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
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