How to Use Fish WebCams to Become a Better Fisherman
Use Fish WebCams
Fishcams are an incredibly fun way to discover local fish in their native habitat. They can be found along manmade fish passages, in hatcheries, and along piers (like below the Seattle Aquarium). The videos can be a calming backdrop in a room, a fun novelty to watch and even a way to learn more about fish behavior. Knowledge like this allows you to test some theories and help you to become a better fisher as a result. Here are some things to observe that can help up your fishing game:
Fish Species Which Live Together
Every fisherman has his favorite species. If you are a purist, maybe that’s all you will catch. If you’re more interested in coming home with something, however, then it pays to understand which species comprise plan B. Fish cams will show you which species live in the same waters, and more specifically, where in the water column and vegetation they might spend their time. This is also great research if you’re about to take a destination fishing trip to somewhere like Alaska.
Feeding Times
Hatcheries typically have feeding schedules. If they are the same year after year, then the released hatchery fish may follow similar feeding schedules long after release. If you know you’re catching stocked fish, keep these times in mind for a higher bite rate. Wild cameras can give you an idea whether fish are mainly evening, midday or daytime eaters.
Weather-Dependent Behavior
What do your target species do when it’s sunny? Windy? Icy? Stormy? Knowing this can help you to make some smart decisions about fishing time and how best to approach a fish to catch during different types of weather.
Testing Behavior Based on Other Conditions
Do you have a theory on how fish react during different situations? Perhaps solstices, equinoxes, moon phases or other celestial events might change things. Tidal heights in a saltwater fish pen can influence feeding schedules, etc. Or maybe you have your own, secret belief on how fish behave in a certain situation. Use fish WebCams to remotely track this and to watch behavior as temperature, time of day, celestial events and other issues occur. To test this scientifically, then choose different times based on your theory, and take notes on how the fish are acting. Then choose times that are not when you suspect they will act a certain way and watch and take notes once again. If you’re right, a pattern may emerge that can give you a huge advantage the next time you fish.