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We are anglers, and that’s not angling!	5,043 views
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frothey

Posts: 3569

#56 27 Aug 2026 at 3.17pm

In reply to Post #11
Is just dumping 3 or 4 lines out, setting the alarms, wandering 100 yards up the bank to someone’s social marquee (proper carp tho, ‘cos it’s in camo, innit!) with a remote receiver, for a burger and a beer, classed as real, skilled fishing?
And yet that seems not to upset most people (?).
But how would that be viewed by real skilled anglers from 30-40 years ago….🤔

30 or 40 years ago the really skilled anglers would've been in the Horse and Barge rather than a marquee....

Tinhead

Posts: 17080

#55 25 Aug 2026 at 3.56pm

In reply to Post #52
But baitboat uses can interfere, albeit indirectly. If they continue to bait inaccessible areas then that's where the fish will hold up, inaccessible to those that don't want to use a boat.
I fished Lac Desire a few years ago and on arrival and throughout the week the bailiff said do not cast it will scare the fish.
My thoughts were then ban baitboats so that the fish get accustomed to casting, just like they do on lakes where boats are not allowed.

I've seen some great casters with real skills, I've marvelled at what I've seen, it'll be a shame if all lakes allow boats and make these anglers obsolete.

vossy1

Posts: 8987

MODERATOR

#54 25 Aug 2026 at 3.39pm

In reply to Post #52
Nice balanced post mate 👍

James_9

Posts: 502

#53 25 Aug 2026 at 3.06pm

Fish caught with a bait boat or the aid of a drone don't count, simple as that. It's cheating and they should be banned from all waters. This includes your celebrity anglers that have caught fish using an electric boat toy, don't count....sorry.

If you can't cast - learn how to.

As for Laney, I've seen him using bait boats on waters so not sure what he is banging on about "do what I say, don't do what I do"....

Have a nice day,

sammysnail

Posts: 213

#52 25 Aug 2026 at 8.46am

I tend to take a live and let live approach to technology in fishing. Do the majority of us non-full timers not fish as a hobby for our own gratification anyway.
Life's too short to be offended by how people choose to apply their bait/rigs.

So long as boat, camera, sonar users do not interfere with other anglers outside of their boundaries and those anglers are satisfied with how they went about capturing that carp then I don't see an issue with it (providing its done safely and the carp are looked after).

The waters I fish do not allow them and that suits my angling, but I have fished waters that do allow them and I personally have chosen not to - because personally I felt more of an achievement catching fish without some of the tech available.
That doesn't mean I felt the need to discredit those choosing to use it. It is a pastime that we're all lucky enough to experience in our own way after all.

Most, if not all waters are going to have muppets who do not respect the fish or fellow anglers and users of the spod rod, bait boat, throwing stick or others means are still going to ruin the experience for others through choice or lack of self-awareness regardless.

Canalcarper71

Posts: 1388

#51 24 Aug 2026 at 10.57pm

In reply to Post #49
Not really as I only use 10’rods and casting that far would be difficult for me and it did its purpose for me last month I had 3 to 20lb including a grass carp that doesn’t come out very often,did the job I wanted it to do so I’m happy don’t care what anyone else thinks it’s the time on the bank that I like,I’m not fishing against any one else or be a nuisance to anyone,I keeps myself to myself fish for my enjoyment

edski119

Posts: 81

#50 24 Aug 2026 at 9.24pm

You can’t help but marvel at some of the technology these boats have, cameras, echo sounders, even adaptions to spray the bait about like a spodded area.

I bought one of those cheap Actor ones a few years ago for dead baiting, just the basic version, this is after firmly being in the camp that it’s cheating. Used it a few times and caught because of it, it was quite fun at first using one, I must admit.
Although, the novelty factor soon wore off. I enjoy casting, that’s part and parcel of fishing for me and it’s so satisfying when you ping a lead under a willow, and you think to yourself, that’s got to be a fish. That and it takes years of practice to get semi decent at it.

I can definitely see why people use bait boats, as it simplifies everything, depths, clear spots even fish finding. We all go to catch, but where’s the graft in using these devices. Seems all a-bit soulless to me. I think the majority of bait boat users probably feel the same, but the advantages and time saving are too great for them not to use a boat. I personally would not choose to fish a venue that allows them. Just not for me.

Drones can disappear all together, they should have no place in pleasure fishing.
I couldn’t imagine anything worse than a few of those things flying about a lake. I find them such an invasion of privacy, especially that sound they make.

I know technology moves on, but surely we are losing the art of angling with these types of advances and there’s just something stale about it. Technology like this can stay at home, I want to go fishing to get away from that stuff.

Just my opinion of course.

SUNNYMEAD

Posts: 1246

#49 24 Aug 2026 at 9.20pm

In reply to Post #20
I would of been a bit hacked off after a 3 day session using a bait boat and only catching a 13 pounder,is one of the reasons these people use them is to catch more than those casting.

Carper1976

Posts: 304

#48 24 Aug 2026 at 8.31pm

Better not mention my stealthcam wynch camera that sits beautifully in my brand new deeper baitboat that I use to place rigs with ultimate precision then? 😜

nexus6

Posts: 161

#47 24 Aug 2026 at 3.19pm

Consumer underwater drones are only a few years away............

bmthman

Posts: 978

#46 24 Aug 2026 at 1.58pm

In reply to Post #45
People are already using drones for shark fishing from the beach overseas. Bait boat lovers will just consider drones with cameras to drop their bait on the carps nose as the next step up in technology to catch fish at any cost.

MrGreen

Posts: 192

#45 24 Aug 2026 at 1.35pm

The bigger question is, how far do you allow technology to go?

The definition of “angling” is catching fish with a rod, line and a hook.

If bait boats are widely accepted, then what about drones?

What about dropping bait with a drone or a rig with a drone?

We live in an era where some people aren’t willing to put in any effort and want instant gratification. They will use anything just get a photo for social media.

scozza

Posts: 18410

#44 24 Aug 2026 at 11.46am

Well if Dave Lane says its cheating it must be official, even though most level headed folk have know this for years lol.

Bait boats offer a clear distinct advantage on some waters, fact. People are placing baits and creating spots that would not be possible under normal angling situations, add sonar, another advantage, add camera another advantage, all percentages and the later is boarding on robot carpin, end of.

Comes down to one thing for me, why do people use them, disability is a no brainer, otherwise its for an advantage or you like using electric boats. Said it before, i could treble my catch rate if i used one but i dont believe in them. Although i have been considering one for France to catch carp that come with a wiff of garlic.

As below, in the right hands i can see the benefits, in the hands of a mong, these are one of the reasons they get such a bad reputation. The problem is, you can’t to control the idiots, other than ban bait boats then its fair and a leveler for everyone. Which carp fishing should be for me, separates the boys from the men lol

A key point for me, when other anglers REALLY know the circumstances of a capture, it can take the edge of it when people are wanting merit, and the carp world usually lets people know lol, because they know in a lot of cases, without the boat they would have probably not caught said fish.

Scratch25

Posts: 797

#43 24 Aug 2026 at 10.32am

In reply to Post #37
I have to agree.

I'm on a club lake at the moment full of plonkers with spod rods and a ban on boats. A lot of bites come at first light, you wait all night for it. More times than I can count, an idiot has rocked up at first light, thrashed it to a foam and send out 10kg in midi Spombs all over the place. Completely ruining my chances for a spot he might get bite off the following morning. Would I prefer they send a boat out, drop that whole bait load on one spot and disappear into their bivvy for a tommy tank? Absolutely....

whitey79

Posts: 447

#42 24 Aug 2026 at 7.16am

Well I wasn’t going to say anything on the subject but changed my mind

Boats are here to stay like it or not we have no choice on that one

I own a boat have owned about 4/5 nothing fancy just the usual suspects wave runners mainly
I hate them I enjoy casting where possible im not the biggest caster even had a lesson with mr Edmund this year to try and improve that got new rods to try and help
I agree it levels the playing field and then some makes a bad angler a better angler in some cases but also makes a bad angler worse

If a bad angler has no concept of fish safety and fishing etiquette it will make them a nightmare running over other people lines fishing in snags dumping 10kg of uncooked tigers 400 yrds out you all get the picture

But as said it helps the disabled anglers the angler who knows his water craft who can’t cast 200yrds or how ever many wraps that is the person who can afford a second hand shuttle or actor for £300 and fish with his budget rods and reels who couldn’t or doesn’t want to spend over 2k on rods and reels

I used mine in France this year quicker and easier to just drop 2 kg on my spot save smashing the spod rod every where all in 60/80yrds I could reach done 60plus fish in 6 days went through 50kg of bait that would have been some spodding

But don’t forget fish also spook of neat 1kg neat piles of bait the soon learn it’s a trap

But it’s a big no to drones for me give the fish a chance


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