Underwater camera

[johnr]

My youngest has saved up about $600, and thinks he wants a camera, rather than a Vexlar. I have never owned one, but want him to get what he wants with his hard saved cash. We looked at Runnings tonight, after shooting a couple rare western ND roosters, and found a Vexilar brand for around $300, the marcums were double that.
For you guys that use these, what can you recommend for a kid on a budget, that will be his first major ice fishing purchase.

 

[DirtyMike]

If you’re fishing clear water, only a camera will be great. If I were you, I’d chip in the difference for a marcum lx9 (camera and sonar). Or have him buy a marcum recon (recon+ allows you to record I believe) for around $300 and pick up a used FL 18.

 

[dschaible]

Vex, you can watch fish videos on youtube.

 

[hoytslayer]

try your hardest to talk him into the flasher. camera doesn't give you depth

 

[raider]

cameras in western nodak r junk... if the water is cloudy at all, all you will see i sediment rolling by at 4" away...

 

[Captain Ahab]

If you’re fishing clear water, only a camera will be great. If I were you, I’d chip in the difference for a marcum lx9 (camera and sonar). Or have him buy a marcum recon (recon+ allows you to record I believe) for around $300 and pick up a used FL 18.

This

 

[Skeeter]

If you wear the assless chaps and hat in Vegas I’ll buy your son a vex, underwater camera, and new strikmaster 40 volt

 

[espringers]

Yep save your money. Flasher or sonar is necessary. Cameras are a luxury that are useless at least 50 % of the time.

 

[Captain Ahab]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VEXILAR-SC...250823?hash=item364144a187:g:dv4AAOSwsO5b~YuY

 

[walleyeman_1875]

I agree. Cameras suck in anything but clear water which we don’t have in western/central ND.

If you do get a camera, stay away from AquaVu. Terrible battery life and terrible customer service from AquaVu. I returned mine to scheels.

 

[guywhofishes]

Agreed about AquaVu. Returned one last winter. Worked at home. Didn’t work on the ice. Thanks AquaVu!

Their quality is not what it was back in the day.

- - - Updated - - -

And sonar all day long vs camera. Cameras are enhancements- sounders are primary gear.

 

[Mgx2400]

Love my Marcum camera when I can use it. There are lakes around here that you can use it on. I'm not sure though, when it gets dark if it spooks the fish or not once you turn the light on. I've been putting it away once night sets in. Sonar is probably more practical for lure depth and night time.

 

[johnr]

We fish up at skunk bay on lake Sakakawea, and sometimes Patterson lake here in Dickinson. He is so excited to use a camera that I don’t know if I can talk him out of it. I have a Vex 18 I have used for yrs, but agree I would rather he went this route, but maybe a combo like ahab posted would be the ticket

 

[Lungdeflator]

For 600$, get the camera and then you should be able to find a lower end flasher like an ICE-35 for under 300$. Get both. I've had an ICE-35 for 5-6 years now and it works just fine.

If he doesn't mind buying used, watch the classifieds or bisman. Some good deals out there. I do agree, the flasher is essential equipment while the camera is more of a luxury item. However, the camera is awesome if the water is clear. A couple years ago, I literally spent all day and drilled hundreds of holes out on douglas bay and just scouted with the camera. Found multiple "spot on the spot", rock piles on one specific side of a hump and spots like that.

 

[Tikka280ai]

I have a vexilar fishphone which can be had for about 200 bucks in i remember correctly. I use an old cell phone that i had sitting in a drawer as my main screen but have used an iPad while in a permanent house. I agree with everybody else that a flasher is primary and a camera secondary. With 600 bucks i would get a fishphone camera and look for a used fl18 or 20

 

[DirtyMike]

https://www.reedssports.com/marcum/marcum-recon-5-underwater-viewing-sys-274025

 

[Fisherman25]

Anyone else have an aqua vu camera and have a hard time seeing the screen because it looks like a big bright spot in the middle? I played with the settings but so far with no success.

 

[guywhofishes]

AquaVu is too busy making other equipment to focus on quality camera systems

:::

 

[AR-15]

I've got the AquaVu Micro, to me it's just fine, except the Northern's get ruff with the Camera had to buy a new Camera

 

[Kurtr]

Cameras around here are cool in concept but suck in reality