Enhancements to Nature Vision’s Aqua-Vu underwater cameras should appeal to ice fishermen. The Direct-Tech feature indicates camera direction with an on-screen cursor, making it easier to locate lures or determine the direction of fish. Temp-Tech has a sensor on the camera and an on-screen display to indicate water temperature at any level of the water column. We don’t know for sure what effect water temperature has on fish beneath the ice, but perhaps this feature will enable us to find out. And finally, the Z-Mag viewing screen allows multiple anglers to simultaneously view camera images rather than pass the monitor back and forth.

These features make underwater cameras easier to use, but many ice fishermen still wonder if the cameras are worth the investment of money and time needed, first to purchase a unit and then use it on the ice. After three years of experience with various Aqua-Vu models and a few from other manufacturers, the consensus among In-Fisherman staff is that they wouldn’t hit the ice without one. At least most of the time.

“Watching how fish respond to my presentation is the most useful part of the viewing process,” In-Fisherman Staff Writer Jeff Simpson says. “Many anglers, for example, jig aggressively to call fish in then begin a more subtle routine to trigger a strike. With the camera, I can modify my jigging sequence until I find one that consistently excites the fish.

“I’m also amazed by how much I’ve learned about fish behavior,” Simpson adds. “I’ve always assumed that walleyes travel tight to the bottom during winter, so I fished the bottom foot or so of the water column. After using the camera, though, I know that some fish swim one to several feet above the bottom. These fish usually are easier to catch than the bottom huggers, so long as the lure’s at the right depth.

“Still, the ability to accurately gauge a fish’s mood is the greatest asset of underwater viewing systems,” Simpson says. “During a slow perch bite last winter, every other angler on the lake was downsizing baits and letting them lie almost motionless near the bottom to trigger a few lethargic fish. With a camera, I was able to watch how fish responded to a large flash lure jigged aggressively a few feet above the bottom. Catching a fish or two is one thing, but seeing the whole school respond breeds confidence.”

“That confidence, or rather the perspective that underwater cameras afford is the primary benefit of this technology,” says In-Fisherman Editor In Chief Doug Stange. “I’ve said before that after fishing the same series of humps on a popular walleye lake in central Minnesota for almost 20 years, I was surprised to learn after one session with an Aqua-Vu that these spots looked nothing like I’d imagined. Instead of rock and sand, I saw a mixture of shells and sand meeting softer marl.