Has anyone used a bait boat?

[lukelee]

Something like this: https://www.a shop.com.au/Remote-Control-Finder-Fishing-System/dp/B01N0USM0A

It drops the bait into deeper water.

It also has sonar to find where the fish is.

Have anyone had any experience with bait boat? Is it legal in NSW?

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by lukelee

[Coswecanfly]

Haven't used on here yet but used one of these https://aquacat.co.za/ in South Africa before. 

Few things I found.

Depending on where you are, deeper water is like a desert with no fish there. Fish gather near the shore because the breaking waves dig up creatures that feed bigger creatures and so on till you get to the big fish we fish for. Often while casting I caught more than buddies using the boat to take bait into deeper water. 

If you're not fishing from your ute it's too big and bulky to carry far. With all the batteries, remotes etc. you're pretty much limited to a small patch of beach. 

The range is never near what they advertise and I've heard of quite a few guys in South Africa that lost their boat due to it going out of range or batteries running out. It's a lot of money to lose to the ocean if it doesn't wash up on the shore which often it doesn't. 

In my opinion after using one a few times it's not worth it. It seems like a bit of a toy and doesn't guarantee better catches. 

[Volitan]

I’m following this with interest. Though I understand it probably isn’t much use off a beach for all the reasons Coswecanfly said, we live waterside on Brisbane Water. The problem is the water is very shallow off our place so the fishing is poor, but I’ve been out in a little dingy and results are much better if you can just get the bait out - about 3 times the distance I can cast.

ive thought of a drone but a boat would be much more reliable because it can’t fall into the water - it’s already there.

if I could get the bait out that far, I could fish from our dining room while im having breakfast. How good would that be.

[JimT]

what about using a drone to take bait out?

[lukelee]

9 hours ago, jot said:

what about using a drone to take bait out?

Drone doesn't have sonar, can't tell how deep the water is.

It might fell into water.

[lukelee]

12 hours ago, Volitan said:

I’m following this with interest. Though I understand it probably isn’t much use off a beach for all the reasons Coswecanfly said, we live waterside on Brisbane Water. The problem is the water is very shallow off our place so the fishing is poor, but I’ve been out in a little dingy and results are much better if you can just get the bait out - about 3 times the distance I can cast.

ive thought of a drone but a boat would be much more reliable because it can’t fall into the water - it’s already there.

if I could get the bait out that far, I could fish from our dining room while im having breakfast. How good would that be.

In the river where I am fishing regularly. The channel is like 60-100 meters away from the beach. In cold day, the fish just dive into the channel, that's why I am thinking a bait boat.

[lukelee]

15 hours ago, Coswecanfly said:

Haven't used on here yet but used one of these https://aquacat.co.za/ in South Africa before. 

Few things I found.

Depending on where you are, deeper water is like a desert with no fish there. Fish gather near the shore because the breaking waves dig up creatures that feed bigger creatures and so on till you get to the big fish we fish for. Often while casting I caught more than buddies using the boat to take bait into deeper water. 

If you're not fishing from your ute it's too big and bulky to carry far. With all the batteries, remotes etc. you're pretty much limited to a small patch of beach. 

The range is never near what they advertise and I've heard of quite a few guys in South Africa that lost their boat due to it going out of range or batteries running out. It's a lot of money to lose to the ocean if it doesn't wash up on the shore which often it doesn't. 

In my opinion after using one a few times it's not worth it. It seems like a bit of a toy and doesn't guarantee better catches. 

Thanks, they are really pricey. I might buy a cheap RC boat without sonar ($100 - $200), if it doesn't work as I expected. My son can play around the beach when I am fishing.

[Plethora]

Tried one of these a few years back (a mate of mine got it from ebay) used it at night for Hairtail - we caught a few (I Smiths Creek)  but I don't know if they were attracted by this or the berley bucket on the boat we were sitting in ?????

[Fab1]

Yes, i own a bait boat.I buy bait and feed the fish when i go fishing.I can hear the fish saying here comes that idiot in the bait boat to feed us.

[Scratchie]

Not sure if it is legal in NSW or Australia but I have watched on TV in New Zealand where they use these boats off the beach and are permitted to run a long line with a maximum of 25 baited hooks. 

They send the boat out and deploy the hooks at regular intervals. Every 5 hooks they attach a small buoy. Once they have reached their maximum amount of hooks they hold the line and the last buoy detaches from the boat. They leave it out for an hour or two and reel it in! 

Cant believe they can legally long line from a beach over there! 

Cheers scratchie!!!