If you are a big fan of fishing and want to capture your adventures, the whole fishing process includes your POV perspective or even some underwater shots, and then you will need an action camera for that. Such a camera can be mounted to your body and fishing gear and even submerged in the water without a dedicated housing. These cameras are pretty durable, so no need to worry about getting wet, and they can deliver satisfying image quality.
Top 5 Action Cams for Fishing
- GoPro Hero 11 Black – The best video quality, 24.7 Raw photos and ease of use.
- GoPro Hero 11 Mini – Smaller, More durable design yet the same Performance
- Insta360 Go 3 – The tiniest action camera on the market.
- Insta360 One X3 – The most creative 360 camera with a powerful editing App
- GoPro MAX – Use it as a 360 Camera or standard GoPro.
If you are looking for the best action camera for fishing, there are a couple of things to consider before the purchase. You need to consider whether the video quality is the most important for you or maybe you want something small and compact. Perhaps battery life or mounting options are more valuable? Or maybe you need something more than that, and you never want to miss a moment, so having a 360 camera is what you need？ Lastly, if all of that sounds complicated, how about some simplicity? Where do you need to press a record button?
Table of Contents
GoPro Hero 11 Black
Fantastic image quality and rock-solid video stabilisation
Video settings: 5.3k 60 fps, 4k 120fps, 2.7k 240 fps Photo Settings: 27 MP Photo, Raw, JPG, Burst Photo Image Stabilisation: Hypersmooth 5.0 Waterproof: up to 10 m
GoPro Hero 11 Black
| Pros: | Cons: |
| + New Taller 8:7 Sensor & Hyperview + 10-bit colour or 8-bit + Front & Back LCD screen (touchscreen) + Hypersmooth 5.0 + 360 degrees Horizon Lock + Water-repelling lens + Removable battery | – Audio quality is decent – A bit heavy (153g) – LCD screens are fragile – Pretty expensive |
Not surprisingly, GoPro Hero 11 Black is the first on my list; if you are looking for a traditional point-and-shoot camera, look no further. The front and back LCD screen makes it easy to use and find your desired camera angle. Moreover, thanks to the touch screen, you can conveniently preview your video instantly and check your photos. It offers crispy 5.3k 60 fps video, and you can frame grab 24.7 Megapixel photos out of it, especially if you are that person who always forgets to take any pictures. The lens protector is covered with a Hydrophobic coating, preventing water droplets from stacking on your camera’s lens. These water droplets can ruin your shot if you can’t see anything because of them.
Apart from that, GoPro Hero 11 Black comes with a brand new and much taller 8:7 sensor which lets you conveniently capture 16:9 video typically seen on youtube. However, you can use the same video file and crop the 9:16 video without losing the quality. In other words, you can share the same scene for your social media—no need to worry about horizontal or vertical video ever again.
Unfortunately, the only things to watch out for are the 2 LCD screens which can be easily scratched during your fishing trip, so I recommend getting some screen protectors. Please look for some good quality tempered glass, as it may limit the touchscreen sensitivity.
If you want more detailed information about GoPro Hero 11 Black and The Best of Gopro Hero 11 Must-Have Accessories.
GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini
Smaller & simpler design though the same performance as GoPro Hero 11 Black
Video settings: 5.3k 60fps , 4k 120 fps, 2.7k 240fps , 10-bit color
Photo settings: None Image Stabilisation: Hypersmooth 5.0 Waterproof: up to 10m
GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini
| Pros: | Cons: |
| + Same video performance as GoPro 11 + Dual mounting design + More durable and rigid body + Slightly ligther (132 g) + Great for POV | – Non-removable battery – Requires GoPro app to preview videos or check the camera’s angle – No photo mode |
GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini is almost precisely the same as its bigger brother, Hero 11 Black; it’s smaller and lighter. GoPro didn’t go on any compromise here. You have all the resolutions and frame rates you can only think of, such as 5.3k 60 fps or 4k 120 fps in 10-bit colour. If that’s not enough, it offers Hypersmooth 5.0 stabilisation, with 360 Horizon Lock and Autoboost, so you will not need a gimbal.
The only drawback is that this camera cannot take any photos, has no photo mode at all, and can only record videos. It comes with the new Enduro battery, but it is non-removable. GoPro 11 Mini is good for one solid recording session of up to 1h, maybe 1h and 20 min at most; once the battery is dead, you are done shooting unless you recharge it.
I am still going to recommend this camera if you are planning to record a first-person view perspective. It’s perfect for mounting it to your Head, chest or fishing rod. In all those situations, you don’t need an LCD screen, and if you accidentally drop the camera on the ground, it will survive the fall. It’s a more rigid camera overall, with no screen to break. The camera is fully waterproof up to 10 meters and has the same hydrophobic lens to repel water droplets, just like Hero 11.
There are 2 Buttons to control the camera and a tiny LCD screen to preview what setting is being used. Nevertheless, you must carry your mobile phone to preview your scene or change to more advanced stages. Other than that, it is just like GoPro Hero 11 Black.
Insta360 GO 3
The most miniature action camera on the market that weights only 35 grams
Video settings: 2.7k30 fps, 1440 50 fps, 1080p 50 fps Photo: Raw & jpg Image Stabilisation: Flowstate Waterproof: Up to 5 meters
Insta360 GO 3
| Pros: | Cons: |
| + Extremely small and lightweight (35 g) + Can be used with a Screen or without + Wireless remote control and preview + Magnetic Mounting + 360 Horizon Lock + Waterproof up to 5 meters | – Lack of high-resolution video, only 2.7k or 1080p – Built-in Micro SD (32/64/128 GB) – Non-removable battery |
While Insta360 GO 3 may not be as powerful as GoPro Hero 11 Black, you should know it’s the smallest and lightest action camera out there. It weighs only around 35 grams, so if you mount it on your head, you won’t even feel like there is a camera. Although it cannot record in 5.3k or even 4k, it can still deliver a decent quality 2.7k video which would be enough for social media.
The mounting possibilities of Insta360 GO 3 are endless, it has a magnetic area at the back so you can conveniently stick it to any metallic surface, and since the camera is so lightweight, you can attach it to the end of your fishing rod, throw the camera on a fishing hook if are looking for some unique camera angles. No matter how you mount the camera, Insta360 GO 3 can have a 360 Horizon Lock, so even if you turn your camera around, it can keep the horizon levelled the entire time.
The beauty of Insta360 GO 3 is that you can use this camera either as a standalone product or attach it with an Action Pod accessory. Once you do that, it drastically extends your battery life up to 170 minutes, it constantly recharges the camera and lets you preview your scene thanks to the built-in LCD screen.
You can conveniently flip the touch screen to record yourself or take a selfie. You can also use the Action Pod accessory as a wireless remote control, change the settings on the go, and preview your scene even if the camera is physically outside of it. It’s excellent for fishing POV, everyday use, family trips, etc. If you don’t mind that it can’t shoot in 4k, it’s an exciting camera.
Insta360 ONE X3
Shoot everything around you and never miss a shot; with 360 videos, you can capture the action from all directions, reframing your scene after you get the picture. The creative possibilities with this camera are truly unlimited.
Video settings: 5.7k Spherical video, 4k 16:9 video Photo Settings: 78 MP 360 Photo, Stabilisation: Flowstate + 360-degree Horizon Lock
Insta360 ONE X3
| Pros: | Cons: |
| + Invisible selfie stick shots + Records everything around you + Capture either 360 video or standard 16:9 video (single lens mode) + 360 degree 8k Timelapse video + Big touchscreen + Waterproof up to 10 meters | – The lenses can be easily scratched if not careful – LCD screen requires tempered glass for protection – Editing your 360 videos may be a bit more time-consuming |
Insta360 ONE X3 is a 360 camera that can record so-called spherical video. The fact that it has two lenses means that it can record everything from the front and back of the camera and that enormous field of view can overlap, creating an illusion of an invisible selfie stick.
I recommend this camera for your upcoming fishing trip because you don’t necessarily have to focus on capturing the perfect frame, as you can fine-tune it later in post-production after you get the shot. So imagine that you finally caught a fish, but for some reason, it doesn’t look as good as you wanted it to look; with a 360-degree camera, you can easily adjust your framing, enlarge it, zoom it in, and fix your composition. The creative possibilities are endless, but editing your video requires extra work. You can edit these videos on your mobile phone or PC, thanks to the Insta360 studio app. Video editing is straightforward but time-consuming and might require a more powerful PC.
What’s cool about this camera is that you can record a 360-degree video OR a standard 16:9 in 4k, which is pretty sweet. So if you don’t have much experience with 360 videos, you can start recording a 4k video using Single Lens Mode and then experiment with dual lens 360 Mode. The BIG LCD screen helps you frame your shot, change settings and preview your footage though it might be a good idea to protect it with some tempered glass.
Unfortunately, like with all 360 degrees cameras on the market right now, you need to watch out that these 2 Lenses are entirely exposed and sticking out from the camera body. If you are not careful enough, it can easily be scratched if you hit it into something or even destroyed if you drop the camera on the ground.
Insta360 company offers lens protection caps, which are made of plastic and protect the lenses. However, they might affect the video quality. I would still recommend using them as it will give you that extra piece of mind even at the cost of quality.
So to summarise it all, if you want to have invisible drone-like shots, record 360-degree video and still have a regular 4k camera, perhaps record stunning 8K moving time-lapses, then Insta360 ONE X3 is currently the best 360-degree action camera on the market.
GoPro MAX
GoPro Max records everything around you, just like Insta360 ONE X3 does. You can use it either as a 360 degrees camera or as a regular GoPro; however, this camera is a bit old now though it is still quite powerful.
360 Video Specifications: 5.6k 30 fps, 3K 60 fps Standard Video: 1080p 60fps Photo: 360 JPG Photo and Panoramic photos Stabilisation: Max HyperSmooth Waterproof: Yes, up to 5m
GoPro MAX
| Pros: | Cons: |
| + 360 video capture + Can be used as a regular GoPro or 360 camera + In-camera stitching + One of the best video stabilisations + 360 Horizon Lock + Panoramic photos | – Poor Dekstop / App software support – A bit outdated now – Easy to scratch the lenses – Stitching line is quite noticeable – Not many settings to choose from – Issues with 360 degrees timelapse |
While GoPro MAX is a bit outdated now, as it was introduced in 2019, it is still worth mentioning on my list. If you have already used a GoPro camera, you will feel familiar with this one from day one.
GoPro MAX offers a dual-lens design; each of these lenses captures an immersive 180 degrees field of view which lapses, creating a spherical 360 degrees video. However, you can set this camera into Hero mode at any given time and use it as a regular GoPro that can record up to 1440p 60fps; unfortunately, the quality won’t be as sharp and crispy as with other 4k cameras.
The beauty of GoPro MAX is that it captures everything around you, and you can “reframe” your videos while editing them on a PC or a mobile phone. You don’t have to worry about where the camera is pointed; you decide after getting the shot. The whole selfie stick or fishing rod can be turned invisible just like with any other 360 degrees camera, so it might look like a drone was following you.
Bear in mind that the GoPro Desktop or mobile app is not as powerful as what Insta360 has to offer, though, and it doesn’t offer as many cool new features. However, creating your first vital frames and adjusting your structure with the software is pretty straightforward. On the other hand, you will need a relatively powerful PC to edit and render 360 degrees video files. I edit my 360 videos on my mobile app and then share them on social media.
Why is it so special for fishing, you might ask? Well, first of all, the camera has excellent video stabilisation called MAX HyperSmooth and 360 degrees Horizon Lock; add one of the broadest fields of view to it, and you have a fantastic camera that can capture immersive POV angles; it offers gimbal-like stabilisation no matter how you turn or shake the camera. Though the quality may not be as good as with any other 4k camera, if you record in Hero Mode, you can only select up to 1440p, which is not that much nowadays. On the other hand, if you mount this camera straight to the boat, you can record a panoramic shot of your whole trip shooting in 5.6k 360 video.
Which camera should you choose them?
All the cameras I have listed in this article are currently the best choices for the best action cameras. Still, they will also be a great addition to your next fishing trip, but which one should you choose specifically? Well, it all depends on your expectations.
If you are only interested in regular-type video, then selecting a GoPro Hero 11 Black will offer you the best video quality however for the highest price; if you are more interested in a compact, lightweight camera, then choose between GoPro Hero 11 Mini and Insta360 GO 3, they will help you capture some unique angles and experiment a lot though that non-removable battery might be a pretty irritating limitation. Should you go for 360 degrees in video editing? Well, all of the reviews on youtube going to state that it is so straightforward, and in a way, yes, its relatively easy to record with, but editing that video later on, can be just another step you have to take every single time which may be time-consuming, so do you like spending time editing your videos?
If you are still interested in 360 cameras, I would instead suggest going for Insta360 ONE X3 as it is simply newer, but if you prefer GoPro 360 camera, then maybe it’s a good idea to wait for GoPro MAX 2. It should be released any time soon, it’s been almost four years since GoPro released it, so it might be worth waiting for it.
Remember that having an action camera is only the beginning, no matter your choice. Still, if you really wanna get the most out of it, you should instead look for some unique accessories that will help you capture unique angles and perspectives. Look for a head strap, chest mount and other accessories to mount your camera to your fishing gear, and I guarantee that you will love the footage.
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