Any use for Aqua VU's

[slinging southpaw]

I was wondering if any of you guys had purchased an Aqua VU and were sold on them?

[noxpertjim]

Indispensible when used for ice fishing.  I can eliminate water where there are no fish immediately.  Besides, watching the fish hit your lure is the coolest thing ever.  

I do use it in the summer when I am researching depth finder info, too.  Located many brushpiles and other submerged objects that translated into caught fish later on.

[justfishin]

I bought one. There is a beach on a lake near Frostburg State College and all the local college girls go there to swim. Works well. ;D ;D ;D

[Garnet]

After I bought my aqu view it was clear how little I new what my fish finder was telling me. My quess is 80% inprovement in my fish finder inturpertation.

Garnet

[RI_Bass_Guy]

I bought a Aqua Vu scout last year and love it. I found out what is really underwater as far as vegetation goes. You would be shocked on how mixed the weeds really gets.ie..coontail mixed with cabbage

Also how the fish relate to ceratin weedbeds and rockpiles. I found that the bass DON"T read Bassmaster magazine and relate differently from lake to lake and spot to spot... Get one and see....

[boatnik13]

As Garnet was saying and adding to it !  Aqua-vu will show you just how much your getting false signals and thats VS all depthfinders. Its a new toy but you will learn what a depthfinder is really viewing and how much you were missing. The down side ?  Murky water! No longer fun and games if the water is muddy or chaulky.

[burleytog]

Most of my local waters are very clear and I've been looking at those things for the last year and a half.

I would love to have my hands on one for about a week.  I just don't need any more clutter in the boat though.   :-/

[Bass_junky]

I bought the SV unit a several years ago, it is great, specially for smallies (deep water).  Although my first tourny, i dropped it in a likely spot and saw 4-5 suspended Largemouth and spent 2 hrs trying to catch them without a bite.  Lesson learned.  Now, I have found it's best use is after hooking a fish I drop the camera and see why he was in the area.  If i see stumps, rocks, weedbeds, ect.. on the bottom, I have a start on how to pattern, and search for these areas.  I also use this unit for pre-fish tourny's.  If i spot bass, I clip the barb on my baits until i can get one to gulp it then I leave the area and search for more.  This way I do not sting any fish and know (atleast for that day) where they are and what they want.

All-in-all I have found this tool to be a great asset, especially in the deeper water patterns.  I have had some problems with the unit.  I have sent it back now three times over three years, but Aqua Vu has honored the warranty (even beyond), I am still waiting now for the unit to come back.  I am anxious to see what charges (if any) will be applied.  Suggestion:  Do not leave this unit in direct sunlight for long durations, this may be what is causing the problems I have had.

[Captain Cali]

Check out these videos and judge for yourself. I'm sold.

http://www.dvllocal.com/Videos.html

[slinging southpaw]

Now that I've gotten some opinions, I figure I'd post my experiences.

I've only used it a couple times, but what I saw was basically useless.

If there was any wave action at all(even the slightest breeze) the camera showed a picture that looked like it was going 100mph.

I might have seen a lot of fish, but I never got a good enough look at anything to tell what it was.

I figured, that the thing was only good for ice fishing.

[Redlinerobert]

I had a similar experience.  I just couldnt see fishing and watching the unit at the same time.

[john087]

Wow, you guys are not taking advantage of what you have in an underwater camera. I am actually using one to shoot an underwater video series on bass and it is working excellent! I actually watched smallmouth and largemouth today with mine in only 42 degree water and carefully watched how they related to the bottom, baitfish, even my lure! Well to make the story short doing this helped me catch them but it's all about interpretation

[the old fishing pond]

lol at what point is it not really fishing any more???

[lovecranking]

I've got the Quad 360 and agree with fishwhiz. It so easy and interesting to just watch what's going on under the water that before you know it, an hour has gone by. For years I watched Doug Hannon's underwater segments and finally decided to get my own camera. I first bought the Aqua-Vu DT-100 from BPS and took it out several times over a span of 3-4 weeks. I didn't like the way that the lense keep spinning. I went back to BPS and had no problems returning the DT for the Quad. When I took the Quad out, it was so cool to see what's going on in all four directions. The Quad was a great purchase and I use it all of the time. BPS is to be commended for taking back the DT because I wasn't happy using it. This is another reason why I go to BPS.