Two Top Fish Finders Join Forces

Crosslake, MN. (March 6, 2017) – Living upon the shores of Lake of the Woods, Ontario—one of the finest fishing lakes  on Earth— few anglers understand the fish-finding game like Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson. Now in his sixth season on the national FLW Tour, Gustafson recently reconnected with Aqua-Vu, the industry leader in underwater camera systems.

“I bought one of the early Aqua-Vu cameras in 2000,” recalls Gustafson. “Used it nearly non-stop to help form a mental picture of my favorite spots on Lake of the Woods and other local waters.”

Seventeen years later, just in time for the FLW Tour event on Lake Travis, Texas, Gussy deployed the new Aqua-Vu HD700i, turning a challenging tournament into a solid 13^th place finish, which positioned him in the top 5 in the Angler of the Year standings.

“When the bite turned tough in prefishing, I shifted my focus to deep water,” said Gustafson. “The Aqua-Vu HD unit verified whether or not the fish I was marking on electronics were bass. That proved a big time saver, because a lot of the fish were the wrong species, but looked like bass on sonar. The camera also showed me that (no comma, thus “which” was replaced with “that”) docks and brush piles held bass and which ones didn’t.”

Gustafson also expressed surprise in the performance of the high-definition camera optics. “I’m super impressed by how far this technology has come. The screen is as bright, clear and colorful as my sonar. You can see fish, vegetation and bottom structure even in bright daylight. It’s a tool that will really help me prepare for tournaments. And I can’t wait to use it back home while ice fishing walleyes, pike and crappies or chasing smallies on Rainy or Lake of the Woods.”

A rising star in professional bass fishing, Gussy remains one of the only Canadian anglers to fish the FLW Tour. The truth, however, is that the Keewatin, Ontario based angler and fishing and hunting guide has been winning big bass events for years. Among Gustafson’s achievements are 1^st place finishes at the prestigious Kenora Bass Invitational (KBI) in 2000 and 2008 and International Falls Bass Championship in 2005, 2010 and 2011. Gussy also won the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship in 2013.

In his so-called off-season, Gustafson guides ice anglers to big Ontario walleyes, crappie, lake trout and pike. He’s also a renowned hunting guide, putting clients on Northwest Ontario’s giant whitetails, plus timber wolves from January to March.

“On the ice, an Aqua-Vu has always been invaluable for finding and verifying fish and watching how they react to our lures. The camera helps us catch a lot more big walleyes, pike and crappies.”

Ben Gibbs, president of Aqua-Vu parent company Outdoors Insight, Inc., says Gustafson’s positive, winning attitude and sense of discovery make him the perfect promoter and pro-staffer. “Gussy’s reputation as one of North America’s top bass anglers is exceeded only by his character. He’s both a great fisherman and a terrific person. We look forward to Jeff’s keen ideas and perspectives as we further expand and engineer underwater viewing products for bass, ice and all types of fresh- and saltwater fishing.”

“As I travel the United States and Canada fishing bass, it’s amazing how many lakes and reservoirs get clearer and clearer each season—whether due to mussels or other environmental factors,” observes Gustafson. “For anglers looking for a fish-finding edge, an Aqua-Vu has become an amazingly valuable tool.”

About Aqua-Vu

The Original Underwater Viewing System, Aqua-Vu is manufactured by Outdoors Insight, Inc., and has led the underwater camera category in design, innovation and quality since 1997. They were also the first with on-screen displays of water temp, depth and camera direction, LCD monitor, IR and LED light systems, DVRs and now Digital Zoom. The Central Minnesota based company builds other popular outdoors products as well, such as the iBall Trailer Hitch Camera (iballhitchcam.com) and Odor Check Moisture and Odor Control System (odorcheck.com). For more information on Aqua-Vu, visit www.aquavu.com.

 

 

Anglers say underwater scouting keyed victory at Canadian Bass Open

By Ted Pilgrim

Anyone who’s fished North America’s big bass lakes in recent seasons has seen the signs: Clearing waters. Schools of trophy smallmouths shifting deeper and deeper. Tournament game plans evolving to spot-lock, sweet-spot fests—anglers mining small, specific sections of underwater real estate.

At the recent Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Mille Lacs, Minnesota—an increasingly clear mega smalljaw water—individual boulder piles in relatively deep water produced prodigious sacks of bronze bass.

Not two weeks later, at the Berkley B1 Canadian Bass Open— Canada’s premiere fishing event—Ryan Flaro and Scott Lefebvre walked away with a big victory, once again extracting big smallmouths from deep structure.

Flaro, a walleye guide by trade, has been on a roll this year, winning an FLW Pro Bass 150 event and several other tournaments around Lake St. Francis, Ontario, which forms a portion of the St. Lawrence River. Following his team’s win at the B1 Bass Open—and countless regional wins spanning several years— Flaro finally decided to divulge the secret to his fish-finding success.

“I don’t use sonar like most anglers,” Flaro admitted. “When I’m searching for fish, I use an Aqua-Vu underwater camera one-hundred percent of the time. The only thing I use my graph for is following depth contours and structure on the digital lake map. When I find an important school of fish with the camera, I drop a waypoint.

“It is absolutely the best way to locate and know you’re on tournament-winning schools of bass. A week before the Bass Open, I spent all my prefish time scouting with the Aqua-Vu. We never even fished before the tournament started. On the final prefish day, I checked on my fish with a quick drop of the camera and then headed right back to the ramp.”

Pre-tournament camera work helped Flaro and Lefebvre narrow down their strategy to five or six key spots—choice rock piles and current breaks in 20 to 40 feet of water.

“The camera gave us the confidence to park on our spots, knowing we had big bass below us. We’d spot-lock in place with the Minn Kota, and put green-goby pattern tubes and dropshot rigs in the strike zone. Every 30 to 40 minutes, we’d move on to the next school of bass and catch several more.”

As a refreshing departure from traditional pay-to-play sponsorships, Flaro and Lefebvre admitted they believe so strongly in the power of Aqua-Vu cameras, that they’ve displayed the logo on their tournament jerseys out of goodwill alone. “For the past eight years, I’ve paid for every one of the Aqua-Vu cameras I use for my guide service and tournament fishing. The customer service at this company has treated me so well. It’s the only camera brand that’s built by people who actually fish; the only one that tracks straight and stable underwater. It’s super durable, and has an intelligent sunshield that lets you see the screen in bright sun.

“People talk about trusting your electronics,” Flaro adds. “I trust my Aqua-Vu. Sonar can show fish. But the camera reveals the species and size of fish in the area. Gives me confidence and the patience to stay put. Eventually the fish always bite.”

Like other lakes throughout the U.S., Flaro says the St. Lawrence River system is clearing. “A lot of the bass in these lakes used to be on sand flats, but these shallow water fish get extraordinarily pressured. The clearer water has played a role in pushing them deeper, too.

“At a lot of these bass tournaments now, most of my friends are using an Aqua-Vu to find their fish. Anglers are learning that a camera is the absolute secret to uncovering unknown schools of big fish. It’s an overlooked technology, but one that’s given me a ton of fun and fishing success.”

 

Nearly every boat, from contemporary fishing kayaks sneaking into hidden backwaters, to 40-foot wave-crushers plying offshore waters for billfish, is equipped with a fish finder. Since the first consumer-level fish finder appeared in 1957, anglers have relied on their own sonar interpretation skills, typically built through limited personal experiences, to find and catch more fish. Over the past 60 years, the high-tech tools that we use to find and catch fish have evolved, yet many anglers still struggle to identify structure and fish using traditional low-frequency sonar as well as high-frequency imaging techniques. That’s about to change.

The Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation, the latest instructional video from The Technological Angler, provides a series of comprehensive lessons that combine traditional and high-frequency sonar images with Aqua-Vu underwater video, to teach the viewer to quickly and confidently interpret their fish finder’s output so they can find, and catch, more fish.

Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation teaches anglers to identify hard and soft bottom areas, weeds, rocks, timber, man-made objects, thermoclines, algae blooms, and of course, fish. While the instructional images are all collected by, and optimized for, Humminbird systems, the sonar interpretation skills apply to any fish finder, regardless of the manufacturer. As an added benefit, the presentation closes with a detailed description of the hardware and software settings used to collect the clearest, easiest to interpret sonar images on the Humminbird HELIX system.

Dr. Jason Halfen, host and producer of Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation, remarks: “In our years of conducting instructional sonar workshops and on-the-water training events, the most common question we get from anglers is a simple one. They point at an object on their fish finder, and ask: ‘OK, what is that?’ Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation distills our years of field experience using modern fish finders into one, easy to digest instructional product that teaches the viewer to identify both structure and fish, so they can have more productive and enjoyable trips on the water. We cover imaging techniques, like Humminbird’s Side Imaging and Down Imaging, as well as traditional 2D sonar, so that all anglers, regardless of the type or brand of electronics they rely on, can learn to quickly and confidently interpret information from their fish finder.”

Dr. Halfen continues: “A powerful and unique aspect of the presentation is our extensive use of Aqua-Vu underwater video. Making a visual connection between the fish finder’s output and an underwater object is critical to developing accurate sonar interpretation skills, and Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation is brimming with underwater video collected by Aqua-Vu Micro camera systems. Walleyes in thick weeds? Yep, we’ve got those. Smallies hovering in rockpiles? You’ll see those too. Not to mention many other examples of structure and fish that will give you the confidence to rely on your fish finder, and your Aqua-Vu camera, as your primary fish-locating tools.”

Angler’s Guide to Sonar Interpretation is available now on DVD from The Technological Angler, and is the perfect learning tool to prepare for the upcoming fishing season, not to mention a terrific stocking-stuffer for the avid angler in your life. Check out the previews and order your copy today at http://www.technologicalangler.com/sonar-interpretation.

High-Tech “Glass-Bottom” Fishing

Benefits of integrating today’s underwater cameras with chartplotter/sonar combos in open water
By Steve Pennaz

I was about 10 years old when I saw a TV program about a Florida tourist operation with glass-bottom boats. I can remember thinking: Wouldn’t that be cool? Even then, my goal was to catch more and bigger fish, and a transparent-floored boat seemed like a good way to learn more about fish location and behavior.

Now, decades later, my dream has come true. I’m fishing out of a glass-bottom boat… Okay, not literally, but outfitted with a unique combination of compatible electronics, my Ranger 620 allows me to see what’s going on below. What’s even better, the system is simple to use, but profound in what it reveals.

My system starts with a Garmin 7612xsv chartplotter/sonar combo. This unit, like many offered by Garmin, features a video input option that allows me to plug in and view Aqua-Vu Multi-Vu camera.

The pair works extremely well together. The 12-inch 1280 x 800 WXGA Garmin display shows what the camera captures in ultra-bright detail, even in full sunlight. It offers the option of full-screen video viewing, or I can split the screen to have video and sonar, video and mapping, etc., all with a push or two on the unit’s touch screen.

 

Historically, the weak links with underwater cameras has been the monitor quality, a necessity to keep overall cost down, and ease of use.

Although companies like Aqua-Vu are making better and brighter monitors, there are also options like the camera-only Aqua-Vu Multi-Vu that plugs directly into my 10-and 12-inch Garmin units and provides a stunningly clear, large viewing space.

With the press of a couple buttons on the touch screen Garmin menu, I can go from mapping to sonar (traditional sonar, ClearVü  or SideVü) or any combination of the two. I also have the option of adding underwater video to the mix.

The ease of incorporating underwater viewing allows me to use the camera far more frequently. I now drop it overboard any time I’m curious, and within seconds get a look at what’s going on below the boat.

I use it often for fish species verification, a huge time saver, especially when filming TV shows, pre-fishing for tournaments, or when trying to put family and friends on fish. It also helped me become a much better interpreter of the highly-detailed CHIRP sonar readings I only dreamed about a few years ago. It’s also incredibly fun.

Case Study #1: Smallies or Suckers?

I was on the Great Lakes chasing giant smallmouth when I pulled up on a big reef and scanned it my SideVü. It was loaded with fish! Knowing that smallmouths will move onto reefs in late fall, I was pumped especially after catching a four-pounder on my second cast.

I hooked another fish 15 minutes later and had the surprise of the trip. It was a big sucker and it had inhaled my jigging spoon! The next fish was also a sucker, as was the third, and yes, I was baffled! I had no idea that suckers will feed like aggressive predators.

Looking for answers, I finally lowered the Aqua-Vu down and quickly understood what was going on. The marks I was seeing on SideVü were not smallmouth, but suckers, and the reef was crawling with them. We left.

Case Study #2: Walleye and Bass

Earlier this summer, I found a rock pile in 19 feet of water that was loaded with fish. I expected walleyes; but when I dropped the camera  I discovered they were all deep-water largemouths. Later that same day, I found additional schools of fish I was convinced were crappies. Again, I dropped the camera and was proved wrong; they were big bluegills.

Another trip sticks out.

I was taping an episode of “Lake Commandos” on a lake that DNR survey data indicated had lots of largemouth, but very few smallmouth. So I was surprised when we landed several smallmouth along a weedline that should have held largies.

So I dropped the camera to the bottom and discovered a huge pile of boulders in the middle of the grass and it was filthy with smallmouth! This was information I couldn’t get from my sonar because thick weeds had overgrown the entire spot.

Vegetation Identification

Many natural lakes have progressively become more diverse in terms of vegetation types. Thousands across the country are now weed-choked with indigenous and invasive vegetation.

On many lakes, weedlines extend for hundreds or even thousands of yards. This makes breaking down the lake difficult and time-consuming, particularly when fish are relating to specific weed types.

On a recent “Lake Commandos” shoot with BASS touring pro Adrian Avena, the key to the entire big bass bite came down to finding cabbage, which was difficult as it was available only in small, random, isolated patches. As soon as we found a patch, however, we’d land two or three 4- to 6- pound bass on jigs tipped with Berkley Chigger Craws. But you could work 400-600 yards of a weedline between cabbage patches.

Sonar definition has really improved over the years, to the point that it is making it possible to breakdown some weed types with sonar. Milfoil, for example, looks different on screen than cabbage… if you know what to look for.

By running sonar side-by-side with video, I’ve learned to recognize how various weed types appear on sonar. The lessons continue, and it’s not full-proof, but I find myself able to find grass like coontail and cabbage that usually holds fish and avoid those that typically don’t.

This information is so valuable that I am now investing time simply to compare what I am seeing on sonar with the camera. In the process, I am becoming more efficient at finding fish.

One other thing about grass, and I am embarrassed to admit this: in some cases, particularly in areas with current, isolated patches of soft-stalked grass like milfoil, will lay horizontal to the bottom. On sonar, these areas can look like a school of four to five fish (and I thought they were). Another lesson learned.

Bottom Hardness Identification

My sonar/camera system is also invaluable for confirming bottom composition and clarifying what my sonar is telling me. In many situations, with sonar alone, I was left wondering: Is that rock or thick coontail clumps on bottom. Hard bottom or soft? A bottom transition from one to the other? Now I understand what that looks like on sonar and can validate it 100% of the time with camera, which is critical. Bottom hardness transition areas are underwater super-highways for countless fish species.

Studying bottom composition has led to some interesting discoveries, too. I’ve spotted lost anchors, sunglasses, lures and rods on the bottom of lakes, as well a surprising number of golf balls.

Parting Thoughts

These days, I am dedicating more time to viewing because its making me a more productive fisherman. Oh, it’s fun to drop a camera and drift over cover and get a peak into the underwater world below. “Look, there’s a big smallmouth!”

But what the sonar/underwater combination reveals is much more than just fun… it’s also incredibly educational. I find myself dedicating days to leaving the rods in the locker and studying specific structure. Why is this specific spot holding fish? I’ll study spots for awhile, make mental notes, and drop waypoints, and this is putting more fish in the boat.

Next level Micro DVR-DT Underwater Viewing Systems unlock overlooked schools of fish

Crosslake, Minn. (October 11, 2016 – Still so much we don’t know about what’s really happening beneath the surface.

Interesting to consider that beyond water and oxygen itself, perhaps the single most important fish-locating factor remains the least understood. Water temperature is so vital to fish that each species’ existence depends on an optimal range. Locate the ideal temperature at the right depth, and you’ll almost always land on gamefish gold.

But how to put these key pieces together and solve the puzzle?

Sonar screens display water temperature on the surface, but what about temperature at the depth of your target species? Might read 72 degrees on top, but at 10, 15 or 25 feet, it’s a whole other ballgame.

The best way to quickly discover this essential fish-finding data—summertime, salt- or frozen water—is to drop the optics of an Aqua-Vu® underwater camera. The gold standard in subsurface surveillance, Aqua-Vu’s new Micro™ DVR-DT series is the most complete handheld underwater viewing system ever engineered. Here’s why:

The simple act of dropping the lens of the Micro DVR-DT to any depth instantly reveals three critical clues—water temperature, depth and a real-time, real-life video image of the underwater world. No other high-tech tool brings together such decisive fish-finding data and displays it so clearly on a single portable LCD.

“When fish move offshore, you’ve got to find that key depth zone that’s holding bass,” says Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ott DeFoe. “The Micro DVR-DT camera helps me find the precise level of the thermocline; this is nearly always the depth range where baitfish and gamefish set up. This Aqua-Vu provides one of the quickest, easiest shortcuts to putting together a game-winning pattern. The beauty of finding these key depth-temperature zones is that you can then go to other areas of the lake that intersect with that zone and find more fish.

“Not only does the camera immediately show you temperature, it also shows any fish in the area and the exact depth holding them. Remember, just because you see fish on sonar, you don’t know what species they are. Drop the Aqua-Vu down there and it removes all doubt.”

Further north, where lakes freeze, another group of enterprising anglers have recently begun to unlock the secrets of water temperature below the ice. “We’re finding that even a two or three degree difference in temperature below the ice can be the absolute difference maker,” says Brandon Newby, who, along with partner Ryan Wilson, claimed three consecutive North American Ice Fishing Circuit (NAIFC) Team of the Year titles. “At the 2015 NAIFC Championship on Mille Lacs, Minnesota, we found a break in 14 to 22 feet that held a bubble of 37- and 38-degree water—just a few degrees warmer than the surrounding territory. This little zone held some of the biggest crappies in the tournament.

“There’s no way we would have found this sweet spot without the Micro DVR-DT camera.”

Further assisting the team’s numerous ice tournament wins, the camera’s built-in DVR (digital video recorder) supplies a dynamic video log of Newby and Wilson’s underwater scouting missions. “We don’t always notice every detail we see on-screen when we’re on the move, looking for fish on the ice. It’s why the Aqua-Vu’s DVR is so critical to our success. We can review all the footage after a day on the ice—upload it to our laptop or review it on the Aqua-Vu screen. Details like a quick rise in water temperature, a subtle bottom transition, a pocket of healthy vegetation, or even a few big fish in the background—the DVR assures we don’t miss a thing.”

Now available in two powerful, ready-to-fish models, the Aqua-Vu Micro 5 Plus DVR-DT and Micro Plus DVR-DT provide the most colorful, clearest optics, brightest screens and most feature-rich operating system of any handheld underwater camera. Complete with IP67 Waterproof color LCDs— 5” or 3.5”, respectively— the Micro 5 Plus DVR-DT and Micro Plus DVR-DT also include a thumb-sized Micro camera, 50- or 82-feet of camera cable, plus an adjustable camera fin—all powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. Bonus features include On/Off Infrared LED lighting, 3X Digital Screen Zoom, DVR with USB / 8GB memory and on-screen digital displays of depth and water temperature. Retail priced at $599.99 and $449.99, purchase of any Micro 5 Plus DVR-DT, Micro Plus DVR-DT or any Aqua-Vu Micro system comes with a FREE Wearable Micro Viewing Case and auxiliary battery charger ($60 value).

For more information on the full line of Aqua-Vu fishing technology, visit www.aquavu.com.

About Aqua-Vu®
The Original Underwater Viewing System, Aqua-Vu is manufactured by Outdoors Insight, Inc., and has led the underwater camera category in design, innovation and quality since 1997. The Central Minnesota based company builds many popular outdoors products, such as the iBall Trailer Hitch Camera (iballhitchcam.com) and Odor Check Moisture and Odor Control System (odorcheck.com). For more information on Aqua-Vu, visit www.aquavu.com.

Anglers say underwater scouting keyed victory at Canadian Bass Open

Anyone who’s fished North America’s big bass lakes in recent seasons has seen the signs: Clearing waters. Schools of trophy smallmouths shifting deeper and deeper. Tournament game plans evolving to spot-lock, sweet-spot fests—anglers mining small, specific sections of underwater real estate.

At the recent Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Mille Lacs, Minnesota—an increasingly clear mega smalljaw water—individual boulder piles in relatively deep water produced prodigious sacks of bronze bass.

Not two weeks later, at the Berkley B1 Canadian Bass Open— Canada’s premiere fishing event—Ryan Flaro and Scott Lefebvre walked away with a big victory, once again extracting big smallmouths from deep structure.

Flaro, a walleye guide by trade, has been on a roll this year, winning an FLW Pro Bass 150 event and several other tournaments around Lake St. Francis, Ontario, which forms a portion of the St. Lawrence River. Following his team’s win at the B1 Bass Open—and countless regional wins spanning several years— Flaro finally decided to divulge the secret to his fish-finding success.

“I don’t use sonar like most anglers,” Flaro admitted. “When I’m searching for fish, I use an Aqua-Vu underwater camera one-hundred percent of the time. The only thing I use my graph for is following depth contours and structure on the digital lake map. When I find an important school of fish with the camera, I drop a waypoint.

“It is absolutely the best way to locate and know you’re on tournament-winning schools of bass. A week before the Bass Open, I spent all my prefish time scouting with the Aqua-Vu. We never even fished before the tournament started. On the final prefish day, I checked on my fish with a quick drop of the camera and then headed right back to the ramp.”

Pre-tournament camera work helped Flaro and Lefebvre narrow down their strategy to five or six key spots—choice rock piles and current breaks in 20 to 40 feet of water.

“The camera gave us the confidence to park on our spots, knowing we had big bass below us. We’d spot-lock in place with the Minn Kota, and put green-goby pattern tubes and dropshot rigs in the strike zone. Every 30 to 40 minutes, we’d move on to the next school of bass and catch several more.”

As a refreshing departure from traditional pay-to-play sponsorships, Flaro and Lefebvre admitted they believe so strongly in the power of Aqua-Vu cameras, that they’ve displayed the logo on their tournament jerseys out of goodwill alone. “For the past eight years, I’ve paid for every one of the Aqua-Vu cameras I use for my guide service and tournament fishing. The customer service at this company has treated me so well. It’s the only camera brand that’s built by people who actually fish; the only one that tracks straight and stable underwater. It’s super durable, and has an intelligent sunshield that lets you see the screen in bright sun.

“People talk about trusting your electronics,” Flaro adds. “I trust my Aqua-Vu. Sonar can show fish. But the camera reveals the species and size of fish in the area. Gives me confidence and the patience to stay put. Eventually the fish always bite.”

Like other lakes throughout the U.S., Flaro says the St. Lawrence River system is clearing. “A lot of the bass in these lakes used to be on sand flats, but these shallow water fish get extraordinarily pressured. The clearer water has played a role in pushing them deeper, too.

“At a lot of these bass tournaments now, most of my friends are using an Aqua-Vu to find their fish. Anglers are learning that a camera is the absolute secret to uncovering unknown schools of big fish. It’s an overlooked technology, but one that’s given me a ton of fun and fishing success.”

 

High Def HD700i delivers sets gold standard in screen clarity and low light functionality

Crosslake, Minn. – High definition has transformed TV watching from dry and lackluster to dynamic and utterly engrossing. The progressive video technology continues to blow people’s minds with its hyper-realistic digital picture and sound. HDTV is like “being there,” viewers say, right in the middle of the action. The dazzling color and clarity of the viewscreen virtually transport you to the scene, almost as if the video landscape beckons you to interact with it.

In the realm of underwater viewing, such spectacular screen detail has proved to be a massive advantage, as Aqua-Vu unleashes the amazing new HD700i. The steadfast leader in underwater video technology for two decades, Aqua-Vu released the industry’s first high definition underwater viewing system for fishing last winter—the ice fishing-centric Multi-VuÔ HD. Now, the company has taken the technology to dazzling heights with the HD700i, a complete HD underwater viewing system, including the first truly daylight viewable LCD and progressive XD Camera.

The transformation from analog to digital underwater video has delivered dramatic rewards for anglers. Foremost among them is low light vision—the ability to display a colorful, crystal-clear screen image, even in dark water and well past sundown, when a lack of light has long rendered most underwater cameras ineffective.

Last winter, while testing the new XD Camera, Hall of Fame angler and world-renowned photographer Bill Lindner captured some staggering comparison footage, detailing the dramatic differences between existing underwater technologies. “The variation in screen quality blew us away,” said Lindner. “With the Aqua-Vu XD cam, we were seeing fish and vegetation in total color, even in 10- to 12-feet of water, an hour past sunset.

“Above the water and below, I have used probably every camera on the market,” Linder continued. “Honestly, this new XD Camera from Aqua-Vu yields the sharpest, brightest, cleanest underwater images I’ve ever seen, even exceeding the popular P.O.V. cams. The low light capabilities of the HD700i are incredible; unheard of.”

Headlining its epic spec list, the HD700i system includes a 7-inch daylight viewable LCD, which displays HD underwater video at an extra bright 1800 Nits—4 times the screen brightness of previous technology. The monitor boasts an impressive IP67 waterproof rating for total peace of mind. The LCD also includes an auto-heat function for seamless use in cold weather. An HDMI video-out port provides an interface for digital recording devices or auxiliary HD TV monitors, such as for large ice fishing houses. (The digital video signal allows for superior resolution on big screen LCD TVs.)

Re-engineered for versatility and user-friendliness, Aqua-Vu’s new XD Camera is sheathed in a tough zinc-alloy casing, muted in matte black for superior underwater stealth.

To keep the camera tracking straight forward and backward as well as multiple view angles, the HD700i features the Quick Attachment System™ for instantly changing trolling fins for forward and reverse viewing, as well as ice fishing position clips for up-, down- and side viewing. The HD Aqua-Vu also features an interactive Live Strike™ sight fishing system for viewing lures in real time. Connecting camera to LCD is 100 feet of 200-pound test optical cable.

Operating at an industry-best 720p HD resolution, the XD Camera provides a crystalline, color underwater picture. Possibly even more impressive than the HD700i’s daylight viewability and vivid video, however, is its ability to project a clear image in dark water. Beyond the XD Camera’s built-in, anti-spook IR Lighting, the optics is also imbued with a low-light image sensor, yielding never-before-seen clarity in dark or dirty water.

“My passion is filming underwater footage of fish in their natural habitat,” Lindner said. “But as a fisherman, I also recognize the amazing applications of this new HD Aqua-Vu system. It’s going to show anglers the underwater world like they’ve never seen it before. And the camera’s low light abilities mean they’ll be able to observe night time feeding behaviors of walleyes, crappies and other fish, perhaps for the first time ever.”

Available at major outdoor retailers in late summer, the new Aqua-Vu HD700i Underwater Viewing System comes with everything you need to find and surveil the fish you seek—all in spectacular HD color and clarity. With a suggested retail price of $699.99, the HD700i includes LCD monitor, XD Camera, 12-volt battery and battery charger and a custom soft carrying bag. For more information, visit www.aquavu.com.

 

High Definition Aqua-Vu underwater camera documents wild walleye run

Crosslake, MN (May 15, 2016) – It is happening. Across North America, waves of big beautiful walleyes are advancing on their spawning grounds. And for the shortest of nocturnal windows, these remarkable fish are putting on a spectacular show—presenting anglers with fleeting glances at a quarry that will soon live up to its reputation . . . mystifying and mysterious . . . as it disappears back into the depths.

But for now, this popular sportfish is providing an amazing underwater spectacle.

“From above, you see these ghostly glowing eyeballs moving like wraiths up the river,” says Bill Lindner, cackling like a mad scientist. The Hall of Fame angler and world-renowned fish photographer recently spent several nights pursuing the passion that’s made him famous: capturing the magical underwater behaviors of freshwater fish.

For the past several months, Lindner has stood in amazement behind the monitor of his Aqua-Vu HD cam, witnessing elusive aquatic exhibitions, such the under-ice behaviors of largemouth bass, twilight movements of big sunfish and crappies, and Great Lakes Kamloops rainbow trout. His next endeavor? “Eavesdropping on giant spawning muskies,” Lindner interjects with excitement evident in his demeanor.

In a nutshell, the legendary Lindner has seen and learned things by looking through a scuba mask and an Aqua-Vu camera that most anglers only dream about. “Last year we used the HD cam to capture footage of northern pike slashing and attacking schools of shiner minnows—never-before-seen stuff.” (The footage will be released later this spring.)

“I’ve spent a lot of years working with just about every conceivable camera on the market—above the water and below. This new high def camera from Aqua-Vu yields the sharpest, brightest, cleanest underwater images I’ve ever seen. Its low light capabilities are incredible, unheard of.

Back at the walleye run, fish continue congregating in the river by the dozen—fecund female walleyes easily topping 10 pounds and males that sometimes exceed 30 years of age. “Biologists who work spawning runs for egg-gathering operations have told me these same fish return year after year. They used to talk about a single giant female that had revisited the spawning site for over a dozen springs. The last year they saw her, she weighed just over twenty pounds.”

With anticipation evident in his eyes, Lindner beams. “Can’t imagine better motivation for getting out on the water come Opening Day.”

Underwater camera leader taps pro Bruce Samson, expands educational outreach of angling electronics

Crosslake, MN. (January 12, 2016) – Apart from most angling electronics today, learning to use an Aqua-Vu underwater camera is simple. Deploy the optics and watch the screen. The fish you see through the lens are the same fish you strive to catch—no guesswork necessary. That said, the best anglers have learned to employ a full armada of electronics—sonar, GPS and underwater viewing—to gain the most complete aquatic perspective.
Among a growing delegation of angling tech-heads, Dr. Bruce Samson likely leads the modern electronics charge. A longtime user of Aqua-Vu underwater viewing systems, Samson recently reconnected with the Minnesota based angling optics company, adding a critical component to his popular educational programs.

Doc Samson— a legendary tournament angler who conducts a series of comprehensive electronics seminars at retail locations as well as special on-the-water events—says an Aqua-Vu underwater camera is an indispensable element in his fish finding arsenal.

“Even with the amazing images displayed by modern sonar, every angler needs an Aqua-Vu to see what’s really down there; to confirm or refute what you think you’re seeing on sonar,” says Samson. “For species identification alone, an Aqua-Vu is a must-have tool.

“Most folks think cameras only work in clear water,” he adds. “But the truth is, even in heavily stained water in summer, an Aqua-Vu still clearly shows me the fish species I’m seeing on sonar. And when fish are buried in vegetation or wood, it’s the only tool that clearly reveals what’s living there.”

Adding even more convenience, says Samson, is the modern ability to connect an Aqua-Vu camera directly to a video-enabled sonar unit. “Both the Aqua-Vu Micro and the Multi-Vu Camera System attach directly to my boat’s main sonar, so I can view underwater video and sonar images side-by-side on the same bright, colorful LCD. It’s an awesome one-two fish-finding punch.”

Aqua-Vu president Ben Gibbs extols Samson’s strong presence in social and other media and notes a new cooperative concept called What Is It? “Doc has been a longtime supporter of Aqua-Vu, and we’re excited to partner with him on an official basis. His ‘What is it’ concept presents powerful, visual underwater images that help folks recognize why an Aqua-Vu is such an important fishing tool.”

Via Facebook, consumers are presented with a sonar image and asked to identify what’s on the screen (What Is It?). A week later, an Aqua-Vu video clip reveals the answer. The first to correctly identify the species or scenario wins a new Aqua-Vu underwater viewing system. To date, the contest has garnered thousands of entries from curious consumers, with plans to continue well into 2016.

“We recognize the growing demand for fishing electronics,” says Gibbs. “And the need to continually teach folks simple ways to use our underwater viewing technology to put more fish in their boats.

“Data from AnglerSurvey.com has revealed huge growth in sales of underwater cameras during the past two years,” adds Gibbs. “As Doc says, anyone who fishes needs an Aqua-Vu to discover what’s really below the surface. Through great online, on-water and retail learning, anglers can get the most from our underwater camera technology.”