Underwater Cameras

[TritonTR20]

I was concidering buying a fish tv camera. Anyone have one, or know how well they work? Are they worth the $? I a lake that you can see the bottom in 10 ft how far can you see with the camera?

[1javelin]

I think you are Tcook's buddy also, and he has one.  We use it a few times here and there when we are looking for "the Spot".  Give him a call, as I am sure he would be willing to go out and show it to you.  I can't get out as much as I used to, having to get some bills paid. 

1Jav

[flipclip]

I have one and have spent full days using it on Erie without even wetting a line.  Seems once I start with it I can't put it down.  Make sure you get one that shows the direction of the camera.  With 30 feet or more of cord out the thing tends to go on quite a bit of an angle when you drift so it's hard to tell exactly where it is pointing in reference to the boat.  Mine has a small arrow on the screen that moves and points the same direction the view is showing.  The water does have to be fairly clear, and the one I have also has a light.  What amazed me is the fish are not afraid of it at all, they will swim right up to it and hang out around it.

It really helps me when I know for sure the fish are there, so I can keep put and keep changing what I'm throwing at them until I can get them to bite.       

[djkimmel]

I haven't had one of my own for a few seasons, but I've collaborated with Wayne Carpenter using his Seaviewers - professional grade cameras and accessories - you can see a long ways with them in water that is less clear, and you can see color on the color models much deeper that you'd think. Wayne has his famous sturgeon video taken with the SeaViewer Cameras showing good color 55 to 65 feet deep in slightly turbid water with a deep bass and then the school of big sturgeon including 1 with two chartreuse-looking lampreys stuck on one. The camera lens is larger and tougher with a big fin for stabilization. The cable is 1500 lb test. Some of the other brand cables are not ones you'd want to yank on.