AquaView Fish Finder

[Fishcube138]

I was thinking about getting one of these Fish Finder deals, I was just wondering if anyone has any useful information about them to help me out. I was looking that the Ice fishing specific model with the 3D crappie camera that faces down. Are they any good?

[salmonslammer]

Welcome to the site cubit!!!

I'm not familiar with this model, does the camera see from the top down?? Kindda like looking down the hole?? Gotta link??

You might want to do a search on the site....I know it was covered pretty well last year. I think that I am going to get one of the $100 B/W cameras that Harbor frieght has... Like I need a new toy. :rolleyes:

[Fishcube138]

the model similiar to it, i can't seem to find the link with the down facing camera, but i saw it today at Gander Mountain. yea the camera actually faces downward. I've been hearing though, that the lighting on these cameras are bad and almost uselees aat night or in cloudy water.

http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml?id=0029142017177a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=aquaview&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jhtml.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=aquaview&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jhtml

[neil duffey]

I've been hearing though, that the lighting on these cameras are bad and almost uselees aat night or in cloudy water.[/url]
i cant see in the dark or in thick fog... and iv yet to see a underwater camera that can see through thick/cloudy water... i do know there are some camera's w/ a light on it, but that doesnt much make a diffrence. :confused: when night fishing on the ice i use one of those night time crappie attracting lights... like this http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jhtml?id=0002035010277a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=fish+light&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jhtml.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matc drill a hole next to my fishing hole about 3 inchs to the side(enough to fit in the same shanty opening in my dlx 3000) and i let her sit there... gives me plenty of light to see all the action goin on in my fishin hole, and should be plenty for ur cameras to work at night as well... if not, add a second one! there only 12 bux :D good luc to ya buddy! consider the harbor frieght camera, before its too late. :yikes: thats too good of a price to pass up!

[Fishcube138]

basically this harbor freight camera is going to get me about the same results that any underwater camera is going to get? that light is a good idea by the way. do you like the big spotlight or the submersible one?

[neil duffey]

i use the float on top its like 26000 candle power... but im fishing off brandonburg park most of the time and it doesnt go deeper than maybe 6 or 7 ft so i dont need alot of light... if ur fishin deeper... why nopt try the other... i unfortunatly cant offer up a review of said method of submersable lights as i havent done so ;) the float light its perfect for shallower conditions. as far as the camera... id say yes. mainly the 500 dollar cameras, ur paying for all the bells and whistles along w/ the camera package... but on some u do get the little led lights and such. but for us full time college students w/ bills upon bills, well lets just say we cling to deals like white on rice :p

[slowpoke]

I have a AqueView camera and I don't used the light much. If the water is dirty the light will not help. I like to use mine in clear water like LSC. You get what you pay for. Good luck.

[hardwaterfan]

i only ever had good luck with cameras in clear water.

the lights just light up all the microorganisms and its like driving in a blizzard with your high beams on.

cameras are cool in clear or somewhat clear water. you mention "fish finder" camera...are you sure you dont want something like a vex or marcum type flasher....

im not trying to sway you one way or another..cameras and flashers are both cool tools.....but vexes are better "all around" fish finders because you see more of the water column and they work well in any clarity of water....and they work the same whether its day or night.

good luck with whatever you decide.

which lake(s) will you be using it in? maybe someone here can tell you if that lake would be good for a camera.

[Fishcube138]

for all the info. I do most of my ice fishing on Lake St. Clair which isn't the clearest of lakes. I think I'll give the Harbr Freight one a try and if it doesn't work out or I don't like it I'm not out 4-500 bucks. You mention the Vexilar, whats a decent model thats not too outrageously priced?....because as stated, we freshly out of college students don't have much cash either. ;)

[hardwaterfan]

well, for me, the kind of fishing i do, (shallow water, usually never deeper than about 30') is a vexilar FL-8SE pro pack with a 19 deg. transducer.

it will set you back exactly $300 and its almost the cheapest vex set up you can buy. ($280 is the cheapest vex set up money can buy)

there is basically only one other kind of vex. called the FL-18. It has a feature called "zoom" mode, which a lot of guys really like and the 18 has a couple other features. its $100 more to go to an 18. it doesnt make sense to me to get an 18 unless you will be fishing in deep water and want a magnified view of the bottom 6' of the water column. (for walleyes and perch)

www.vexilar.com

the site has a lot of good articles, before (if) you buy one please read through some of them.

especially this one:

http://www.vexilar.com/help/tips/tip013.html

and before (if) you buy one id suggest that you find someone who has one and borrow it or see if there is anyone out on the ice using one and ask for a quick demonstration. im sure lots of guys on lsc use them.

i dont want to sell you on something and then have you regret it....but a lot of ice fishermen swear by their vexes. then again a lot of them swear by their cameras.

again, i hate it when someone tries to get me to buy something other than what i had originally intended. i wouldnt do that, only trying to show you some options.

WHATEVER you get, good luck with it and good fishing! ;)

[Ed Michrina]

I'd love to have the camera for a toy, but I also fish LSC most of the time. If I need to look for fish, I look through the hole form inside my shanty. If I do get a new toy It's going to be a vex. They would be a big help Walleye fishing at night and when the water is stained. It sounds like the camera can't do either of those well.

[JJ Mac]

I have the aqua vu ice pro that I think you are referring to. The down viewing camera is nice, but I wish it had the ability to do side viewing as well. Other models have the ability to do both. That new 4-way and down viewing camera looks to have the best of all worlds.

The camera is cool and I've used it for many applications. But if I could trade it in for full value on an fl-18 vexilar, I would do it in a heartbeat. It would be great to have both, but if I could have just one, I'd opt for the flasher.

[slowpoke]

I have use my camera in the Sag. river, Houghton lake, Higgens and ect. It's nice to see what the vex is telling me. I sometimes don't take my camera but will always take my vex. I think you should save up your money and get a Vexilar fl18. You wont be sorry. I also think you should get someone to show you there's in operation. I will be glad to if you are around when i'm out on the ice.

[suckerbass]

I never tryed a light like that. Does it spook the fish? I just might get me one. Thanks.
Mike

[Zakker]

I had the MC model with the green and red lights. I had the camera in my 8 year old son's hole (to keep him entertained) and the vex in mine. We sat approxiimately 6-8 ft apart (two different outings) and I started to outfish him on the order of 10:1. UNTIL, he "demanded" I get the camera out of his hole and let him play with the Vex. Then the tables turned full circle - both times almost immediately. From then on, we joked about having to flip a coin for the Vex. Guess who always lost......dad is fishing "blind" everytime out, and getting beat pretty hard by the kid (just the way I like it tho). The cam stayed home after that as I got tired on monkeying with it. I even tried talking the boss into another vex and she about flipped a wig!

Anyway, on a serious side, I called Aqua Vu after that and told them the outcome. That along with getting outfished or no hits walleye fishing I asked if the lights could scare the fish. The customer service rep said, well.....it could happen with some panfish. When fishing for walleye, with the lights on, the fish would (in there testing) definately hang on the perimeter of the light source i.e. shy away from the light. Makes sense as walleyes are light sensitive. Well I thanked them for being honest away. I sold mine. Now they are offering blue and red lighting so maybe they are learning in their research as well. Seems like a pretty good company and I will keep my eyes open for their new products to be proven, then take the leap again.......

[Ed Stringer]

Good point slowpoke thats about the only time I use my camera is to tell me whats down there not hitting my jig, cuz the vex. she has no eyes senor. I'd get the FL-8 for LSC and the FL-18 for deep water. The vex. is much easier on the back, no stairing down the hole.

[Z202]

Do the cameras you are talking about, actually have a light, or L.E.Ds? I can see a "Light" affecting them. I haven't used mine for walleye, but for perch fishing during the day, the infra-red LEDs don't seem to affect the perch. They swim on by and are looking at the minnow and jig. Nothing like a TV screen to keep kids entertained. And you can see the "soft" hits that you might otherwise miss. I had a pan fish during the day, come up and actually tap the lense to see what it is.

If the water is Pea-soup, yes, neither regular light or infra-red will shine through. So for example like fog, when the light hits a particle, it gets scattered. So your limitation with the camera will be the same as (or just under) the normal visibility. If you can see your lure for only 5 ft as you lower it in the water, then the camera will have a max visibility or 5ft in any direction.

Normally the red and green LEDs come with the "color" camera. Color = extra bucks.

This is just a bit of info I have. There are more people out there that fish alot more with cameras than I do. Hope it helps some. But like was said in one post. I do like to know if the blip on the fish finder is a walleye or a sheephead.

[Tin Can]

OK Ed when does it stop, new 4 wheeler for Ice fishing , and now maybe a Vex for a new toy,

My Sister treats you well, if we were in Kentucky I would have married her my self. :lol: :lol: :lol: :confused:

Tin Can

[DuckMan]

I don't own a camera, but I've been out with someone who does have a camera. On LSC last year we were watching the monitor and I don't know why, but he decided to turn on the light. When the light came on, there was a fish right in front of the camera that we couldn't see. Turn it off, fish gone. Turn it on, fish is there. That is great camoflauge. So in my experience, the light does have some use.

I am leaning towards getting one of those Harbor frieght cameras but I wish it had a light. I've seen the results of a camera. Yes, a Vex gives you more flexibility, but a camera at least shows you reactions to the bait. As well as entertainment. :) I like being able to watch the fish reactions to the bait and jigging methods.

Time for me to start a new thread on Harbor frieght cameras.........