Our cameras are known for their incredible image quality and bright display.  However, what many people don’t know is that you can record with nearly all of them. This allows you to analyze underwater fish behavior, create compelling content, and have fun sharing your fishing adventures with friends and family.  On most of the units, recording underwater footage is relatively simple. However, it will require a little bit of extra gear on your part. 

Crappie are probably the trendiest fish to pursue.  If there is a hot bite out somewhere it doesn’t take long for the multitudes to find out about it.  They are also pretty willing biters and some of the tastiest fish out there.  Crappie can commonly be found in and amongst the good bluegill areas although the crappie will be found higher in the water column.  Crappie will also be found suspended over deeper basins throughout any given lake.  This makes them relatively easy to find with your flasher or digital sonar.  Find your way out onto the basin and drill a hole and look for suspended fish.  When you get on top of them then drop your presentation down right away.  Be warned, because it is a basin with no structure to hold them in a certain area, a lot of times these fish will roam about.  The challenge will be to stay over them the best you can by drilling extra holes and hole-hopping.  Using lithium batteries in your electronics makes this much more doable.  Do your arms and back a favor and replace the heavy lead-acid battery in your electronic unit.

It’s amazing how many anglers have an underwater ice fishing camera for winter use, and forget to pack it in the boat for fishing opener. In fact, open-water applications abound when it comes to everything from species identification, to finding green weeds, or simply identifying water clarity traits from one end of the lake to another.

The fact that now your underwater camera for fishing can be so much more mobile is a major benefit to its use, and the fish-finding information you unlock with it is rather limitless. Here’s just a few ways and reasons to get more use from your winter camera, come spring, summer and fall.

The hardwater season is fast approaching. All across the Northern United States and Canada, anglers are taking their first steps on frozen water. Now is the time to ensure electronics, rods & reels, and augers are in working order — and that tackle is fully organized. Aside from the obvious fishing gear, there is some vital equipment you should have before you take that first step on hardwater. Safety concerns are very real throughout the ice fishing season, and especially at first ice. Safety precautions for first ice can be categorized into a handful of major groups.

Press Release – New Hope, MN (9/29/21) – Marcum Technologies, the undisputed leader in ice-fishing-specific sonar and cameras, takes tech to the next level. Their long-held principle is that features are useless unless they help an angler catch fish, and that can be seen throughout decades of innovation. Patented technology like moveable zoom that led to angler’s ability to target fish anywhere in the water column was the first ping heard round the world among the ice sonar community. They followed it up with additional advancements to help distinguish echoes from noise in an interference rejection system so advanced, it’s also patented.

“Before underwater cameras, I used to think that certain weed-beds held bass, and others had the panfish I was after.  Careful study and lots of on-ice viewing showed that most often, the best weeds and weedbeds held both, but few panfish roam edges or openings in the presence of predators.  Two-feet can be too far if you’re trying to get a bull gill to come from cover and eat.  Punch a hole right on top of them, where they don’t have to leave the safety of cover, and you can pluck them from where you never thought they existed.”

Picture yourself in your favorite sporting goods store taking a stroll through the fishing department. The options for tackle, rods, reels are expansive to say the least. A seemingly never-ending list of brands, types, and configurations call this area home.

When it comes to rods, the options are plentiful. Most major retailers will have a variety of lengths, powers, and actions to cover a range of techniques and target species. Choosing the right for the right situation is a task in itself; but it doesn’t need to be as hard as one thinks.

Tony Roach is no stranger to that game, as he fishes across northern Minnesota each winter, doing his best to put clients continuously on panfish, perch, and walleyes. It should come as no surprise then that underwater viewing systems are a key part of his strategy, and have been since their inception.

His camera and digital sonar approach mimics his now-famous “ice-trolling” concept of roaming select structural elements while drilling holes continuously, in an effort to both locate fish and stay on them. Few have drilled as many holes in the hardwater as Tony, and fewer yet have followed that up with as much underwater viewing as he has either.

The upshot is a 1-2 punch of underwater viewing and sonar that focuses on two main parts; the finding, and then catching, each of which utilizes different strong-suits of cameras and traditional sonar.

At long last, the walleye opener is upon us.  After any winter most anglers are more than fired up to be able to hit open water once again and catch a few marble eyes.  When winter extends itself into spring, then rest assured that the water will be cold and walleyes may still be spawning on lakes throughout the great state of Minnesota. 

Whether you’re ready for it or not, the ice season is coming to an end sooner than later. For many of us anglers, it was an odd season riddled with less-than-ideal conditions – including lack of ice and excess amounts of snow and ice. With snow melt in full force and deteriorating ice conditions, we can’t help but think of what’s coming next.

Underwater fishing cameras are recognized as a valuable tool for ice; however, they can be just as beneficial during the open water season – and for many of the same reasons. Open water electronics continue to evolve to new lengths every season but they still leave things open to interpretation. Underwater cameras, however, are capable of answering questions that other electronics cannot, as well as teaching anglers more about what they’re seeing on their electronics. They are an angler’s eyes below the surface.

It’s this time of year when our ice sonar is swapped for long rods and soft water, but that doesn’t mean your MarCum should be put in the back corner of the garage. All sonar systems, digital or mechanical styles, offer keys and cues that help anglers be more successful on the water

That’s especially true in small crafts like kayaks, canoes, or small skiffs where a larger, permanently mounted traditional LCD display isn’t in play. Here’s just a few ways to trick your craft, whatever it may be, and get the very most from your MarCum.

New Hope, MN (10/25/2021) – Marcum Technologies, the undisputed leader in underwater viewing, takes an on-ice staple and improves it with lighter, longer-lasting lithium batteries.  A new generation of anglers takes for granted what cameras have brought to the sport.  Inline reels and the effect of lure-spin was revealed through watching fish swim away on an underwater camera.  Winter panfish location and the connection to green standing aquatic plants, along with countless other observations; all brought to you by underwater viewing, now made better with a little help from an advanced fuel source.

Organization and preparation are critical elements to success on the ice. Without them you may be stuck repairing or replacing rather than actually fishing. Most of us are limited to specific windows for fishing, so make sure you can capitalize on those periods by having your gear ready and in working order. Winter conditions are hard on gear, so doing your due diligence is important.

Walking and wading quietly are vital aspects to success. Think Navy Seal-esque stealthy when you hit the bank. Be cognizant of shadows to go undetected to roaming trout. Task yourself to make long, precise casts to avoid spooking fish.

Minnesota and Wisconsin alone have more than 15,000 miles of trout streams. With so much trout water to cover, mobility is crucial for continued success. Don’t waste too much time in one area. A few casts per spot is all that is necessary. If limited success ensues, then it’s time to keep ‘er moving.

Trout will hold in a variety of areas depending on the stream and the conditions. Common areas that will often congregate fish include deep holes or pools, current seams, and log jams.