waterproof housing at the cheapest possible price-point . The result was equipment that seldom lasted more than a year or two .
The underwater cameras available today are a horse of a different color . They are dependable and are of much higher quality for today ’ s ice angler . Among the great products , the Vexilar Scout is designed for underwater use where the focal point on the lens has been adjusted for the distortion of water . Thus the picture quality is greatly enhanced .
There are several myths about underwater cameras . For cameras to work , you still have to have good water visibility and a combination of good natural light . Most cameras have lights on the lens , but for actual fishing applications , I see fewer fish ( walleye , pike , perch , panfish ) when the lights are on .
Murky , turbid or stained water also makes underwater cameras ineffective .
On the other hand , there are situations where you might be able to see a foot or two underwater , but typically , you need better visibility , preferably 7 to 20 feet , for cameras to shine . Why do you need such good visibility ? Because the further away you can put your lens from your presentation , the more functional cameras become .
For panfish , down-viewing ( where the lens is pointed straight down and fished down the same hole in which you are fishing ) is very effective and functional . This downviewing technique shines with panfish , because panfish can be reeled right up the cord .
With heavier fish , down-viewing is not as effective because they tangle in the cord . So if you ’ re targeting walleyes or larger fish , you ’ ll have to drill a second hole and point the camera lens directly at your presentation .
The advantages of down-viewing involve efficiency . You can fish with one hole and you can almost immediately find your lure as you don ’ t have to twist or turn the camera lens . The higher you can hang the camera lens above the zone you ’ re fishing , the better , as you can see a much wider area below .
Optimum height above your jigging area is 5 to 7 feet . What I have found when I have to drop the lens closer to the bottom is that the area I ’ m looking at shrinks , but also as the lens gets closer to the bottom , many fish become hesitant to swim right below the lens . They will swim up and peck at it , but it becomes difficult to get fish to swim right below . This phenomenon becomes really apparent as the sun gets low and visibility drops and the camera lens has to get inched closer to the bottom in order to see your jig as the water darkens .
With walleyes in particular , it ’ s important to hang the lens far enough away where you don ’ t tangle the fish with the cord . For viewing , cameras often work best if they are used inside a shelter or at least shaded somehow from the sun . For fishing outside , what often works best is to use the black and white mode and turning up the contrast .
One of the biggest lessons cameras will teach you is that fish will often hit the wrong end of a jig or spoon and that you can actually turn the hook toward the fish as they approach . On really tough bites , anglers using cameras can pick off fish when nobody else is catching them .
Cameras also enable you to sort through the size of fish where you can play keep-away with smaller fish .
There is a time and place for hunkering down over fish , rolling up your sleeves and using the detail a camera can show you to figure out difficult fish . Obviously , not every fishing situation is conducive for underwater cameras , but in the least , they ’ re very interesting and fun to use . Underwater cameras can really complement modern sonar system . •
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