Outdoors

FishEyes rod and reel shows you the fish before you catch them

FishEyes rod and reel shows you the fish before you catch them
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
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The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
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The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
2/3
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
3/3
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
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When you cast a fishing lure out into the water and it goes beneath the surface, it enters a dark, mysterious world that you can only imagine. Perhaps that's overstating things a bit, but the fact is, you can't see where it is or what's around it. A fish finder can provide you with some basic information (if you're in a boat) but it doesn't actually show you what it looks like down there. That's where the FishEyes Rod and Reel with Underwater Video Camera comes in. Its built-in color LCD screen provides you with a live image of your lure, and any fish that happen to be near it.

Instead of traditional fishing line, FishEyes has 20 feet (6 meters) of combined analog video and power cable. This cable runs from the reel-mounted monitor to a small waterproof video camera, that is equipped with an LED light that can be remotely switched on or off. While it might be fun just to lower that camera into the water and watch its underwater adventure on the monitor, users can also add a fishing lure or an included bait basket on a short length of fishing line beneath it. They can then try to entice fish that they see near the lure, or not bother staying in areas where there are no fish.

The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)
The FishEyes rod and reel features a submersible video camera, that providers anglers with a real-time image of their lure and the fish around it (Image: NextSport)

Needless to say, this setup appears to be intended more for jigging off of docks or stationary boats, than for casting way out across the water or trolling - if the camera were to get dragged into an object on the bottom and snagged, the user would either have to write it off, or be willing to do a bit of diving. Inadvertently catching a fish that's big enough to snap the line might also be a risk, although presumably the fishing line holding the lure would give way before the cable holding the camera.

Regardless of how practical FishEyes might or might not be for all fishing scenarios, it looks like it would at least be useful for checking if fish were in the area, or just for taking a peek at your local aquatic environment. It sells for US$79.99.

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5 comments
5 comments
Denis Klanac
is it April fools? a bit late but hilariousness
SumoDes
sounds like fun!!...just a bit quizzy of the strength of the string which houses the wires.
Drifter
Brilliant !! And the price is right. Plus, an LED light remotely turned on/off, to attract fish, and know when they are going to strike ?!
There is the handicap I need to even the odds.
Doug Liser
Got one for my 8 year old. He's having a blast with it at the local pool, pond and river. It's a bit hard to see the screen in direct sun but apparently he and his friends don't care. Two of his friends asked their parents for one so they could go fishing together. Maybe they will eventually try to catch something.
Carlos Grados
This would be a better option for those of us interested in the fish but not the harming of the fish. It would be nice if you could pull the video feed into a laptop. It would also get people more interested in the health of the lake or river because they would be able to see what is or isn\'t going on under the waves.