[BMahoney.STC]

I am curious to know y'alls opinions on this topic.

Technology is rapidly advancing and becoming more accessible to us as fisherman and helping us catch more fish. My question is do y'all think there is a point where it takes the sport out of it? Or makes it unfair to the fish? Should it all be allowed? I go back and forth on this topic.

For example, using drones to find schools of redfish. At first it seems like a really cool idea but then I start to not like it as it feels like it takes that side of fishing away that requires the angler to be in touch with the fish and the environment to understand their patterns and the reward of it all coming together and finding the fish tucked away in a creek or something like that. Seems like it creates so much pressure on fish because they can be found so much easier, and can start to drive fish away as they look for new areas to be safe.

To me it is almost like spotlighting deer. It's not fair to the animal.

To me fishing is about going out, dissecting water and understanding how the fish respond to conditions to eliminate water and find the fish. Yes we take the advantages we can get with satellite imagery, chart plotters, and sonar. However, they don't seem to have the same ability to do the work for us that a drone would provide. I think about flying the length of creek at low tide seeing if there are fish there in a matter of minutes vs how long it would take to properly direct a creek to find out if there are fish there. Just unsure how I feel about that and what it does to our sport.

 

[Zika]

Hate drones on several levels, but using them to spot schools of fish is not sporting in any way, shape or form to me.

 

[BrownDog]

You can come up with many theories why but there is certainly a growing amount of people willing to take shortcuts of all kinds to find "success" these days. In all outdoor disciplines.

 

[topnative2]

Florida outlawed spotter planes use by commercial kingfish netters .....years ago!

 

[FlatsMafia]

While it is cool to see the fish with out having to get close. Using the drone to fish crosses the line and takes the thrill of the hunt away.

 

[Jason M]

Hate drones on several levels, but using them to spot schools of fish is not sporting in any way, shape or form to me.

100% with Zika here. I can't imagine anything more frustrating than having a drone fly around you all day while fishing, well jet skis and tower boats too.

I thought I read it is already illegal in the Everglades, FWC and other states needs to get in front of this before it gets to late.

 

[MikeChamp12]

I’m against most of the technological stuff but that is my opinion. My skiff I’m rebuilding will not have any electronics I prefer not to use them.

 

[DBStoots]

Listen to Harry Spears comment on this (mostly related to GPS, but applicable to technology in general) in his interview with Andy Mill that came out today. Makes a lot of sense to me. But then, "common sense just ain't common any more"!

 

[karstopo]

I know a guy that uses drones to hunt for trophy Speckled trout around Port O’Connor. He’s got a lot of money so I’m sure his drone or drones are extra good. I really don’t know how successful the drone is for him to find fish. I guess he figures he works hard, time is limited so he will put that money he earns to work to get him on good fish or just to heighten the experience.

I say as long as the laws are followed, who cares?

That said, I don’t use anything but my senses to find fish.

 

[Coffeyonthefly]

I’m about 99% fly only. I don’t catch nearly as many fish as most but I feel awesome with every fish I catch. That said I think gps is ok but side scan and drones don’t belong.

 

[fishnpreacher]

A similar argument was made about modern fish finders (fresh water) several years ago. It made fish "too easy to locate and catch." Now every fishing boat you see has multiples.
I don't agree with using drones to locate fish. Fishing needs to be about the pursuit as well as the cast and catch. I've had drones fly over me while trout fishing on mountain streams, with no one in sight. No idea why. Drones don't belong in fishing. They may be useful for recording a catch or research, but not in the pursuit of fish.

 

[Marshdweller08]

Using drones to locate and persue pods of redfish is simply chicken shit! I'd be willing to bet that most of the drones you see over saltwater is being flown by a dickbag on a tower boat.

 

[Drifter]

I think the more you fish the less you like the stuff, I have a 5" Garmin on my boat and I like to just shut it off and look around while I drive. Im glad I have it, but once you have been around its more fun just to look around. I have never even seen a fish that I caught on a fish finder....but probably because I Flyfish.

I own a drone, but have never used it for fishin. Id prefer to hunt them down, but I can see where people get desperate and don't find fish. I just went like 4-5 days without catching a fish lol. Im just lucky enough I get to go everyday. Lots of people only get that much a month and man that would get old!

I think the worst one is google maps. I come across people in the most out there places anymore and am just like how the heck did this guy find this spot.

 

[LtShinysides]

The drones produce some awesome footage, but I do believe it's a bit much when used for hunting fish. Definitely takes something out of the sport. I love and use Google maps, but wish it didn't exist.

A big reason I don't care for hunting as much is because I feel like most of it is so fake. At least around here. Cameras, feeding stations, dogs etc..

 

[karstopo]

People still got to pull off the stalk, shot, presentation and hook set, whether they themselves with their eyes and ears find the fish, or they rely on a guide or spotter to do the same or the use of a drone. People use experienced guides all the time to find fish, is that also cheating? The drone doesn’t improve one’s ability to cast or anything like that. A drone, at least in theory, doesn’t require burning and churning up a lot of skinny water motoring around in the boat this way and that. Let the drone cover the best water with minimal disturbance and impact, just like it’s another sea gull or tern hovering over the fish. I can think of worse things people do in boats trying to locate fish like the shoreline burners and fish herders out there.

We all use high technology to some degree. $1,100+ high tech graphite rods, the best $$$$ skinny water boat hulls money can buy, $600 sunglasses, $1,000 push poles. $130 fly line. GPS systems, Google Earth. Is anyone really pure when it comes to using the best of technology?

 

[TidewateR]

What makes me smile is seeing people bitch about drones, but be ok with those who use planes, helicopters, paragliders etc to pattern fish.

Like most things, its all about the operator and how you use the technology. I've seen some really cool footage from drones, but I'm sure there are some people who push the moral envelope.

 

[K3anderson]

I am curious to know y'alls opinions on this topic.

Technology is rapidly advancing and becoming more accessible to us as fisherman and helping us catch more fish. My question is do y'all think there is a point where it takes the sport out of it? Or makes it unfair to the fish? Should it all be allowed? I go back and forth on this topic.

For example, using drones to find schools of redfish. At first it seems like a really cool idea but then I start to not like it as it feels like it takes that side of fishing away that requires the angler to be in touch with the fish and the environment to understand their patterns and the reward of it all coming together and finding the fish tucked away in a creek or something like that. Seems like it creates so much pressure on fish because they can be found so much easier, and can start to drive fish away as they look for new areas to be safe.

To me it is almost like spotlighting deer. It's not fair to the animal.

To me fishing is about going out, dissecting water and understanding how the fish respond to conditions to eliminate water and find the fish. Yes we take the advantages we can get with satellite imagery, chart plotters, and sonar. However, they don't seem to have the same ability to do the work for us that a drone would provide. I think about flying the length of creek at low tide seeing if there are fish there in a matter of minutes vs how long it would take to properly direct a creek to find out if there are fish there. Just unsure how I feel about that and what it does to our sport.

Technology like spinning reels and going on the internet to ask what art's to use while visiting a new area?

 

[MikeChamp12]

People still got to pull off the stalk, shot, presentation and hook set, whether they themselves with their eyes and ears find the fish, or they rely on a guide or spotter to do the same or the use of a drone. People use experienced guides all the time to find fish, is that also cheating? The drone doesn’t improve one’s ability to cast or anything like that. A drone, at least in theory, doesn’t require burning and churning up a lot of skinny water motoring around in the boat this way and that. Let the drone cover the best water with minimal disturbance and impact, just like it’s another sea gull or tern hovering over the fish. I can think of worse things people do in boats trying to locate fish like the shoreline burners and fish herders out there.

We all use high technology to some degree. $1,100+ high tech graphite rods, the best $$$$ skinny water boat hulls money can buy, $600 sunglasses, $1,000 push poles. $130 fly line. GPS systems, Google Earth. Is anyone really pure when it comes to using the best of technology?

Those are great points. I think this comes down to a personal preference of how much technology is too much technology. For me drones locating fish you’re going to target is cheating yourself and there is no sport in it and yes I’ll be poling a foam core skiff with costa Del Mar on my face and a sage maverick on my side. However I won’t use a drone or gps.

 

[Alexander Wilcox]

People still got to pull off the stalk, shot, presentation and hook set, whether they themselves with their eyes and ears find the fish, or they rely on a guide or spotter to do the same or the use of a drone. People use experienced guides all the time to find fish, is that also cheating? The drone doesn’t improve one’s ability to cast or anything like that. A drone, at least in theory, doesn’t require burning and churning up a lot of skinny water motoring around in the boat this way and that. Let the drone cover the best water with minimal disturbance and impact, just like it’s another sea gull or tern hovering over the fish. I can think of worse things people do in boats trying to locate fish like the shoreline burners and fish herders out there.

We all use high technology to some degree. $1,100+ high tech graphite rods, the best $$$$ skinny water boat hulls money can buy, $600 sunglasses, $1,000 push poles. $130 fly line. GPS systems, Google Earth. Is anyone really pure when it comes to using the best of technology?

Very well said. I think that so long as your usage of technology is not bothering other people then go for it. I'd never use a drone, but I do have a buddy that uses one to fly his lure from the beach to a few hundred yards off the shore to drop it near a school. Is it dorky? Absolutely. But he doesn't have a boat and has a blast doing it.

I fly fish and only stalk/still hunt with a bow because I love the difficulty in doing so, but I'm also very guilty of having a nice reel, rod, and expensive sunglasses for fishing and a really nice bow for the occasional deer stalk.

 

[Nway93]

I’ll start by saying if it’s legal then I can’t blame you for doing it as I have no right to tell you what you’re doing is wrong within the letter of the law. Now morally that’s a different story.

Seems like anymore in fishing and hunting everyone is caught up with the end result not how you got to get that tarpon boat side or limit of green heads on the strap.

To me there’s ways to get to that end result that make it mean more. Honestly if you hired a guide and catch say 10 bonefish that means way less to me than going with a buddy figuring it out on our own and catching one or two. We earned it, you bought your fish is the way I see it. I have nothing against guides and have lots of friends that guide and have fished with some who have become friends. It’s not always feasible to diy but if you’ve got the means to do so that fish or animal will mean much more to you. Using a drone, gps, trolling motor, feeder, mojos, what have you cheapens that end result as well . But with social media these days all you see is the grip and grin rather than the how.