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Missing the point...but in some ways I hear your spiel...not arguing what you say....just saying the technologies we use to catch fish is beyond what would be acceptable with other species...when is enough...???not disregarding anything you brought up.... you brought up things I got no issue with....there is an extreme beyond the logical that you stated....
Then what is your point? How is dropping a camera down a hole any different than screwing one to a tree? It’s 2020, real-time game cameras are a thing. Population to harvest ratios are also a thing. How many fish that are caught are harvested compared to how many mammals that are shot?... Population recovery is also a thing and it happens much quicker with most fish than it does with most mammals. Hence, why I can keep 25 bluegill every outing and only shoot one buck every 365 days. Because, they’re aren’t thousands of whitetail on my property and I highly doubt there is on yours either. I bet there’s a whole bunch of fish though. If you can’t find them, it’s probably due to you not having the means to do so.................... ..............
this winter pressure on our fisheries..is UNPRECIDENTED.....this aint minnesoda….
OP seems to have little experience with using cameras and electronics to me no offense intended, but honestly very rarely can you just drop a camera down a hole and start harvesting fish half the time the camera will spook the fish when it's free falling, on many occasions have I watched other guys out there jigging in front of there sonar, most the time I'm watching these guys walk off the ice with similar catch's or none at all, granted sonar seems to be alot more effective for targeting panfish,bass,walleye maybe than it is for trout which is the preferred gamefish in my state the more active trout are far more mobile around the lake, ive seen some guys kill it with sonar as well and they are usually Targeting panfish again, I would completely agree with the OP about social media, I've noticed that you watch any ice fishing YouTuber and they will straight out say YOU NEED A FLASHER TO ICEFISH (probably has alot more to do with sponsors)which I completely disagree with I've had a killer season so far all with no help from sonar, I do use a camera to scout structure though
I completely agree gunflint, I can see sonar being an effective tool for lake trout but the brookies and bows I'm usually Targeting they don't seem to be all that great, me personally I very rarely use my camera to jig literally only when I lug out the popup, I use mine like I said to scout structure maybe record a trap that's getting little action figure out why
technology is for those unskilled in the outdoor arts.