GoPro Comparison For Fishing

Benefits Of GoPro Cameras When Fishing

Once you get your hands on the best GoPro camera for fishing, you will be amazed by how much it has to offer as opposed to standard cameras. Here are some of the benefits of a GoPro:

Selecting Quality Underwater Fishing Cameras

Durability & Protection

Quality of Footage

Since fishing involves being in or near water, you need to choose a camera that can record and produce high-quality footage, even in unstable conditions. The best GoPro for fishing videos are so accurate that they can capture the smallest of details, such as droplets falling from your reeled in fish. This is only possible if you get a camera that offers HD and 4K resolution that is 1280 x 720 pixels and 3840 x 2160 pixels, respectively.

Smooth shots from your camera also depend on the frames-per-second, and when using a GoPro for fishing, you need to get your hands on a camera that offers at least 60 FPS, some of the best GoPro for fishing offer even 120 FPS. Your focus should be on the fields of view for GoPro ice fishing and other types of fishing. A good camera can provide angles of 90, 127, and 170 degrees for all-around footage.

Water Depth

Wondering are all GoPros waterproof, or how deep can they go? Well, we are delighted to inform you that a GoPro is the best camera for water sports, as all of its models are waterproof. So whether you are fishing or looking at nature up close, you will be happy to know that a GoPro can be your best friend. It can be submerged up to 60 meters underwater and is ideal for fly fishing.

Ease of Use

Setting up a standard camera takes time, plus you need to get accustomed to its different features to choose between the right modes. And time is of the essence when it comes to fishing; you don't want to miss out on a possible catch while you are busy setting up your camera. That's not the case with GoPros; in fact, you get the best GoPro settings for fishing or best GoPro settings for fly fishing right out of the box with most devices.

So when short on time, you just need to press the record button and start filming. All thanks to the screen, adjusting angles for a holistic shot can be done in real-time. You do not require a cameraperson to record your adventures. Many mounting options allow hands-free operations, so you should check out the best GoPro mounts for fishing available in the market.

Connectivity (Wi-Fi & Bluetooth-Advanced Sharing Options)

The best GoPro for hunting and fishing comes with wireless connectivity. There are built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options so you can transfer videos and photos to your handheld devices and share them with other people. It can be a deciding factor on your purchase since not all GoPros come with connectivity options. You can sync your GoPro with the GoPro app — and editing your footage and sharing it could not be any easier!

Memory & Storage

Even the best GoPro for fly fishing, ice fishing, or kayak fishing is not that blessed with much internal storage. You may need to rely on external storage to avoid running out of storage. To avoid interruptions in your recording, get your hands on an SD card with good storage. So even when there is limited space on internal storage, you can continue recording.

Battery Power/Life

When fishing often, you have to patiently for that perfect tug on the reel. The problem is that the process can stretch for hours, and your GoPro won't stay on for that long. You can get about two hours from a juiced-up GoPro, which, to be honest, does not sound like a lot of time, so you need to power it up and start recording at the right time. Your best bet is to keep extra batteries and use them.

Here is the expected run-time for each GoPro Battery:

Remember, the higher the resolution, the faster the battery depletes.

Price & Warranty

When in the market to buy a camera to record your fishing adventures — you may come across many options; however, the bottom line is that nothing compares to the quality of footage from a GoPro. Hence, they are a little expensive.

The best GoPro for fishing units available on the market cost anywhere between $130 to over $300. A good GoPro should also have ample warranty. Things can get rough when at sea, so make sure you get good warranty coverage with the device.

1. GoPro Hero4 Silver

The device that stood out the most to us, and the top pick in our best GoPro for fishing reviews, is the GoPro Hero4 Silver. Without a doubt, it is the best camera for water sports and anglers. You will realize how convenient using a GoPro is as opposed to other cameras if you purchase this device. The device was the first GoPro to feature an LCD touchscreen, and it can record 4K videos.

Not only is the footage clear when bright and sunny, but also the quality remains intact in darkness — all thanks to the GoPro night-lapse function. The GoPro Hero4 Silver has a wide-angle view and records 1080p videos at 60 FPS and 720p videos at 120 FPS, and the still camera takes snaps at 30 FPS.

Sharing recorded footage with friends and family or transferring it onto the cloud, your social media, or your handheld devices is quite convenient. After getting the hang of your device, you can quickly narrow down to the best GoPro Hero 4 settings for fishing that matches your requirements. The LCD makes it possible to view, edit, and share videos and images right then and there from the camera.

2. GoPro Hero5 Black

3. GoPro HERO6 Black

When it comes to fly fishing — it’s more about the experience you have. If a fish falls for your bait, just imagine how fun it would be to capture the footage in high definition. This is possible with the GoPro HERO6 Black, which is why it ranks third in our best GoPro for fishing reviews, and if you ask us, it is the best GoPro for fly fishing.

Filming could not be any easier, thanks to the many features and standard parts of this GoPro. Despite you having little know-how of action cameras, you can record like a pro with its easy-to-use functions.  GoPro Hero 6 Black’s still image quality is simply perfect – it has a custom GP1 Chip that allows for stable and smooth videos and images – and also enhances the quality of the picture.

When it comes to filming, you have a choice between 4K at 60 FPS and 1020p at 240 FPS, at these rates, even if you slow down the video, the quality is not affected. The Quickstrokes feature lets you capture and edit the footage from the GoPro app. You can also transform your burst shots into a timelapse video.

If you are wondering: Is the Hero 6 black waterproof, or can the GoPro Hero 6 go underwater? It brings us much pleasure to inform you that without housing, it can reach depths of 33 feet (10 meters), and with a Super Suit housing, it can go as low as 60 meters.

4. GoPro HERO 7 Black

Coming in on number four in our best GoPro for hunting and fishing reviews is the GoPro HERO 7 Black, which is, in our opinion, the best GoPro for kayak fishing. Considering how well its predecessors are performing, the device has many outstanding features with new enhancements to provide you dynamic footage.

Its rugged exterior makes the GoPro a sturdy device. No matter what it comes in contact with, chances are it won’t be damaged. And we don't need to tell you how suddenly things can change while kayak fishing. The camera can go to depths of 33 feet, i.e., 10 meters, and it allows you to record in 4K and capture images with a 12 megapixel still camera.

Being a successor to the ever-so-popular HERO6, the camera has Hypersmooth Video Stabilization for clear and crisp pictures. You can also make stable time-lapse videos with the TimeWarp Video feature, which increases the camera speed by 30 times.

5. GoPro HERO Session

Whether you want to buy your first GoPro and have little to no knowledge of using one — we suggest you invest in the GoPro HERO Session. This is why last but not least, included in our best GoPro for fishing reviews is GoPro from the session series.

A successor to the GoPro HERO 4 session fishing camera, the GoPro HERO Session, and the GoPro HERO5 Session were launched, and they come with some impressive features at a lower price point, which makes the GoPro HERO Session the best GoPro for kids and beginners.

With a click of a button, you can start recording, and the camera automatically turns off when not in use. Apart from the shutter button, the camera has a small Wi-Fi button at the back, and a little text screen, which makes this GoPro different as there is no LCD touchscreen on this one. The video and image quality is excellent – videos are recorded at 1080p at 60 FPS – and pictures are captured with an 8-megapixel camera.

The captured images are 3264 by 2448 pixels, and it also has a crop mode where the view changes from wide to narrow, and the photos are snapped at 5 megapixels. Another difference to note is that on a full charge, the battery has enough juice to last up to 2 hours, but the problem is that it is wired to the device, and you cannot switch between cells.

The GoPro HERO Session does not require an external housing for protection. It has a waterproof and rugged design to protect against damage, which makes it suitable for all weather conditions. The maximum GoPro HERO Session and the GoPro Session 5 waterproof depth is 33 feet (10 meters) without any external housing. The device operates at 1440 PPI (pixels per inch), and its FPS can go up to 100; even if you slow it down, the quality remains the same.

Everything You Need To Know About the GoPro

GoPros are great cameras with outstanding features and capabilities that allow them to capture high-resolution videos and images. GoPros are mostly used by people who love to explore, indulge in thrilling adventures, participate in sports, etc. Apart from using a GoPro for fishing, they are also used in activities like:

GoPro Vs. Other Action Cameras

The reasons GoPros are so near and dear to anglers is because of their outstanding video-capturing capabilities and them being the best cameras for water sports and other activities. There are other cameras on the market that fall in the action category, but still, they are a close second when compared to the best GoPro for fishing.

You may have come across comparisons such as GoPro vs. Akaso Brave 4 or Akaso EK7000 vs. GoPro Hero 4. You may be wondering should you go for other brands considering the price difference. How much are GoPros available for in the market can make all the difference when choosing your camera. GoPros tend to be a bit expensive, which makes sense considering all the many features one gets.

That being said, Akaso is the clear winner in terms of price and gives you all the essential functions with decent footage. However, if you buy the best GoPro for fishing, you gain added features such as connectivity options (Wi-Fi +Bluetooth), GPS, outstanding video quality, and many mounting choices. If you are in the market to source the best GoPro for kids or beginners, you can choose a cheaper action camera; and once they have gotten the hang of it — you can update to a GoPro.

Using a GoPro for Fishing

Having the best GoPro for fishing on your next fishing trip will significantly enhance your experience by capturing all the action.

Some tips for beginners:

Must-Have GoPro Accessories

Once you have bought the best GoPro for fishing, the next step is to purchase the best GoPro accessories for fishing. Such as the best GoPro mount for kayak fishing and other accessories that can aid you in using your GoPro.

Some of the best GoPro accessories for fishing are:

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Are all gopro models waterproof?

If you are wondering which GoPro is waterproof, we are delighted to inform you that all current models of the best GoPro for fishing videos and pictures are waterproof. They can go as low as 33 feet, i.e., 10 meters without any additional housing. Only the Max model is waterproof till 16 feet that is equal to 5 meters.

How deep can these gopro models go?

All current models available on the market can reach depths of 33 feet (10 meters) without any external housing. When you add the casing, the best GoPro for fishing can be submerged up to 200 ft (60 meters).

What are the known drawbacks of gopro cameras?

Despite the many features, the GoPro lacks in some areas like:

Can I use my gopro fishing camera in any type of water?

Yes, thanks to good build quality and rugged finish, GoPros can be used in any type of water. But, whenever you use it in saltwater, make sure to wash it with fresh water afterward.

Which gopro is best for spearfishing?

The best options for spearfishing are the GoPro HD Hero Naked, and the GoPro HERO6 Black

Where is the best place to buy gopro cameras?

You can buy the best GoPro for fishing from any local electronics store or a camera shop. If you want to find cheap waterproof GoPro deals, we suggest you check out Amazon. You can get your hands on the best GoPro for hunting and fishing at a reasonably good price.

Conclusion