Underwater Fishing Photography

[Golden Paws]

After Elmo's plea for more content, I decided to start this one.

Below is a video I found on You Tube. It's a fair effort and uses tech to the max, bait boats, drones and underwater camera's. Despite all that, I couldn't believe how blatant the rig was, especially the pop up. The line was bow tight and stood out like a sore thumb and even the lead stood out more than I thought it would. I've seen quite a few of these types of video's and I can't believe that the carp continue to feed anywhere near the area.

I'm a bit paranoid about trying to make everything as unobtrusive as possible. I use Korda Safezone leaders (fluorocarbon) and always backlead to keep everything pinned to the deck although I know it compromises bite detection. All my rigs are combi's with a fluorocarbon boom with an inch or so of supple braid to give the hookbait some movement. I don't use pop-ups but but do often use a slip-D combi rig with a wafter that has been bored with some cork to create what I call a wafter+, it is enough to lift the bait off the bottom but the hook still touches the bottom.

What edges do you use to minimise suspicion?
 

 

[elmoputney]

I tend to not be so paranoid tbh, I prefer a fluoro boom on my spinner rig, I nearly always fish a pop up. Mainly bright yellow pineapple this season. I use an unleaded leader (whatever colour I have) knowing it will sink well and it works well with my chosen lead set up (PB Hit n run) And I never back lead or pin the line down. Most people on my lake use a bait boat, so I try to spread the baits out, so the fish have to move between mouthfuls. 

I like to think they don't really know what rig components are and just see them as detritus but I will slacken my line and get it to sink properly if I can. Although if I need to fish with a bow tight line, I have no issues doing that either. 

We are all different though and I'm not saying I am right, anything that makes you more confident is a good thing it's just not something I worry about too much, I did use coloured kickers for a while on my spinner rigs and I still caught fish, 

 

[Golden Paws]

I've never used a fluoro pop-up, I prefer match the hatch muddy brown baits similar to my freebies. I know a lot people use a snowman or a bit of pop up corn above the boilie for a fleck of colour but it just looks so blatant to me.

We get "done" far more than you would believe. For many years I fished a shallow river for barbel that went crystal clear at certain times of year and it was a revelation. The amount of times I would have barbel come onto a baited area and then I would see my grains of corn  get blown out with force and all the fish would scatter. Another time I had a run baited with hemp and corn and a fish was coming up the swim in a straight line hoovering up the freebies. It come to my double corn (on a 3 foot hooklink to avoid spooking), veered around it and carried on up the run taking everything else! I was using the double corn so it was obvious to me where the hookbait was, unfortunately it was also obvious for the barbel!

My thinking is that if I can create an area that seems "safe" and there is nothing that the fish can associate with danger, the greater the chance of catching them.

[OldBoy]

8 hours ago, Golden Paws said:

After Elmo's plea for more content, I decided to start this one.

Below is a video I found on You Tube. It's a fair effort and uses tech to the max, bait boats, drones and underwater camera's. Despite all that, I couldn't believe how blatant the rig was, especially the pop up. The line was bow tight and stood out like a sore thumb and even the lead stood out more than I thought it would. I've seen quite a few of these types of video's and I can't believe that the carp continue to feed anywhere near the area.

I'm a bit paranoid about trying to make everything as unobtrusive as possible. I use Korda Safezone leaders (fluorocarbon) and always backlead to keep everything pinned to the deck although I know it compromises bite detection. All my rigs are combi's with a fluorocarbon boom with an inch or so of supple braid to give the hookbait some movement. I don't use pop-ups but but do often use a slip-D combi rig with a wafter that has been bored with some cork to create what I call a wafter+, it is enough to lift the bait off the bottom but the hook still touches the bottom.

What edges do you use to minimise suspicion?
 

 

Tbh, think underwater videos have been done to death now. 

Something a bit strange about this one though, almost seems to have been somehow AI generated??

Anyway, wouldn't worry to much, not many of us fish on gin clear waters and not sure Carp are actually that intelligent? 

[elmoputney]

10 minutes ago, Golden Paws said:

I've never used a fluoro pop-up, I prefer match the hatch muddy brown baits similar to my freebies. I know a lot people use a snowman or a bit of pop up corn above the boilie for a fleck of colour but it just looks so blatant to me.

We get "done" far more than you would believe. For many years I fished a shallow river for barbel that went crystal clear at certain times of year and it was a revelation. The amount of times I would have barbel come onto a baited area and then I would see my grains of corn  get blown out with force and all the fish would scatter. Another time I had a run baited with hemp and corn and a fish was coming up the swim in a straight line hoovering up the freebies. It come to my double corn (on a 3 foot hooklink to avoid spooking), veered around it and carried on up the run taking everything else! I was using the double corn so it was obvious to me where the hookbait was, unfortunately it was also obvious for the barbel!

My thinking is that if I can create an area that seems "safe" and there is nothing that the fish can associate with danger, the greater the chance of catching them.

That's why I do fish a fluoro, I want my hookbait to stand out, I want my hookbait to be the most attractive bait in the area. The main thing I look at in the edge is contrast, you have to think fish don't see the same things we do. I just think if it contrasts the bottom then they will be more likely to see it. My faves are yellow and washed out pink. 

I can totally see why you do what you do though, makes perfect sense,there are no right and wrongs though, if it works it works. 

[salokcinnodrog]

I watch the videos and I always chuckle to myself. The swim being fished has so many things that can add to the already wary fishes 'stress'.

Obviously first one is the camera, and any attachment to the bank, wires or cables, as it is unlikely underwater cameras will be wire free.

Then we have feeding situation. The water may or may not be a boilie water, or a water where particles or groundbait are the best feeding stimulant. 

As for my fishing I tend not to be pedantic about camouflage, but I do try to minimise it being over conspicuous. 

There are times that I have seen fish spook off bright fluorescent baits, yet at other times they are the best way to catch.

My hooklinks I prefer green or green, black and dirty white (Merlin). I think that matches the majority of lake bottoms. My mainline is usually clear in clear waters, and is as much as possible fished slack line and running leads, or rods low so the line is along the lakebed if possible, although I believe that at anything over 40metres, the line is along the lakebed anyway.

I stopped using leaders unless I have to, and I still catch on straight through mainline, and with no anti-tangle tubing. 

Like @elmoputney I don't think that the fish can identify a hook, run ring, bead,  lead or swivel, and that green hooklink looks like a strand of weed.

Baitwise, I prefer an unobtrusive bait, for a couple of reasons, to try to stop swan life, but also to match my freebies which are normally brown. However, as said, there are times in late autumn, winter and early spring when I think that a fluorescent bait is better or will provoke takes.

 

[Golden Paws]

15 hours ago, OldBoy said:

not sure Carp are actually that intelligent? 

That's a whole new can of worms! Treat them like idiots and they will make a fool of you. Other times you can chuck out a Fag dogbut and they'll take it! Some lakes has a resident mug and yet other fish can go years without a visit to the bank. A lot can depend on the size of the lake and the stock. Sparsely populated lakes are by definition the hardest and the fish can choose what to eat and what to avoid. Heavily populated commercials are easier and chances are most of the natural food has been harvested and the fish are reliant on anglers baits and the fish are more likely to be tolerant to tackle and bank-side disturbance.

16 hours ago, OldBoy said:

not many of us fish on gin clear waters

Most of us don't but gin clear to us and what a fish sees are 2 totally different things. They can find there way around and feed (and avoid being caught!) on the darkest of nights. Obviously they have a highly developed sense of smell and this plays a huge part but I am convinced they must have a good degree of night sight. Most big cats can effectively hunt at night when we are stumbling around and natural selection almost certainly means that fish do have have a fully functional degree of vision. 

[elmoputney]

7 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I watch the videos and I always chuckle to myself. The swim being fished has so many things that can add to the already wary fishes 'stress'.

Obviously first one is the camera, and any attachment to the bank, wires or cables, as it is unlikely underwater cameras will be wire free.

Then we have feeding situation. The water may or may not be a boilie water, or a water where particles or groundbait are the best feeding stimulant. 

As for my fishing I tend not to be pedantic about camouflage, but I do try to minimise it being over conspicuous. 

There are times that I have seen fish spook off bright fluorescent baits, yet at other times they are the best way to catch.

My hooklinks I prefer green or green, black and dirty white (Merlin). I think that matches the majority of lake bottoms. My mainline is usually clear in clear waters, and is as much as possible fished slack line and running leads, or rods low so the line is along the lakebed if possible, although I believe that at anything over 40metres, the line is along the lakebed anyway.

I stopped using leaders unless I have to, and I still catch on straight through mainline, and with no anti-tangle tubing. 

Like @elmoputney I don't think that the fish can identify a hook, run ring, bead,  lead or swivel, and that green hooklink looks like a strand of weed.

Baitwise, I prefer an unobtrusive bait, for a couple of reasons, to try to stop swan life, but also to match my freebies which are normally brown. However, as said, there are times in late autumn, winter and early spring when I think that a fluorescent bait is better or will provoke takes.

 

Interestingly I've been using this bait all year, and I don't recall being plagued by wildfowl at all,I've had grebes diving but they tended to quit quite quickly. 

Edited Sunday at 07:04 by elmoputney

[elmoputney]

I've actually made my MO to be largely yellow beds of bait, I've used maize flake, sweetcorn and yellow pellets, all doused in yellow smart liquid, 

[Roughtor]

I'm not going to get all technical ,here's what I've learnt over time ..

I had an old friend 'Egloskerry Tom' Tom had a massive influence on me as a youngster ,as far as carping went he was God.. 

I used to watch him set up a rod ,cast his latest rig out ,with the latest homemade RH recipe, Partridge hook ,then came attaching backleads ,sinking the line ,....you get the picture !...a right kerfuffle!..

 

He didn't catch many ,but I loved him as a friend ..

Anyway I used to turn up with a bag of Richwoth tutti, some not looking to good ,just found some ,spots that I felt held fish ...one Sunday I turned up  he'd been there hours  same routine etc ....and nowt ...by lunch time fishing simple running rigs and so on I had 7 nice carp...what that taught me is over complication  looses against simplicity ..

 

I fish similar even today, simple is best ,no gadgets or gimmicks  ,just a sharp hook in the right place carp are simple creatures...if they don't feed there is nothing you can do about it...and boy ,don't those tackle manufacturers know it they play on people's insecurity..

[kevtaylor]

On 21/09/2025 at 07:36, Golden Paws said:

Heavily populated commercials are easier and chances are most of the natural food has been harvested and the fish are reliant on anglers baits and the fish are more likely to be tolerant to tackle and bank-side disturbance.

Whilst this is mainly true some of the trickiest carp to catch can be those that have seen it all on a daily basis on a busy commercial, I reeled in a bent hookpoint after one bleep last trip so deffo been done.  95% of bites are dropbacks and you rarely connect, that is NOT normal - this is my finding on Bluebell's Kingfisher anyway - cute as anything.

On my big, low stock lake I think they are scared of baited patches which again seems pretty rare, they usually say find them and you'll catch, here it's find them - cast out and they're gone lol

This lake is so clear I've been looking at my flouro leaders thinking well they're easy to see - should I go back to leadcore.  Minefield!

[kevtaylor]

7 hours ago, kevtaylor said:

This lake is so clear I've been looking at my flouro leaders thinking well they're easy to see - should I go back to leadcore.  Minefield!

Glad I re-read this coz the answer is use my pen to break up the flouro a bit, always had the pen in the tackle box but not the brain power to remember to do it - now on a post-it note in the living room 🤦😆

[jules007]

the pop up was very blatent, when i fish pop up i tend to put the shot a couple of mm behind the hook eye keeping it as low as possible..........................still dont catch though

[elmoputney]

30 minutes ago, jules007 said:

the pop up was very blatent, when i fish pop up i tend to put the shot a couple of mm behind the hook eye keeping it as low as possible..........................still dont catch though

Pop ups are a big fish rig. Pretty much all I use these days because I want to hook the big ones 😎

 

[salokcinnodrog]

2 hours ago, jules007 said:

the pop up was very blatent, when i fish pop up i tend to put the shot a couple of mm behind the hook eye keeping it as low as possible..........................still dont catch though

 

2 hours ago, elmoputney said:

Pop ups are a big fish rig. Pretty much all I use these days because I want to hook the big ones 😎

 

I do try my pop-ups at various heights, says he who used to prefer keeping them as low as possible. I’ve caught fish on pop-ups close to the lakebed, the counterbalance being on the hook eye, to around 10centimetres above the lakebed, which to me seemed like a zig rig.

I'm not sure that pop-ups are a big fish only setup, although I suppose that is relative. 23lb is a big fish, but when the lake has fish to 50, 23lb is 'small'. Going back through my captures, I've caught big fish on bottom and snowman baits as well, including 30lb carp. 

[elmoputney]

2 hours ago, salokcinnodrog said:

 

I do try my pop-ups at various heights, says he who used to prefer keeping them as low as possible. I’ve caught fish on pop-ups close to the lakebed, the counterbalance being on the hook eye, to around 10centimetres above the lakebed, which to me seemed like a zig rig.

I'm not sure that pop-ups are a big fish only setup, although I suppose that is relative. 23lb is a big fish, but when the lake has fish to 50, 23lb is 'small'. Going back through my captures, I've caught big fish on bottom and snowman baits as well, including 30lb carp. 

I'm not saying you won't catch on bottom baits. I just feel pop ups are more selective and smaller fish tend to ignore them. 

[salokcinnodrog]

4 hours ago, elmoputney said:

I'm not saying you won't catch on bottom baits. I just feel pop ups are more selective and smaller fish tend to ignore them. 

To be honest Mate, I don't think so. I've probably caught far more smaller carp on pop-ups than bigger fish, although obviously big fish are fewer in number than smaller ones. 

2x 18mm bottom baits is probably more big fish orientated than a 15mm pop-up, and catching 3 big fish over 25lb out of  Alton in a night while the pop-up was ignored. Then catching 2 small 20's on the pop-up on another occasion. It's a case of finding the right method for the fish at the time.

Of all the 30's I have had, snowman with an 18mm bottom and 15mm has produced a few, a 15mm pop-up has produced one and the double 18mm bottom bait a few more, and even a single 15mm bottom bait a couple.

 

[framey]

If it’s in the right place and the signals given off is something they want to eat 

doesn’t matter if it’s a pink pop up or a pink bottom bait they will eat it.

 

 

[framey]

6 minutes ago, framey said:

If it’s in the right place and the signals given off is something they want to eat 

doesn’t matter if it’s a pink pop up or a pink bottom bait they will eat it.

 

 

Timed out trying to find something 

the only time I ever noticed was my largest fish out of local lake on an elite baits orange pop up

either Xmas cracker or cream cracker the one that’s like a tutti frutti flavour.

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, framey said:

If it’s in the right place and the signals given off is something they want to eat 

doesn’t matter if it’s a pink pop up or a pink bottom bait they will eat it.

 

 

As long as its pink 😉

One of the reasons I mainly use pop ups is because the lake is so weedy, I've pulled in too many bottom baits covered in slimy weed to think it's a waste of time. If I was fishing one of those clear bottomed lakes or one of the well worn spots I might reconsider, but for now they don't really suit the lake I fish and I would rather know I am fishing effectively. 

[framey]

2 hours ago, elmoputney said:

As long as its pink 😉

One of the reasons I mainly use pop ups is because the lake is so weedy, I've pulled in too many bottom baits covered in slimy weed to think it's a waste of time. If I was fishing one of those clear bottomed lakes or one of the well worn spots I might reconsider, but for now they don't really suit the lake I fish and I would rather know I am fishing effectively. 

Yup conditions do dictate 

hence right place 😂 😂 

[yonny]

20 hours ago, elmoputney said:

I'm not saying you won't catch on bottom baits. I just feel pop ups are more selective and smaller fish tend to ignore them. 

In my opinion you will absolutely increase your average weights by using pop ups. The higher you fish them off the deck, the higher your average weights will climb, and it's purely down to the mechanics of how fish of different sizes approach baits. If you whack a pop up 3 inches off the deck you'll hook fewer small carp as it just looks alien to them. Bigguns can't even tell as they're approaching from above due to their sheer size. Just my opinion of course.....

I have a mate that fished the same waters as me for 5 years. Great angler. His average, every year, was significantly smaller than mine, and he caught just as many fish if not more. Only difference is he fished bottom baits where I used pop ups. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

During my most focussed campaign after 1 particular fish, I increased the height of my pop up rigs significantly to avoid smaller fish. I landed 16 fish after that modification with an average of over 30 lb, and then the biggun. Normal average on this water was mid 20, my smallest fish was 25. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

You might sacrifice bites with big blatant pop ups but when the bite comes it's normally one that matters. My first piece of advice to anyone looking to target big fish would be to use blatant pop up rigs. You'll still catch smaller carp, and you'll still catch tench/bream, but imo frequency will be reduced.

[jh92]

32 minutes ago, yonny said:

In my opinion you will absolutely increase your average weights by using pop ups. The higher you fish them off the deck, the higher your average weights will climb, and it's purely down to the mechanics of how fish of different sizes approach baits. If you whack a pop up 3 inches off the deck you'll hook fewer small carp as it just looks alien to them. Bigguns can't even tell as they're approaching from above due to their sheer size. Just my opinion of course.....

I have a mate that fished the same waters as me for 5 years. Great angler. His average, every year, was significantly smaller than mine, and he caught just as many fish if not more. Only difference is he fished bottom baits where I used pop ups. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

During my most focussed campaign after 1 particular fish, I increased the height of my pop up rigs significantly to avoid smaller fish. I landed 16 fish after that modification with an average of over 30 lb, and then the biggun. Normal average on this water was mid 20, my smallest fish was 25. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

You might sacrifice bites with big blatant pop ups but when the bite comes it's normally one that matters. My first piece of advice to anyone looking to target big fish would be to use blatant pop up rigs. You'll still catch smaller carp, and you'll still catch tench/bream, but imo frequency will be reduced.

Wicked post mate 👍 what size pop ups do you use?

My mate uses hinges instead of Ronnie's due to the bait being higher, reckons its harder for smaller fish, nuisance species to get hooked on, swears by it lol. 

 

I've done really well using big snowman baits over the last couple years, with the bottom baits being between 18 - 24mm, and a pink pop up between 14 - 16mm. I would say my majority of captures were rarely under 20lb. I wonder if it's the size of the bait or the bait being sat up right topped off with a pink pop up is selecting the bigger carp for me? 

 Why is when you think you've got things sussed out another rabbit hole opens 🤣🤣

 

On 20/09/2025 at 06:17, Golden Paws said:

After Elmo's plea for more content, I decided to start this one.

Below is a video I found on You Tube. It's a fair effort and uses tech to the max, bait boats, drones and underwater camera's. Despite all that, I couldn't believe how blatant the rig was, especially the pop up. The line was bow tight and stood out like a sore thumb and even the lead stood out more than I thought it would. I've seen quite a few of these types of video's and I can't believe that the carp continue to feed anywhere near the area.

I'm a bit paranoid about trying to make everything as unobtrusive as possible. I use Korda Safezone leaders (fluorocarbon) and always backlead to keep everything pinned to the deck although I know it compromises bite detection. All my rigs are combi's with a fluorocarbon boom with an inch or so of supple braid to give the hookbait some movement. I don't use pop-ups but but do often use a slip-D combi rig with a wafter that has been bored with some cork to create what I call a wafter+, it is enough to lift the bait off the bottom but the hook still touches the bottom.

What edges do you use to minimise suspicion?
 

 

For years I've mainly fished big open ressies, presenting a bait was fairly easy as the bed was mainly silt, with a few hard spots. As I was fishing mainly around 100 yards my thoughts behind it would be that the rig and and several yards of line would be flat on the deck and out the way of the Carp. Never really had an issue.

When I started fishing the canal and complex this year it felt like a whole new type of fishing as I was dropping baits in holes of weed, having my line semi slack riding up out over the weed.

My head was falling off as I couldn't see how it would it catch with line coming up off the spot, like surely its going to spook the fish off🤣 my mates take on it who's been fishing there for years was saying I'm over thinking things, the carp are coming out of dense weed, are they really gonna feel the difference between a semi slack line and a strand of weed lol. I still have my suspensions but tbh after I kinda just settled with the idea and continued to fish like that I've started to get through to them when fishing like that 👍 

[yonny]

19 minutes ago, jh92 said:

what size pop ups do you use?

It depends on the angling situation tbh. If I'm boilie fishing, or fishing to open water, I tend to go with 15 or 16 mm. If I'm fishing over bits, or in the margins/shallow water, I tend to drop to 13 mm.

It'll also depend on what I'm fishing for. On a campaign for a biggun I like to use bigger baits. Nowadays it seems it's all overnighters so I just want a bite - for that I like smaller, brighter hookbaits.

There's loas of reasons I might choose 13 over 16 and vice versa.... all depends on the specific situation. Same with colour.

 

[kevtaylor]

1 hour ago, yonny said:

In my opinion you will absolutely increase your average weights by using pop ups. The higher you fish them off the deck, the higher your average weights will climb, and it's purely down to the mechanics of how fish of different sizes approach baits. If you whack a pop up 3 inches off the deck you'll hook fewer small carp as it just looks alien to them. Bigguns can't even tell as they're approaching from above due to their sheer size. Just my opinion of course.....

I have a mate that fished the same waters as me for 5 years. Great angler. His average, every year, was significantly smaller than mine, and he caught just as many fish if not more. Only difference is he fished bottom baits where I used pop ups. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

During my most focussed campaign after 1 particular fish, I increased the height of my pop up rigs significantly to avoid smaller fish. I landed 16 fish after that modification with an average of over 30 lb, and then the biggun. Normal average on this water was mid 20, my smallest fish was 25. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.....

You might sacrifice bites with big blatant pop ups but when the bite comes it's normally one that matters. My first piece of advice to anyone looking to target big fish would be to use blatant pop up rigs. You'll still catch smaller carp, and you'll still catch tench/bream, but imo frequency will be reduced.

Agreed although I only really use 3inch pop-ups in spring and catch all sizes because it's spring, it's been proven over and over and on film that the whackers cannot tell it's off the deck so it singles them out.  I should fish them more tbh 👍