyone, this has been very illuminating.
I don't think, prior to asking that question, that I had ever heard of someone saying the cameras were a big portion of their strategy, and yet the novelty of seeing underwater struck me. I guess I will wait another few years for the side imaging to slowly work its price down. Or my income to quickly rise, one is as good as the next.
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