Underwater Camera

[BobT]

Been looking at underwater cameras and would like some input. If you've used one, did you find them useful and valuable or was it more of a novelty? 

 

I can imagine it might have it use to see what's down there regarding weeds, rocks, etc. but in reality how much can you really see? I expect in winter when water is settled and more clear it may be better but not so much in summer? 

 

Your thoughts?

[Duffman]

Good luck Bob, enjoy your new toy!

[BobT]

Tried it out this past weekend. Works pretty well but I think I need to contact their support staff. I don't know if I missed some setting or if I need some kind of filter accessory but for some reason it only showed perch. I couldn't see any walleye, northern, crappie, or anything except perch. 

[Wanderer]

27 minutes ago, BobT said:

Tried it out this past weekend. Works pretty well but I think I need to contact their support staff. I don't know if I missed some setting or if I need some kind of filter accessory but for some reason it only showed perch. I couldn't see any walleye, northern, crappie, or anything except perch. 

 

I think that’s a common problem with those units.

[nofishfisherman]

57 minutes ago, BobT said:

Tried it out this past weekend. Works pretty well but I think I need to contact their support staff. I don't know if I missed some setting or if I need some kind of filter accessory but for some reason it only showed perch. I couldn't see any walleye, northern, crappie, or anything except perch. 

 

 

I have the same problem with my cheap camera, didn't come with any sort of perch reduction button.  The best way I've found to reduce the number of perch you see is try targeting them for a few trips, you probably won't see any then. 

 

[Big Dave2]

8 minutes ago, nofishfisherman said:

 

 

I have the same problem with my cheap camera, didn't come with any sort of perch reduction button.  The best way I've found to reduce the number of perch you see is try targeting them for a few trips, you probably won't see any then. 

 

 

Not that I condone this method but when I was a kid and didn't know any better, I used to fish with a guy who would burn the perch's lips shut on the wood stove when he would catch one so it couldn't bite again.

[Getanet]

26 minutes ago, Big Dave2 said:

 

Not that I condone this method but when I was a kid and didn't know any better, I used to fish with a guy who would burn the perch's lips shut on the wood stove when he would catch one so it couldn't bite again.

 

Jeesh, this thread turned dark in a hurry.

[Big Dave2]

2 minutes ago, Getanet said:

 

Jeesh, this thread turned dark in a hurry.

 

Just trying to help out.....

[BobT]

Here's a little information I thought I'd share in case some are not aware.

 

I didn't think about this when I was making my purchase but my camera comes equipped with IR lighting. Some models that I saw also came equipped with white LED lighting and Fleet Farm also offers a floodlight that can be hung from the trolling fin of the camera. 

 

While I was sitting in my portable on Saturday, during a break in the action , it occurred to me that I had at one time thought it was illegal to use artificial lighting so I searched the regulations handbook, which I keep on my phone. The handbook says it is illegal to use artificial lights to lure, attract, or spot fish and so the question that came to my mind is whether my IR light would be illegal. Sure hope not as it would be a bummer to not be able to legally use my camera in MN.

 

I sent a message to the DNR this morning and this is the reply.

 

Good afternoon Bob,

Thank you for contacting the Minnesota DNR.

It is legal to use infrared light on an underwater camera, however if the camera is equipped with an option for white light or any light which is projected it makes it illegal to use in Minnesota.

[Mike89]

that's interesting.  thanks!!

[Wanderer]

3 hours ago, BobT said:

 

I sent a message to the DNR this morning and this is the reply.

 

Good afternoon Bob,

Thank you for contacting the Minnesota DNR.

It is legal to use infrared light on an underwater camera, however if the camera is equipped with an option for white light or any light which is projected it makes it illegal to use in Minnesota.

 

Well there’s some news.  There are a lot of those units in use in MN.  It’s getting pretty easy to break the law these days.

[Duffman]

5 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

  There are a lot of those units in use in MN. 

 

Yet, not that many under the ice scuba CO's.

 

[Wanderer]

2 hours ago, Duffman said:

 

Yet, not that many under the ice scuba CO's.

 

 

Right!

 

All they have to do is know the product lines and features of different models.  If they roll up on ya and your bells and whistle camera is down the hole - easy citation. 

[Duffman]

I would think you could still use the led white lights when scouting in the dark, just as long as you are not in the act of fishing yet.

[BobT]

3 hours ago, Duffman said:

I would think you could still use the led white lights when scouting in the dark, just as long as you are not in the act of fishing yet.

The regulations are as follows. Page 31 of the handbook.

 

What fishing methods are illegal?

Using an artificial light to lure, attract, or spot fish. However, you may use a lighted artificial lure. Batteries used in lighted fishing lures must not contain mercury.

 

 

 

[PurpleFloyd]

So today we were in a shallow bay for an ice fishing contest that I tied for last place in and we had sonars plus my underwater camera that I put in the middle of the hub. The camera rotates 360 degrees inside the housing so I can get a panoramic view of the whole area. The water was about 5' deep and very weedy and so with the sonar, it's a challenge to get good marks with the fish that are moving through the weeds. And with the narrow cone angle the fish need to be basically right under the cone to show up. 

 

This is where the camera really does it's thing. We could see the fish when they came in and there were several times when there were a dozen plus fish under the hub and not one was showing up on the graphs but the camera showed us they were there. We were able to see the fish come up to the bait but they were very tough to get to bite today. We tried several different jogs, spoons etc and had very little luck but at least we knew the fish were there. Without the camera we wouldn't have known any of those fish were even there. 

[delcecchi]

Has anyone tried the inexpensive (chinese?) underwater cameras being sold on the very large ecommerce  place? 

[PurpleFloyd]

On 2/11/2018 at 9:57 AM, delcecchi said:

Has anyone tried the inexpensive (chinese?) underwater cameras being sold on the very large ecommerce  place? 

That is the one I have been using and talking about.

[delcecchi]

2 hours ago, PurpleFloyd said:

That is the one I have been using and talking about.

 

Which one did you get?  I am thinking about summer, not winter use.    I didn't realize you had bought one from the post.  

How is it working for you?