The ice shelter business is booming. Since 2007, sales of wheeled ice fishing houses have more than doubled. An entire industry has sprung up in response, with new manufacturers and expanded retail locations emerging each winter. Lately, folks haven’t been shy about dropping big bucks for the ultimate hardwater crib, either. Ten, twenty and even fifty thousand dollars or more isn’t an uncommon pricetag for a totally tricked out ice palace. Heated showers, full kitchens and big screen TVs are nearly standard equipment.
“Most folks with a TV in their shanty want to see what’s happening below the ice,” says Aqua-Vu president Ben Gibbs, whose Minnesota-based company offers a new underwater camera designed specifically to interface seamlessly with any TV monitor.
The Multi-Vu Underwater Viewing System provides easy, instant connectivity to any RCA-video equipped TV (or boat-mounted sonar display). The result is an amazing underwater home theater experience—live and in dazzling clarity and color.
“Viewing fish, your lures and the whole underwater world has become one of the most entertaining aspects of fishing inside an ice shelter,” says Gibbs. “Folks spend a lot of time waiting for bites; watching what’s happening below on a big screen color TV passes the time and adds a lot of fun to the experience. And you can watch fish bite, which is really exciting.
Available in two versions, Multi-Vu can be purchased as a complete camera system or camera adaptor only. The Multi-Vu Underwater Viewing Adaptor System (MSRP $299.99) features a high-res (600 lines of resolution) Aqua-Vu Color Underwater Video Camera with adjustable LED lighting, 100-feet of 200-pound test cable with Cable Wrap and waterproof Multi-Vu Control Box. The Multi-Vu Control Box only (MSRP $99.99) includes a 12-volt power supply cable, video-out, on/off switch and camera light dimmer; it is compatible with Aqua-Vu, Marcum and Vexilar underwater cameras.
Gibbs notes that connecting a Multi-Vu system to any TV is a very simple, straightforward process. Many folks, however, ask their RV dealer to set it up, so the camera is rigged and ready when they bring home their new fishing house. “It’s like your boat on the ice, tricked out with of all kinds of cool fish-finding devices.
“And if you think this camera is cool,” Gibbs grins, “wait until you see what we unveil this winter…”