When I was a kid MANY years ago, my dad took me to a friends house on Cape Cod where they fined for those succulent Cape scallops. They had a very unique process in shallow waters. They had a small wooden frame glass bottom cage that they placed over the edge of a boat on the water. It used real glass on the bottom. It was sealed on the bottom wood sides to prevent water from entering, and it had a heavy fabric covering on the sides and back to help control sun exposure. Think of it this way...maybe 18 inches by 24 inches at the bottom, then a height of maybe 18 inches in the back, and then angular sides. So you stick your head in the open side, and it was amazing at how good the view was of the entire bottom. We fished with nets all day for the scallops. It was a terrific and simple design. I would guess you could build one in less than an hour with scrap wood...all you need is an old window frame with glass and some old canvas...the darker the color the better to keep out light at the surface. Might be just what you need and avoids problems with bottom of boats, etc.
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