Boat Control for More Fish
By Bob Jensen

Anglers across the Midwest are in the process of getting their boats ready for the upcoming fishing season. Many anglers consider their boat to be simply a transportation vehicle for getting to and from a spot, and a boat certainly is that. However, a boat is also a base of operation. That’s where you’re casting or trolling or drifting from, and the more effectively we can position or control our boat, much of the time, the more successful we will be at catching a few or a bunch of fish. As you’re preparing your boat for action, keep a few pieces of equipment in mind.

One of the first pieces of equipment you’ll need is an anchor. In some states it is required that a boat have an anchor. But, even where an anchor is optional, you should have one. Fishing from an anchored position can be very rewarding.
When fish are holding on a small piece of structure, it is usually most effective to anchor and cast to the fish, especially if the structure is in shallow water. By anchoring, the fish won’t be spooked by a boat trolling or drifting directly over the top of them. Fish that aren’t spooked bite better.

Also, the angler’s bait is in the fish zone more of the time when fishing from an anchored position. If the fish are located in a small area, and a bait is trolled or drifted through them, the bait is in the fish zone for a short period of time. While the boat is being turned around or repositioned for another drift, the bait is out of the fish zone.
When anchoring, position the boat so it is a short cast away from the area that is holding the fish. Cast your bait to the fish zone, or drift a bait through on a slip bobber. When the bait leaves the fishy area, reel it in quickly and make another cast. By doing so, your chances of getting bit are much better.

Another tool that will make bait presentations much easier is an electric motor. Electric motors enable an angler to move around the fish zone quietly, quickly, and effectively.

When fishing a river, current can move a boat out of the fish zone very quickly. That’s where a feature called AutoPilot becomes very helpful. This function is found on some Minn Kota electric motors. What AutoPilot does is keep your boat pointed and traveling in a certain direction. This is especially helpful in current or wind.

Let’s say you are working a small hump in a river. Your partner in the back of the boat hooks a fish and wants help netting it. Simply touch the AutoPilot button and go to the back of the boat. The boat will continue to hold over the small hump. Without the AutoPilot, the boat would drift off the spot.

There are just a couple of ideas you can use to make your boat a more efficient platform to use in your fishing. You will find that the more you use your boat, the more comfortable and effective you will become in controlling it. I guess that means you should use your boat more often.

For more fish-catching information, visit fishingthemidwest.com