Once used almost exclusively by tournament anglers, underwater fishing cameras have been a mainstream fishing accessory for some time. If you’re contemplating a purchase, you certainly want to choose from among the best underwater fishing cameras available today.
Read on for our assessment of the 5 best underwater fishing cameras, factoring in both price and functionality. You’ll also get some guidance on how to choose your own best underwater fishing camera, including answers to some frequently asked questions.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Eyoyo Underwater Fishing Camera
Best Premium Option
Aqua-Vu AV 715C Underwater Viewing System
Best Budget Option
Anysun Underwater Fishing Camera
Best Overall
Eyoyo Underwater Fishing Camera
Recently upgraded, the Eyoyo Underwater Fishing Camera now offers a high-definition resolution displayed on a 7-inch screen for top-quality underwater images. With its upgrade, the Eyoyo camera easily earns our recommendation as the best overall underwater fishing camera.
The Eyoyo fishing camera is equipped with 12 infrared light sources that provide exceptional views in dark water. That clarity is enhanced by the improved viewing screen, engineered to be visible from any angle.
The Eyoyo camera cable extends to 90 feet, plenty of depth for all kinds of fishing. That’s another reason it is among the best underwater fishing cameras. And with a battery life of 6 to 8 hours, the Eyoyo Underwater Fishing Camera is ready to get you through a full day of fishing.
Pros
- Easy to set up and use
- High quality at an affordable price
- Light and compact
Cons
- Battery may not last as long as some users expect
- Screen interface may be confusing for some users
- Screen position may be difficult for some users to see
Best Premium Option
Aqua-Vu AV 715C Underwater Viewing System
A high-resolution 7-inch screen fed by a color camera with 50 feet of cable makes the Aqua-Vu AV 715C a great underwater fishing camera. Its infrared lighting, designed specifically not to spook fish, also makes the Aqua-Vu our premium recommendation among the best underwater fishing cameras.
Included with the Aqua-Vu 715C is a 12-volt battery that will last for hours of fishing. Its handy charger ensures that it will be quickly ready for a new day of fishing after a long day on the water.
Another great feature of the Aqua-Vu camera is that its monitor is rated at IP67 by the International Electrotechnical Commission. That means the monitor can withstand submersion in 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. So, there’s no need to worry if it gets wet during use or even if it falls into the water.
Finally, the Aqua-Vu camera comes with a custom storage system, ensuring that it can be easily and safely transported to and from your fishing spot.
Pros
- Works great for ice fishing
- Easy to use
- Exceptionally clear video
Cons
- Battery charge may not last long enough for some users
- Field of view may be too narrow to satisfy some users
- LED light range is limited
Best Budget Option
Anysun Underwater Fishing Camera
For just $100, the Anysun Underwater Fishing Camera can operate for 8 hours on a single battery charge, feeding images to a 7-inch monitor. Clearly, the Anysun camera deserves our recommendation as the preferred budget-conscious option among the best underwater fishing cameras.
The Anysun comes with a 50-foot cable to give anglers a broad underwater look. While underwater, the Anysun camera uses 12 LED lights to illuminate the area around it, ensuring a clear picture on the monitor.
As one of the best underwater fishing cameras, the Anysun camera is also rugged, with an IP68 waterproof rating. The IP68 rating means the monitor can withstand submersion in nearly 5 feet of water for a half-hour. Practically speaking, that means it can get really wet during use without suffering damage.
Pros
- Durably constructed
- Intuitive and easy to operate
- Great features for the price
Cons
- Camera direction may be difficult to control
- Camera lens may fog in cold water
- No recording capability
Best Murky Water
GoFish Cam
One of the challenges of fishing is that you won’t always be dropping your hook into pristine waters. So, if you’re looking for an underwater fishing camera that works in murky water, the castable GoFish Cam is an excellent choice.
The GoFish Cam earns our recommendation as the premier performer in murky water among the best underwater fishing cameras. The major reason for our recommendation is the special green LED lighting. Specifically designed to bring fish in close, the fish-attracting lighting provides a clear indication of what fish are present in your chosen fishing spot.
While the GoFish Cam doesn’t livestream its images, it’s easy and quick to review its recorded video. Simply reel it in, link it to the associated smartphone app, and you’ll have a front-row seat to the waters around you.
Pros
- Great for assessing effectiveness of trolling set-up
- Excellent aid for bottom fishing
- Very user-friendly to operate
Cons
- Operating instructions are difficult to understand
- Connecting to operate digital app may be difficult
- May be difficult to save video from camera
Best Ice Fishing
MOOCOR Underwater Fishing Camera
Ice fishing can be challenging enough without considering whether to bring an underwater fishing camera onto the ice with you. But the compactness of the MOOCOR Underwater Fishing Camera, and its weight of less than 2 pounds, make it a great choice for ice fishing.
The MOOCOR’s high-definition camera, augmented with far-infrared lighting, also makes it uniquely suited for ice fishing. Plus, the 50-foot cable linking the camera with its 4.3-inch wide monitor is cold-resistant, another obvious plus for ice fishing.
Finally, the MOOCOR camera’s less than $200 price tag is another great reason to place it among the best underwater fishing cameras.
Pros
- Long-lasting battery
- Wide-angle monitor image is a helpful feature
- Compact enough for easy transporting to ice fishing hole
Cons
- Camera direction can be difficult to control
- Image quality may not satisfy some users
- Monitor may be difficult to see in daylight
Best Underwater Fishing Camera Buyer’s Guide
Now that you’ve seen our recommendations for the best underwater fishing cameras, it’s time to look at factors to consider when contemplating your own purchase. Read on to find out what to think about with regard to your choices among the best underwater fishing cameras.
Cabled Cameras
If you’re looking for real-time video, you’ll need an underwater fishing camera that is directly connected via electronic cable to a monitor aboard your boat. This way, you’ll get the functionality of an electronic fish finder with actual video rather than simple graphics showing fish, vegetation, and bottom contours.
Cabled underwater fishing cameras are limited, however, to the length of their cable. Routinely, the maximum length of cable is about 50 feet. That may be enough for some bodies of water, but won’t help to locate fish in deeper waters.
For fishing in deeper water, cables to improve even the best underwater fishing cameras are available in lengths from 60 feet to 120 feet.
Fishing Line Cameras
A second type of underwater fishing camera comprises a camera that can be attached to your fishing line. Once underwater, this type of camera can’t provide a live video feed. However, it can record while in the water. Once retrieved, that recording can be viewed through an associated digital video app.
While users of this kind of underwater fishing camera will sacrifice real-time data, they get information within a short time of retrieving the camera. As a result, fishing line cameras deserve due consideration among the best underwater fishing cameras.
Viewing Angle
As you’re considering which of the best underwater fishing cameras will be best for you, pay attention to the camera’s advertised viewing angle. Ideally, your underwater fishing camera should have a viewing angle of 90 degrees.
At that angle, both the image size and the area shown by the camera are optimized. At a wider viewing angle, the actual position of the fish in relation to the camera would be distorted. At a narrower viewing angle, it would become necessary to constantly manipulate the camera for an adequate picture.
Image Clarity
Obviously, a major factor in any decision regarding the purchase of any of the best underwater fishing cameras will be image clarity. One way to ensure that an underwater fishing camera will provide crisp images is to verify that its resolution matches the resolution of the monitor.
Pairing a high-resolution camera with a low-resolution monitor will result in a low-resolution image, even if you’re using one of the best underwater fishing cameras.
Best Underwater Fishing Cameras Frequently Asked Questions
After reviewing our recommendations regarding the best underwater fishing cameras, it’s likely that you have some additional questions. Read on for answers to a handful of frequently asked questions about underwater fishing cameras.
What is the minimum usable screen size for a fishing camera display?
Underwater fishing cameras that come with monitors will routinely offer monitor screen sizes between 4 inches and 9 inches, measured diagonally. While it stands to reason that a wider screen will provide greater detail, that isn’t the only factor in seeing what’s on the monitor.
On a kayak or a johnboat with little room, you need a monitor that can be easily tilted and/or swiveled into a good viewing position. If you have to sacrifice some monitor size to get that feature, it’s a reasonable tradeoff.
Also, regardless of the size of your monitor, you should install a screen protector to protect it from water and other potential damage. Be sure your screen protector has an anti-glare feature to maintain the visibility of your monitor’s images.
How can an underwater fishing camera be kept steady underwater?
One of the drawbacks of an underwater fishing camera can be that it will swing around unpredictably once it is submerged. Many of the best underwater fishing cameras will have rudders that can help keep them oriented in one direction, but that still may not be enough control.
One trick for rigging your underwater fishing camera for steadiness is to attach some sort of weight to it with some fishing line. Some underwater fishing cameras will come with this option, but if yours doesn’t, a heavy bolt or nut could work well for this purpose.
For further stability, you can try to embed the weight into the bottom of your fishing spot. To do that, move the attachment cable or your fishing line gently up and down until the weight settles onto the bottom.
Is it sportsmanlike to use an underwater fishing camera?
As you’re thinking about acquiring an underwater fishing camera, it may occur to you to consider the ethical ramifications of using it. After all, it does give you an advantage in finding out where fish are located and likely to be biting.
As with most ethical questions, the answer to whether it is sportsmanlike to use an underwater fishing camera will be a matter of personal conviction. But if you’re not certain where you stand, why not simply use your camera as a tool for developing general knowledge about your chosen fishing spots?
Once you’ve developed that store of knowledge without taking immediate advantage of it, you can do your actual fishing without the help of a camera.
But wherever you fall on the ethical spectrum, an underwater fishing camera is undeniably a worthwhile addition to your angling gear.
Wrapping up the Best Underwater Fishing Cameras: Our Top 5 Picks
Choosing among the best underwater fishing cameras can be a tricky proposition. But now, equipped with our recommendations and guidance, you’re ready to make a great choice for yourself. As a reminder, our best overall underwater fishing camera choice is the Eyoyo Underwater Fishing Camera.
Life in Minnesota offers plenty of other help to improve your fishing experience, from the state’s top fishing resorts to its ice fishing opportunities. Enjoy your time on the water and good luck!