Best underwater camera

[Gillles]

Poll:  What is the best all around underwater camera?

1. Aqua View
2. Marcum
3. Atlantis
4. Other.

[Trevor]

You should ask for feedback from individuals who have experience with all three, or two at least.  I only have experience with the Aqua-vu.  I have no complaints about it...

[Gillles]

Would anyone else like to give an assiment of there underwater camera's, good bad or indifferent??

[Trevor]

Gilles, you seem frustrated at the lack of replies.  If you go through some of the older posts you'll see this topic has been flogged to death.  Take a look, I think you'll find the answers you need...

[Gillles]

Trevor, thanks for filling me in on the camera situation.  I would like to purchase one for open and hardwater laker fishing and was wondering if someone might know if the flashing lights spook lake trout.  I've heard that the lights do spook walleye's but not pan fish but what about the lakers?

[Trevor]

I don't know about lakers, but rainbows won't come near an underwater camera, lights or not.  I mainly use mine for panfish.  Don't want to tell you what to buy, but for fishing deep for lakers you may want to consider a flasher if you don't already have one.  You'll find you get much more use out of it...

[Gillles]

I'm disapointed to hear that, but appreciate the info. and I'm glad that I haven't bought one yet. I do have a vex and love it, I just wanted something new.  What have you experienced while fishing for trout with an underwater camera? I don't know anyone that has experience with them as you seem to.  So if you had to buy a new underwater camera tomarrow which one would you get?

[Trevor]

If I was going to buy a camera again I would buy another Aqua-vu as mine has served me well thus far.  However, to be honest, if it died, I would not replace it.  I can definitely do without one.  

When I first got the thing I would use it when fishing rainbows.  I would hang the camera about six feet away from the hole in which I was fishing as to avoid tangles once a fish was hooked.  I would watch fish approach then suddenly veer off and flee as they got close.  Pull the camera out, start getting hits.  Put it back down after a while, watch fish approach then veer off again when close.  I experimented with this on enough occasions to be convinced it spooks em.  Now before anyone jumps on me, no, watching them approach was not causing me to somehow alter my presentation in such a way as to suddenly deter them.
Trout are often spooked by a fly line over them.  I sort of figured before I tried it they would be spooked by the camera and 1/4" black cable extending all the way from bottom to the ice above...

I am willing to bet it wouldn't bother the lakers though.  However, since you'll be doing most of your fishing relatively deep, and since lakers are such a strong fish.  There is very good chance of a hooked fish getting tangled in your camera cable on the way up.  

On panfish is where the camera truly shines.  It's amazing how many fish will inhale your offering and spit it out without any feedback ever transferring up the line.  With the camera you can watch them inhale it, then confidently set the hook.  It also gives you the ability to harvest selectively in deeper water.  You can pull your hook away from the little guys while trying to finesse the larger ones.  No more pulling up poor little four inchers with their swim bladders out their mouths.

Underwater cameras are cool to fish with.  They are also useful tools in certain situations.  If you're prepared to invest just bear in mind you likely won't use it nearly as much as you use your flasher once the novelty of the new camera wears off.  

Trevor

[Gillles]

Your trout obsevations are very interesting the up side is what the camera can do for you while your going for panfish, I'd like to try that out this year but I usually only go for panfish once a year if that much. I have decided to purchase one, I'm going to with the Aqua-Vu MX Series. Thanks Again

[NAD42]

I've got video of lakers that I taped with my camcorder hooked up to my Aqua-vu Z-120 that would blow your mind....havent tried it at night though.

[Luckydog]

The lights at night do turn off panfish.  I've been having a great day with bluegills, just before dusk -- hit the lights and the fishing shuts off....instantly.  I've seenan aggressive school of fish back into the weeds when the lights came on.  The camera is fun during the day...very cool to see the northerns swim by...but as far as I'm concerned it's useless at night.