underwater camera and fish?

[Gus]

Does anyone who uses a underwater camera think the fish are scared away by the camera being there? Any patters you might have noticed? How about using the lighting system after dark, does that affect fishing?

[Deitz Dittrich]

During the day time, I have not noticed a single fish that I thought was scared by the camera. If anything I thought it brought a few fish in because they were curious. The light on the other hand is a little different. I have had days where I also thought that the light helped, but I also have had days where I know the light didn't help.

For me, I no longer use the camera at night very often, I dont want to take the chance to see if the light is scaring fish or not. I use the camera more now to see what is down there(IE bottom content) and to see what kind of fish I am sitting over during the daylight hours.

[Ole1855]

Gus,

I've used one for the last several years and I haven't noticed any problems. I have however seen some really neat things like northern's charging in after the perch I was fishing, walleye's coming in just staring at the bait and one that I would never have believed if I didn't see it. I was on Leech Lake fishing perch in late Feb., there were hundreds of perch swimming around the camera, all of a sudden the perch began to scatter, some actually dove into the mud on the lake bottom causing a big mud storm on the screen. Then I see a northern cruise in, after the northern left the perch emerged from the mud, it was amasing.

Ole

[joneshat11]

After getting a camera last year I noticed all I use my camera is for education of the bottom content and to see what type of fish am I seeing on my vexilar. It is entertaining though like Ole said to use it to watch fish behavor. Now that I got one I won't give it up cause if I see walleyes (or what ever target fish I'm fishing for) on the camera and know there in the area I've been able to then pull the camera up and are able to get them to bite.

[psegriz]

I rented one one time to see if I wanted to buy one or not. Part of the night I spent just watching fish and did not have a jig down. They didn't bite on anything I tried so I figured I'd just watch. I was crappie fishin in a little private hole of mine, they seemed to be spooked by my jigging actions but not the infareds themselves. I'm sure even though that night they wern't spooked by the infareds at times they might be. It's fishin what works one night won't the next. I also think that they would be a great learning tool, when things are slow you can watch thier reactions to different presentations. It's very frustruating to watch fish stare at your jigs for 4-5 hrs and not bite, when bunches look at them like a chinese firing squad and no biters. It will help by watching thier reactions to your presentations IMO. Hope this helps.

P.S. I still don't own one but want to if I could afford the $. Back when I rented that one I was so disgusted I couldn't get them to bite. Now I have a different oppinion.

[Blaine]

Maybe our fish here in the northeast are stupid... But they aren't camera shy I use mine all the time in both fresh and salt and have not seen them spook at all... Here are a couple of clips I offer as evidence

Panfish

Stripers

[psegriz]

Blaine

Your fish are probably not stupid. It's just at times fish seem to have a mood of thier own, kinda like my ex which I cannot explain. Like in my post they seemed to be more spooked from my techniques that the infareds. I guess depending on thier mood it wouldn't surprise me either way. I'll still go and say it's a good learning tool IMO. Why did those cappies taste the tail of my minnow and not want the whole thing? I'd like to figure it out and if anyone knows please fill me in.

[Got_Ice]

This is for Blaine. Just wondering what type of camera those videos were shot with. I'm looking into a camera just not sure which to choose. I really like the price of the Scout but like the features of the OVS560 much more. Hard to choose. Thanks, Jeff

[Blaine]

Some were with the Aqua Vu MC2X120, the more recent with their DT120

[Pete Riola]

Here's a cool clip we filmed. http://www.marcum.com/video/smallieeats.wmv

Smallie ate the bait for the camera. We've seen just about every species come right in and look at the camera. If any fish is shy is a walleye but we've seen plenty of them too. Muskies go eye ball to camera lens pretty fun to watch!

[Trouthunter]

Pete, great footage. I just bought a new marcum camera and was wondering the same thing that gus asked. Did you film this in the daytime or is the light from the camera? i guess since the display doesnt say ir or hi it must be during the day

[Pete Riola]

That piece was filmed at about 2pm in 22 feet of water on a cloudy day. The OVS units have great camera lens systems...I think the lux rating is .003. I've used the new lights and they are much better for night viewing than the previous ones. Can't wait to get the 560 on the ice. One of these days I'll compile some muskies and pike video and stream it...some of the pike bites are awesome and the skis seem really curious about the camera.