YoloTek AquaStick.. Don't GoPro without it

Ever since I purchased my boat earlier this year, I have had the itch to finally break back out my old Hero2 GoPro camera. I've had it for a few years now, but in all honesty the head and or chest mount did nothing for me perspective wise so I had just tucked it away giving it very little use from the time I purchased it until now.

But after purchasing my first boat earlier this year I began to search for better ways to utilize my GoPro camera via the various mounts that were available. As a first time boater and casual GoPro user I was looking for an easy to use, but durable product that wasn't going to break the bank.. Id already spent hundred of dollars on GoPro gear (including extra batteries and the Wifi backpack) and didn't want to add another item that I may or may not get a tone of use out of.

Enter YoloTek, I wish I could tell you that my extensive searching found them and their line of dare i say "angler selfie-sticks" (my wife words not mine) but in fact I found them while trolling this years ICAST best of show winners. Their new product the YoloTek PowerStick took home top honours in the gift wear category. And although it was not exactly what I was looking, for it did lead me to their website where I found the AquaStick.

How it works:

The AquaStick is a non-powered adjustable GoPro camera mount that can be plugged into your front or rear navi light ports. It comes either threaded or standard and can quickly be popped in and tighten down in order to withstand speeds up to 30mph. And although I haven't quite hit those speeds I have done 40Km/h with no issues.. I'm Canadian and mph math scares me.

Once in place you can adjust the rods length from 15' to 43", I usually extend it fully to give it that great outer worldly view while on the water. The Camera mount portion is also adjustable if your would like more of an upward or down facing angle, I'm pretty traditional and have been mostly just shooting straight on. 

Options & Choices:

AquaTek has a few options available to anglers, the AquaStick being the entry level product that runs around $59USD . For those with some extra cash or looking to run with the pro's you may way to look at the PowerStick Pro, a powered version of the AquaStick that is not only beefier, (50mhp) but it also provides more height (48") we all as USB ports in order to keep your GoPro powered up and running all day long. It is much pricey at $169USD, but for what I can tell its value would be endless.

For those who spent some time in the salt water, you YoloTek offers the O'l Salty a rig that allows you to get the best salt water footage above and below the water. This is not yet available, but they don't have a signup list for those interested.

Last but not least is this years ICAST winner, the YoloTek PowerStick, is a short pole with 2 USB ports turning your navi lights into a charging station. You can also rig up your iPhone for quick selfies on this little dude, giving it dual purpose. $49USD

Note: If your on the Fence on going Original or Pro, I will admit that I have been kicking myself for not investing in a powered version. My GoPro batteries die out long before my day on the water is over, and that added juice would be welcomed.

I have now had my AquaStick out on the water for multiple trips, it truly has reinvested me in what a GoPro camera can do for you out on the water.  This is one of the best gadgets I've added to my arsenal this season, and like it or not,  your about to see a lot more GoPro footage and stills coming your way. 

 Trust me, once your start this will quickly become a normal part of your boat launch prep.. remove the straps, insert the plug, attached the Hummingbirds and plug in the AquaStick, Go Fishing 

Be sure to check out YoloTek's Facebook page HERE as well as their Instagram Page HERE they are offering prizes for those who post on water images using a YoloTek product

Humminbird Introduces 360 Imaging.. With a little help from Cabela's

http://www.humminbird.com/360Imaging/

In what can only be described as an epic blunder, Cabela's leaked info and images of  Humminbirds new 360 degree Imaging system, a product Hummbird went to great lengths to keep hidden even just hours prior to the live web streamed press conference being held in conjunction with the Bass Master Classic.

Yes, the boards blew up this afternoon as fishing-tech nerds like myself started drooling over images and links leading us to the new technology that now gives anglers the ability to see a full 360 degrees.. no more side imaging or down imaging..  we are now talking about 300 feet of a full 360 degrees of vision. Imagine being able to see a full 150 feet ahead of your boat! no more back tracking, you now see things before they happen!

This new technology comes in the form of a new telescopic transducer that has the look of a PowerPole mounted on the back of your boat. A quick button deploys the transducer beneath the boat that allows it to give you the full 360 imaging. The unit is set up to be deployed from your H-bird unit or if your lazy just yell at your partner at the back of the boat and ask him to do it (buttons are also mounted on the unit)

Along with the new transducer a system upgrade is also needed to make the technology compatable with at least four current H-bird units (798c,898c,998c, & 1198c). This was highly smart on H-birds part, as this allows current customers who recently purchased a sonar unit to still upgrade to the new technology.. and wont create a line-up on the returns desk.

With a hefty price tag of $1,999 this new sonar may not be for all (remeber that is on top of the price of an actual Humminbird Sonar), but I wont be surprised at all when I see it on a few boats this coming tournament season. Congrats to H-bird for yet again pushing the envelope, and thanks to Cabelas for sharing it with us

Cabelas Leaky Link

The Rise of the Marcum LX7

This is a tuff blog to write, since the beginning of my days as an ice fisherman, i have always been a Vexilar guy. My first flasher was a Vexilar FL18 and to be honest I did not think I would ever need or want anything else.. but then came along the Marcum LX7. Introduced at Icast 2011 this machine created a pretty large buzz, the expanded feature list included capabilities that took many of the best features from other flashers on the currently market and included them in a revamped and amped up machine.
Features like the ability to turn on/off a traditional Chart style graph, along with the standard Flasher dial and a vertical view... can you say Lowrance, Vexilar, H-bird and Showdown all wrapped into one?  Sure these other flashers have the option to utilize some of these, but none of them give you all, and never at the same time!

The key features that Marcum boasts on the LX7 are the various screen options (Circle Flasher, Vertical Flasher, Vertical Zoom, Chart) a dynamic depth feature, infinitely adjustable zoom, multiple color choices for your flasher and screen, as well as a built in USP port to make the unit fully upgradable in your home, without having to ship it back to Marcum (must have been some foresight here as the first update is already available) Last but not least the LX7 has a giant screen suitable for watching movies or the big game.

But..like with any new electronics the LX7 is not with out its share of issues.. hell.. if you look on www.iceshanty.com you will find a 40+ page thread of guys discussing the pros and cons of this $700 flasher, issues like... a jumpy screen, poor battery connections, a poorly placed handle, depth reading issues and the worst of all.. no dynamic zoom, a highly advertised feature. To Marcums credit they have been working hard since the release of the LX7 in Oct, nope Nov, nope a final delay saw it released in December, and since then they have been working on an upgrade to solve some of these launch issues.

Just last week update 2.9 was released on the Marcum website and facebook. The update was quick and painless and took less then 5 minutes to complete (video aid and instructions provided) . Marcum states the Update corrected the Dynamic depth feature as well as improved the anglers control over target size (as well as other changes)

Personal Experience:

I have had my LX7 out on the ice for approximately 40hrs, and there are some things that I fell in love with immediately, the first being the Graph/Chart option, this is something that prior to using I thought I would have no use for, but when I dropped my jig down that first hole and watch a crappie streak up off the bottom to hammer it, I was hooked. This is something you dont get on most traditional flashers

 My favorite screen combo (so far) is the chart and Vertical zoom side by side. I fish using the zoom and monitor the chart for historical data (jigging pattern, and fish movement). This is great when fishing with beginners or just your buddies. After landing (or missing) a streaking fish, I can call a buddy over to show off the streak, or easily show off the jigging cadence/pattern in the water.

Images on the screen are nice and clear and I have little to no issues with target separation. The unit has plenty of power to pick-up micro jigs in 20+ feet of water as well as your buddies jig if he decides to pull up close by. (thats what happens when your catching all the fish, and have a new toy)

The only issues that have really effected me, are some slight markings on the screen, as well as poor battery connection. I have a hard time getting the initial connection at the start of each day and it has taken close to 5 minutes to get the LX7 to turn on, once on I have no issues. The battery charger seems a bit slow, and when fishing back to back days you need to make sure you start charging the battery as soon as you get off the ice if you want it ready for the next morning.

The backside handle is a feature I like and dislike, i like it as is makes for easy grabs when hole hoping on the ice, but due to power/ground wire placement you can easily dislodge your power wire if your not careful. To solve this issue I strapped down the wires under the piece of Velcro provided meant to strap down the battery. As mentioned above the wires are a bit loose as is and I have had issues making a solid connection. to improve this I pulled off the charger clamps so I get a cleaner connection.

After 40 hours on the ice, i will admit I believe the LX7 is worth the price of admission. Sure I was pulling my hair out waiting for its arrival, and sure I was a little frustrated that an update was needed right out of the box to get it working properly, but thats the price you pay when you buy a gen 1 piece of electronics... there will always be bugs, there will always be glitches, but so far, the LX7 was worth the wait.

GoPro or go Home!

This has been my dream purchase for awhile now, and with the release of the GoPro2, what better time to take the plunge then now! 

GoPro has been making cameras for extreme sports for awhile now (the GoPro2 is a third Generation Camera) and  I often  wonder if they realize now how this extreme camera has changed the way fishing videos & TV is shot and viewed. This tiny little camera can turn the average weekend warrior into a HD Fisherman with only 2 buttons.

Although designed for the extreme sport world the Hero2 is actually perfectly build for a fisherman's needs. the casing is waterproof, and shock proof, and the camera is designed to work in extreme heat and cold. so wether you are on the ice or the water this camera will get the job done. The array of mounts available allow you to place the hero anywhere and still get your shot. Hat/head/helmet mounts are very popular and can been seen on a variety of TV shows. The chest strap gives a great few of the battle and there are many mounts that will secure to your boat to ensure all the action is caught. I have even seen some of these cameras strapped to fishing nets, cook idea, and one i will have to try.

My favourite shots taken from a GoPro are those that watch the strike, the battle, and then dip into the water to catch the last few seconds of the fight from the fishes vantage point. no other camera can boast capabilities like this. (on the ice I love to see shots of the augers cutting threw from underwater, looks awesome)

One of the last perks i will mention is how great this camera is for the solo angler. I spent a lot of time on the water alone, and being able to take shots, of me fishing, and of my catch is pretty important to me, and the Hero is up to the task. setting up the stop motion camera allows it to takes pis every few seconds, a pose for a couple, and toss the fish back, no waiting on timers, no worries about being cut out of the shot. this seems to good to be true.. all i can say is now that i have on.. i want a second one