Bear fighting a broadbill swordfish in 700m of water on the Continental Shelf. Modern sounder technology helped identify this as a likely fishing spot, even at that depth

I like to approach my life by utilising the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid – as much as possible, especially when it comes to my beloved pastime of fishing.

There’s attractive romanticism embodied in the simplicity of timeless images like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn fishing under the sweeping shade of a willow tree, or bobbing along on a rickety raft with nothing but an old stick for a rod and a worm dangling below.

This is a blessed release from the world of pressures, gizmos, gadgets and technology that have invaded our lives and often obscure the pleasures of those simple things. My mates all reckon I go fishing because it’s a great excuse to do nothing – and often, they’re quite right!

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

We humans have an uncanny ability to make even the simplest things amazingly complicated. While there are plenty of fishing gimmicks apparently guaranteeing success, many are based on fact, not illusion. Your own angling success can certainly be greatly enhanced by embracing technology and when used properly it will assist your return. But used poorly, they’ll waste your time and money.

Technology can not only improve your enjoyment and return, it can also enhance your safety. One of the most beneficial is the internet.

Fishing is a weather-dependent activity and a keen angler must not only look at the myriad of weather websites and apps, but also learn to recognise peak periods from tides, barometric pressure, moon phases and even solunar charts to advantage.

TIME TO ACT

Last Melbourne Cup eve, I was travelling home in a taxi late at  night looking at the forecast and weather maps on my tablet. I recognised a series of features all coming together with a high tide the following afternoon.

We duly headed out and had quite a struggle reaching the inshore fishing spot registered in my GPS, where I had previously had success in those conditions. But eventually we set the anchor and spread the lines. Whammo! Within five minutes I was hooked into the 9.5kg snapper of a lifetime. What a fish – and caught with the aid of technology.

Modern technology now allows us to identify fish at any depth. But it’s your job to get them on the hook

AVOID THE HYPE

There’s nothing you can’t find on the ‘net. Communication is a terrific tool to keep you on the game, with an infinite amount of websites, social media options and blogs all allowing you to keep up with what’s happening in your area right up to the minute – even live streaming.

Manufacturers are producing more ‘custom content’ with blogs and videos of their own products, but care should be taken in what to believe. It’s best not to have faith in every boat manufacturer who crowns themselves with a ‘Boat Of The Year’ award, for example.

EYES DOWN DEEP

The art of finding fish is still largely down to experience, but this can be enhanced with technology, too.

Modern electronics allow us to see everything in, on and under the water, as well as everything around us, where we’ve been and where we’re going. Sonar technology in boating has progressed to the point where we virtually have cameras under the water that can see not only through muddy inland streams, but get clear definition right out on the Continental Shelf.

Our GPS units and chart plotters allow us to travel into difficult terrain, and get home safely by accurately recording our tracks and fishing spots both on land and water. More and more operators are using radar now, which greatly enhances safety by seeing other boats and structure around you, but can also identify wind and swell changes through incoming weather fronts – even spotting surface  feeding schools of fish is now possible.

Bingo! This image shows a school of snapper hanging underneath a baitball in 13m of water; The result! It would have been much tougher locating these fish without the assistance of technology. You just gotta use it right!

MATCH THE HATCH

Weather forecasting can even help in determining which bait and lure to use, and the time of day to concentrate your efforts. Fly fishers chasing trout are experts on entomology (the study of insects) and will use forecasting technology to predict insect hatches, in turn matching the hatch with their lures. Others anglers will associate light and climate conditions with lure selection and colour.

Then there’s the endless selection of tackle. There’s a rod and reel for every application and every budget.

I can’t believe that people pay hundreds, even thousands of dollars for rods and reels for such simple species as squid jigging! We all love to buy and use quality tackle, but the fish don’t care what the mug is holding on the other end of the bait! Just try it and see ...

K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE

The beauty of all this is that you can make your angling life as simple, or as complicated, as you desire, through information and technology. While we love to hide the disappointment of a fish-less trip with sayings like: “A bad day’s fishing is better than the best day at work,” when it comes down to the bottom line we all love the thrill of the catch. Even if it’s just one fish!

I’m reminded of the lyrics of jazz blues artist and composer Johnny Johnson: “I’m gonna get me a pole and head down to the hole / and come goin’ fishin’ with me.”

Simple can be best, folks!

Category: Unknown
Written: Wed 01 Mar 2017
Printed: March, 2017
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