GARMIN and AQUA-VU – WHAT’S DOWN THERE

With each drop of the Aqua-Vu camera, we learn a little more: how fish position on cover, what it looks like when they school up, what type of cover they live on or near, and more.

AQUA-VU MICRO REVOLUTION PRO

The Micro camera is an all-in-one unit with a built-in recorder. There are several different units at different where they fit nicely in a glove box or any locker on your boat, plus it fits nicely in the palm of your hand. The unit is equipped with a cable spool, making it easy to deploy and retrieve the camera. There’s an on-screen temperature display, and the cable has depth indicators marked on its sheath every 10 feet. Note: the Pro versions are more expensive but they will record you sessions.

Operating the camera is straightforward. Lower the camera, hit the power switch, and voilà! Now you can see what’s down there. To capture video, just hit the record button, and you’ll see the elapsed recording time on the top of the screen. To view the recordings, plug the camera directly into a USB port on your computer (the camera comes with all required cables) and turn it on. You’ll see the drive and can move the videos from the unit to your computer. Plugging in the USB also recharges the unit to about a 6.5-hour run time.

There are only two minor downsides to the camera: it’s a little difficult to see in bright sunshine, but with the addition of a shade screen, this issue is mostly eliminated. The recordings are nice but not high-definition quality as it’s a small all-in-one unit.

 GARMIN SCREEN CAPTURE

After only a couple of small hoops to jump through, you can capture screenshots on your Garmin ECHOMAP units with a click of a button. I mention this because it’s a cool feature I’ll be using to share images in future issues of Bass Angler Magazine.

First, ensure you have a Micro SD card (32GB or less) inserted in the unit. Step one: Go to Settings. Step two: Select System. Step three: Toggle to Screenshot Capture On. Now you’re set to capture any screen you see by holding the Home button down for a couple of seconds—you will know it’s captured when a message comes up saying “screenshot captured.”

Once you’ve saved a screenshot, simply remove the SD card, insert it into your computer, select the Garmin folder, scroll down until you see the folder screen, then open it to locate your screenshots.

Often, I look for areas other anglers might overlook, or banks that don’t look like they hold bass. A famous angler once told me, “I’d rather fish an area with fewer fish, having them to myself, rather than sharing a more popular place with more fish.” In other words, an area with fewer boats might hold fish easier to catch. This was one such area.

LAKE SHASTA—A NORTHERN CALIFORNIA LAKE

If you were to look at the shoreline, you’d see a flat dirt bank, a place you’d most likely not stop to fish. Furthermore, GPS mapping indicates the bank doesn’t stand out as a killer spot. But driving across this area and watching my graph, I noticed there appeared to be more than a flat and drop-off. Switching to Side Vü and Clear Vü, I could see rocks and debris in 30 to 50 feet of water and thought this might be a good spot.

I then stopped and fished it deep (30 to 50 feet) with a Yamamoto Hula Grub on a 3/4-ounce jig head. I like the heavy jig because, when coupled with fluorocarbon, I get a good indication of the bottom composition. I landed a couple of decent spotted bass, lending more credibility to this seemingly barren bank.

After seeing the rocks and catching a few bass, I decided to lower the Aqua-Vü to see what’s really down there. Check out the screenshots! We found an abundance of large rocks and many more bass than we expected. With the Aqua-Vü’s built-in temperature gauge, we discovered the water at the depth where the bass were holding was 5 degrees warmer than at the surface.

This is merely one of many instances when doing a little work paid off in a new spot. Since then, I’ve returned to catch numerous fish from this place. Also, knowing the water was warmer at that depth, I was able to catch more bass in that 30- to 50-foot zone.

 YOUR TOOLS

In any profession, you need the right tools to get the job done. As an auto mechanic for many years, I would buy new tools every week so I could do a better job or accept a new job that was previously not possible without the right tools.

In fishing, we have many tools that can help us catch more fish. Depth finders (yes, it’s nice to have the latest 12-inch Garmin with LiveScope), but even if you have an older graph, take some time and learn how to read it. When fishing, pay attention to how your bait comes through cover to learn what wood, rock, or grass feels like. You can also get a small Aqua-Vü at Tackle Warehouse for a couple of hundred dollars that will open your eyes to the underwater world.

In short, use the tools you do have, pay attention to what’s down there, and catch more bass.

By Mark Lassagne

I frequently share underwater Garmin/Aqua-Vu videos on my Facebook page at http://facebook.com/marklassagnefishing

Mark Lassagne, from Dixon, California, served our great nation as a U.S. Marine. He is a successful tournament angler competing on the West Coast. In addition, Mark is the editor-in-chief of Bass Angler Magazine. A former B.A.S.S. Federation State Champion, he has qualified for the MLF Tackle Warehouse Tour, the Bassmaster Top-150s, Wild West Championship, West Coast Bass Classic, and MLF Championships. Though a major win has eluded him, Mark has top ten finishes and cashed a check on nearly every lake across the West Coast.