The two Aqua-Vu's side by side; my impression.

[RickTK]

I had a chance this weekend to compare the two Aqua view cameras. I bought the the Mc2x model with the red/green lights, while my friend purchased the Z series with the IR light. We fished in northern Illinois on a gravel pit during the day directly over a brush pile and on a natural lake at night for walleyes. The ice was opague, about a foot thick, and had a bit of snow cover. The water was about 15 to 20 ft deep and the sun was out most of the day. During the day no lights are needed from either camera, it's actually suprising how much light filters through the ice and snow making the use of a light feature irrelevant. We both easily saw crappies moving throughout the brush pile up to about 5 ft away. Some of the fish actually came up to the camera to investigate. I did turn on the red/green light to see what it would do. The light shined off the sides of the crappies making them appear more silvery. It didn't seem to spook them too much, but the light really wasn't needed anyway. In the evening we moved to another lake to try for walleyes along a weed edge. As the sun goes down the need for a light increases. The picture fades away with out a light on. With the camera's we were able to ascess the density of the weeds and therefore better able to set our tip-ups. I viewed a moderate size school of perch and had one swim up to the camera. It spooked away when I moved the camera. The red/green light on the Mc2x seems better able to penetrate the darkness underwater at night, however it does reflect more off the detritus and turbidity that is stirred up if the camera touches bottom or the when the camera is rotated and a vortex is created. The Ir model does not appear to reflect as much but it doesn't seem that you can see as far once the sediment has settled. A couple of things were brought to mind the few times I've used my camera; I wish it had a calibrated reel type system for the cable, a bit larger screen and field of vision,LED temp and even depth on the screen would be fabulous, it was also hard, at times, to tell in which direction the camera was facing. I think you're going to have to drill an extra hole just for the camera in an ice fishing situation and rig up some kind of stand to hold the camera cable. I can't wait to try this thing in the summer on my favorite waters. I think it's going to be a great educational tool. Personally I'm glad I bought the Mc2x vs the Ir, but if all your fishing is during the day I would probably buy the Ir model, however as the day turns to evening, the capability of the camera with out a light will diminish. If anyone is trying to decide between a vexilar or a camera I would certainly buy the vexilar first.

[AquaMan]

Wow, very nice post. Great comparison.

I have used an IR on Mille Lacs that we rented from Agate Bay. It was nice, but there were no fish to watch so it pretty much sucked. The bottom looked, ahhh, interesting. :-)

I know what you mean about a calibrated cable reel. It would speed up the setup and prevent bottom bouncing. We did that a couple of times and stirred things up pretty good. The line holder is another good idea. Since the camera is so heavy, it wanted to pull the monitor off the table. We ended up wrapping the cable a couple times around one of the dipper handles and laying the dipper across the hole. This effectively closed that hole to fishing.

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

[TJ]

Rick:

Great post. As far as "calibration," if you need to know the depth, try marking the cord by wrapping some colored plastic tape over it every 5 or 10 feet (depending upon your preference). You can write the depth on the tape with a fine point permanent marker (Sharpie). As you let out line, you'll know how deep the camera is.

[Ted Takasaki]

Great post! You were right on in your observations with the two different cameras. There is a stand available for the camera itself which allows the camera to sit up off of the bottom while viewing.

I have found similar results with my Aqua Vu cameras. There is no doubt that these cameras are tremendous educational tools to view the fish and their reaction to lures. I found that there are subtle differences to the different jigs. e.g. Genz Worm jigs had a subtle floating action relative to the Fat Boy, which drops quicker.

In addition, my wife and daughter were enthralled with the camera. When the fishing was slow or the fish were inactive, they really enjoyed watching the camera. It was like watching TV in our living room. It kept them entertained while I was switching presentations to get the fish to strike.

[Jeff Zernov, Inventor-Aqua-Vu]

Great post, thanks for the great testamonial on our product. There is a lot of discussion of particle reflection and underwater cameras. I've been working on the MC technology for three years and here is what we have learned. Most particle reflection is from plankton. In early ice the plankton is much more mobile in the water column, moving up and down to feed on light (photosynthsis). Once we get a low winter sun, and thick ice and snow cover, less light enters the water. Thus the plankton spends most of thier time near the surface. That's why we see lots of particle reflection in early ice and summer conditions and less reflection this time of year. A couple of first hand examples from the Brainerd Mn area this last weekend. I live on Clearwater Lake (thats why the name "Clearwater Classic" in my last company, Zercom Marine). At first ice I had maybe 3-feet of night visibility due to particle reflection, last weekend I had 9-feet plus, the particles are gone. Steve Fellegy was in this morning picking up a new MC for his guiding business. On Mille Lacs Steve has great night viewing up to 8-feet when at first ice it was only 3-feet.
As inventors of the product catagory of underwater cameras we are working very hard to advance and expand the technology. All the video add-on's mentioned are under development but we are much more secretive now days given all the product-ripoff's out there. Underwater viewing is here to stay and the technology will continue to expand at a very rapid rate.
Thanks for you support.
Jeff Zernov

[Peluso]

I got one for X-Mas and was able to use it once already this winter on the Missouri River. I have used them before in the summer but this would be the first time for me during the winter months. I was amazed at what I could see. As many of you know, the Missouri River is not the clearest of waters. I put the camera down while it was pitch black outside and could see very well! What a product for educational purposes. This past summer I borrowed one a bunch of times on Lake Sakakawea with great results. It helped me many times over to determine what I was seeing on my depth finders. I used it to compare and learn my electronics so when I am fishing a tournament, I will be able to make a better decisions on what I am marking. Believe me, it helps to know what a carp or sucker looks like compared to a walleye! Thank you Aqua-Vu! Good fishing and don't forget to shoot the puck. Mike Peluso #999

[Brad/nd]

Great info guys! I rented one for fishing perch and was amazed at what one can see & learn. I know the aqua jr. has the removable sheild, which I prefer for viewing in the fish house, along with others able to view at the same time, but do the new models have the removable shield? I think that would be an added benefit for some, along with some kind of arm that would hold the cable tight above the hole and could slowly rotate with some kind of arrow to know your directon. The depth markings, already mentioned, using tape is a good idea. It's a great tool and I'm sure there will be more improvements each year.

Take care,

Brad

[ristorapper(ND)]

Great Post fellas. My first experience out with the Aqua-Vu was a great learning lesson also. My son and I borrowed a friends camera to have a little fun with. We decided to head to a lake that would have a large population of fish so we wouldn't have to spend a lot of time searching first to get to use the camera. Sweetbriar dam was the choice and with the boat in tow away we ventured.

Needless to say I was more interested in getting the camera in the water than the boat so down to the dock we ran with the camera. We watched bluegill and large mouth bass as soon as we put the camera in the water so I rigged the son's rod up with a favorite crank for those bass. He exploded with excitement as soon as he connected!

Some time later we hit the water and enjoyed every minute of the trip; even when we snagged up on that thing that looked like a tree on the graph. Ok get the camera out to see how bad I'm snagged up. Oops almost got the camera snagged up on that big tree down there!!! anyway we sent the lure retriever down there, recovered the lure and we continued on to just hammer bass along the face of the dam. What an experience. Thanks Aqua-Vu BW(ND)

[RickTK]

I added a piece of wire about a foot long to the bottom of the camera, somewhat like a bottom bouncer, to hopefully help me feel the bottom before I stir it up too much.It may help some but the sediment is so light that it stirs up very easily. The friend I was fishing with rigged his camera so it pointed down. He kept the camera above his ice jig so that he had a view looking down on his jig. He could see crappies come to investigate his jig and could easily anticipate a strike. To rig the camera he simply used a piece of braided line tied through a hole in the camera's keel and then tied up around the cable, forcing the camera to point down. I used an old wood fold out tip-up to make a bracket. I added a couple of clips to hold the camera cable and could easily adjust the camera by a foot or two.

[Gunga Din]

Jeff,

Is there an upgrade procedure so I can upgrade my II IR camera to the newer MC camera?

Dennis@Climbing-Guides.com

[Red]

Jeff, is aqua-vu going to come out with a bigger screen? I sure hope so and I bet alot of other guys do too. Thanks Red

[wallytap]

Excellent review.I myself feel like a new mom,I"m out on the ice and all these people come up to me to see my "new baby" and so far I've had 3 people tell me they've went out and bought their own camera......seeing is believing!And I have the older big camera,I wonder if Aqua VU would start a trade in program?????Ya you bettcha.