Not your average fishing adventure! The choppy surf can present a challenge when embarking on a fishing journey. We fish from the shore. Therefore, it’s necessary to launch the bait out as far as possible. Otherwise the bottom feeders will steal it. To get the bait out past the sand bars and into the deeper water where the big fish are, we normally have two options. Walk out as far as possible and cast, or fight the surf and kayak it out (a serious workout). We are bypassing these obstacles with this new little device. Well, perhaps not so little. This is A Breakthrough in Fishing Tactics!
this post may contain affiliate links
Fancy Fishing Gadgets
A few months back, the idea was presented to my Father-in-law as to whether he would gain use from a drone for his fishing ventures. When it was decided that not only would the use of a drone be quicker and easier on him, the research began to find a drone that would be suitable for the job.
Several factors are taken into account. Wind resistance, the ocean breeze is a strong one. Therefore the drone would need to have the stability to withstand a strong gust. Strength, the drone would need to have the capability to lift the mass of the bait and fishing weight. Accuracy, clearly a drone would need to be trusted to perform commands quickly and efficiently as to avoid dilemma or destruction.
After extensive research we settled for a drone unit that performed well in all these areas. The DJI Phantom 3. The only exception was that the drone did not have the capability to hold and drop our bait. Nevertheless, the Father-in-law rigged it to do just that. He is quite clever in such areas and equipped the machine with a metal rod that would slide in and out to set and release the line on demand.
Test the Waters
With the drone set and reservations made it was time to head to the coast. The kids were pumped to have some fun in the sun and hubby, ready to catch a big one! Once we arrived, set up tends to take some time. But once complete, there is no need to mess around with it again. The boys dig holes in the sand to set the fishing rod holders (PVC pipe, nothing fancy), an awning emerged to provide some shade for the kids and a few throws of the casting net to provide the bait.
It was now time to prep the rods, load them with bait and send the drone to do its duty. This drone is also equipped with a camera so that the operator can see the ocean below from the drone’s point of view as well. With the lines baited, they are attached to the drone via a small metal eyelet on the line that is then slid over the metal rod on the drone and clamped shut.
The drone rises with the bait and line below, hovering for a moment awaiting instructions. After a few seconds, the operator sets it to rise and off it flies over the ocean. Once the drone reaches an appropriate distance, a button is pushed opening the metal clasp, thus releasing the line and dropping the bait into the water below.
Casting in Style
After the bait is dropped the drone is set to return and the little hovering robot whisks its way back to shore landing in its starting position. What fun! This new gadget was a game changer. Never again would we need to battle the rough waves as one of us kayaked the bait out as far as we could go. Not only did the drone save energy, it also saved a boatload of time. A freshly baited line sent out to sea took 3 minutes rather than 20 when kayaked out.
The kids found drone fishing to be quite an adventure and so did the every so often passerby. The drone is such a nifty little device and really enjoyable to simply watch. I also found that drone fishing was a clever way to assist those who are unable to cast or simply don’t have the stamina they once had, to continue to fish without the strenuous battle of casting into the surf.
A Fun New Experience
This trip was a blast. Fishing with the family is something we take seriously (always in a fun way) and I don’t think its gets much more serious than when you add a computer into the mix. This seems to be the next step in alternative fishing practices. Drone fishing is an easy way for the entire family to enjoy a fishing experience and keep anyone from having to step into the harsh currents of the sea.
We really enjoyed this experience and I hope that sharing our fun with you will inspire your friends and family to look into alternative fun ways of going about an activity. Ponder on how to simplify a step that presents a challenge. During an outing or event try a new routine to help make things easier during an activity. Make the adventure interesting and challenge yourself to try something new!
I would love to hear about your adventures and how you corrected, simplified or reworked a step to make an activity or outing easier. Or perhaps, something that didn’t quite go the way as planned resulting in a humorous story. Feel free to share your tale below!
If you enjoyed this post, learn how to get your kids engaged on your next fishing trip!
4 Comments
Oh wow I didn’t even know that was an actual thing! Drone fishing sure sounds fun and great catch!!!
Kallia
Thank you! We are always seeking out new and unusual activities. This one just happened to be very useful too 🙂
Makes sense. They use drones for everything else so why not for fishing. I think I just found a new item for my survival kit. You won’t catch fish unless you get to where the fish are. Did you ever try catching a fish with the drone itself instead of just taking the fishing pole’s line out to sea?
We considered using it for the fishing. However, the drone is not strong enough to tackle the weight of a fighting fish. It actually took us some time to find a drone that would withstand the weight of the bait and weights on the line. Fun stuff!