What if each time you caught a fish on a lure, an app in your cellphone would inform you precisely what depth that lure was operating at when it bought struck, the quantity of daylight at that depth, and the water temperature the place that fish was holding? It should additionally inform you precisely how far you casted and the pace at which that lure was transferring when it tripped the set off of that bass or walleye or striper. Would you discover this data helpful? Earlier than you reply, take into consideration that significantly for a second. How a lot of that knowledge will enable you be extra profitable with the very subsequent solid? Let’s say you log this knowledge for 3 weeks. How a lot will it actually enable you throughout week 4 on the identical physique of water?
My reply could be very little. Actually, I’d go so far as to say that data is essentially ineffective, or at minimal, not helpful sufficient to take care of rigging an costly tech system onto my line or utilizing my cellphone to inform me what easy angler instinct already covers. However that’s not stopping a Swedish angler from attempting to safe funds for the mass manufacturing of simply such a tool. Within the present state of angling the place expertise is creating divisions in addition to bringing in gobs of money, nonetheless, I’m not stunned that he’s attempting to strike whereas the iron is scorching.
Based on the story on Newatlas.com, Christer Chytraéus, inventor of the “Probe”, is asking for a pledge of $113 Kickstarter contributions to safe one of many units in spherical one among manufacturing. If the product goes into full mass manufacturing, you’ll have the ability to rating one for $162. The system—which measures a mere 1.3 inches and weighs solely 0.2 ounces—is rigged in your mainline forward of your chief. You may tie any lure you wish to the top of that chief and the system will work.
Tech Wars
Until you reside below a rock, forward-facing sonar is in your radar to a point. This expertise permits anglers to seek out fish sooner than ever earlier than and watch how they react to lures and baits in real-time on a display screen. And it’s creating controversy from the professional bass fishing world to the ice fishing world. Scroll by way of web boards and social media and also you’ll shortly discover there are camps of anglers each for and towards this expertise, however irrespective of which facet you’re on, one factor can’t be denied—it’s extremely efficient at serving to individuals catch extra fish. It’s additionally revolutionary, and in contrast to the numerous different techy fishing gizmos which have come and gone over time, this one’s doubtless right here to remain. Then you’ve the Probe, which does an entire lot, however will any of it actually enable you catch extra fish?
Per the story, the Probe begins gathering solid size, water depth, temperate, and lightweight penetration knowledge as quickly because it splashes down. When a fish strikes, the jerk triggers the system to log the precise depth of the hit in addition to lure pace. Nobody—not even Chytraéus—has discovered how you can make all this knowledge transmit to your cellphone in actual time, as a result of Bluetooth merely doesn’t work nicely underwater. However as quickly because the Probe comes out of the water, it sends all the info to the app. Neat, proper? However right here’s why no one actually wants this.
Blended Indicators
Historical past has proven that anglers get gun shy about attaching something costly to their traces that they concern shedding. Hell, even high-end, customized lures can qualify. An important instance can be the Aqua-Vu Strike Vu camera. I do know not less than a dozen individuals who purchased them, however would solely use them in situations the place they have been assured they wouldn’t lose them (in different phrases, not round fishy construction or when something huge or with enamel was more likely to hit). Extra importantly, what individuals realized was that to make use of these cameras they needed to sacrifice correct presentation.
They’d be rigging with heavy mono or metal chief for walleyes and smallmouths just because they didn’t wish to lose the system. Whereas I give Chytraéus credit score for making the Probe so small and lightweight, the actual fact stays that to make use of it I have to have pointless extras on my line and fear about shedding the $162 gadget whereas fishing.
A Confidence Sport
The place I can see the Probe being helpful (possibly) can be in a deep-water business hook-and-line operation, say cod or sablefish, as examples. Day in and day trip, you’re fishing the identical areas, dropping heavy lures straight down typically in 1,000 ft or extra. Over time, the collected knowledge may create a pleasant seasonal map of the place to fish and what to drop primarily based on the climate and so forth.
Nevertheless, I don’t want my cellphone to inform me how briskly I used to be reeling a crankbait on a lake when the bass struck as a result of I used to be the one reeling and holding the rod when it occurred. Logic would dictate, particularly when coping with education fish, that you simply’d roughly match your solid size, sink time, and retrieve pace to the presentation that simply caught the fish. Even when the Probe tells me I bought hit at a sure pace and depth, fish transfer…continually. It doesn’t imply they’re multi function spot. I believe that units like this detract from and muddy up the issues most anglers simply naturally study by doing, remembering, and constructing upon over time. Getting higher by way of trial and error is what many people love about fishing. That’s all a part of the enjoyable.
The Smart Rod Sensor is a precursor to the Probe. It clips to any rod and information knowledge just like the variety of casts you made. Each time you hook up, a fast button push logs data like location, date, and climate situations. This, in some ways, is extra helpful than the Probe, although I’ve by no means met an angler with a Good Rod Sensor clipped to their stick. In case you actually break it down, what the Good Rod Sensor and Probe are actually for is making a fishing log over time. The irony is that many seasoned anglers will inform you nothing is extra necessary than log conserving. I do know surfcasters and professional bass anglers who’ve been doing it for years, however these dedicated to the craft nonetheless put pen to paper.
These trendy units seem to be little greater than gimmicks, and whereas the thought of logging knowledge is good, the fact is most of us fish once we can. We squeeze it in round every day life. We don’t have the luxurious of being on the market primarily based on the proper situations mapped out by our years of logs so once we do hit the lake or river, we’re not very involved in regards to the gentle penetration at 30 ft. We simply seize our confidence lure and begin casting.
