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.
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
