Improve Your Hookup Ratio: What Underwater Footage Tells Us
Ever set the hook on what felt like a solid hit, only to reel in nothing but water? You’re not alone. Missed strikes are one of fishing’s great mysteries… until now. With compact underwater cameras like the Westin Explore and Escape Cam, we can finally get a front-row seat to what’s happening beneath the surface. And what the footage reveals might just change the way you fish.
The Bite You Never Felt
One of the first surprises anglers notice when reviewing underwater footage is just how often fish approach, inspect, or even lightly grab a lure without committing. These "phantom strikes" can be incredibly subtle, especially when trolling or casting in current. On camera, you'll see fish nip at tails, test with their lips, or even suck in a lure only to spit it back out a second later. Most of these never register on the rod tip.
This is especially true when using soft plastics or slow presentations. With a Westin Cam positioned 2–4 feet in front of the bait, you’ll capture every detail: hesitation, curiosity, and eventually, the commitment-or not.
Why Fish Miss the Hook
Footage reveals that poor hookups often come down to two key factors: hook placement and timing. Fish may strike short, swiping the rear of a bait while avoiding the hook. In other cases, the hook is positioned perfectly, but the angler sets too early, before the fish truly clamps down.
Some fish also attack with their mouths slightly open or at odd angles. Watching frame-by-frame footage shows just how chaotic these moments can be. It's not always clean or centered. Without that insight, you might be adjusting gear or technique based on assumption, not observation.
The Pre-Strike Tells
Arguably, the most valuable data the camera gives you is the fish's behavior right before the strike. You’ll notice body posture shifts, like flaring gills, quick side-swipes, or a sudden acceleration, that signal a bite is coming. Once you’ve seen these movements a few times, you’ll recognize the same signs in future footage and even feel more in-tune on the rod.
It’s like learning to read a poker face—only this one’s underwater and toothy.
Post-Strike Behavior
Ever wonder why a fish didn’t come back after missing the bait? Or why it followed twice, then disappeared? Post-strike footage often shows fish spooked by excessive splash, leader visibility, or unnatural lure movement after a miss. Other times, fish simply lose interest, meaning a follow-up cast with a slightly different retrieve might be your best shot.
By reviewing this behavior, you can tweak everything: trailer hooks, retrieve speeds, leader length, and even the angle of your presentation.
Using Westin Cam to Dial It All In
Both the Westin Explore Cam and the Westin Escape Cam offer HD footage at 30 or 60 fps which is perfect for analyzing key moments frame-by-frame. The Explore Cam is ideal for finesse fishing, with its ultra-light profile (under 1 oz), while the Escape Cam holds up better during longer sessions like trolling, thanks to its 2.5-hour battery life and stabilizing Y-fin.
With the camera placed just ahead of your bait, you’ll capture not only the strike but also the full behavioral lead-up. That insight becomes your cheat code to a better hookup ratio, especially when chasing pressured or picky fish.
Fishing is part science, part instinct, but for the first time, we have the tools to make that instinct smarter. A missed strike isn’t just a shrug and a recast anymore; it’s an opportunity to learn, adjust, and come back sharper. And nothing delivers that lesson like real underwater footage.
Miss fewer fish. Catch more moments. See everything beneath the surface with Westin Cam.