The Ultimate Fish Finder!!

[Scott Steil]

As much as I hate to admit it, I have really come to rely on my OVS 500 as an open water aid to my electronics. This time of year when those slabs and gills are hanging tight to the weed edges or mixed in with the weeds, I have found that the best way to pick them out is with the Camera. Often times fish in the weeds can be tought to pick up, even with my LX-3. With that being said, I have yet to be let down by my OVS 500.

I didn't think there would be a day when an underwater camera would be a major part of my search and explore team, but it has. Countless times while searching some of Minnesota's finest bluegill lakes I been stumped until I broke out the underwater camera. In most of these cases those big gills that had been so elusive previously were easily spotted on camera, supsended above the tops of the weeds. This has been a common pattern this year and one that can be very tough to pick up on electronics.

When searching out bluegill and crappies I always rely on my LX-3. The real time feedback and the ability to distinguish between fish and weed makes this a great searching tool. However, with the addition of the OVS 500 underwater camera, I have not only increased my confidence but decreased my searching time.

Anyone else out there using an underwater camera to search out crappies and gills?

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[Guest]

No wonder you do so well with those gills!!! I call that cheating!!! LOL

I don't use a camera in the summer as mine is not portable enough. It's a bulky TV set with a camera that takes too much time to rig and too much space in the boat. I agree, they are very useful tools. In the winter they are great!

I still am sold on my 2 flashers in my boat for locating gills and slabs. Without them I would come home every day confused.

[This message has been edited by CD (edited 08-07-2003).]

[CrappieJohn]

Scott...You guys are fortunate enough to have water clarity that will allow good use of the underwater cameras. Question for you...In stained to dirty water,do they give an accurate depiction of what is down there? I hear so many stories of people using the during the warm months and ending up with tales of woe due to the lack of water clarity. Some of these stories come from persons owing older models and I'm sure that a couple of these people fail to understand the operation of the cameras. Has technology improved them to the point that the dirty water is no longer a deterant to effective use?

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Sure life happens- why wait....The Crapster....good fishing guys!
[email protected]

[united jigsticker]

I've used the OVS and Aqua-View cameras on a limited basis.

Great tool for finding fish (yes, almost feels like cheating), however I only used them in lakes with 8 foot and better transparancy so I can't comment on the stained water situation with the newer cameras.

I will also say that quite a few times after finding a school of suspended Crappies, I also found a heard of Walleyes directly underneath.

Interesting pattern.

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Good fishing,
UJ
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by united jigsticker (edited 08-07-2003).]

[can it be luck?]

My 7 yesr old(?) Vista Cam is garbage in water that isn't "gin" clear. Ice fishing, it's alright. Either way I'm not impressed at all. I take the tv portion and a DC battery out to the deer stand(no volume) or out to the duck blind while waiting for the noon opener. What can I say, I love football! Keep track of my 2 and 3 game parlays. Love gambling too!!!

[Scott Steil]

I have yet to fish a lake where you can't pick up fish perfect with the OVS 500. I can't speak for other brands. The Horseshoe Chain is super stained this time of year and I have had no problem picking them up. Clear lake in Waseca is super green right now also, no problem there either.

One thing to remember is winter and summer use is much different. Despite the water being dirty or stained you have a lot of light penetration with the summer sun, even in stained lakes.

Winter is a lot different. You don't get a lot of light penetration in the winter and with snow on the ice, real stained lakes can be a problem. The benfit in the winter is you are not moving as much and you don't need to be able to see as far in the winter.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[can it be luck?]

In the last 7 years fish cams have probably come a long way. I invested $500 for my Vista Cam, and was disappointed, never to look at any more since. I should see what's available on the market now. I like the concept of fish cams, and should not let a early market one keep me from looking at newer improved ones. What kind of price ranges are we looking at?

[Scott Steil]

The OVS 500 is just about that, $500. They come with the rotating base that is really slick in the winter. It turns the camera automatically for you. Very nice feature. The OVS 400 had less faeatures but is priced less also.

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Mille Lacs Guide Service
www.millelacsguideservice.com

[JP Z]

As far as the visibility factor. I know for Aqua-Vus the rule of thumb is that whatever you see when you look into the water the camera will double. For instance, if you drop a jig and lose it at 3 feet down then the camera should be able to see 6 feet in front of it.

Tight Lines,