A New Look at Fishing
by Sam Anderson

It's been said by experts in marketing trends, that if you try to look ahead two years to predict what will be the hottest selling item, you'll be wrong; nine times out of 10, it hasn't even been invented yet! In the outdoor world, changes and innovations typically burst onto the scene nearly as unpredictably. There's no doubt the Pocket Fisherman was a popular craze, the Flying Lure had a good run and for the more advanced angler, a device to help select lure colors made quite a few sales.

The Aqua-Vu II is an underwater camera that allows anyone to look under docks, boats, or around that snag in your favorite fishing hole. I know that there are skeptics out there that think they should be banned. I can remember when depthfinders and fish locators first hit the market and many people thought that they should be banned. This device will help you see the bottom and structure but it won‚t catch more fish for you. You still have to entice the walleyes to bite and that will take skill and talent.

I see little fish, big fish, weeds, rocks...no big deal. This is a common observation, but when the viewer opens your mind to the possibilities, the things you could learn or even discover will amaze you.

Underwater viewing is here to stay. It actually takes the outdoorsman's understanding of the underwater world to advanced levels. Anglers are the first to recognize the advantages of learning more about what's going on under the water's surface. A serious angler would be aware of changes in bottom content because these transition zones often attract fish. Learning to understand the predator/prey relationship can also improve your understanding of how fish move and feed.

You don't have to be an expert angler to learn something new. Schools are just beginning to use this new underwater viewing concept as a teaching aid. Nature Vision‚s Aqua-Vu II system has been the industry leader in underwater viewing systems primarily because they have successfully addressed the issues of consolidating several electronic elements like the monitor, power supply and long cables into a compact system you can take anywhere.

Available in both color and black-and-white systems, the various underwater viewing systems range in price from $399-$799 depending on their features. Your choice in an underwater viewing system may be affected by the type of water you wish to explore. In nearly all freshwater situations, black-and-white cameras permit you to see in low light and even show better contrast in stained waters.

If darkness is a problem, infrared cameras permit you to light up the area in front of the lens. This allows you to view areas under docks, in deeper water, during a cloudy period or when the sun is low in the sky and you simply need more light. All of these options should be considered if you‚re looking to take part in underwater viewing.

Thousands of avid anglers and underwater viewing fans are spending their days viewing the underwater regions of their favorite waters. Some even like to record what they see on a hand-held camcorder.

Once you have the opportunity to use the Aqua-Vu II you will see for yourself that it is a piece of equipment just as essential as live wells, GPS and sonars are. This unit will give you a better understanding of the fish's environment and you don‚t have to get wet or worry about understanding those inverted V‚s on your depth finder.