Fishing camera

Abstract

To provide an underwater camera assembly designed to be pulled through water in a forward direction in front of a fishing lure.SOLUTION: An elongated main body holding a camera in a waterproof manner has a line attachment system positioned on a lower part of the main body. The camera assembly has a front tongue extending downward and forward from a lower front part of the main body, the front tongue being configured to exert a downward force on the main body being pulled through water in the forward direction. The assembly comprises stabilizing fins extending laterally from a rear-end part of the main body. The camera assembly has a very low mass while still providing improved stability and depth control during trolling.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2B

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Field The present invention relates to underwater video cameras, and more particularly to underwater video cameras that are pulled in front of a trolling bait. [Background technology]

[0002] background Trolling is a method of fishing in which a fishing line carrying a lure or bait fish is pulled through the water. This can be behind a moving boat, or by reeling the line in with a fishing reel from a stationary position (called the retrieve), or even by flicking the line back and forth when fishing from a pier, for example. Fishing lures are artificial baits, most often rigged with one or more hooks of various styles, designed to imitate real prey animals and use appearance, color, reflections, movement, and vibrations to attract the attention of predatory fish during the retrieve.

[0003] It is often interesting to watch how the bait moves while trolling and to see the fish approaching and biting the bait, and several attempts at underwater video cameras have been proposed for this purpose.

[0004] US Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 042136 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 192624 are examples of lures with built-in cameras. Here, the hook is attached directly to the camera housing, and is not intended to be attached to the line separately from the lure at the front of the lure. It is presumed that the fish will bite the entire reel camera assembly. The tongues and fins of these lure cameras are designed to mimic the movement of a natural bait while trolling, resulting in very shaky video recordings.

[0005] China Utility Model No. 216700109, U.S. Patent No. 9,507,243 and U.S. Patent No. 8,515,269 relate to a camera that is attached to a line in front of the lure and separate from the lure. The documents state that the shape and fins are designed to stabilize the depth and movement of the camera as it is pulled through the water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 042136 [Patent Document 2] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 192624 [Patent Document 3] China Utility Model No. 216700109 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent No. 9,507,243 [Patent Document 5] U.S. Patent No. 8,515,269 Summary of the Invention

[0007] overview Therefore, there is a need for an underwater fishing camera with improved stability and depth control while trolling that can alleviate or mitigate the shortcomings of existing fishing cameras and address them.

[0008] An underwater camera assembly is disclosed that is pulled through the water in a forward direction, for example by a line, preferably in front of and separate from a lure attached to the same line or an extension of the line.

[0009] An underwater camera assembly is disclosed that is pulled forward through the water. The camera assembly includes an elongated body having forward and rear ends and a top and bottom, the body waterproofly holding the camera with a camera opening aligned with a rearward facing window in the rear end. The camera assembly includes a line attachment system, preferably located on the lower portion of the body, configured to secure the body to a portion of a line. The camera assembly includes a front tongue extending downwardly and forwardly from the lower portion of the front end and configured to exert a downward force on the body as the assembly is pulled forward through the water. The camera assembly includes at least two stabilizers extending laterally from the rear end at symmetric angles between 10° and 80° from vertical, and optionally at least one stabilizer extending laterally and vertically from the rear end. The camera assembly is also preferably positively buoyant in fresh water.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, at least two stabilizers extend laterally from an upper portion of the rear end. In an exemplary embodiment, the optional at least one stabilizer extends laterally and vertically downward from a lower portion of the rear end.

[0011] As used herein, "depth" refers to the vertical distance to the water surface as the camera assembly is being trolled, and "line" refers to the fishing line or other thin thread used to pull the camera assembly through the water.

[0012] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an elongated body holding a camera according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] 2A and 2B are perspective exploded (2A) and assembled (2B) views of an exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure, and FIG 2C is a side view of an assembled exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] 2A and 2B are perspective exploded (2A) and assembled (2B) views of an exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure, and FIG 2C is a side view of an assembled exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] 2A and 2B are perspective exploded (2A) and assembled (2B) views of an exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure, and FIG 2C is a side view of an assembled exemplary camera assembly of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] 3A-C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a front tongue according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3B] 3A-C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a front tongue according to the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] 3A-C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a front tongue according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4A] 4A to 4C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a stabilizer according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4B] 4A to 4C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a stabilizer according to the present disclosure. [Figure 4C] 4A to 4C are a perspective view, a side view, and a front view, respectively, of a stabilizer according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Detailed Description Various embodiments and details are described below with reference to the figures, where relevant. It should be noted that the figures may or may not be drawn to scale, and that elements having similar structures or functions are represented by similar reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended to exhaustively describe the disclosure, nor to limit the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or advantage described in connection with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment, and may be implemented in any other embodiment, even if not so illustrated or explicitly described.

[0015] The figures are schematic and simplified for clarity and only show details that aid in the understanding of the present disclosure, while other details are omitted. The same reference numerals are used throughout to refer to the same or corresponding parts.

[0016] An underwater camera assembly is disclosed that is pulled forward through water. The camera assembly includes an elongated body having front and rear ends, and a top and bottom. In an exemplary embodiment, the elongated body can be described by or have an at least substantially cylindrical shape having a length L and a radius r (see FIG. 2A). With reference to the depiction of the exemplary body in the figures, this generalized shape serves the purpose of providing approximate dimensions of the body, and deviations from a purely cylindrical shape should be understood to be within the scope of at least a substantially cylindrical shape. For example, the cross section may be slightly elliptical or oblong rather than circular, and may vary along the length of the elongated body. Also, the outer surface may have indentations or protrusions to facilitate gripping and fixation. Thus, the radius r may be considered to be a mean, average, or median parameter of the cross section. Also, the ends may be rounded such that the length varies across the cross section. Thus, the length L may be considered to be a mean, average, or median parameter of the length across the cross section.

[0017] The body holds the camera in a waterproof manner, with the camera opening aligned with a rearward facing window in the rear end. The body may be a waterproof case that houses and removes a stand-alone camera within the body, or it may be a housing for camera hardware that is fixedly mounted within the body.

[0018] The camera assembly includes a line attachment system configured to secure the body to the line or thread, preferably such that the elongated body is aligned with a continuous section of the thread. In an exemplary embodiment, the line attachment system is located on a lower portion of the body. In other exemplary embodiments, the line attachment system is located on an upper portion of the body or may extend through the body, for example, along a central longitudinal axis of the elongated body.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the line attachment system includes an elongated tubular element, such as a tube, pipe, or hose. The tubular element may be attached to the body, such as at the bottom of the body, and extends at least substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the elongated body. The line attachment system may be configured to secure the body to the line section by threading the line section through the elongated tubular element. A stopper larger than the inner diameter of the tubular element may then be added to the line section exiting the rear end of the tubular element such that when the line is retrieved, the stopper engages the rear end of the tube and pulls the camera assembly forward. The stopper may be, for example, a swivel, a split shot sinker, or a knot. This configuration of the line attachment system is advantageous because if the line segment breaks, the camera assembly may slide off the line segment and rise to a surface where it can be retrieved.

[0020] When the camera assembly is in use, a separate section of line, such as a main line or a leader attached to the camera assembly (or the tubular element or stopper, if present), may extend rearward from the camera assembly and be attached to a lure that includes a hook, such that the lure will drag the camera assembly during retrieval of the main line.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the underwater camera assembly is not a lure, such as a lure that includes a fishing hook. In a preferred embodiment, the underwater camera assembly according to the present disclosure does not include a fishing hook, and the fishing hook is not attached to the body, such as by being attached directly to the body via a metal link. In an exemplary embodiment, the line attachment system is configured to secure the body to the line section by threading the line section through the tubular element, and any fishing hook, such as in the form of a lure, may be attached to the line section. This allows the fishing hook to be attached to the body, such as by being attached directly to the body via a metal link.

[0022] Lures that use motion and vibration to mimic real prey animals (referred to herein as wobbling lures) present a challenge to the fishing camera, which must be pulled separately and in front of the lure, because the motion and vibration are transmitted to a fishing camera attached to the same line. There are many types and classes of such wobbling lures, including spinnerbaits, spoonbaits, wobblers, plugs, crankbaits, twitchbaits, minnows, swimbaits, and more. An important design feature of a fishing camera is that the camera be stable as it is pulled through the water, i.e., that the camera barely wobbles even when attached to the same line as a wobbling lure.

[0023] One way to reduce wobbling is to give the fishing camera a proportionally larger inertial mass than the wobbling lure. This ensures that any sudden line movements caused by the wobbling lure will also cause proportionally less wobbling of the camera. However, in sport and recreational fishing, the camera and lure are often cast with a rod. For a fishing rod, the casting weight is the weight range (of lead, lure, camera, etc.) that the rod is designed to work with, or the minimum and maximum weights that the rod will allow for maximum casting distance. While most rods have a maximum casting weight of less than 100g, there are specialized large game rods available with casting weights up to 800g. Thus, there are competing objectives in designing a fishing camera: to make the camera as heavy as possible to reduce the transmission of wobbling from the lure, and to make it as light as possible to fit the widest range of fishing rods. The present invention aims to provide a lightweight fishing camera that is compatible with a wide range of fishing rods and reduces the transmission of wobbling from the lure. Thus, the camera assembly includes a front tongue extending downward and forward from a lower portion of the front end, at least two stabilizers extending laterally from an upper portion of the rear end of the body, and optionally at least one stabilizer extending laterally and vertically downward from a lower portion of the rear end. Hereinafter, the terms "stabilizer(s)" or "fin(s)" or "stabilizing fin(s)" will be used to refer to at least two stabilizers extending laterally from the upper portion, and at least one stabilizer extending laterally vertically from the optional lower portion, as applicable.

[0024] Another reason for providing a lightweight camera is to have a camera assembly that is positively buoyant in water. A heavier camera would necessarily require a larger camera volume, which would result in more drag and increased visibility to fish. In an exemplary embodiment, the camera assembly is preferably positively buoyant in fresh water. Positive buoyancy is advantageous because if the line breaks, it will rise to the surface, giving the user the opportunity to retrieve the camera.

[0025] Another challenge in designing a fishing camera is depth control while trolling. Most lures have negative buoyancy and a given hydrodynamic shape that, in conjunction with trolling speed, trolling regularity, and the angle of the line relative to the water surface, control the trolling depth, i.e., how deep the lure travels below the water's surface. Attaching a fishing camera, especially one with positive buoyancy, in front of the lure but separate from the lure on the same line dramatically changes the lure's depth control. To control trolling depth, the camera assembly includes a front tang that extends downward and forward from a lower portion of the front end and is configured to exert a downward force on the body as the assembly is pulled forward through the water.

[0026] As mentioned above, the front tongue of the camera assembly of the present disclosure serves two functions during retrieval of the line and camera assembly: a) It creates a downforce that balances the upward drag from the line and the non-neutral buoyancy of the camera assembly and the upward drag from the stabilizer or vanes to move the camera assembly to a predetermined depth. b) It stabilizes the front end of the camera assembly to reduce wobbling from the lure and increase the stability of the camera assembly.

[0027] Front tangs, commonly called lips, vanes, blades, or spoons, are known in a class of lures called wobblers. Wobbler tangs have two effects when retrieving a wobbler: 1) It generates downforce to stop the wobbler and propel it to a desired depth, and 2) It causes the wobbler to perform a wobbling motion that mimics the swimming motion of a prey fish, also known as the "game" of the lure.

[0028] A wobbler's tongue has four main parameters: length and width (area), inclination, and shape. In general, the longer the tongue, the deeper the wobbler's operating depth. The wider the tongue and the greater its area, the more intense the wobbler's game. However, lateral perturbation forces increase significantly with area, and if the stability is insufficient, the wobbler may "tip over" and lose the game or even be pushed to the surface. The maximum swinging effect is achieved when the downward inclination of the tongue is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Equally important to the wobbler's movement is the shape of the tongue. To better interact with the oncoming water current, the forward-facing surface of the wobbler's tongue is usually slightly concave.

[0029] Extensive testing was carried out with different shaped tongues. If the downward inclination of the front tongue is too shallow, the assembly will have difficulty initiating a dive and may "tumble" at the surface as it is retracted. If the downward inclination of the front tongue is too steep, the assembly may dive quickly but will act as a wobbling lure with strong lateral movements, preventing recording. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the downward inclination of the front tongue relative to the longitudinal central axis of the elongated body is between 5 and 30 degrees, preferably between 10 and 20 degrees.

[0030] Another variable in testing tongue configurations was to provide the upper surface of the front tongue with symmetrically sloping sideways and downwards slopes (see FIG. 3C). These laterally sloping surfaces were found to have an additional stabilizing effect. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, the upper surface of the front tongue includes angled surfaces that slope symmetrically sideways and downwards from the central fore-aft axis of the upper surface. The angled surfaces serve to make the forward facing upper surface of the tongue slightly convex. In an exemplary embodiment, the downward angle of the angled surfaces is between 5 and 25 degrees, preferably between 10 and 20 degrees.

[0031] During extensive testing with different tongue configurations, the tongue size was also varied. In an exemplary embodiment, the upper surface of the front tongue has a surface area A t =(2r) 2 ±20%, e.g. A t =(2r) 2 ± 50%.

[0032] The camera assembly is - at least two stabilizers extending laterally from the rear end, e.g., from the top of the rear end, at symmetric angles between 10° and 80° from the vertical; and - optional at least one stabilizer extending laterally and vertically from the rear end, e.g. vertically downward from a lower portion of the rear end Includes.

[0033] Preferably, the at least two stabilizers and the at least one stabilizer extend from opposing upper / lower portions of the rear end of the body to form a "Y" shape or an inverted "Y" shape.

[0034] The stabilizer(s) generate resistance against lateral movement and / or rolling of the rear end of the camera assembly, thereby reducing the transmission of wobble from the lure and increasing the stability of the camera assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the stabilizer is at least L from the rear end of the elongated body. sIn an exemplary embodiment, the stabilizer extends over a width W, which may be described as the length along the longitudinal direction of the camera body. s In an exemplary embodiment, W s =r±50%.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the symmetric angle of the at least two stabilizers is between 45 and 75 degrees from vertical.

[0036] Weights may be added to the downward stabilizers (if present) for additional depth control and stability, and possibly to adjust for pitch caused by the downforce of the front tang. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, at least one stabilizer includes means for holding a weight having a mass between 2 and 20 grams, preferably between 5 and 15 grams. Weights added to such downward stabilizers act as a keel to reduce rolling and slightly increase the inertial mass of the camera assembly, which, as noted above, helps reduce the transmission of wobble from the lure. However, adding too much weight increases the total weight of the assembly and reduces rod compatibility.

[0037] In use, the line bay "hooks" onto one of the stabilizing fins, so the leading edge of the stabilizing fin may be angled aft to allow the line to easily "detach" itself by sliding along the leading edge of the stabilizing fin.

[0038] 1 shows an elongated body 2 which waterproofly holds a camera 3. The camera is preferably a video camera and may include an aperture 5, an image sensor 6, an electronic processor 6 and digital storage 7, and the camera aperture 5 may be aligned with a rearward facing window 4 at the rear end of the body 2. The body is configured to be pulled in a forward direction indicated by arrow 9.

[0039] 2A and 2B are perspective exploded (2A) and assembled (2B) views of an exemplary camera assembly embodiment, and FIG 2C is a side view of an assembled exemplary camera assembly embodiment.

[0040] 2A-C disclose an underwater camera assembly 1. The camera assembly 1 includes an elongated body 2.

[0041] For purposes of referencing locations on the body, the elongated body 2 includes a front end FE and a rear end RE that are divided as indicated by the solid vertical line in Figure 2C. The elongated body 2 also includes an upper portion UP and a lower portion LP that are divided as indicated by the dashed horizontal line in Figure 2C.

[0042] 2A also illustrates a cylinder having length L and radius r to indicate the length and radius of the at least substantially cylindrical shape of the exemplary embodiment of elongated body 2. The dimensions of the camera assembly are balanced to make the assembly as small as possible to reduce inertial mass, resistance during retrieval, and visibility to fish, yet large enough to be easily handled by a user in cold conditions and possibly using gloves. In the exemplary embodiment, L ∈ [50 mm; 200 mm], r ∈ [5 mm; 20 mm].

[0043] The body waterproofly holds a camera (not shown) with the camera opening (not shown) aligned with a rearward facing window 4 in the rear end RE (see also camera depiction).

[0044] 2A-C, the camera assembly 1 is disposed on a lower portion LP of the body 2 and includes a line attachment system 11 configured to secure the body to a portion of a fishing line.

[0045] 2A-C, camera assembly 1 includes a front tongue 10 that extends downwardly and forwardly from a lower portion LP of front end FE. The front tongue 10 is positioned on body 2 to create a downforce on body 2 as assembly 1 is pulled through the water in a forward direction 9.

[0046] In Figures 2A-C, the camera assembly 1 includes at least two stabilizers extending laterally from an upper portion UP of the rear end RE and at least one stabilizer 14 extending laterally from a lower portion LP of the rear end RE. In all figures of the camera assembly 1, both the at least two stabilizers 12 and the at least one stabilizer 14 are included. No embodiment including only one of the at least two stabilizers 12 or the at least one stabilizer 14 is shown. This is not intended to limit the claimed disclosure, and it will be understood that it is clear to one skilled in the art that embodiments having only the stabilizer 12 can be made without departing from the scope of the claimed disclosure. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be considered in an illustrative and not a restrictive sense.

[0047] 3A-C are perspective, side, and front views, respectively, of a front tongue according to the present disclosure. A portion of the front tongue 10 may function primarily to attach the tongue to the body and provide space for or integrate a line attachment system. Thus, the portion of the front tongue that creates downforce on the body when pulled in the forward direction is the width W in FIG. 3A. t and length L t The width W of the upper surface 18 of the front tongue 10 may be defined as t and length L t is the surface area A of the upper surface portion 18 t =W t ×L t In an exemplary embodiment, in order for the front tongue to provide the necessary downforce without destabilizing the camera assembly, W t= 2r ± 20%. In an exemplary embodiment, L is set to 0.05 in order for the front tongue to provide the necessary downforce without destabilizing the camera assembly. t In an exemplary embodiment, A is set to 2r ±20% in order for the front tongue to provide the necessary downforce without destabilizing the camera assembly. t =(2r) 2 ±20%, for example ±50%.

[0048] As shown in Figure 3B, the front tongue 10 has a downward inclination represented by an angle a with respect to the central axis 16 of the elongate body, where a is preferably 5 to 30 degrees, for example 10 to 20 degrees.

[0049] 3B, in an exemplary embodiment of the front tongue 10, the upper surface 18 includes angled surfaces 20 that slope symmetrically laterally and downwardly from a central fore-aft axis 22 of the upper surface 18. The angled surfaces slope laterally at a downward angle b relative to a horizontal axis 24. In an exemplary embodiment, angle b is between 5 and 25 degrees, such as between 10 and 20 degrees.

[0050] 4A-C are perspective, side, and front views, respectively, of a preferred stabilizer according to the present disclosure.

[0051] As shown in Figure 4B, the stabilizers 12 and 14 extend from opposing upper and lower portions, respectively, of the rear end of the body to form a "Y" shape. In another embodiment, not shown, the stabilizers 12 and 14 extend from opposing lower and upper portions, respectively, of the rear end of the body to form an inverted "Y" shape.

[0052] The camera assembly includes at least two stabilizers 12 extending laterally from an upper portion UP of the rear end RE. The stabilizers 12 may or may not be oriented along a radius of the body. As shown in FIG. 4B, the stabilizers 12 have a symmetric angle c with respect to a vertical axis 24. In an exemplary embodiment, c is between 10 degrees and 80 degrees, e.g., between 45 degrees and 75 degrees.

[0053] The size of the stabilizer 12 is a balance between stabilizing the assembly by creating resistance against lateral movement and / or rolling, and creating more resistance against forward movement, increasing visibility to the fish and increasing the risk of hooking the line. As shown in FIG. 4B, the stabilizer 12 extends a length L from the top of the aft end of the elongated body. s In an exemplary embodiment, L s 4A, the stabilizer 12 has a width W, which may be described as the length along the longitudinal direction of the camera body. s In an exemplary embodiment, W s =r±50%.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the camera assembly includes at least one stabilizer 14 extending laterally from the lower portion LP of the rear end RE. The stabilizer 14 is preferably oriented along a radius of the body.

[0055] As with stabilizer 12, the size of stabilizer 14 is a balance between providing resistance to lateral movement and / or rolling to stabilize the assembly, and providing more resistance to forward movement, increasing visibility to the fish and increasing the risk of hooking the line. Stabilizer 14 preferably has a width and length in the ranges described above for stabilizer 12.

[0056] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4C, the camera assembly includes a weight 26, preferably made of metal, and the stabilizer 14 includes a means for holding the weight or is configured to hold the weight.

[0057] In the views of Figures 4A-C, the stabilizers 12, 14 are shown as part of a unit that can be opened and closed so as to be removable from the main body, making space for or being integrated with a line attachment system.

[0058] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not necessarily exclude the presence of other elements or steps than those listed.

[0059] It should be noted that the word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0060] While features have been illustrated and described, they are not intended to be limitations of the claimed disclosure, and it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the claimed disclosure. The specification and drawings are, therefore, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

Claims

1. An underwater camera assembly (1) that is pulled forward through water, comprising: - an elongated body (2) having front and rear ends and a top and bottom, the body waterproofly holding a camera (3) with a camera opening (5) aligned with a rearward-facing window in the rear end; - a line attachment system (11) configured to fasten the body to a portion of a line; - a front tang (10) extending downwardly and forwardly from a lower portion of the forward end and configured to exert a downward force on the body as the assembly is pulled in a forward direction through the water; Including, An underwater camera assembly, characterized in that the underwater camera assembly includes at least two stabilizers (12) extending laterally from the rear end at symmetric angles between 10 and 80 degrees from the vertical.

2. 10. The underwater camera assembly of claim 1, wherein the downward inclination of the front tang relative to the central longitudinal axis of the elongated body is between 5 and 30 degrees.

3. The elongated body has a substantially cylindrical shape with a radius r, and the upper surface of the front tongue is A t = (2r) 2 13. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim having a surface area of ​​±50%.

4. 10. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upper surface (18) of the front tongue includes angled surfaces (20) that slope symmetrically laterally and downwardly from a central fore-aft axis (22) of the upper surface.

5. 5. The underwater camera assembly of claim 4, wherein the downward angle of the angled surface is between 5 and 25 degrees.

6. 10. An underwater camera assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the symmetric angle of at least two stabilizers is between 45 and 75 degrees from the vertical.

7. The elongated body has a substantially cylindrical shape with a radius r, and the stabilizer is at least L from the rear end of the elongated body. s 5. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, having a length extension of 2r±20%.

8. 10. An underwater camera assembly as described in any preceding claim, wherein the camera assembly includes at least one stabilizer (14) extending laterally and vertically from a lower portion of the rear end and a metal weight (26), the at least one stabilizer configured to hold the metal weight.

9. 10. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the front tongue and stabilizer are removable.

10. 10. An underwater camera assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the underwater camera assembly is positively buoyant in fresh water.

11. 10. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the line attachment system is located at the bottom of the body.

12. 10. An underwater camera assembly as described in any preceding claim, wherein the line attachment system includes an elongated tubular element, the line attachment system being configured to secure the body to the line section by passing the line section through the elongated tubular element.

13. 10. An underwater camera assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fishing hook is not attached to the body.

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