First time using an underwater camera

[LostAnotherOne]

Hello gentlemen.  For Christmas I got a underwater camera and couldn't wait to use it.  Just moved up north and I went out the last couple days and got a little action on both days.  Caught my first laker through the ice which wasn't big, but my biggest fish through the ice.  Much different fight then the perch on Cooks.  I definitely recommend one.  Can't wait to see a big pike or laker circle my minnow one day.  Take care

[Barry Willis]

They sure are fun to watch, but it can also be frustrating at times when you see that big one come cruising in and not take your bait When I got my first one I would get so excited that I would go through the motion of setting the hook before the fish had it in their mouth LOL. Congratulations on your Laker especially for your first and biggest. Very nice. Have fun with it as I am sure you will.  

[Terry]

They are great fun, but at times they scare the fish away

so I got

to

the point that I would put it down to check out the structure then pull it till I get a few fish and after that put it back down to watch the fun

pan fish are not too bothered by a camera but trout and whitefish can 

[glen]

I had an old camera that you could put vertical in the hole looking straight down.  Maybe that would be worth a try. 

[misfish]

Bought mine for strictly bottom structure. I will leave it down though during the dark time in the morning,but pull it once day light starts.

[Big Cliff]

Had one, got rid of it. Having the cable hanging down the hole was a PITA. Fish would make a run and wrap the line around the cable, or swim up to the camera and ignore the bait.  I went back to a flasher, gives me all the information I need. 

[Rizzo]

15 hours ago, glen said:

I had an old camera that you could put vertical in the hole looking straight down.  Maybe that would be worth a try. 

This is a great idea. We usually fish in only 10 fow I would think this would be a clear way to watch what is going on. I bought a camera years ago when they first came out, finally cracked it out again last year thru the ice and still worked. May try the straight down the whole thing this year

[LostAnotherOne]

40 minutes ago, Big Cliff said:

Had one, got rid of it. Having the cable hanging down the hole was a PITA. Fish would make a run and wrap the line around the cable, or swim up to the camera and ignore the bait.  I went back to a flasher, gives me all the information I need. 

That is definitely my worry.  I did have a few problems so far but luckily nothing got tangled.  I seem to be drilling the camera hole further from my fishing hole every time out.  The further the better I think.

[porkpie]

I had one, as others have mentioned, I would put it down just to find rocks and gobies.  I find them to be more of a nuisance than anything and I sold mine last winter. 

[Barry Willis]

What is the point of having an under water camera just to find structure, it makes no sense. A fish finder will do that or a hand held sonar where you clear the snow off the ice pour a little water on the ice and place the sonar on it. It will show the depth, structure and mark fish. I have been using an aqua view  for twenty years, the fun and excitement comes from watching the fish. Never had a problem with tangling or anything else as you place it far enough away,  and I certainly have never had a problem with it scaring fish. If in doubt check out the videos on Youtube.

[Terry]

With a camera you can see exactly what and where you are  if soft bottom , zebra mussels  pebbles and much more 

[misfish]

15 minutes ago, Barry Willis said:

What is the point of having an under water camera just to find structure,

Like my friend Terry said,it the stuff on the bottom. I want to see some sand and zebra muscle mix. If it,s just mud and sand,forgetaboutit. Your fish finder aint going to tell ya that. READ ALL A BOUT IT, EXTRA EXTRA.

 

 

[Barry Willis]

Good point from Terry and yourself misfish, but read this, depends on the fish finder. In my neck of the woods there is very little sand and no zebra muscles, just rock. But I am a firm believer in leaving the camera down and capturing the action and recording it. It is always cool to watch later.

[Rizzo]

Twenty years ago I used to fish the upper Niagara quite a bit for muskies. Once I bought the camera I found I spent more time just drifting down the river looking at stuff, the fishing actually suffered because I was too focused on raising and lowering camera and sticking my head in close to the screen. Was fun for a few trips but since I put it away I catch a lot more. Last year ice fishing we brought it along because we took some kids with...kept them busy just like it used to keep me busy!

[porkpie]

On certain lakes for certain species of fish with particular feeding habits the camera can be very useful.  Especially if you’re looking for your target species main food sources  favoured habitat. My sonar won’t be that specific, and I’m too cheap to spring for live scope.

Edited January 8 by porkpie

[Barry Willis]

I did not word my post correctly, there is sand in some lakes out here and others especially the reservoirs mud and clay bottom  and you can take a boat and zig zag across the lake for twenty miles as the crow flies and no structure, the fish are there, cruising around it is just being in the right place at the right time. I still remember over fifty years ago, I went ice fishing on Georgian Bay and there was another guy fishing with something I had never seen before, it was a flasher, he showed me how it worked. I could not wait to get to town to buy one. I still have it (a Lowrance)  it still works and I still use it at times. As well as being exciting to watch, one can learn a lot from under water cameras of feeding habits of different species of fish.    

[misfish]

FLASHERS ARE VOODOO,,,,,,,,,,LMAO

 

[Fisherman]

1 hour ago, misfish said:

FLASHERS ARE VOODOO,,,,,,,,,,LMAO

 

And they give me a heahache.

[Terry]

I started with flashers and paper graphs 

i was sure glad when they improved technology and I didn’t have to watch flasher flash 

[BITEME]

mmmmm....paper!!!!!