After watching In-Fisherman musky trolling video......

[Red Childress]

I now wonder what is "really" going on sometimes when you are retrieving your bait and you get that short lasting 'weird feeling' through your rod when the lure just feels funny for a split second. In the video, they were pulling Train Wreck spinner baits on a 10" leader which was right behind an AquaVu camera and downrigger ball. (Not finesse fishing at all plus the super short leader.) Anyway, the muskies were coming up behind the bait and nudging it with their closed mouths, pulling up beside the blades and pushing their sides against the bait making the blades stop rotating, inspecting the kicker prop more than the actual bait, etc. I had seen the Drifter Tackle (I think) footage a few years back when some of these fish followed for more than a half-mile before striking or just peeling off and vanishing. Using scents or scented lures would have to have some sort of positive impact seeing how damn close these fish are getting to our trolled lures.

I have had a couple of fish refuse to eat my bucktail but not afraid to crash into it on the retrieve with their noses and mouth closed among other strange "feelings". Makes you wonder what is going on when your trolling rod bounces like crazy but the clicker does not go off too.....hmmmmm. Very interesting stuff.

The craziest part was letting the downrigger ball (with very short trolling leader) bounce off rock crops to attract fish. They seem to be so curious about strange noises and noises from contacting bottom. The spinner bait had single hooks in tandem so the points were up and did not snag when bottom crashing the downrigger ball. Definitely a deadly way to get noticed after watching part of the video.

Finishing the rest of the video tonite. Rollie's has the video on sale for 6 bucks right now if anyone is interested.

[Red Childress]

Someone on this board will have this AquaVu system/camera mount soon (if they do not already) and when you get it up and running, I would love to see some footage. (Maybe download it somewhere and give us the link.) If I were a "majority of the time" troller, I would be ordering this system today. I think the entire set-up (excluding downrigger) is around 250.00. Can you imagine watching a fish pull up behind your bait and you increase speed or make a sharp turn and watch it eat? Addicting for sure!

Just might take some of the boredom out of trolling....

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Or can you imagine the opposite....trolling all day on a prime place and not having a sniff? Imagine what that'll do to the psyche!!

[allegheny river kid]

I watched the video over the winter...also really makes you think whats going on. I bought an aqua view about 6 years ago along with my father. We've used it less then 20 times, they seem so neat til you own one then they are just a pain to lug around and use while your trying to fish. We may try it out this year when we go to St. Clair, the mounts to attach them to downriggers are only like $20.

[Joe M]

I dont have no downriggers but got a $450 Aqua View camera. I have the bluegill camera mount. I stuck it down for the 1st time ever and 2 huge bass came right up to it and starred it down. I saw carp and walleye on it on the river. Had it for 4 years and used it 4 times!!!!

[Ivan]

Red,
Does that $250 include the screen to view on as well, or is it just the camera and rig to attach to the downrigger cable? I might spend $250 if I can get everything, but I probably wouldn't get it if I have to buy and Aquaview screen as well. It would be cool if they had a screen that I could mount on my dash instead of one of those big bulky things that you have to look into...maybe they do now.

I think I may be limited in where I use it though. I could use it at St Clair, Chautauqua, and the Larry, I guess. I have been running riggers at Chautauqua and the St Lawrence but usually have much more lead than 10". I think it would help for determining a good lure action or color. You would at least know if your bait was beeing looked at. Plus it would be cool to see some fish and strikes.

Adam

[Red Childress]

I did not get a chance to finish the video last nite due to baseball game. I would have to assume it includes the camera/screen/camera rigging adapter but not 100% sure.

There is a thread "on another popular musky site" that has the owner of AquaVu chiming in about the system and his email is listed for specific questons. If I have time today, I will shoot him an email and get the skinny on it and report back.

I am not sure why he ran is leaders so short but it is either one of two things (or both). Either he did not want to snag up the Train Wreck while structure crashing the ball and/or water clarity issues in certain lakes. The fish sure did not seem to mind the short leader and all that rigging just a foot away from its' head.

[Red Childress]

Quote from a guy who is very proficient with this system is below:

Aqua-Vu camera on a down-rigger cable, with a adapter. It's a piece of cake, and the setup will cost you about $200-250, give or take. This assumes you have a down-rigger of course, and I didn't...so that cost another $150. So I have about $400 into it. It's great fun.

[Ivan]

Yeh, I saw that post from Tom. I just looked at their site and they have two different models of boat mounted viewing systems. One is $1500 and the other is $2000. They have motorized deploy systems. I wouldn't need that...I would just want a LCD sceen to mount to my dash and a camera with the downrigger adapter kit, but doesn't look like they sell them that way. They have cheaper, portable units, but they are big and bulky and you gotta stick your head in them to look at them. I can't be doing that while I'm trolling down the lake. Another thing I'm wondering...are these signals transmitted through wire or are they wireless? What if I am running my rigger 30' down or more? I have to have all that cable laying around in the boat? What if I am running 110' down for kings? Guess I'll pass for now.

[Red Childress]

Good link on this system....


http://www.in-fisherman.com/content/vision-quest-muskies/1

[toothyfishman]

Check out the link at the bottom of that page that is called....

2009 In-Fisherman Master Anglers!

Look at the pictures of the freaking blue cats!!!! WOW!! The one that a woman is holding is crazy big.