MBBy Marcus Bell · Updated June 2026
The best way to actually see underwater in 2026 — we tested 5
Your fish finder shows you blobs. We wanted to actually see what's down there — live, on a screen. So we tested the five most common ways to do it. Only one was worth keeping.
FYI — prices and ratings are accurate as of the time of writing.
Here's the thing nobody tells you about fishing "electronics." Most of us are still fishing half-blind — dropping a line and hoping. You stare at a sonar screen full of arches you can't really read, and you still don't know if that's a log, a rock, or a 6-pound bass. We wanted to stop guessing and actually watch what's happening under the boat. These are the five things people try — ranked by how well they let you see, not guess.
The short version — our top picks
★ Best overall
Colitt Underwater Camera
★★★★★ 4.9
Best for pros (deep pockets)
Pro underwater rigs
★★★★☆ 3.6
What you probably already own
Sonar / fish finders
★★☆☆☆ 2.4
1. Colitt Underwater Camera — Best Overall
★ Best overall 2026
★★★★★9.6/104.9 · 718 reviews
Why it wins:
It's the only one on this list that does the simple thing perfectly: you drop it in, and a real picture shows up on its own screen. No blobs, no guessing — actual fish, weeds, logs, structure, swimming around in real time. The first time you use it, you genuinely can't stop watching. One reviewer dropped it in a pond he thought was empty and found bass "hanging out like they own the place."
No phone. No Wi-Fi. No setup:
This is the part that matters if you're not techy. There's no app to download, no phone to drain, no pairing. One button — turn it on, drop it in, watch the screen. It comes with the monitor, a 100 ft cable, the camera, mount and base in the box, ready to go. Setup is genuinely about 30 seconds.
It's not just for serious anglers:
Half the people who buy it aren't hardcore fishermen. They drop it off a dock, in the backyard pond, through the ice, off the boat on vacation — just to see what's down there. As one buyer put it: "this is not just for kids, not just for anglers — anyone curious who wants to see what's below." And it turns into a family thing fast: kids and grandkids crowd around the screen (one parent said even her teenager put his phone down to watch).
The catch:
It's not a $30 toy, and a couple of people found getting the camera into the exact spot took a try or two. That's about it — and there's a 30-day money-back guarantee if it's not for you.
2. Pro Underwater Rigs — Best for Pros (with deep pockets)
Capable but overkill
★★★★☆7.0/10$300–800+
The good:
These genuinely work — big screens, long cables, great picture. If you're a tournament guy who fishes 200 days a year, the top-end rigs are excellent.
The catch:
They're big, heavy, and expensive — a hard case full of cables you lug around. More than one buyer told us their old underwater camera's "entire setup was way too big." For most people it's three to eight times the price for capability they'll never use.
3. Phone-Tethered Cameras — If You Don't Mind Using Your Phone
Phone-dependent
★★★☆☆6.0/10$60–120
The good:
Cheaper up front, and the cameras themselves are small.
The catch:
They run through your phone — an app to download, a Wi-Fi or cable connection that drops, and your phone battery draining on the water. Buyers who'd tried "the phone plug-in cameras" came looking for something that just turns on and works without all that. Lose your phone to a splash and the whole thing's done.
4. Sonar / Fish Finders — What You Probably Already Own
Shows blobs, not fish
★★☆☆☆4.8/10$150–800
The good:
Sonar is great at one job: depth and rough shape. It'll tell you the bottom's at 18 feet and there's "something" there.
The catch — and why most people are here:
It shows you arches and blobs, not fish. You still can't tell a bass from a branch, or whether they're even interested. This was by far the #1 thing our readers had already tried and gotten frustrated with — *"different fish finders that don't work great," "sonar that came with the boat," "I was basically fishing blind."* A camera shows you the actual fish. Sonar makes you guess at a shape.
5. Action Cams (GoPro-style) — Best for Surfing, Not Fishing
Wrong tool
★★☆☆☆3.5/10$100–400
The good:
Tough, waterproof, great for filming yourself.
The catch:
There's no live screen you can watch while it's in the water, no long cable, and no depth — you fish blind, then review footage later at home. Fine for memories, useless for actually seeing what's biting now.
Side-by-side
| What you get | Live picture (not blobs) | Works without your phone | One-button simple | Goes deep (100 ft) | Price |
|---|
| 1 · Colitt Camera | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | $99 |
| 2 · Pro underwater rig | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | $300–800 |
| 3 · Phone-tethered cam | ✓ | ✕ | ~ | ~ | $60–120 |
| 4 · Sonar / fish finder | ✕ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | $150–800 |
| 5 · Action cam | ✕ | ✕ | ~ | ✕ | $100–400 |
"Live picture" = you watch real footage on a screen as it happens, not a sonar reading you have to interpret.
If you already own a fish finder, read this
The #1 reason people switch
When we asked buyers what they'd tried before, the same answer came up over and over: sonar and fish finders that never actually let them see. Humminbird, Vexilar, the "depth finder that came with the boat," the side-and-down scan — all of it shows shapes, not fish.
That's the whole difference. Sonar tells you something might be down there. A camera shows you the bass, watches it ignore your lure, and lets you change what you're doing. As one angler put it: "more time catching, less time guessing."
Why the Colitt took the top spot
Four of the five options either make you guess (sonar), make you fight your phone, cost a fortune, or can't show you anything live. The Colitt is the one that just turns on and shows you the underwater world — simply, cheaply, and in a way the whole family ends up crowding around.
Everything's in the box — monitor, 100 ft camera cable, mount and base. One button to start.
40,000+anglers & families
718verified reviews
4.9★average rating
★★★★★
"Was skeptical but first time out I saw stuff I never knew was down there. Crawfish, weeds, structure — and yeah, fish too. The screen is clear even in direct sunlight."
benny — verified review
★★★★★
"Didn't expect to see a turtle down there! The clarity is wild. Never going back to blind casting — it's like having eyes underwater."
Derek — verified review
★★★★★
"I used to sit in the boat bored out of my mind waiting for him to be done. Now I'm the one saying 'let's stay a little longer.'"
laura — verified review
★★★★★
"Set it up on the dock with my boys — they were glued to the screen the whole time. Best part? No more 'are we done yet?' halfway through the trip."
tony (dad) — verified review
Not just for the boat
People use it just about everywhere there's water — you don't need to be a serious angler to want to see what's down there:
🎣 Off the boat
🛶 Kayak & canoe
🌅 Dock & pier
🏡 Backyard pond
❄️ Ice fishing
🌊 Saltwater & surf
🔦 At night (built-in lights)
👀 Just exploring
👨👩👧 Family lake days
Frequently asked
How is this different from my fish finder / sonar?
Sonar shows you shapes and depth — you still have to guess what they are. This shows you a real live picture: the actual fish, structure, and how they react. Most people who buy it already own sonar and were tired of guessing.
Do I need a phone, an app, or Wi-Fi?
No. Everything's built in. Turn it on, drop it in the water, watch the screen. Nothing to download, nothing to pair, and it won't drain your phone.
I've never used one — is it complicated?
It's about the simplest gadget you'll own. One button, and it comes fully assembled in the box. Most people are watching fish within a minute of opening it.
Does it work in murky water or at night?
Yes — it has built-in lights for stained, dark, or deep water, and a night/infrared mode so you can see after dark.
How deep does it go?
The camera is on a 100 ft cable, so you can drop it well below where you're standing — off a dock, a boat, or through the ice.
Can I use it for ice fishing and saltwater?
Yes. It's used in freshwater, saltwater, and ice fishing — lakes, rivers, the coast, and through drilled ice holes.
What if it's not for me?
There's a 30-day money-back guarantee — return it within 30 days for a full refund, no questions asked.
You've spent years wondering what's down there. For the price of a couple tanks of gas, you can finally just look.