Camera vs Sonar

[Dylan33]

So, I'm having a little debate with a buddy of mine. I say the underwater camera is a fun toy, but doesn't provide much in terms of adding to the catch rate(maybe even detracting from the catch rate). He is saying that if we can see exactly what the fish are doing, what species they are, how they react to different techniques etc, they'll be easier to catch. But sonar does that for me....any thoughts?

[harvey lee]

If I had to take one, it would be the sonar hands down.

The camera can and is fun but yes, one can also learn from them.

The main reason I would take the sonar over the camera is that the sonar will work under more conditions. Some lakes and rivers the camera does not preform near as well or may be useless.

[EBass]

Flasher first then a camera. If the camera is close to the bottom but a small school of 15" crappies are 5 feet under the ice how would you know? The flasher would pick that up, but a camera is better than nothing and can put you on the spot on the spot.

I went to buy a aqua view, but the Gander guy sold me a Vex saying it will help me catch fish. He was right and I'm glad I bought the Vex. That being said, I still want a camera. They are pretty cool

[TruthWalleyes]

Sonar - don't leave home without it

Camera - Sendom remeber to bring and often never even think of using it when it is along.

There has been only a few times where i've needed the camera to get them to bite (Fish were quick to "lick and spit" those days)

When it comes down to it...I just hate dealing with the Camera Cord!

[Dylan33]

Does anyone see fish getting spooked by having a camera down there? Or maybe the opposite- seeing northerns and muskies drawn in to the fish shaped camera? (kind of like a decoy when spearing?)

[TruthWalleyes]

Does anyone see fish getting spooked by having a camera down there? Or maybe the opposite- seeing northerns and muskies drawn in to the fish shaped camera? (kind of like a decoy when spearing?)

I tried to drop the camera down the other day on crappies in 40 fow...they scattered as I eased it down to their depth. If i had left the camera down there they probably wouldn't have cared...Most days they don't care if the camera is there or not.

[joneshat11]

I even sold my camera a few years ago cause I spent to much time using it and not catching fish. Fun toy to have and can be very use full in the whole picture of things. I just find it more easy that if your marking fish and you can't catch them using a sonar go drill more holes and find the right fish.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Sonar for me also.

1. you don't have to lower the sonar to the level of the fish. Punch a whole, drop in the ducer. If there are fish than fish if there are no fish you haven't wasted much time and you move on.

2. I know how deep I am within seconds!

3. I can tell with about 90% accuracy what kind of fish I am seeing on the flasher by the size of the lines and how the lines move.

4. I am still learning how to read bottom structure with the flasher. The camera helps with this. I can tell if I am on weeds or not but I still have a hard time figuring out sand, mud, or rocky.

If they are biting extremely light a camera can be beneficial to see when they are actually taking the lure but you can also get a pretty sweet super sensitive rod/reel combo for much less!

A camera is a fun toy and it will help you understand what you are seeing on the flasher but there is no way I would head out with the flasher and the camera rarely gets used anymore.

[leroy77]

I think they can both be very important tools. Last weekend on the big pond I used my vex to find the perch, then I set up my wheeled house and tried to catch them with no luck. After I sent the camera down and put the vex away I was able to figure out what they wanted and ended up with a nice limit of jumbos. To each his own.

[IcerRon2010]

Have em both. Yea, I find myself fishing with sonar than the camera. If I am having a timing issue with setting the hook, chances are the fish have changed they way of approaching the bait. I can look down there see what they are doing and adjust accordingly.

I still think my camera has improved my fishing technique.

As far as them being spooked, I have run into a couple of lakes where the fish are plain to smart for there own good. Northern on Lake Minnetonka, that know where the camera angle is and positions himself right above or below the camera. Just enough to not be in full view, while checking out your bait.

When fishing for panfish, most of the time they cooperate. I have marked fish, changed presentations, and they still won't bite. Pulled the camera up,and bang, one right after another. Try that in a tough bite situation.

[TooTallTom]

Can you put a couple of trebles and a minnow head or two on your camera? THAT hit would be something to see. Of course, if you got bitten off the repair bill might not be too much fun...

[Fazerfish]

Last couple times out i start out with the vex, then put the camera down and enjoy the show. I am teaching my 3 year old boy how to ice fish, and with the screen right in front of him, seeing your minnow wiggling around, then a crappie slowly approach, suck it in, then set the hook, we are having a blast. I think its helping him understand what we are trying to do...he still has troubles with the hook set, but that will come in time

[TruthWalleyes]

Last couple times out i start out with the vex, then put the camera down and enjoy the show. I am teaching my 3 year old boy how to ice fish, and with the screen right in front of him, seeing your minnow wiggling around, then a crappie slowly approach, suck it in, then set the hook, we are having a blast. I think its helping him understand what we are trying to do...he still has troubles with the hook set, but that will come in time

My daughter still has problems with the hook set, and then she gets discouraged...Do you have this problem as well? If so, what do you do to keep him fishing?

[jackfishr]

There are a few lakes I fish perch and the camera has proven much more productive than a sonar. They come up stare at it and suck it in really lightly. Watching the rod tip you wouldn't know when you had the bite. Other than that situation I would have the sonar. I have both and both have their times and places. Sonar more often than not.

[My_Key]

My son is 5, has been fishing out on the ice since he was 3, and still has issues setting the hook. He knows he is suppose to, but in the moment of excitement, he just starts reeling in. He doesn't get discouraged, I think the missed fish makes him more proud when he does get one in.

[palisade1kid]

Sonar for me also.

1. you don't have to lower the sonar to the level of the fish. Punch a whole, drop in the ducer. If there are fish than fish if there are no fish you haven't wasted much time and you move on.

2. I know how deep I am within seconds!

3. I can tell with about 90% accuracy what kind of fish I am seeing on the flasher by the size of the lines and how the lines move.

4. I am still learning how to read bottom structure with the flasher. The camera helps with this. I can tell if I am on weeds or not but I still have a hard time figuring out sand, mud, or rocky.

If they are biting extremely light a camera can be beneficial to see when they are actually taking the lure but you can also get a pretty sweet super sensitive rod/reel combo for much less!

A camera is a fun toy and it will help you understand what you are seeing on the flasher but there is no way I would head out with the flasher and the camera rarely gets used anymore.

Right on! Plus when you are runnin & gunnin cameras are useless.

The better you get with your flasher the easier it is to guess the species and bottom.

Seeing the bite.....a camera is over rated when your rig is set up properly.

My advice is to get a solid flasher that doea what you need it to do...cameras would be a second thing to think about.I have one....I rarely take it out...like if I'm scouting....and heck yes they spook fish.

[PerchJerker]

So, I'm having a little debate with a buddy of mine. I say the underwater camera is a fun toy, but doesn't provide much in terms of adding to the catch rate(maybe even detracting from the catch rate). He is saying that if we can see exactly what the fish are doing, what species they are, how they react to different techniques etc, they'll be easier to catch. But sonar does that for me....any thoughts?

Lots of guys are saying "sonar before camera" and I agree with that. A sonar is something to use every time out on the lake, and something that definately helps you catch more fish every time out. But that's not what the OP asked in his post --- he asked if the camera is a fun toy or if it's something that will help you catch more fish.

I agree with your buddy. A camera is not just a toy even though lots of guys just use them as toys. A camera is invaluable at showing you what is really down there. It confirms what you're seeing on your flasher and it teaches you how different things show up on your flasher. It shows you what the fish are doing and how they react. I think spending some time using a camera and a flasher together makes you better at understanding your flasher and makes you better at catching fish when the camera is not down there.

It's all about how you use it, and what you try to get out of it.

[BLACKJACK]

At this point I don't have a camera, but someday when I get a wheelhouse and start spending more time out on the ice in daylight hours, I could see getting a camera, especially as a couple of you have suggested, to see how fish react to your jigging. But a camera comes after the second Vexilar (for the wife) and an electric auger.

[FISHINGURU]

Sonar hands down

[gwiff100]

Couldn't have said it better myself...

I have make a 30 mile trip back to get my flasher working, i ofter forget about the camera (only had it out once in 2 years) and couldn't care less.

[Fazerfish]

My daughter still has problems with the hook set, and then she gets discouraged...Do you have this problem as well? If so, what do you do to keep him fishing?

[tsande00]

My 5 year old doesn't have the attention span to hold the pole in his hand and wait for the fish to bite so I too just set the hook and hand him the pole.

[mnbuckhunter]

Quote:

I set the hook for him, then let him reel it in. That way I can tell if the fish is still on there before I hand him the reel, and he doesn't get discouraged because it was my fault and not his...

Ditto - until they get the hang of it for sure.

[Dylan33]

what was the earliest you guys had your kids on the ice giving it a shot?

My boy turned 2 in October, and likes to spin the reel at home, liked to hold fish I caught last summer, and loves Cabelas aquarium. I want to take him out, but not sure he would "get it". It could be a 10 minutes ice fishing trip if he gets bored

[Fever]

I've had my boy out these past three winters. He just turned six Jan 26th. I used to set the hook for him. Now he sets it like how I'd set the hook on a topwater frog Bass bite. A huge back bending "THWWAAACCKKK". Which is kind of a problem with crappies. But Totally funny!. I still have to pack a lot of snacks and treats to get him to stay for longer than and hour - two hours. A few toys helps, and letting him play with waxies, and definately the minnows is a must. Putting water in a 5 gal bucket for the keepers is also handy.

I too own both flasher and camera and to be honest rarely use the camera anymore. It is a good tool and like previously stated is a tool that one can use to verify what you see on your flasher. As far as telling the difference on bottom composition on your flasher. Mine shows solid red with a bit of an echo for rock, Red and a little yellow with less of an echo for sand, and red,orange, to a softer orange for mud with no echo. Green shows up for weeds. I use an older but well kept FL-8 with a new 9-19 ducer.

A statement above caught my eye and I feel I had to comment as it is one of my pet peaves. Seeing a line on you ducer does not at all tell you how big or little a fish is and absolutley does not tell you what kind of fih it is as many fish feed up and will move very very similar to each other when feeding. All the size of a mark tells you is how close to center an object is in reference to your cone. It just kills me when a fisherman says look at the size of this mark on my vex... That fish has to be huge.... Then look at your jigging spoon that is an inch and a half long and even when that thing is 14 feet below you when it is directly below you it is bold and Red on your flasher.... Believe me if you read the hand book it says all this. A green thiner line could be a huge pike off to the side of your cone while a thick red line could be a 2 inch crappie directly below your transducer. In situations like that a camera can teach us alot as far as the few limitatins a flasher has.