Gopro chest mount or head mount for fishing?

[Spanky29ca 0]

I just bought myself a gopro to take with me fly fishing, the chest mount came with with it but I'm wondering if the head mount would be better. I fish alone quite often. Any suggestions would be appreciated

[Steeldrifter 0]

I like the head mount better myself Lance. When I got mine I was trying to decide which to get as well, and I'm glad I went with the head mount. With the head mount you don't get your hands in the way of filming like with the chest mount, plus with the head mount you get a true anglers eye perspective, plus when you land/net a fish you get the whole thing on film. Where as with the chest mount you sometimes lose the fish/net job from view when it is at the net.

 

Another one I bought for mine was the bike handlebar/tube gopro mount, it fits perfect on round handled nets

[Spanky29ca 0]

Thanks for the info Steve, I didn't even think about putting the camera on the net, that would make for some great shots. I'll grab a head mount for sure. Pretty cool little cameras, I didn't really pay much attention to them before a few days ago when I saw a friend post a skiing video on Facebook , really nice quality video

 

[mikechell 0]

I've been thinking about getting one ... and was thinking about it a few weeks ago when I was in the boat. I was trying to pay attention to what I do while I am fishing.

When I fish top water, a head mount MIGHT work, as I pay attention to the fly quite a bit. But even then, on pauses, I tend to look around for the next target I am going to cast to.

When I fish sub-surface (which I do more of these days) I play the fly by feel, and spend more time gazing around while working the fly back to the boat. The only time I look at the line, is when I let it go slack for free falling the fly. Which is usually when I get hits, so capturing that is still possible.

 

But what I was thinking is: Watching other's videos, too much movement, and I stop watching. With the amount of looking around I do, I don't think a head mount would produce good videos. But then, a chest mount wouldn't let the camera follow the action after the hook set very well.

 

Which is why I still don't have a Go Pro. And I probably WON'T buy one until I can hire a camera man to follow me around with it.

 

Good luck with the videos, which ever mount you decide on.

[Steeldrifter 0]

The thing to do is to use two cameras. That's what I do when I go on trips and want to film it. That way you can have one stationary camera on a tripod filming you as well as the head mount. So you can later on splice to two together to get some great footage from various vantage points and you can avoid that sea sick feeling of too much head mount camera bounce.

 

This is the vid I made of my 2012 vaction trip to my cabin. You can see how I used two cameras and edited the footage of both filming the same things together.

 

[Spanky29ca 0]

Great video Steve, I really enjoyed that. This will be quite new to me so the editing and stuff like that will be pretty out of my league at first but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it, luckily I have a smart fiancé to help me , she's quite good on the computer

[Steeldrifter 0]

There are a lot of good low cost editing software programs out there Lance. I bought one called Power Director 9 that I use. Cost was around $40 and it has all the bells and whistles that could be needed for making fishing videos at home.

[fshrmanms 0]

Nice video! Made me wanna be there!!

[Spanky29ca 0]

There are a lot of good low cost editing software programs out there Lance. I bought one called Power Director 9 that I use. Cost was around $40 and it has all the bells and whistles that could be needed for making fishing videos at home.

 

Good to know Steve, I have heard people using their ipad and doing editing through iMovie as well. I primarily use an ipad but we do have a laptop as well.

[mikechell 0]

I know this post if about the camera, not the video or the fishing ... however. I know there's the parabolic distortion of wade angle lenses, still your leader looks to be 15 feet or more ... it that correct?

 

I do love the video. I could watch an hour or two of just hook sets. I don't even need to see the fight or the fish, I just love that moment when the line goes tight and the hook bends for the very first time.

[Steeldrifter 0]

About 12ft Mike. I usually use between 10ft-12ft leader length with dry flies on the Au Sable because the water is so clear.

[Crotalus 0]

I am switching to the head mount for wade fishing this year, I used the chest mount last year, but lost a lot of good footage because my hands were in the way.

 

In the kayak I set it up on a pole over my left shoulder.

[COMike 0]

If you want others to see JUST WHAT YOU ARE SEEING........get a head mount.

 

I film thing for my racing stuff and have a Mobius for head cam things (cheap)....GO PRO on the suction mount in the car.

 

Just depends on what you want to do.

 

I would NIX the chest mount. As others have stated, you will have your hands in the way.....Just my 2.5 cents

[Spanky29ca 0]

I decided to go with the head mount, thanks everyone for your input, I appreciate it. I watched some videos on YouTube and saw the difference in each and I agree the head mount seems to get much better footage than the chest mount.

[mikechell 0]

 

In the kayak I set it up on a pole over my left shoulder.

I thought of that, but every once in a while I have hooked other things in my boat that I didn't think stuck up far enough. With that above my shoulder for filming, I think the video would consist of shots of leader and flies wrapped around the camera and if audio is included, sounds of me cussing like a crazy person.