What do you HATE about your aqua view (underwater camera)

[duketter]

I am debating on an underwater camera.  I know all the positives of it, but what do you hate about yours?  Also, list what brand you have please.

I usually like to fish for walleyes around the evening/dusk time and into the night or very early mornings.  If I remember correctly, these don't work when it is dark out so when I am fishing at night the screen will be black and I can't use it anyways?

I was looking at getting the aqua view scout for $199.  I already have a marcum lx-3 so don't need a sonar.

Thanks everyone!

[Bean]

I usually like to fish for walleyes around the evening/dusk time and into the night or very early mornings.  If I remember correctly, these don't work when it is dark out so when I am fishing at night the screen will be black and I can't use it anyways?

If you get the vu's with the spectral response lighting, they are designed for just this purpose.  They work great for crappies when it's dark.

[jonesy74]

I have the DT60.(it tells you water temp, depth, direction of camera) The biggest drawback I noticed is that if you have to use the light you will not be able to see very far. The small particles in the water reflect and show up vividly. also if you notice a fish go past on the edge of your screen and you want to get a better look at it, it is very hard to get the camera turned. All in all though I like it.

[PIKEGUY]

Keeping it pointed in one direction and at the same depth!! That, and the cord in the way when you reel a fish in. 

[duketter]

I really only wanted to spend the $200 on the aqua vu scout.  Didn't want to spend more than that on an underwater camera.  Maybe should have mentioned that.  I will however take a look at the cameras with the spectral response lighting and see price difference and if I should either do that or none at all I guess.

Anyone have the aqua vu scout and use it during dusk/dawn when the sun is either going up or down?  Just curious if they work then also or just during the daylight hours.

Thanks again everyone, I just don't want to spend the $200 on it and can only use it half the time I am out there. 

[big big rdg]

One thing i dislike about the aqua-vu is that it is sometimes hard to line it up with your jig and to keep it in place. I bought the pod for i think $20 and it broke the first time out. Most of the time i just use it to "scout" the bottom and then flip it and use it to downview.

[bigredonice]

I hate the fact that it weighs however much it weighs, and thats really not an issue, so...

[fishingking]

yeah it does weight alot i dont like the fact that when i use it and get it all set up that i ussually sit there and watch the fish come in weather they are biting or not

pretty much it makes me catch less fish

[trapperdirk]

yeah it does weight alot i dont like the fact that when i use it and get it all set up that i ussually sit there and watch the fish come in weather they are biting or not

pretty much it makes me catch less fish

Maybe you should send it to duketter then and you will catch more fish and he will be able to watch some fish stealing his bait . lol Both happy folks .

                            TD

[duketter]

Trapper...excellent idea!  ha ha ha

I actually went out and bought one last night.  I think it will be a good purchase after hearing all the reviews (good and bad).  I didn't realize you could downview with these (aqua vu scout) till I was at the store.  I can't wait to watch all the fish that won't take my bait.   

[Waubay Fisher]

Maybe you should send it to duketter then and you will catch more fish and he will be able to watch some fish stealing his bait . lol Both happy folks .

                            TD

Another excellent suggestion by one of our fine mods!!! 

I would've said send it to me, but I just bout one a few weeks ago 

[icejunky]

Duketter...Nice idea for a post. Im looking to buy a Agua-vu this weekend and we always talk about the perks but not much about the downfalls...There are some things here that I did not know, so I can take a closer look at the differnt models while at the BPS this weekend

[Lobes]

The ONLY thing I hate about mine is here in Michigan the ice fishing season is normally a short one and I can't use it often enough. Even though you can use them for just about all fishing, they are the most fun on the ice. I'm thinking real hard about a job opportunity in St. Cloud, Minnesota so I can do some hard core ice fishing.

[Hardguy]

I have the DT60.(it tells you water temp, depth, direction of camera) The biggest drawback I noticed is that if you have to use the light you will not be able to see very far. The small particles in the water reflect and show up vividly. also if you notice a fish go past on the edge of your screen and you want to get a better look at it, it is very hard to get the camera turned. All in all though I like it.

Jonesy, I am considering the DT 60. I am also looking at the scout SRT. Is the DT screen large enough for two to  view and can you see yours a few feet away? I also wander about direction. If you can only see 5 feet or so is direction that important? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Chuck

[ajayshanty]

I find it hard to keep the camera focused on my jig. As soon as i get it right in sight the camera tends to move. However i think im going to rig something up to keep it in place

[jonesy74]

Jonesy, I am considering the DT 60. I am also looking at the scout SRT. Is the DT screen large enough for two to  view and can you see yours a few feet away? I also wander about direction. If you can only see 5 feet or so is direction that important? Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks
Chuck

The screen is small. If you were using it without the sunshield 2 people should be able to view it okay as long as it was inbetween the 2 of you. If you are not in your shanty you will have to use the sunscreen.
I can see whats going on in the screen good from several feet away(I'm fairly young and still have good eyesight)
as far as the directional arrow, that is my favorite feature. It makes life alot easier when trying to find your jig, lure etc
Where do you live? Im always wanting to try out new lakes and see new places. If its within a few hours of western PA. Ill go fishing with you and let you try it out for a day.

[Hardguy]

I am 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh. I can be on Morraine in a little over an hour.
I was thinking the DT would be good if you were drilling holes and doing a quick check. The Scout would probably be to big for that. Once in the shanty the scout would probably be best. Do you agree??
Would you buy the DT now that you used it?

Thanks
Chuck

[jonesy74]

I am 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh. I can be on Morraine in a little over an hour.
I was thinking the DT would be good if you were drilling holes and doing a quick check. The Scout would probably be to big for that. Once in the shanty the scout would probably be best. Do you agree??
Would you buy the DT now that you used it?

Thanks
Chuck

Im not familiar with the scout at all.
I fish Moraine weekly, anytime you want to check out the camera let me know

[gulp]

For those of you that are having problems keeping your camera pointed at your jig try this. Take a bucket lid and cut a slot from one edge to the center just big enough to let the cable slide through. Drill a hole about 8" from the hole you are fishing and place the camera into this hole.let it go down to the bottom. Now put a spring clamp on the cable on top of the lid. Lift the cable so the spring clamp is about a foot up in the air. Hold the cable there and move the clamp down to the lid.
Your camera is now a foot off the bottom and you should still be able to see the bottom in the viewer.Next drop you fishing line with weight on hook to bottom and lift about 8" or so. Start moving the clamp on the bucket lid around untill you see your jig. The clamp will act like a pointer and even if you move it to look around you can come back to see your jig. Hope this will help.

[goneballistic]

I have an aqua-vu SV series (direction indicator and temp)

I HATE trying to keep it pointed in the right direction under water.  I quit using it horizonal and downview mostly now.  I did buy the little tripod thing but first trip dropped the little rubber stopper in the drink.

I HATE unwrapping cord off the thing, you have to unwrap it around the whole screen and base unit.  There has GOT to be a better way of cable management. I saw one of those aquavus on the reel at cabelas bargain cave but didn't buy it and now it's gone :-(    I am looking at buying one of those power cable reels they make with the multiple outlets and stripping the power cable off and mounting the screen in the middle but it's theoretical at best.

I HATE the SR lighting - totally useless.  It just lights up a big snowstorm of little wiggly dudes.  Can't see three feet.  Of course I am only fishing under the ice in the daytime so that might be why.  But I feel it's useless.  I wish they would forget the SR lighting and spend some money on a decent camera outfit. These seem to be the crappiest cameras on earth in a very expensive housing.  For four hundred and fifty bucks I think they could have provided a higher quality camera.

That's about it,  the rest of it I love.  I love being able to see the fish as they bite. It's more useful to me than my vexilar Fl18 but I am new to it and maybe after some practice I will like that more but I use the camera and the vex in the same hole and I watch both of them and when I see a fish on screen, I see nothing on the vex but the same thin green line with some red. Maybe cause they come in from the side at the same altitude it doesn't mark.

I like being able to see the bottom and seeing the crawdads and rocks and structure. I usually drill a hole,  drop the camera and spin it till I see structure,  because of the direction arrow I can tell what way it is (that's a SUPER feature, it would be less than half as useful without it)  and then I go drill holes over the rocks or weeds or whatever I saw.  Seems like it works great.


Overall if I had to chose I'd take the AV over the Vex right now,  and it has it's quirks but it's SUPER fun  seeing the fish take.  My kids LOVE it.  The first time I went with my 11 and 8 year olds they lasted ten minutes.  now with the camera, hut and vex they are begging to go fishing every chance they get.  That's worth every penny.

Thanks to my awesome wife for getting me all this stuff too :-)

[fishincrazy]

That i don't have a tri-pod for it because all the dam stores are out of stock on it.

[baginwal]

I dislike the "bulk of it" (awkward and heavy).  Also, whenever we take it out, we always make sure it is sitting in a 5 gallon bucket, with the connections disconnected as to protect it somewhat from damage.  Speaking about the connectors, they are plastic (on the Scout).  I would have rather paid abit more and gotten better quality connectors.

I contacted Aqua Vu last year and asked if there were any plans to produce some type of "hard box carrying case for the Scout).  The answer was No.

I like my Scout alot and to date, have not experienced any negative issues with it.

[duketter]

baginwal -- I have an aqua vu carrying case for my aqua vu scout.  Works great.  It holds the camera and the ice pod (the cheap plastic one, not motorized) all in the same hard black case.  The case is made by aqua vu.  It works great.

I have used the camera now a couple times and the one thing I hate about it is the cord.  You have to wrap that thing around and around the base.  Don't really like that but it works I guess. 

Otherwise the camera works great!!!!! 

[Pike an Eyes]

I contacted Aqua Vu last year and asked if there were any plans to produce some type of "hard box carrying case for the Scout).  The answer was No.

http://www.aquavu.com/accessories.html

Scroll to the bottom of the page both soft & hard case's
but I'm not sure if your scout will fit 

[baginwal]

http://www.aquavu.com/accessories.html

Scroll to the bottom of the page both soft & hard case's
but I'm not sure if your scout will fit 

Pike:  Thanks for the info.  I had checked those out previously and unfortunately, none of them fit the scout.  They were actually designed for Aqua Vu's other models.

Duketter:  Are you sure your Scout case is made by Aqua vu?  There is no such item listed on their website or any other I have visited, that sells Aqua Vu products.  Please let me know as I would be very interested in picking one up....Thanks.

[duketter]

Baginwal - Yep, I am positive.  It even says aqua vu right on the case.  If you look at that website (http://www.aquavu.com/accessories.html) and scroll to the bottom you will see the hard case.  That is exactly what I have.  I know it doesn't mention the Scout on the description, but I went to my local sporting goods store and they had one.  I asked the salesman cause I was skeptical and he said, "yep, the scout fits."  So I took it home and tried it out.  Fits right in there.  Camera, tri-pod in the plastic case, instruction book all fits in there.

I have the hard case, not the soft case.  No idea if the soft case would work.

[baginwal]

Baginwal - Yep, I am positive.  It even says aqua vu right on the case.  If you look at that website (http://www.aquavu.com/accessories.html) and scroll to the bottom you will see the hard case.  That is exactly what I have.  I know it doesn't mention the Scout on the description, but I went to my local sporting goods store and they had one.  I asked the salesman cause I was skeptical and he said, "yep, the scout fits."  So I took it home and tried it out.  Fits right in there.  Camera, tri-pod in the plastic case, instruction book all fits in there.

I have the hard case, not the soft case.  No idea if the soft case would work.

Duke:  Thanks!  This is great news.

 Is it padded inside? 

I can't believe when I contacted Aqua Vu last year, they did not suggest it.  Another reason that ........Ice Shanty Members Rule!!

[duketter]

No problem.  Do you have the regular scout 5" screen or the scout xl with 7" screen?  I just have the regular 5" screen scout.  So the 7" Scout XL may not fit.

It is NOT padded inside.  Just basically a black plastic case. 

[duketter]

There may be room for a very thin layer of padding...be pretty tight though.  Not sure if you would need it.  The aqua vu scout tv is basically in its own protective pouch.  Granted it isn't much, but it fits in the case pretty good and it doesn't move around much once you put it in.

I have looked at the marcum cameras for their cord set up and they basically have a separate spool for the cable cord, from what I can tell from the box of them.  May be easier, but I agree....I wish there was a better invention for the cable.  Unwrapping and wrapping can be a pain, especially when moving between fish holes.

Also is it just me or is the positive and negative battery cables sometimes a pain in the @ss to get on.  My fingers don't seem to fit there.  Maybe I just got fat fingers!   

[duketter]

baginwal - Did you end up getting this case?  Did it work out for you?