Finding a good bass spot is one thing. Knowing what is actually happening twenty feet below the surface is another. That gap — between a promising-looking stretch of water and the fish, timber and ledges hiding underneath it — is what CHASING Innovation wants to close with its newest product, the CanFish F2. Described by the company as the world’s first 3-in-1 AI Fishing Scout, it combines an underwater camera, dual-frequency sonar and AI-assisted cruising in a single floating device, and it goes live on Kickstarter on 17 November 2026 at a founder price of $999 — half its planned $1,999 retail price.
Before the launch, CHASING put the device in the hands of two experienced anglers on two continents: professional bass angler Andrew Nordbye on Lake Guntersville in Alabama, USA, and Spanish predator specialist Marcus Ölschläger on Lake Zújar in Spain. Both sessions were documented in a press release dated 10 November 2026, and the results are genuinely interesting — including one moment where the camera told an angler a good-looking spot was actually empty. This post breaks down what the CanFish F2 does, what the tests really showed, what it costs, and what Indian anglers should know before backing a crowdfunding launch.
The device at a glance
| Product | CHASING CanFish F2 — 3-in-1 AI Fishing Scout (underwater vision + dual-frequency sonar + AI Auto Cruise) |
| Maker | CHASING Innovation, founded 2016; underwater robotics, robotic pool cleaners and smart fishing tech; products in 100+ countries and regions |
| Camera | Motorized, depth-adjustable, 30 m range; 360° observation |
| Control range | 200 m control and live transmission |
| Runtime | Up to 6 hours |
| Kickstarter launch | 17 November 2026 |
| Founder price | $999 (planned retail $1,999 — save $1,000); $50 reservation |
| Kickstarter price | $1,299 (save $700 vs retail) |
| Warranty / returns | 1-year warranty; 30-day returns; free shipping for early founders |
Three technologies in one floating scout
The CanFish F2 is built around three complementary systems that are meant to be used in sequence across a fishing session: scan the swim, narrow down the areas worth a closer look, verify what is really below, and stay informed while you wait.
1. Underwater vision. A motorized, depth-adjustable camera lowers beneath the surface — up to 30 metres, according to CHASING — and streams live video to the angler. Where water clarity permits, it shows submerged structure, bottom composition and visible fish activity directly, instead of asking the angler to interpret sonar returns. During the Guntersville test, Nordbye lowered the camera about 20 feet (roughly 6 metres) and watched bass, bluegill and crayfish moving around structure in real time.
2. Dual-frequency sonar. High- and low-frequency sonar modes report depth, possible fish targets and bottom characteristics, complementing what the camera sees. Sonar covers the wide-area search; the camera then verifies the specific spot. The combination matters because sonar alone can mislead — a strong return might be a rock, a weed bed or a fish — while a camera alone cannot search a large area quickly.
3. AI Auto Cruise. An AI-assisted exploration feature is designed to scan designated areas automatically, reducing the need for continuous manual navigation during supported scouting operations. CHASING also lists spot saving with unlimited saved spots, one-tap navigation to a saved spot with precise position holding, automatic return when the signal is lost, and a rig-delivery function that carries the rig straight to the target spot and drops it exactly where the angler wants it — no long cast required. Extra features include live streaming, underwater temperature readings, a topographic map and a Fish Arrival Alert that notifies the angler when fish show up.
There is also an optional bait boat accessory that carries up to 1 kg of bait, with independent or simultaneous release from two compartments for precise baiting and top-ups during a session — a feature aimed squarely at carp anglers, for whom bait placement is half the game.
Test one: Lake Guntersville, Alabama — seeing the bass, then catching them
Lake Guntersville is one of America’s best-known bass fisheries, and it gave Nordbye a proper test bed: submerged timber, rocky ledges, vegetation and changing bottom conditions. He deployed the CanFish F2 from his boat and lowered the motorized camera approximately 20 feet beneath the surface. Within moments, he was watching several bass swim through the area. “Look at that bass! Another bass!” he exclaimed as multiple fish appeared on the camera feed.
The footage revealed more than fish. As Nordbye manually navigated the system, he examined rocky bottom features, a river ledge, submerged branches and tree stumps, and observed bluegill, crayfish and additional bass around the structure. Despite wind, surface waves and river current, the system stayed stable enough for him to keep observing. Instead of relying entirely on sonar returns, he could directly examine parts of the bottom and watch fish moving through the area.
The most compelling moment came when scouting turned into fishing. After examining a submerged stump and observing bass and baitfish activity nearby, Nordbye kept fishing the area and, using a jerkbait, landed a bass close to the deployed device. “We saw a bunch of bass in the area and this one right here came out to play,” he said. He landed two bass during the outing, including a larger fish caught approximately ten feet from the device.
Two honest caveats belong here. First, the test does not establish that underwater imaging directly increases catch rates — the press release says so explicitly. What it demonstrates is that direct observation adds context to a fishing decision. Second, Nordbye operated the device manually during the outing rather than using its AI grid-search feature, so the Guntersville session demonstrated the camera and remote-control capabilities rather than a complete evaluation of every automated function.
Test two: Lake Zújar, Spain — the spot that looked perfect and wasn’t
Across the Atlantic, Marcus Ölschläger brought nearly 30 years of fishing experience — mostly targeting predatory species such as bass and zander, including MLF competition events in Spain — to a different question: can underwater vision verify a spot, not just find one? He normally relies on sonar and MEGA Live technology to locate fish, and was particularly interested in seeing submerged trees, vegetation and other features directly rather than interpreting their silhouettes through sonar alone.
During a session at Lake Zújar, Ölschläger and his companions found a spot surrounded by visible trees that looked promising from above the water. After examining the area with the underwater camera, they did not observe any fish. The experience highlighted an important distinction: a fishing spot that looks promising from the surface does not necessarily hold fish when examined underwater. Instead of relying on the visible surroundings, an angler can use underwater observations to reassess a location and decide whether to stay or move on.
For Ölschläger, that ability to examine hidden structures and visually verify selected fishing areas is a practical complement to the sonar equipment he already uses. Together, the two tests illustrate the device’s two-sided value: confirming visible fish activity in one case, and exposing an empty-looking-good spot in the other.
Price, backing and what early supporters get
| Reservation | $50 through the official pre-launch page (canfishcam.com/pages/f2) |
| Early Founder price | $999 — save $1,000 vs the $1,999 planned retail price |
| Kickstarter price | $1,299 — save $700 vs retail |
| 48-hour launch gift | Back within the first 48 hours and get a CHASING Rolltop Casual Backpack (US$99 value) free |
| Founder extras | 1,000 bonus points on reservation; 1 point per $1 paid on Kickstarter; automatic entry into a $500 giveaway for a Garmin Instinct 3 |
| Fulfilment | Priority fulfilment for early founders; free shipping; 30-day returns; 1-year warranty |
| Launch date | 17 November 2026 on Kickstarter |
The pricing structure is the classic crowdfunding ladder: the cheapest price goes to those who reserve early, the Kickstarter-day price sits in the middle, and the $1,999 retail price is what late buyers will eventually pay. The $50 reservation is refundable in the usual Kickstarter sense only in that it is a reservation, not a pledge — readers should read the terms on the official page before paying.
How to back it — step by step
Step 1: Open the official product page at canfishcam.com/pages/f2 and read the specifications and founder terms in full.
Step 2: Decide between the $50 Early Founder reservation (locks the $999 price) and waiting for the 17 November Kickstarter launch, when the price is $1,299.
Step 3: If reserving, pay the $50 reservation and note the founder benefits: 1,000 bonus points, priority fulfilment, free shipping, 30-day returns and the Garmin Instinct 3 giveaway entry.
Step 4: On 17 November, complete the Kickstarter pledge within the first 48 hours to claim the free $99 backpack.
Step 5: Before pledging, check the Kickstarter page for the delivery timeline, shipping cost to India and any import duty — none of these has been published yet, and they matter more than the headline price for Indian buyers.
What it means for Indian anglers
India’s recreational angling scene — mahseer in Himalayan rivers, bass-style sport fishing for barramundi and snakehead, carp angling in reservoirs — has always been limited by one thing: anglers cannot see what is under the water. Traditional sonar is expensive, boat-mounted and hard to interpret, and most Indian anglers fish from the bank or small boats without any electronics at all. A floating, phone-controlled scout that shows the bottom directly would be a genuine step change for reservoir carp anglers and for anyone fishing snaggy, timber-filled water where a wrong cast costs a rig.
The rig-delivery and bait-boat features are the most relevant parts for Indian conditions. Dropping a rig exactly onto a cleared spot between submerged branches, or baiting a precise area without a long cast, solves real problems on Indian reservoirs. The 200-metre control range and 6-hour runtime are enough for a full bank session, and spot saving means a productive area found in the morning can be returned to after lunch.
But the honest limits matter too. Underwater visibility in many Indian reservoirs and rivers is far worse than in a clear Alabama lake — monsoon silt, algae and turbidity can reduce a camera’s useful range to almost nothing, and the press release itself notes the camera works “when water clarity permits”. Sonar keeps working in murky water, but the headline feature — seeing the fish — does not. Buyers should also remember this is a crowdfunding launch, not a retail product: the device has been tested by two anglers, it is not yet shipping, and no delivery date has been announced. The $999 price is in US dollars, and shipping plus Indian import duty could add a significant amount before it reaches an angler in India.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CHASING CanFish F2?
A floating 3-in-1 AI Fishing Scout that combines a motorized underwater camera (30 m range), dual-frequency sonar and AI-assisted auto-cruise in one device, controlled from up to 200 metres away with up to 6 hours of runtime.
When does it launch, and how much does it cost?
It launches on Kickstarter on 17 November 2026. Early founders who reserve for $50 pay $999 (vs a $1,999 planned retail price); the Kickstarter-day price is $1,299.
Does it guarantee more fish?
No. The field tests show it helps anglers see fish and structure and verify spots, but they do not establish that underwater imaging directly increases catch rates. It is a scouting tool, not a fish-catching guarantee.
Will the camera work in murky Indian water?
That is the big open question. The camera needs reasonable water clarity to show fish and structure; in silted or algae-rich water its range will drop sharply, though the sonar keeps working. Check independent reviews from Indian conditions before buying.
Who makes it?
CHASING Innovation, founded in 2016, a company working in underwater robotics, robotic pool cleaners and smart fishing technology, with products in more than 100 countries and regions and over 400 core intellectual property rights.
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Official links and sources
- EIN Presswire, 10 November 2026 (Guntersville and Lake Zújar field tests; Andrew Nordbye and Marcus Ölschläger; Kickstarter 17 November 2026; founder price $999 vs $1,999 retail; $50 reservation)
- CHASING official product page — CanFish F2 (30 m motorized camera; 200 m control and live transmission; up to 6 hours runtime; spot saving and one-tap navigation; rig delivery; optional bait boat up to 1 kg; Fish Arrival Alert; dual-frequency sonar; AI Auto Cruise; live streaming; underwater temperature; topographic map; Kickstarter price $1,299; 48-hour launch gift; 30-day returns; 1-year warranty)
All facts above were verified on 12 November 2026 against the sources listed. “World’s first 3-in-1 AI Fishing Scout” is CHASING’s own description of the product. The field tests do not establish that underwater imaging increases catch rates, and the AI Auto Cruise grid-search was not demonstrated in the Guntersville test, which was operated manually. No delivery date, shipping cost to India or import duty has been published yet. Prices are in US dollars. Images in this post are illustrations.