Cabelas, Aquaview, & Fish Tv Faceoff

Under Water Camera Review 2012

Cabelas, Aqua-Vu, & Fish Tv Faceoff 

Cabelas 5.5 inch camera 
This camera has a great price point at 120.00, came with a great carry bag, and promise; however it came up short in performance. With the 12v battery, case, screen, and cable the camera was very heavy and large. Hard to lug around when an angler also has electronics, heater, shelter, minnows ect. The camera itself was hard to get in and out of a six inch hole. The biggest issue was the led lights broke on its first trip severely dampening its effectiveness. On the Pondboy score of a possible 5 hooks, this affordable option only gets one hook.


 Aqua-Vu Micro Av 
 I had extremely high hopes for this camera especially after shelling out 299.99. The small size was great for moving around since it fit in my pocket and small tackle bag.The small size became a problem when you want to sit it somewhere and watch it while you fish. It needs a stand or holder of some kind. The infrared lighting on this system rocks, you can see your jig at night. The small diameter of the cable I though would be a plus but lining up and maintaining a direction to watch your jig is a struggle. The line is on a cheap plastic spool that cracks very easily. The notch that hold the line does not do its job and the line falls off the spool often. The fact that it is rechargeable is a great asset. All cameras should be like phones and laptops. The color screen I thought would be a huge plus, funny thing there just is not that much color down there. My local lake just does not have the clown fish. Also for the price this system cannot record! My phone has that option and I paid less than half of this camera’s price. This camera scores 3 hooks on the Pondboy 5 hook scale. 


Fish Tv 
This camera is black and white and is shaped like a TV! The TV has a couple different models one with a video out to record and one without. All underwater cameras need to come with a 4gb drive and usb hookup. I cannot believe this is not a standard feature across the board with all cameras at a price the average angler can swing. The price point for this system was not bad at $135.00 it was smaller that the Cabelas camera and easier to carry and move around the shelter. The cool camera is disguised as fish and I had no issues getting it in and out of a six inch hole. It is powered by 10 c batteries. That’s around 10.00 bucks every time you replace them. But with the C’s the camera is not heavy. Some come with a 12v power cord if you choose to 86 the C’s. The camera was easier to control but it still took some effort. However aided by a camera compass (plastic disk) once your at the right depth, control was much easier. This camera comes with invisible infrared lighting as well which out shines the LEDs. I was able to record by using my camera to record the screen and still came up with some fun clips. This Camera gets 4 hooks on the Pondboy 5 hook scale! 


Fish TV is the Winner in this camera show down.

Ice Fishing Clinic with Pondboy

It was very early when the first Dupage Angler member Darkstar showed up at my house. With a hand shake and some laughs we went to the lake before the others to make sure the ice was safe. The winter of 2012 has been an interesting one for ice anglers. Drill, check, drill, check drill, and check, 4-5 inches everywhere, Fantastic. It did not take long for the others to check in, SteeliePete, Wacky Bass, Fluke, M Wolf, and Brimreaper. I bring them to a lake I know very well. The wind was whipping and cold. We started drilling and checking electronics while others get to fishing. Mwolf came up big with the first fish and his first ice bass!!! Blue bird skies as pretty as they are always seem to have an adverse reaction on the bite. A few small gills are found some caught and some missed. The lack of fish was NOT a result of not looking and fishing. As we decide to try another location we pulled away and gazed at the swiss cheese we had created. At the second location Brim nails a very nice crappie right on the first drop! Everyone who went to the second spot caught fish but had to work for them. This location has been one of my favorites but the bite was slow here as well. Everyone had figured out how to catch fish here and I was really happy about that. Darkstar and I figure that we would give it one more try and head to a third location for some night fishing. Darkstar has an aqua view micro and took some time to dial it in. We managed to catch a few more gills and a bass, but like the other locations the bite was slow. We watched helplessly as schools of gills swim by and do not bite. Tired and arms ready to fall off we pack up and head for home happy filled with new memories, friends, and some new fishing skills. I want to thank everyone who attended and braved the weather, wind, cold, and tough bite. I had a great time and look forward to the next angling adventure. For the rest of the photos click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fisherbyrne/sets/72157629076410563/

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: I got off cheap

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: I got off cheap: I got off cheap. For less than what I spent last summer on a 7' carbon-fiber rod and baitcast reel I got enough gear to cut a hole in the ...

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012

Darkstar72's Fishing Blog: First time fishing in 2012: It was less than 20 degrees.  It was early. I arrived at my friend Pondboy 's house at 7AM.  Today, the 21st of January 2012 I took my fir...

Gone fishing video

River Grubs make for a Fall Lake Surprise

Darkstar and I meet up and river fish when we can. He had received some info from Ken G on a grub he likes to throw. I have a whole box of “walleye grubs” from years past from fishing Canada and the fox for fall walleyes and I always carry some in with me when I hit a river. But Darkstar told me that these grubs seem to produce more and was nice enough to give me a handful to try. I was tired today fighting off some virus and my little guy is sick.(anytime my kids are sick I am a nervous wreck) Anyway I decide to make a few casts at the lake I live across from. Do to a lot of poaching I have not had the success I used to have in an hour outing 1-4 fish makes me pretty happy and gone are the days of many decent fish. I went out to clear my head not really with any fishing plan. I grabbed a walleye rod that still had this grub that Darkstar had on it and a pair of pliers that’s it. In one hour of fishing this Producto spring grub in Pearl-White I had landed 8 fish and missed 3 ranging from 9 – 18 inches! I am sure I would have cleaned up more had I not run out of light! Now I have grubs for large mouth but they are bigger I usually go with a Kalins Grub or something like it www.basspro.com/Kalin-s-Lunker-Grubs/pro...ite=productname_link I also fish smaller versions for crappie. But the walleye grub I use for just that or smallies never used one for Largemouth before. Had I not had a headache and been to last to grab and rig rods I would not of thrown the spring grub. www.productolure.com/proddetail.php?prod=GR3100 The grub itself is affordable and the spring design makes for smooth movement and holds a hook well. It is also durable I used the same grub the whole time. The jig head is different as well. Ken did his home work. The jig is sold at Cabelas The hook is larger, stronger and has a wider gap and I was able to pull it form snags easily. SIZE:1/16 OZ-SIZE 1/0STYLE:BARBED COLLAR The only down side is the hook sometimes impales the tail but it takes a second to fix it. The longer length on the shaft makes tail biters get caught as well www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?prod...n=/user/wishlist.jsp Find the 1/16 oz jig with the hook size 1/0. They have a page with all their round jig heads and it was a little confusing. Of course since I was lazy I did not have my phone or camera. (sorry guys) This grub not only will be replacing my current walleye and small mouth grubs it will be part of my Largemouth line-up as well. Thanks Darkstar and Ken G for improving one of my presentations.