Tricks with Underwater Camera

[zamboni]

Great topic. Has anyone had any luck with attaching a light to their camera? I love using my AquaView but It is frustrating that the visability disapears right about the time the bite turns on. I see there is a light you can buy for them, but I would like to hear if it works, doesn't work, scares the fish, etc.

This was brought up a few days back. There is a floodlight you can buy and attach to the camera, but after a call to the DNR, it is against the law here. Under the law forbidding artificial lights.

[hondarider550]

I have an older Aqua vu and use the tripod for holding the camera in place... I am rather frustrated with the tripod for the fact that it does not do a very good job of holding the camera in place. The camera does nothing but twist and spin. I think that the Marcum camera compass should be the cats meow with something like that... I might have to try something like that.

[RonWBasser]

Great informational topic going here. Lots of great ideas.

To above hondarider.... if yours twists and spins make sure you don't have any twists or winding in cable on the way to the stopper. Leave plenty of slack in the line. I know mine tends to get twisted while winding the cord back around it when I'm done using it. If the cord is laid out straight on the way to the tripod and doesn't look like a cork screw it shouldn't move on you at all once it is down and settled for a few minutes.

I agree the infra red light is worthless on mine too.

And keeping it away from your house and out of a shadow helps the vision when it gets dim outside. Mine seems to really get hard to see about 20 minutes before sunset.

Leaving it outside to see tip ups, another great idea!

[hondarider550]

I have one of the aqua vu clip on lights that they sell for about $20 and finaly had a chance to try it out the other night... My opinion the light makes a great flashlight for when you pack up the shack to head for home. My buddy's Marcum has a light on it and it is 100 times better than this thing. Also I am not sure about the laws in Iowa as it pertains to underwater lights. Might have to check this one out.

Also in response to Ron... Once my camera stops spinning I have a heck of a time to keep it focused on my lure. I will find it. Turn my tripod to keep it there and all the camera wants to do is swing back and forth until it rests where I cant see my lure... Maybe Im just alittle impatient but there has to be a better way.

Otherwise I love the camera. I can catch fish 100 x's better than with just a flasher. I have alot to learn I guess.

[broman]

Steve, I'm going to try your bucket bottom trick. I was thinking about making my own but couldn't think of a good way except for getting a boat rope think to attach to the lid. But I'm cheap and like your tab teeth idea. Should take about 10 minutes to make. Now I can ditch the tripod.

[Deitz Dittrich]

IF your home made versions dont work. You can buy the MarCum Camera Compas, which sounds like the exact same thing you are making.. Retail $14.99...

However, I am not against a person saving a few dollars making one themselves... I myself just stink at making stuff, its easier for me to chip out $15.. LOL

[tv4fish]

I'll throw out my cable "holder" idea for my Aqua-vu. I just took a piece of wood (common deck board, so it's about 1"x5"x15" long), first drilled a hole in the middle of it slightly larger than the cable diameter, then cut a "slot" starting from one end of the board toward the hole in the middle (again slightly larger than the cable so you can slide the cable in it). I "offset" the slot about 1" over from the hole and then made a right angle (90 degree angle) cut over to the hole. I then just made a wood peg that is wide enough to fit in the 1" slot that will hold the cable in the right position. I just lower the camera down the hole, slide the board onto the cable and put the cable into the hole and center the board over the ice hole, turn the cable to where I want the camera to face, push the wood peg in to hold it in that position and I'm all set. If you want to re-position the camera, simple matter of pulling up on the peg and turning the cable and re-inserting the peg. (The peg floats too)

[Redbeard5289]

Has anyone ever marked off, in increments of 1 foot, on their camera cable.

I was thinking of using colored electrical tape or colored duct tape to mark off 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, 7, 8, 9, etc ft increments in one color and then marking off 5, 10, 15 etc ft increments in another color so I can know exactly how much cable to unwind down the hole.

Any other recommendations for tape or color options that would be less intrusive to the fish/water.

Just curious as to what others have done...

Redbeard

[lovebigbluegills]

I made a homemade compass for my camera--looks pretty similar to the one shown above. I cut out a piece of plywood the same size as the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket, then cut the slit in. I drilled some holes and glued in 4 dowels (in a zigzag pattern) that function the same as the "cleats" shown above. I've used it and it works great.

I'll try remember to get some pictures of it tonight.

[iFishStu]

I too went with the slotted board concept, except I used a rubber stopper for a Vexilar transducer float as my cable holding mechanism. Found a 2-pack for $2 at FF. They slide up and down nicely on a wetted cable and they won't pop off and drop down the hole as easily as the Aqua View stoppers.

[thedanimalkmk]

Redbeard I used a silver sharpie to mark 1 foot lines on my camera and it hasn't wiped away yet (2 years). Works pretty good.

Dan

[broman]

The cable on my Cabelas camera has 5 foot increments marked on it in white lettering.

[broman]

I have a suggestion for folks using the board. Attach a small string to the top of the stop with screw and then attach the other end of the string to the board. If you drop it, it will still be attached to the board.

[magicstix]

I was thinking of trying that silver sharpie or a white mark-all to mark out ft. increments. A thing I've done in the summer out of the canoe is to use a float setup like a vexilar float system. works good, you just have to watch your depth.

[Finlander]

Why doesn't the camera companies make a camera like they have in surveilence systems?

You know the ones with the round globe so the camera can rotate any direction that you want to see!

Just a thought!

[broman]

Aqua Vu has the 4x4 that has 4 cameras that serve the same purpose. The globe would a good idea too.

[nater]

I like the ideas, especially marking off depths on the cable. I have usually dropped it down with the power on and stop when I start to see the bottom without pounding it on the bottom, creating a dust cloud.

Have any used them for suspended fish such as crappies? I haven't since I usually have mine near the bottom because its tough otherwise to line up the lure/camera. The black string idea would work good for lining up lure/camera off the bottom though.

My best sight to date was a largemouth that came in from the side right in front of the camera and stopped. I could see its eye moving in detail, I felt like a fish optometrist!

[mnhunter2]

I have an Aqua view but use and old marcum system with the line clip that has notches on the bottum and a folding flat bar with coresponding notches on it, so when you get the camera location right and the twist out of the cord it stays pretty still. I have lost a few clips down the hole so the bobber idea sounds great to me.

[Dave]

Why doesn't the camera companies make a camera like they have in surveilence systems?

You know the ones with the round globe so the camera can rotate any direction that you want to see!

Just a thought!

Some manufacturers have been there and done that. Marcum had the panning camera and I've heard Nature Vision is working on another similar type unit.

[Redbeard5289]

Never thought about the marker/sharpie route for putting foot increments on the camera cable... Awesome Idea! Will be heading out to Staples after work to get me a silver marker....

Thanks everybody!

Redbeard

[lovebigbluegills]

Now that I've got the picture thing figured out, here's what I did to hold my camera cable, and be able to make slight adjustments while turning it.

I just cut out a piece of OSB to the size of a 5-gallon bucket, drilled some holes, and glued in some 2-inch dowels (inch and a half that's usable) in a zigzag pattern.

[BuckKiller]

I always downview my camera no issues with direction and you can see more of whats going on. Generally 4 to 5ft above the jig works out fine.

same goes for me

[perch_destroyer]

i've used the tripod and it works fine. I have the same camera "adavanced anglers viewing system", for the price, what a great camera. I also have the Marcum Camera Compass. Can't go wrong with either one. Great Success with either. Good luck man..

[Jigging55]

How do People make vidoes with thier underwater camera I have the Cabelas advanced angler viewing system with 7" screen

[Crusty old Swede]

These are good ideas for positioning the camera but they still twist back and forth abit. My first camera was a home built and the actual housing for the camera turned out to be too bouyant. To get it to sink I used two 14" sections of steel leader and a couple of mushroom style duck decoy anchors. These pulled it down and held it steady after I got it pointed in the right direction. I used it for 'eyes mostly so being near the bottom was perfect.