If you love fishing, whether you do it as a profession or a hobby, you would know how much patience and guesswork it requires. However, you can turn the time that you wait doing nothing but patiently waiting into a time of excitement and learning by the use of a device called underwater fishing cameras. These devices are portable and waterproof cameras that allow you to watch a live footage of what is going on under the water where you are fishing. It means your fishing is a lot more accurate, as you do not have to depend on guesswork, as you can see if the fishes you are looking for is there or not.
It is a game-changing tool for recreational and professional anglers as you can find out where the specific species of fish you are looking for are located, their behavioral pattern and saves your time and energy while fishing. Not only that, it can make your fishing time more exciting and interesting as the situation under the water, which was previously invisible to you becomes clearly visible to you, and you can enjoy watching the fascinating underwater ecosystem in a live video.
Apart from the fishes themselves, you can also have an in-depth idea of the ecosystem around them, for example, if there is rocks or crevices under which the fishes are hiding, the underwater terrains surrounding the habitat of the fishes, and much more. These devices are especially useful for ice-fishing, where you fish in waters which are covered in ice. In a situation like this, there is no way you can see the fishes with bare eyes through the water surface as it is concealed by thick white ice.
Underwater fishing cameras are not used by recreational anglers, they can be an essential tool for educational purposes as they help you to study aquatic life on a whole new level and can be found to very useful by people like aquatic biologists. Underwater fishing cameras involve technical aspects and components, and they come in various types, hence it is not easy to pinpoint the one that would be most suitable for your specific purpose.
On the market today, there are many different kinds of underwater fishing cameras available and it can be more difficult than fishing to find the right underwater fishing camera that would benefit you the most. That is why we have dug deep into the market and fished out the best underwater fishing cameras that would appeal to a broad range of users and have discussed them in this article. So let's not waste time and go fishing for underwater fishing cameras!
Best Pick
Featuring an HD video with a resolution of 600 TVL, a compact and sturdy casing, and a highly waterproof camera equipped with strong LED lights, this camera is a great choice for both professionals and enthusiasts, and hence it has earned the best pick position on our list.
Budget Pick
If you want a quality underwater fishing camera within an affordable price, this is a great value choice for you as it comes with a high resolution of HD 700 TVL and features that make the whole unit perform well both in sunlit and dark conditions. This budget pick product of our list can be a great choice especially for beginners who are not sure of spending on an expensive unit.
Quick Comparison Between The Best Underwater Fishing Cameras
Now that you have looked at our best and budget pick underwater fishing cameras, it is time to go and look at several other top choices that are available on the market. That way, you will have a greater variety of options, and will also be able to know in-depth information about each of the product’s unique features, durability, and other aspects which will help you to find the camera that is perfectly suited to your preferences.
1. Eyoyo 7" Color LCD 600tvl Underwater Fishing Video Camera
Highlighted Features
For anyone who loves fishing, this portable and sturdy box comes jam-packed with surprises so much so that it might as well be a treasure box for an angler. Inside the box, there is a camera, which has a waterproof level of IP68, which means it can stay submerged under water for a prolonged period of time. The camera is designed in the form of a fish so that it does not disturb the natural behavior of the fish. At the front of the camera, there are 12 strong LED lights which will help you to have a clear video feed even in dark or murky waters.
This light can be turned off when it is not needed, making it a highly adaptable camera suitable for being used in various conditions. For fishers who love fishing in ice-covered water bodies, this camera brings the good news of being cold-resistant so it can be used safely within a temperature range of -20 to 60 degree Celsius. The camera has color CCD and 600 TVL which ensure a high image quality at all times. The camera is attached to a cable that is 15 meters long which gives you enough flexibility to move the camera around under the water so that you can get images deep waters.
To keep the camera in the right position, there is a floater that comes inside the box. To support the high image quality of the camera, the box contains a color 7-inch screen which will help you to view the live feed from the camera. Inside the box, there is a 4500MA Lithium battery with a working time of 10 hours so you can continuously keep on monitoring the fishing area for a long period of time.
To prevent reflections in a sunny area, the box contains a sun-visor which can be fitted onto the screen. This visor helps you to get a clear view at the monitor even when the sunlight is strong. As all the components you would need to run the camera are included in this one durable box, all you need to carry to your fishing trip is this one box which will have you covered completely.
2. Underwater Fish Finder Anysun® Professional Fishing Video Camera
Highlighted Features
This underwater fishing camera set is a well-rounded set that can be used by professional anglers to catch fishes in the deep water, at night, or under the ice. The camera and the other components of the set come in a durably-built box which keeps the different parts protected from dust and weather damage. The camera has a 15-meter long cable which means you can look at fishes that are hiding deep under the water.
The camera is shaped like a fish, with a hook at the front where you can attach the bait and watch the fish bite into the bait when it is being caught. For working in lowlight conditions and at night, the camera is geared with night vision. The camera is also IP68 waterproof and resistant to cold temperatures so it can work without being damaged in sub-zero temperatures. With this camera, you will have a great image quality of the fishes and their aquatic surroundings as the camera is equipped with color CCD and 700 TVL.
To display this high image output, the camera set comes with a color LCD screen which is 7 inches wide. In addition, the LCD screen uses TFT, which means Thin Film Transistor, which enhances the video output by improving aspects like the contrast. Other components such as floater, power adapter, battery, and the user manual are provided within the box so you can easily set it up and start using it right away. If you wish to use the camera on a very sunny day, you can prevent the glares from the screen by putting up the sun-visor that comes with the set.
3. Aqua-Vu AV Micro II Underwater Camera
Highlighted Features
This extremely portable and compact underwater fishing camera will help you to gain an edge in fishing, whether it be ice-fishing, recreational angling, or boat-fishing by providing you a clear video output on a screen that fits in the palm of your hand. It comes in petite dimensions of 4.2 x 3 x 2 inches and its smartphone size body will easily fit in your coat pocket or inside a small pocket of your bag so you can carry it to anywhere you want to. Despite its small size, its usefulness and performance should not be underestimated.
The body of the camera is very small, which is a great advantage if you are using it to assist you in catching camera-shy fishes. As the small body of the camera allows it to stay stealthy and unnoticeable by the fishes, it won’t scare fishes away. The camera is attached to a light cable which is 50 feet long, and there is a clip at the back of the camera where this cable can be wrapped around for a neat storage.
The camera features a very wide angle view of 135 degrees giving you a broad field of vision to have a good look at what is going on under the water. The screen that shows the camera feed is a 3.5-inch color LCD screen which gives you a clear view of the fishes. Moreover, the camera is equipped with IR lights which will allow the camera to give you a clear feed in dark or cloudy waters. At the back of the camera, there is a wire stand which helps the camera to stand on its own and allow it to be used hands-free. The camera is powered by a rechargeable battery with a run-time of 6 hours.
4. Eyoyo Portable HD 1000TVL Fishing Camera
Highlighted Features
This fishing camera from Eyoyo is very similar to the first fishing camera from Eyoyo that we have talked about before, but with an important upgraded feature, which is a camera with HD 1000 TVL instead of 600 TVL. TVL stands for TV lines, and these are horizontal lines on a camera feed that plays a major role in determining the fineness of the details in the images that you would receive.
Hence if you are looking for an Eyoyo underwater fishing camera that has all the features and components of the previous Eyoyo model, but with a better and clearer image quality, then this would be a great choice for you. All the components and accessories come in a well-built box with a lock which keeps all the parts intact and protected within the sturdy box. Another unique and upgraded feature on this fishing camera compared to the previous Eyoyo camera is that the camera uses 12 IR LED lights instead of simple LED lights and provides you with a clearer vision in darkness.
The 7 inch LCD color monitor comes with a removable sun visor you can see what is going on on the screen even when the surrounding condition is very sunny. The LCD screen is of TFT quality which means the colors are better and the image is enhanced so that you can enjoy having a clear view of how the fishes are being caught. The battery can be recharged and when it is fully charged, it can run continuously for 8 hours.
5. MarCum VS485C LCD Underwater Viewing System
Highlighted Features
If you are looking for an underwater fishing camera that will give you an exceptionally good image quality, then you would definitely not want to miss out on this camera from MarCum. In underwater fishing camera, the quality of the camera’s sensor is usually undermined, but the sensor is one of the most important parts of a camera that determines the quality of an image as the sensor of a camera is like the film of a film camera.
And when it comes to camera sensors, Sony has always been ahead of the game. This fishing camera uses a Sony camera that has been made especially for CCTV cameras and it is called Sony super HAD II CCD, which has a powerful sensor that can produce superior quality images even in low light conditions. This image is shown on a 7-inch LCD screen which allows you to switch between color and ‘Black and White’ depending on your situation.
The camera also has LED lights which can be turned on in the dark to assist with the camera’s vision. The camera has a 50-feet cable which enables the camera to be lowered deep down the water to view fishes swimming in deep waters. A stabilizer fin helps the camera to stay in its place when it is under the water. The camera, cable, and other parts such as a sun shield and battery charger come inside a compact bag which makes the whole unit highly portable and well-protected from dirt.
6. BOBLOV 7 Underwater Video Fishing Camera
Highlighted Features
The BOBLOV underwater fishing camera set includes everything you need in a durable box which comes with a handle so you can carry the whole set to your fishing trips. Inside the box, there is a screen that shows the video feed that is recorded by the camera on a TFT LCD color screen that has a size of 7 inches. If you are using the camera on a sunny day, you can put the sun-shield that comes in the set to use to block the strong sun rays and have a clear visibility of the screen.
The camera provides you with a high resolution by using HD 1000 TVL and this camera is also equipped with Infrared LED which lights up dark waters to enable night vision. The camera is shaped in a streamlined fish shape so it would stay camouflaged when it is swimming near fishes. The camera has a waterproof level of IP68 so you can use it submerged in the water for periods of time without damaging it.
At the front of the camera, there is a hook where you can attach your bait. The set contains cables, float, battery charger, and other small accessories to start using the camera right away. The cable that comes with the camera is 30 meters long and can be used to place the camera 30 meters below the water surface.
7. Eyoyo Original Professional Fish Finder Underwater Fishing Video Recorder
Highlighted Features
The unique feature of this underwater fishing camera from Eyoyo is that not only does it allow you to watch a live feed of aquatic environment but it also allows you to record those feeds and to take still images. The secret behind this unique feature which can be useful in many different circumstances is the storage capacity provided by an SD card that comes with the camera set. With the other Eyoyo models, you could only watch the video as a live feed, but with this one, you can record the video of you catching a fish and then take it back home to show it to your friends and family by using its DVR and photo function.
Apart from the DVR and the photo function, this camera from Eyoyo has all the other excellent features that are present in Eyoyo fishing cameras. The camera in the set is HD 1000 TVL which means it will give you high-resolution images and videos. The camera is cold resistant and IP68 waterproof so it is highly durable and can be used for ice-fishing. The monitor that comes in the set is a 7-inch LCD color monitor which lets you see clearly what is going on in the aquatic environment.
At the front of the camera, there are 12 powerful IR LED lights which enable the camera to record clear feed even in low-light conditions. The camera is shaped like a fish to allow it to stay stealthy when it is near fishes. It has multiple attachment points where accessories like baits and floaters can be attached. All the components come in a portable aluminum box with a latch so you can safely and conveniently carry the whole system wherever you go.
8. MarCum LX-9 Digital Sonar/Camera System
Highlighted Features
This underwater fishing camera from MarCum could easily be the most user-friendly and high-tech fishing camera on our list. If you are a seasoned fisher or an angler and you would want to explore deep into the potential of the technology available to help you make your fishing experience more fun, exciting, and productive then this would be a great choice for you.
First of all, this fishing camera is on a whole different level compared to the other ones that you can find on the market due to the versatile types of technologies that it combines within one single unit. This device is not only a camera that allows you to watch a live feed from under the water but is also a combination of sonar and DVR. What it means is that you can use this as a sonar fish finder to fulfill different purposes a camera would not be able to achieve on its own, such as measuring the depth of your camera, reading the temperature of the water around the camera, locating the fishes, and measuring how much interference there is, etc.
What is even better is that you can choose to make this device work either as a sonar, a camera, or both. This gives you a wealth of information at a time which will greatly increase your knowledge about the water that you are studying and also highly increase the chances of you catching fishes. Various numerical and visual information is displayed on an 8-inch flat panel LCD screen. You can choose the screen to display multiple user-defined sonar readings, live underwater video, or both simultaneously.
Sonar is a technology that uses sound energy to detect different information such as where the fishes are, the shapes and size of the fishes etc. You can select the color of these sonar displays from four different sonar palettes. The live camera feed can be selected to be displayed in color or Black and White according to your convenience. At the bottom of the screen, there is an on-screen dashboard which shows significant information – sensitivity, interference rejection, target adjust range and battery voltage.
When the camera feed is on, camera depth, relative camera direction, and water temperature will be displayed on the screen as well. The camera used in this system is a Sony HAD II CCD camera which is geared with advanced light-sensitive optics to deliver high-quality images with enhanced color and sharp image details. The camera also has LED lights which can be turned on in darkness to illuminate the waters that are murky, dark, or deep where surface light cannot reach.
Apart from the camera and the monitor, the MarCum LX-9 system includes other components such as a transducer, 75-feet camera cable, 12V 9amp battery with automatic charger, and snow-shield faceplate in its signature red soft-pack. Another bonus item that comes within the pack is a device which allows the directions of the camera to be controlled easily from the surface.9. MarCum RC5P Recon 5 Plus Underwater Camera Viewing System
Highlighted Features
MarCum Recon 5 plus underwater fishing camera has the MarCum technology plus the advantage of a small size that can easily fit into your pocket. The body of the monitor unit has a screen that is 5-inches wide which means it is highly portable. However, none of the quality or the performance of the MarCum camera has been compromised due to its compact size. The screen has a color-kill function which means depending on the clarity of the water you are using the camera in, you can choose to watch a color video or a black and white one.
The set has an on-screen battery status which notifies you when you need to recharge the battery. It also has a built-in DVR, supported by a 32 GB SD card which enables you to record the video and save it for later viewing. The set comes with a 50-feet camera cable which enables the camera to be submerged deep under the water. The IR LED lights of the camera can be switched on when you are fishing in dark or dirty water to illuminate the surroundings of the camera for a clear video. A soft bag which is a popular feature of MarCum camera contains all the components of the set to keep them protected and to make them easily portable.
10. MOUNTAINONE Underwater Fishing Video Camera Kit
Highlighted Features
This underwater fishing camera from Mountainone is a true gem for tech-savvy fishers and anglers who would want a connection between the camera and their phones so that they can store and share the video and images taken by the camera in various ways. This camera set comes with a 2.4 G Wi-Fi technology which allows the camera to send the feed to your phone so that it can be saved for later use or shared with your friends and family. The app that is free to download for this function is compatible with Android and IOS systems which allows owners of different types of phones to use this function.
The camera, monitor, and the other components all come in a durable aluminum box with a latch and a handle which helps you to store and carry everything in an organized way. The HD 1000TVL camera and the 10-inch TFT LCD monitor brings you a high-resolution color video feed. As the camera comes with a 20-meter long cable, you can easily reach the deep parts of the water you are trying to fish in. The camera is equipped with LED lights which can be controlled using a remote control device that comes in the set.
After going through ten different underwater fishing cameras, you would have realized that each of the products has their strengths and weaknesses. So how do you decide which one to go for, when there are so many great options available? In the next section, we will guide you through some of the factors that are essential in determining which underwater fishing camera would best serve your purpose. Using these factors, you can make a checklist or note down the most important features that matter to you, and then make a well-informed decision on which underwater fishing camera to buy.
Things to Consider Before Buying an Underwater Fishing Camera
The camera
The main device that picks up the video feed in this device is a camera and since it is a camera whose purpose is to give you a view of the things that are going on below the water surface, it has to have certain features that a normal camera would not have. The first aspect of the camera is the quality of the video it can deliver. One easy way to know this is the TVL marking. For example, a 1000 TVL gives finer details compared to a 600 TVL camera.
Another thing that will give you an idea of the image quality is the sensor of the camera. For example, some of the sets on this list use Sony HAD II CCD camera, which has a high image quality. Another important aspect of the camera is its durability. As it is a camera that would have to survive being submerged in the water for long periods of time, and possibly very cold water as some of us might use the camera for ice-fishing, it should have an effective cold-resistance. It should have a waterproof level of at least IP 68 and should have a sturdy body which would be able to endure rocky underwater terrains and bumps from big fishes.
One important feature of the underwater fishing camera which is not as obvious as the other functions are its ability to light up dark surroundings. It is important because when you are going to use the camera in dark conditions or in dirty waters, there would not be enough light to produce an image. The camera should have LED or IR LED lights in front of it which can be turned on and off depending on your needs.
The monitor
Although by name these devices are called underwater fishing cameras, if you think about it you will realize that the live feed has to be displayed somewhere so that you can look at it and the monitor is the part where the feed from the camera will be shown to you. This is why even when the camera's sensor and TVL are great if your monitor is not of good quality then the image quality that you will be seeing would be poor.
In most fishing cameras, the monitor is an LCD screen but the better ones, which give better color output and more details are the LCD screens that are called TFT LCD screens. Another feature that might be useful to some fishers who fish in dark or dirty water is an option to switch the color screen to black and white. One accessory component that comes with the screen is a sun-visor which shields the screen from excess sunlight to allow clear visibility in strong sunlight.
Sonar
Sonar is a technology that uses sound energy to detect important information which assists you greatly when fishing. This system is usually used in devices called fish finders which helps you to locate the fishes and tell them the size and shapes of the fish. Some underwater fishing cameras come are equipped with this technology and they can provide you with various information about where to find the fishes along with the live feed from the camera.
Additional Features
Although the main functions of an underwater fishing camera are to show you a live video what is going under the waters so that you can see the fishes and their surroundings while you fish, it can come with various useful features and functions. One feature that you may find to be useful that is present in some underwater fishing camera is a data storage space so that you can record the video and still images that you take using the camera. This comes as a DVR and photo function with an SD card so that you can watch these recorded videos and images later or show these to your friends and family when you go back home from the fishing trip.
Another feature is WIFI connectivity so that you can send the recorded videos and images to your phone where you can share them online or save it to your phone. Other underwater fishing cameras have sonar displays along with the live camera feed so that you can easily locate fishes. Some cameras also give you on-screen readings of camera depth, water temperature, and battery life, which can help you greatly to understand the underwater environment.
Size
When it comes to underwater fishing cameras, there are two main components whose size is of significant importance. First, the size of the camera which travels under the water determines how stealthy it can stay among the fishes and how easily they can be maneuvered while being submerged. A big fish-shaped camera can be great as they are streamlined and hence are good at resisting water-resistance but they might scare away some types of fishes. Smaller cameras are better if you want to stay unnoticed by the fishes so that you can stay among them and go closer to them without shying them away.
Secondly, the size of a monitor determines how portable it is. For example, if you want a good view on a big screen, then you can go for a large 10-inch screen but if you want something that you can carry in your palm and in your pocket, then you would want to go for a smaller 5-inch screen.
Accessory components
Apart from the camera and the monitor, an underwater fishing camera set should include other accessory components so that you can start using the camera right away without having to look for the other components separately. As this is an electric device, you would need a battery to run the camera and the monitor. The battery should be included in the set as well as a charger. Also, an underwater camera needs a cable to which it is attached and the length of this cable determines how deep the camera can go under the water surface so this length is an important factor to be noted before you buy a camera of this type. Another component is a floater which floats on the water to allow the camera to be moved when you pull on the cable.