Cameras scare fish?

[FishinChad]

Looking for everyone's opinion, do underwater cameras scare the fish? How about at night with the camera lights on?

[JimBuck]

Having owned a camera for a while now, I haven't ran into any situation where the camera scares away fish. If anything, dropping the camera down usually makes the fish more inquisitive about the camera with anything from crappies and bluegills to pike and bass all coming to take a peak at the camera. I don't really use the camera in night time situations but I have used it a few times at night fishing for crappies....the light attracted larvae and in turn came the crappies. Just don't turn the light on/off while down the hole as this might spook the fish. Good luck, underwater camera's are a blast.

[icewoman]

last weekend I shot about 14 minutes of video, all of the same fish. at least a good 4 minutes of the video were of it staring directly into the camera, almost nose to nose with it. It also bite the camera twice.

[JP Z]

It depends on the fish....I've scared skittish Walleyes and Crappies and I've also had fish come up and smack the camera. Just like the situations where using to large of a spoon scares fish and you need to downsize to a #14 ratfinkee... Each lake/fish is different.

[hiwayman33]

I use the aqua view in down view and the fish will never spook this way. Have even used in 25 ft of water on Winni for perch in down view. I saw the perch slurping stuff off the bottom. I was getting doubles by setting my lure/bait on the bottom and all my buddies weren't getting anything. Finally let them in after an hour of smack talking.

[RonWBasser]

Walleyes are a little camera shy. Crappies and bluegills don't seem to care at all.

Very fun to watch. I have a few videos on youtube of fish.

The lights are another issue. They are illegal in MN if used while fishing according to the DNR. I never use mine, I've turned them on and they cause more "stuff" to show up and cloud the view.

[minneman]

In the summer time I've plowed into quite a few walleyes while drifting etc, maybey they were sleeping..?

[Sandmannd]

I haven't scared any fish yet. If you bounce it off the bottom a couple of times it might spook a little but they come back and check it out.

[DaBigDog]

My son and I used the camera for the first time yesterday and it didn't seem to bother the fish at all. We ahd sunnies around all day.

I'm not sure if it was the same one or not, but we had a Northern hanging around most of the day. Saw it 6 or seven times. Not a real big one, 2-3 pounds the way it looked, but it was there all day just doing it's thing.

[Sonicrunch]

Slimers and Muskies like the taste of cameras.

[jigginjim]

During the open water season, I have seen walleye move off when the camera comes into their area. I have had several other fish swim up to it. The lights at night have had fish swim in front of the lights, some have even followed the light, staying just on the edge of the light. Most of the time you don't see much it night, only algea

[Laska]

Walleyes are a little camera shy. Crappies and bluegills don't seem to care at all.

Very fun to watch. I have a few videos on youtube of fish.

The lights are another issue. They are illegal in MN if used while fishing according to the DNR. I never use mine, I've turned them on and they cause more "stuff" to show up and cloud the view.

If its a camera I think its ok for the lights, in my opinion Its for seeing fish rather than the rule book sayin artificial lights cant be used to take fish. Guess you'd have to ask to clarify. If the camera has infared it wont by visable to our eyes anywho...

[Flakeoutdoorsguy]

Walleyes have always hated the camera I have personally expierienced.

[chberry]

Pike really like the cameras....and the cable. I've had to replace two camera/cables on my camera. I did manage to pull up one of the two pike that have bitten mine. PErch seem to be very camera happy, but I have noticed I usually get more walleye bites if the camera is off, and out of the water.

[River Dan]

This past weekend on pool 4 we used the camera to find the walleye/sauger mix and they didn't seem to be afraid of it, the old miss is really clear right now, we were aqua viewing in 32' of water no problem

[52#FLATHEAD]

Almost all fish, except the walleye, are just like movie stars. They see a camera & they just can't stay away. My camera has infra-red LEDs & doesn't cast a beam of light.

[WallyGader]

Fish love the camera with the reel weeds i had a couple gills just sit in front of the camera for a solid 5-10 minutes..