Fishing Camera Guide: How To Mount Your Camera

Whether you’re fly fishing, spinning or trolling or—when you reel in the Big One, it comes with a story to tell and an even better one to show. That’s why the best GoPro camera for fishing is the one that’s durable enough to capture every cast and still work perfectly after the trip, because after all, the best fishing gear can survive a strong splash.

Action cameras, like the new HERO11 Black are no different, featuring waterproof capabilities up to 33 feet (10 meters). For enhanced protection, a Protective Housing + Waterproof Case can help protect against salt water and increases the waterproof depth capability up to 196 feet (60 meters). What more does a fisherman need?

How to Master the Camera Body Mount for Fishing

Since GoPro action cameras don't float straight out of the box, dropping one could be a bitter sacrifice to Davey Jones' Locker. But you’re in luck! There are some tricks to secure your camera—even if you have your hands full reeling in your catch, you can still get the shot by attaching your GoPro directly to your body. Here are three GoPro mounts perfect for fishing.

1. Bite Mouth Mount or Head Strap & QuickClip: Capture POV of everywhere you look from the most stable part of your body—your head!

   
   

2. Chesty (Camera Body Mount): Attach your camera to your chest to get great POV and have easy access to your camera to change modes or settings.

   
   

3. Handlebar / Seatpost / Pole Camera Mount: Mount directly to your rod and leverage the rotating base to switch up POV of the pole looking out into the ocean or right back at ya.

PRO TIP: If your camera + mounts do end up taking a dip in the ocean, make sure to rinse your gear with fresh water and wipe clean to avoid salt buildup.

How to Mount Your Camera to a Fishing Boat

Mounting your GoPro camera directly to the boat is great for capturing your whole fishing crew and all the action that ensues.

1. Large Tube / Roll Bar / Pipe Mount: The bigger brother of the handlebar mount, the pipe camera mount can connect to any 1.4 to 2.5in (3.5 to 6.35cm) diameter tube. Perfect for mounting on railing, support poles and tubing around the boat.
   
2. Boom + Suction Cup Camera Mount: The ultra versatile mount features carbon fiber extension arms that can be attached inside or outside your boat to capture immersive shots. Integrated swivel points let you get the exact capture angle you want, industrial-strength Suction Cup Mount is proven at speeds of 150+ mph, and hex screws securely lock the arms in place while cruising through choppy waves.
   
3. Jaws Flex Clamp: The Jaws Flex Clamp is a quick, easy way to attach (and detach) your GoPro to almost anything around the boat. Plus, the flexible neck gives a little extra distance from the mounting point to the vantage point, so you can get creative with POV.
   
4. Magnetic Swivel Clip: Designed with a clip strong enough to grip onto thin straps, as well as a high-grade magnet to stick to any metal surface—perfect for a fishing vessel. It also features a 360-swivel, so you can twist into the perfect POV.
   

How to Take the Best Fishing Shots

When the bobber goes under, it’s go-time. GoPro action cameras makes it easy to capture images and video when you're rockin' and reelin'.

1. Use a PowerTool:

   
   

   • HindSight lets you capture up to 30 seconds of footage before you start recording. Even if you press the shutter button a split second too late, you’ll still get the shot.

     
     

   • LiveBurst lets you record 1.5 seconds before and after hit the shutter, resulting in a 3-second 4K video or the perfect action-packed still.

   
   

2. More frames rate options at higher resolutions on HERO11 Black make for cinematic greatness with up to 8X slo-mo when capturing video in up to 240 frames per second.
   
3. Try a little looping. This video feature lets you continuously record by overwriting from the beginning of your video at the interval you set. This is perfect to leave on while you wait for a nibble so you don't have to press record once you land the big one!