Aqua-Vu, Does it Scare the Fish?

[icedoctor]

I just purchased the Aqu-vu 360 nighthawk (4 cameras giving you a full 360 view). I had it out yesterday and I found a school of fish with my vexlar and slowly dropped the camera down in about 32 feet of water. As soon as the camera got to the school of fish they bolted and never returned until I removed the camera from the hole. The water was murky so I turned on the SR lighting in order to see.

My question is: Do any of you experience this same problem with your cameras? With this camera you can not view down on the fish rather just in front of the cameras. Do you use the downward view often with the regular single lense cameras? Finally, do these new SR lights scare the fish? I just think if the camera scares the fish then whats the point? Any and all advice would be appreciated including different camera options and experiences. Thanks J

[harvey lee]

I use a Scout and when I use it I have had no problem with scaring the fish unless I drop it very fast.

When I drop it to look at structure,I almost always view from the side and when fishing I mostly down view.I can say that I dont believe the fish leave because of it.As far as the light moving fish away,I have not run into a problem with that either,but hardly ever use it.Sometimes the fish will get very close to the lens.Also,when you drop it down do so very slowly and that might help.About the only time I will have it down while fishing is to check what fish is down there and if they are biting lightly,as I can watch to see how they will react to my jigging.

[JohnMickish]

Here is my take on the situation. I have a ZT with the SR lighting. Camera lights are a joke. From my experience they push the fish away, and all you can see anyways are the particles floating in the water.

One thing you have to be careful of is how you drop your camera in the water. Don't let it freefall to the desired depth. That is unnatural and will move fish out. Drop it slowly, remember fish feel the water movements and anything that's in it.

My camera has the fish skin on it and have had all sorts of species rub up against it. My buddy has a Marcum camera without the fish skin and he to has had fish play with his camera so I don't feel that is the issue either.

Thats what I have found.

[Dragon Fish ll]

I also just bought a quad 360 though after talking to a sales rep last night at Gander I think its last years model. If Im right your cameras are inclosed by plastic caseing. Ive only seen pictures on internet. On mine the cameras are exposed and each one can be ajusted up or down at any angle. Took it out to Harriet the other day for few hours and had a great fish viewing experience. I want to say that the fish seem to be attracted to the camera out of curiosity. At times when I would move it up and down off the bottom it would bring the perch in to see what was going on. But then came a walleye that was real curious with it who would slowly advance closer an closer until he was just sitting in front of the camera checking it out, But like everyone else said just ease it down to where you want it. the plus side to haveing the one you have is it was modified to not have camera leaks. Just that one trip and one of my camers has sprung a leak taking in water and wont work.Up side I still had 3 cameras working for me compared to a single camera unit. this camera is going back until I get one that wont have the same problems. the lighting on these are suppose to work at night. tryed once at Pulaski the other night and not sure if it does or not. In fish tank with all home lights off worked great. another thing when a guy fires up his 3 hp drill and starts punching holes 15 feet away from you it dosnt seem to bother the fish at all, and at one point made a couple of perch get more aggresive. No no spooking so far. 360 the way to go.

[icedoctor]

Thanks to all that replied. After today I've decided to take the Quad back. The split four screen display is way to small and not being able to downward view really is a drawback. And I think the monster camera housing dropping it down with the spaceship lights on it probably sends the fish swimming. So I'm off to exchange it for a single camera. Any recommendations would be great!

[GBSorenson]

I just ordered a Aqua Vu SPC-80, I really don't know much about them but I like the idea of a "sunlight viewable" LCD monitor. I do plan on having it in my boat in the summer and hopefully be able to use it some then too. Has anybody used one or have any comments on them?

[harvey lee]

For the money the Aqua View Scout or the Xl are nice.The XL has a 7 inch screen which is a bit nicer than the 5 inch on the Scout.I dont know if I would get into the lighting to much as I personally have not seen one that works great in the dark anyways.Marcum also makes a nice unit.Until someone comes out with lights that really work great in the dark,Ill be staying with what I have.Even if they have lights that work great,then you have to hope that the water clarity will be good enough to use it.

[smokercraft]

After using a camera for 5 yrs I think the answer to your question of it scaring fish is yes and no, depends on what kind of fish your looking for. Sunfish,crappies,perch and notherns it doesnt seem to bother and sometimes actually seems to attract them. Walleyes I'm convinced on the other hand seem to shy away from cameras, I'll see them swim by but only rarely see them bite. Its nice to know they are there though!

[lazershootin22]

I agree with smokercraft. I have had eyes swim by without stopping for the bait while a house a few yards away is catching fish. Once you pull the camera up, the bites start. But most other species besides larger crappies don't seem to mind. I actually had a school of 4-5 inch crappies hang out when the camera was down and they cruised off when it was out. They were suspended out in deep water and it must have seemed like structure to them. I also have teeth marks on my aqua-vu ZT from a hungry northern who wouldn't leave it alone. Depending on the lake, the lights either work ok(see a few feet) or are completely useless. Some lakes have too many micro organisms floating around to see more than a few inches at night.