Lure Camera

[Bucho]

Hi!

Thinking of ways to visualize fish hitting my jigs (s.a. fixing a cam to a downrigger) I came across this

http://www.amazon.com/MarCum-Underwater-Viewing-System-7-Inch/dp/B0081X0VM0/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

Do you guys have experience with cams like these? Does it record? I am mostly thinking of catching pics of jigs dangling down from a drifting boat(kayak) at an angle, not sure if this stuff is any good for that. Need the cam to look rear, not ahead. It sure is tempting, the black and white starts at 299$.

 

[Shoemoo]

They're mainly used for ice fishing. Most of them don't record, but they do have video out if you want to hook them to another device that does. People sometimes use them in open water to look at structure or for visual confirmation of what type of fish they're seeing on their sonar. Some of the underwater camera companies sell downrigger attachments to clip the camera to the downrigger line. You can't use them untethered from a boat to watch a lure because of current and drift. It would be practically impossible to keep the lure in front of the camera.

 

[Bucho]

I was thinking of using a downrigger release clip to control the jig and keep it inside the camera`s viewing angle. If the clip grips into a swivel threaded onto the line, that would ledger the whole thing and might even allow for a certain movement, given that the jig was heavy and the drift slow enough.

I must say I´m very interested. Would apreciate product recomondations - that ship to Germany. Marcumtech for some reason doesn´t.

 

[Shoemoo]

Are you talking about just running the camera down with a jig clipped to it, or actually attaching it to a downrigger line equipped with a heavy cannonball? It works for downriggers because the camera is fixed to the downrigger line. Even then you can only see a few yards back unless the water is super clear.

If you're not going to use a downrigger, I think you're underestimating how difficult it is to control the viewing angle. To give you an idea how hard it is, ice anglers are standing on a solid surface and they have to set the camera line up on a little tripod over the hole and use a motor to turn it to get accurate control. Now imagine how hard it will be in a kayak where everything is bouncing up and down in the waves and the current is ripping in a different direction 20 feet under the surface.

If you really want to go for an underwater camera, I'd suggest checking with the companies for authorized European distributors. I know those guys up in Sweden, Norway and Russia do a lot of ice fishing, so I'm sure there are companies over there that sell them. If you buy from the US, you may run into issues with the warranty if it breaks. The main companies are AquaVu, Marcum and Vexilar. Vexilar also has a new FishPhone camera that uses a smartphone or tablet for a display. It's color, will record to the device's memory and about 1/3rd cheaper than the rest, but it's only been out for a couple of months so quality and durability are unknown. You can find videos on YouTube taken with the FishPhone that will give you an idea of the camera quality.

If you just want to use it to view the action of a jig underwater, I think you're better off investing in an aquarium and an adjustable flow powerhead. That way you can film the jig close up from a variety of angles in clear water.

 

[eyecrosser]

I think best best is to figure a way to rig up a GoPro. Water needs to be fairly clear also for good resolution.

 

[Bucko]

any of the fish cams are only water tight down to 50 feet of that makes a difference. vexilar makes one that records video or takes snap shots.

 

[Bucho]

clear water with max. 50`depth is what it is all about. A 6`long fish tank for presentation in the shop I have already taken care of, too. A powerhead has proven utterly useless as the stream is not broad enough to imitate real current. The lure keeps flipping in and out of it in a very odd manner.

The action pro (go pro knockoff) cam I wanted to glue to the fin of a 5 pound canonball and clip the fishiing line to the edge of it. In theory, that will keep the jig in the viewing angle and might at the same time allow me to steer the angle with the rod. In theorie...

Of course it would be better to get real time control over the setup, hence my interest in those cams. Thanks for your opinions, especially for the overview over the market!