Combining the culmination of 20 years of excellence, the Explorer HD L stands as a testament to MarCum’s commitment to providing cutting-edge technology to anglers across the spectrum. This new addition cements MarCum’s industry-leading status in underwater viewing systems by seamlessly integrating superior quality and unparalleled performance.
There’s something special about a quality fish picture. Whether you plan to share it with friends, post it on social media, or simply keep it to yourself, it’s the perfect way to preserve those memories of a great day on the water. That being said, taking a decent picture isn’t always the easiest task. Thankfully, a little practice and some attention to detail can make all the difference. If taking better fishing pictures is a priority, the following notions should be valuable.
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.
Underwater cameras are undoubtedly one of the greatest technological advancements in the sport of fishing these past few decades. Anglers in recent generations have come to depend on cameras to do far more than help them watch fish eat, but to observe their surroundings, study fish behavior and movements, even learn how fish certain baits better. Not only then has it been a technology that’s useful in its own right, but the simple fact is that underwater viewing has helped push forward the sport of fishing in general. From evolutions in tackle design, reels, and line, to changes in the way we fundamentally fish, looking at the underwater world through a camera is here to stay.
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.
There is no doubt that underwater cameras have had a huge impact on the growth of ice fishing. With a stable platform of ice to set up on, a camera is a perfect tool to be able to peer into the underwater world below. There is nothing better than being able to literally watch fish behavior and watch the fish strike your presentation. There is so much to learn from this simple viewpoint that children to veteran ice anglers get mesmerized while watching the screen.
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.
There is just something about seeing it happen with your own eyes. Imagine a jumbo perch roaming through a weed bed in search for an easy meal with its eyes going to and fro looking for its victim. They casually swim the edge of the cover until they catch a glimpse of the bait hovering just above the top of the weeds. Because you are fishing amongst the weeds, underwater cameras simply give you the best opportunity to be successful. Flashers and depth finders will often pick up the weeds making it hard to see fish and your bait. Underwater cameras allow you to see where the fish are and where your bait is.
Since MarCum released its first underwater video camera with a monitor for fishing, an entire generation of anglers has benefitted from eyes below the lake surface. Their world has been forever changed because of it, from the way modern ice anglers fish to the equipment they use, underwater viewing has shaped the evolution of the sport. These MarCum underwater cameras can be used for ice fishing, freshwater, and saltwater fishing, and while the systems themselves have also evolved through the years, the one thing that remains consistent over time is the amount of information anglers glean when seeing underwater for the first time.
As an ice angler, there are several tools that can aid in your fishing success. Very few, however, are as effective as an underwater camera. The information provided to an angler from the use of an underwater fishing camera not only accelerates one’s learning curve but will ultimately, put more fish on the ice.
