underwater cameras

[jopes]

I always wanted one.  Got one, now I think it is more of a hassle than a fish finder.  Every time I have used it I don't get to see much. 

I am guessing all the pictures and videos people have posted have been in shallow water because all I see is water and shrimp. 

Any tips?

[Mental]

If you see my mother-in-law, don't tell anyone! 

[Swift]

Be patient, watch and learn from it. Camera isn't as essential as the finder but has its place. Watching how a fish reacts to your presentation will teach you a lot. Have had one for years, learned plenty. Used more for the in season changes that happen and to fine tune the spots within the "spot". Generally taken but not always used. If its Grass Shrimp you're seeing it sounds like a reasonable spot, imitate them

[DFresh75]

What make and model?  The reality is in stained water or very dark conditions they aren't good, think far worse than your eyes would be in that environment.  In light and clear waters, they are great.  I do think people see fish reacting and it can screw up what you would do versus a flasher, but they also give you an opportunity to catch fish on a double clutch bite, and you can learn a lot about behavior.  But they also can be frustrating!

[MattyP123]

I love mine. I will admit it gets a little more open water use than hardwater. But I do live near an area where a hot spot doesn't freeze all winter and use it to find the school of perch. I use it ice fishing too though but rarely over 10 feet deep. One body of water I use it to determine a weed edge (healthy weeds, dead weeds, type of weeds so on). On another lake (clear water) I use my camera in downview instead of being bent over my hole all day.

[jopes]

What make and model?  The reality is in stained water or very dark conditions they aren't good, think far worse than your eyes would be in that environment.  In light and clear waters, they are great.  I do think people see fish reacting and it can screw up what you would do versus a flasher, but they also give you an opportunity to catch fish on a double clutch bite, and you can learn a lot about behavior.  But they also can be frustrating!

aqua view 760. 

I have had it out on pretty clear water lake.  I will have to try it one more time, if I get too bored from it I will just sell it off.

[bobberbill]

If you're not at or near the bottom you won't see much. Just looking out thru the water column won't work too well. Down view works pretty good, but again, you have to be near bottom to see anything..

[DAPOS]

Jopes, are you marking fish on your depthfinder, but not seeing them on the camera? Are you able to determine the distance you are able to see in your waters? Did/do you have some expectations of the camera that are not being met? If so, what are/were your expectations? I have that very camera, along with two other aqua vu cams, and I have never marked fish on the depthfinder, and not seen fish on the camera....

[Bucket Brigade]

I LOVE MY AQUA-VU 715!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The perch were sucking in my jig and BARELY wiggling the rod. I could see them inhale the jig and WHAMMY!!!! If I was just relying on my sonar, I would have missed many fish iced!!!

Run the camera all the way down to the bottom and you would see all kinds of stuff, depending on clarity and light. The first time i had mine out I was fighting the cable. Then I made a jig to hold the cable in the direction of my line. I could grab the handle and pan around to see fish and then back to my jig. It will let you look at actions of your lures, reactions of fish, and those finicky bitters!

[Raynestorm]

It is just another tool to use.  It has a specific use, so using in that roll works better. 

I only use the camera to 1) see what fish I'm marking that aren't biting (hate fishing for carp when I think they are walleye) 2) see what structure or bottom composition is I'm fishing or searching for. 

Some people use it to see how fish react, but I don't care to use it that way.  Just more crap to set up and clutter a hole and fishing area.

If the water is murky, you won't see much.

Once you start using the camera as a search tool, you will find that you can setup on that spot on a spot more often, upping your catch rate.  Once you get where you need to be, put it away and use the flasher.  Part of being successful is being mobile, running that camera up and down every hole while fishing slows you down way to much.  I like to use camera in boat just before ice up and Mark a bunch of locations I plan to ice fish.  Come ice, I don't even need to get camera out that often unless searching new area.

Good luck

[IFF]

Went out to fish a waypoint from open water, that seemed to be a hump, put the camera down, and was surprised to see a rock pile, then a big crawdad moved from under one rock to another.  next thing I see was a good sized Walleye strolling around.