What’s more thrilling than targeting a fish you can see with your own eyes, watching it react to your bait, and seeing the moment it strikes?
Sight fishing is widely regarded as the pinnacle of angling. For obvious reasons, it usually happens in clear, shallow water, where fish cruise and feed close to the surface. Think bonefish on seagrass flats in the Caribbean or stalking striped bass on sandy tidal flats in Cape Cod Bay.
Now, what if you could bring the thrill of sight fishing to the depths where most fishing actually takes place?
That’s one of the reasons that ReelView Fishing, a new underwater video fishing system, is grabbing anglers’ attention. Unlike typical underwater cameras that record footage to be downloaded later, the ReelView RV1 transmits video in real time by integrating a camera into a fishing setup, allowing you to see live footage from the end of your line.
Engineer and angler Dustin Alinger of Boston, Massachusetts developed the ReelView system to enhance the fishing experience through technological innovation. It uses patented eLine™ electronic fishing line, designed to operate like traditional fishing line while transmitting video to the surface. Because it doesn’t rely on wireless technology, it can transmit high-resolution 2.6K ReelHD™ video. And with a customized lens, it captures stunning footage at a 160° ultra-wide viewing angle. An iOS and Android app supports live viewing, recording, and sharing.
The ability to see fish interact with a bait will allow anglers to adjust their techniques based on live feedback, enhancing fishing strategy and increasing catch rates. Along with real-time temperature and depth information, fishing becomes far more interactive, dynamic, and informed.
Imagine watching on your wrist-mounted iPhone as the doormat flounder of your dreams comes up behind your bucktail—and knowing when to drop your lure back to trigger a strike. Or, watching your crab hit reach bottom and seeing a monster white-chin tautog eye it. Or seeing your paddletail swimbait thump along a dropoff and watching a live view of how a cow striper reacts when you add a few sharp twitches to your retrieve.
ReelView has been featured in collaborations with Northeast fishing influencer Tackle2ThePeople, who tested a prototype on a fishing trip to the Florida Keys. In an Instagram posted video, the angler watches via a wrist-mounted phone as groupers and other reef-dwelling fish—including a shark-cruise by to check out his bait.
After several years of development and testing, the company is working on finalizing development and beginning manufacturing the first production run units. In April customers were able to begin placing pre-orders in the form of a $99 deposit for early access to the first available units coming in early 2025. ReelView tells us that there will be more opportunities for early adopters to secure additional pre-order units at some point in the future.
