underwater cam

[samson]

how good of a tool is an underwater cam for icefishing?  i've only been out less than 20 times and i was hoping to pick up a piece of equipment to improve my odds this season.  any suggestions welcome

thanks

[walleyekiller]

samson,
I don't own one myself but have been with guys that have had them.  I'll be honest, they're a very neat toy but in my opinion, not critical to learning how to catch fish but can really help to hone your skills as an angler.  If you have the $4-600 laying around and have nothing better to do with it, get one.

One thing I definitely learned was how the fish reacted to the different presentations as far as slow or fast jigging as well as how long bait would stay soft and move in the frigid waters...which obviously wasn't more than a minute or so.  Another thing I liked about it was the fact that you could keep a few holes open and if the fish weren't on your vexilar, you could just take the camera to a different hole and run the cord to your shanty; this enabled us to watch two areas at once to see when the schools of fish were coming back.  Also, it was very neat to see how the fish related to structure, especially in the relatively flat bottomed glacial lakes of the midwest.

One drawback I noticed is on one trip we were using it in the open water season and due to a recent wind storm, it was pretty much useless in the stained water.  He did have the infa-red option but it didn't help.  Visability was maybe two feet so if you live in a muddy water area it may be a waste of money.

The aquaview has been on my Christmas list for a few years now so who knows.

Hope this helps,
Don
www.walleyekiller.com

[oakorchardfishking]

i gotta say, as far as electronic fishing tools go... i think the vex is the sure winner hands down. but with that said, the underwater cams have always peeked my interest. it just seems so cool to actually see what the actual fish is doing down there compared to just a flashing on the vex. as said by walleyekiller though, if you are fishing stained water the cam is useless where the vex will still produce marks for fish! the thing though that i find most interesting about the cam is, that you can connect a VCR and do some video for your kids or family to see.... that kinda cool, practical though? probably not! as for monetary value... they are both comparable in price. i guess the options just have to be weighed for person likes!
i myself, do not have either! 2 years ago a friend of mine bought a vex fl-8 at the end of the season. we were both new to this and had no clue how to use it the first time out. unfortunately, that was the last of the ice for us... so he decided there were better uses for his money and took it back. he said he was going to buy a fl-18 to replace it before next ice, but never did! i personally cannot afford either as i am on social security (cant wait to see how BUSH reforms it)! but if i could afford them, i think i would have both. i think they would compliment each other in use!
one thing i can add to this is, if you are really unsure of what you want but want to try the cam, a person on this site found this link... http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=91309  if im not mistaken, that looks to be an ATLANTIS product, which is very comparible to the AQUA-VU. what i am thinking though is that it may be a refurbished product, which isnt always a bad thing but it may not come with a warranty of any kind! i guess though for 100 bucks, it is worth checking out for the fun of watching the fish under your hole! it beats the undecided 300 to 600 bucks spent on a VEX or AQUA-VU if your money is tight!
sorry for being long winded...just my 2cents! 

[hwangler001(formerly icey)]

Start with a Vexilar FL18 before you spend on a camera, you won't be sorry. You may be sorry if you buy a cam first.

Icey

[IcePirate]

Start with a Vexilar FL18 before you spend on a camera, you won't be sorry. You may be sorry if you buy a cam first.

Icey

The fl18 isn't worth the extra money , just for a smaller degree cone angle and the zoom feature that you'll probably never use , get the fl8se for 279.99 , free shipping at Reeds Sporting Goods.com . Definitely worth the money if you can part with it , and very easy to use , its a plus on the ice for sure .

[samson]

thanks for all the tips.  i decided to go with the underwater cam from atlantis.  up here in toronto, canada, a bass pro shops just opened up and they're having a sale on some cameras that i just couldn't pass up.  plus i've always been curious about what lurks beneath the surface.  if i get some good shots from the camera i'll post it up for sure.

thanks

[roverowner]

I'd set get a vex first.  Also, I have the fl-18 and use the zoom most of the time.  Makes it easier to see the fish when they're really hugging the bottom.

I'd like to get an Aqua-Vu when I get some money burning a hole in my pocket, but with the vex sometimes you can be jigging on the bottom and see a school of whoppers some in higher up in the water column.  You might miss this with the Aqua-Vu if they come in above your camera.

RO

[jigginfireman]

Hello all,
I am not sure if everyone has seen that aqua vu has some new models out for the 04-05 season. There is a scout model that is available for 199.00. This an affordable camera for those of us on a budget. I use a aqua vu that I purchased last year. The camera is a great piece of equipment but would purchase a vexilar before getting a camera. The vexilar is more portable and has the ability to see the whole water column at one time. The camera is limited to the water clarity and depth that you want to fish. I like to down view when the fish are finicky. This give me the ability to read the fishes mood's. It is also fun for the kids to watch if you have them along. I have the ZT series. It tells me the water temp. I have heard tips that the fish will not feed as well in water under 32 degrees. If the water is above that they will feed more aggressively. I like my camera also for finding structure and which weeds are holding more fish. I fish mainly Panfish so weeds play a vital role. So my 2 cents worth. Check this link to see the latest aqua vu cameras. http://www.aqua-vu.com/av_scout.html

Take care and keep a tightline!!!!!

[samson]

well, i'm thinking about picking up the vex fl8se in the coming weeks...prices are too good to pass up.  damn spending more money on fishing, but it's all good, most equipment pays for itself within 2yrs anyway and the stuff never breaks.