Bait Boats

[James P]

Perhaps we ought to build some mini submarines to sink their Bait boats if they cause problems. they wouldnt even know why their boats sank if you didnt make it obvious.

 

Sorry; It was just the boy in me coming out. but it is a pleasant thought though.

 

How cool would that be. Could it fire little mini torpedoes or have a built in air rifle to shoot holes into the bait boats hull?

 

I used to work in a tackle shop and believe me - the carp boys are a totally different breed to most anglers. Although if it wasn't for them, most local tackle shops would have closed by now!

 

Perhaps we could modify a bait boat to patrol the waters like the coastguard!!

 

[Anderoo]

I'm surpried no-one's yet rigged up their boat to dangle a floater on the surface in summer, beachcaster style. There'd be no line on the water, you could get it in exactly the right spot and surround it with freebies, and fish out of normal floater fishing range.

 

It's just another tool at our disposal, right?

 

Or just drag a net along behind it.

 

(Re the floater idea, obviously assuming a flock of hungry ducks didn't mob it and sink it within seconds... )

[Dunk Fairley]

I often shy away from waters where such things as bait boats are allowed. If I ever got to thinking that in order to catch the carp, I'd need to use one, I'd definately find a different water.

 

I'm sure that in the fullness of time, when the fish have "wised up" to bait boats totally, someone will start championing such unheard of methods, as "the creep up on the fish so they don't know your there, then drop a bait slowly in the bit they're feeding in" method.

 

There again, if you like spending money on over-priced, over praised, "worthless in a couple of years time, as everyone's using bait helicopters now" pieces of plastic rubbish, then who am I to criticise?

 

Note to " 'Er indoors": I don't want a bait boat for Xmas!!!!!

[pikergonecarpin]

I've built 4 bait boats for myself and friends over the years (On 27Mhz and 40Mhz, the only 2 legal wavelengths for surface vehicles in the UK) and to be honest 2 of them are sitting in a cupboard gathering dust.

 

I built one for piking, a large beast intended for putting deadbaits out at distance, i think i used it once.... Then i had an idea to build a very small one for carping that i could easily fit on my rucksack with all my other tackle, this one i think i used 2 or 3 times.

 

I seem to get far a bigger kick out of building them that using them (I like RC stuff ). I haven't sailed them in years. much prefering to cast wherever possible, and on the venues i currently fish, there is absolutely no need for one.

 

And to be honest i wasn't happy using bait boats, i'd like to think i've at least a little angling skill, and using them didn't sit right with me.

 

Paul.

[ahammond]

There are several radio control model submarine kits on the market that can or can be adapted to fire torpedoes. The Americans of course have taken it one stage further and fitted their torpedoes with a variety of lethal devices including .22 bullets. How they keep track of these or aim them I have no idea. Mind they also have live firing competitions between model warships fitted with guns that fire real bullets. Somehow I just cannot see that being allowed on Tynemouth boating lake of a Sunday morning.

[Anderoo]

A few years back I was fishing at a nice little club lake, it's very small, only 2-3 acres, and even at its widest point (it's kind of Redmire-shaped) it's a comfortable cast to clear the lake. I was fishing very close in along the dam when an 'angler' to my right sent his boat out (literally, 20 yards), did a few circles and dropped his load just the other side of the tree I was float fishing next to. Presumably he didn't think he could get close enough by casting. He didn't disturb me, but it just seemed entirely pointless - using a gadget that cost getting on for a grand to drop a bait 20 yards out!

[Alan Stubbs]

I'm surpried no-one's yet rigged up their boat to dangle a floater on the surface in summer, beachcaster style. There'd be no line on the water, you could get it in exactly the right spot and surround it with freebies, and fish out of normal floater fishing range.

 

It's just another tool at our disposal, right?

 

Or just drag a net along behind it.

 

(Re the floater idea, obviously assuming a flock of hungry ducks didn't mob it and sink it within seconds... )

 

You were beaten to it earlier this year....

 

In one of the carp monthlies a short while ago, there was an article where a guy was advocating just that.... a bait boat to deliver a floater 'for greater accuracy'!!!!!!!!

 

I was roundly chastised on this forum a good while ago for having the temerity to suggest that if you can't cast accurately to a point in the distance, you shouldn't try to fish it. OK, it was a bit of a black and white statement on my behalf, but as is the usual thing here, a lot of people don't look beyond the printed word.

 

My point was that if you can't cast accurately to a point, and send a bait boat out to depth charge a snag in the distance, you're increasing the chances of getting into a fish in an area where you can't confidently extract the fish and thus risking leaving a carp trailing a hooklength or worse about.

 

That may be OK in some people's eyes. It isn't in mine.

[Neil G]

I think they have their place but not on small waters where they can interfere with other anglers

 

TBH I like the idea for dropping off large deadbaits without damage but the cost is a no no, I think I'll just make do without thanks.

[Mat Hillman]

Well I guess I could use a baitboat to get my rig 400 yards out, but how do you see your float at that distance ???????

[dant]

I'm afraid they're a completely alien proposition to me. I can't think of any occasion where I'd want to use a bait boat. If you're using a bait boat to put your bait out great distances it must be hell trying to set the hooks, hi-tec braid or not. I'd much rather stick to proper boats for anything outside casting range.

 

Having said that, once when I was around 12 or 13 I was fishing on a flat calm day on a local beach in Norfolk when the boys on an inshore Herring boat offered to take my baited hooks out, they did so and dropped them at about 250 yards ish. I was duly rewarded with a Dab about the size of a dolls house saucer.