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| As I sit here and look out the window at the snow falling and wishing I was in my boat again, I started thinking about how our sport of fishing has evolved over the last 50 years and wondering where it is going to go from here.
Over the last 50 years, we have gone from split cane rods, to steel rods, to fiberglass, to high modulus graphite. We started with a funny looking noisy green box that was the first flasher to the color graphs of today, and even cathode ray imaging like the Genetron. Our boats aren’t made of wood with puttyed seams any more, they are molded fiberglass, welded aluminum, and some even have Kevlar in them. We have lures that glow in the dark, lights to charge them up, mapping technology that makes navigating any body of water simple. Heck, you can even go into the bait store now and choose between normal night crawlers, and some that are died a chartreuse green color. Scientists have developed a glowing fish now from the induction of a gene from another creature. Imagine, a minnow that glows in the dark!
All this makes me wonder, where will it go from here?
What do you think will be the next innovation that will change the way we fish?
What would you like to see developed?
What do you think we need to do to insure that with all our technology we don’t decimate our passion and destroy it in the end?
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | For tournaments, I for one would like to see the livewell replaced with a digital device that photos and weighs our fish so that we can release them boat side... No more short fish and what a way to enforce "no cull" and slot limits... and the weigh in could still be dramatic with a photo and the weight displayed... Just drive up and turn in your "chip". Watch some genius take this idea and make a fortune... Just be my sponsor... | |
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| hgmeyer,
I like that idea, especially the part about quick release. If that would not be a possibility, maybe a cooled/refrigerated livewell system for in the summer when the surface water we pump into the livewell is so much warmer than the bottom temp. we pulled the fish out of. I think that might help with livewell mortality. | |
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| Golly, thats a hard subject to master. One's thinking can run wild, thats for sure.
The good news is the motors of tomorrow will be smaller and lighter, less polluting, and more quiet than ever. Hooray for technology!
Edited by Rick Larson 2/1/2004 7:43 PM
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Location: Elgin, Illinois | Refrigerated live wells are a possibilty now... I believe a number of experimental/one of a kind setups have been tested. Cost is a big factor... The "honesty" issue is a big impediment to my "machine"... it's just too easy to add weight to a fish... And, we already know that some guys will cheat... To many anecdotes of caged fish... | |
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| I guess I should say, I've thought about this for some time now, and relate to it somewhat like golf. There are courses that are becoming obsolete today, not because of their condition, or style, but because the technology of that game has surpased their original designs. So now you see these golf courses being re-designed. Why? Because they are playing catch up with the technology that has over taken them. Now you look at fishing and all we have done with technology and I ask, what can mother nature do to even the playing field with our technology? We can't re-design it, because we don't even understand it well enough to take care of it. Is, or, are we going too far with our technology for the good of fishing in the long run? At what point is the "sport" and true meaning of our passion for fishing lost because of our continued desire for more technology, and its use?
I understand if some of you don't want to respond to a subject like this, but at least think about it someday when you are on the water and have the chance.
Edited by JLDII 2/1/2004 9:58 PM
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Ok, get your point.
Here is one potential scenario: Technology will make catching fish so easy, that most will not take it as a serious challenge. This will lead to people not taking up the sport, and thus saving the resource from such technology.
Also, when looking into my very cloudy crystal ball, I see an old-retired Rick Larson, refusing to use any of these future enhancements. Stubbornly clinging to the old ways of learning the water and using my "knowledge" in catching a dinner of fish.
I'm getting a headache trying to think about this topic Jack!
Edited by Rick Larson 2/2/2004 8:50 AM
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Jack,
I have no fears about technology making fishing too easy. It will make it more enjoyable for most but not too easy. As you indicate earlier, there have been major technological improvements with our equipment over the years, yet I still believe that we are living in the “good old days”. I see bigger fish and more fish in our water today than what we had just 30 years ago. Technology has helped our DNR improve stocking and water quality. People have also changed during this time and I truly believe that most people today have a higher regard toward our environment. I like to use the saying “with knowledge comes responsibility”. For the most part, people who are using the latest technology to catch more fish also realize their responsibility to release many of the fish. I also believe that although technology has made it easier for us, many people still have a very difficult time catching fish. Many companies have tried to convince all of us that they have created that perfect bait that makes fish bite. It hasn’t happened yet and I don’t see it happening any time soon. I’d be more concerned with genetic engineering. I believe that it is possible today for our scientists to mess with the basic make-up of the fish and produce “super fish” that are more willing to attack our baits. I’ll go on record saying that I hope this doesn’t happen.
For the near future, I think we’ll see the sonar/gps unit on our dash play even a more significant role. We all have a computer on our dash that can do much more than just show fish, depths and gps maps. I think you’ll see that unit being hooked up to more of the other devices in your boat. There will be more interaction with the main motor, trolling motor, kicker etc. You’ll see most electronic devices on your boat being able to communicate with each other.
I believe that 4 stroke technology will go by the wayside. It was a short term solution for the marine industry and EPA rulings. I think that the new Etec motors will show that the 2 stroke, if engineered correctly will be the best solution to our environmental concerns.
I think that we will all have some kind of “On Star” unit in our boats. It’s a safety issue that will create other business opportunities for the creative.
Boats will keep getting bigger, faster and more expensive. You’ll also see more solar technology associated with powering some of our devices.
I could go on and on but I have to get back to business. If I get time I’ll add to the discussion later.
Great topic.
Edited by Sunshine 2/2/2004 9:09 AM
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Sunshine is an optimist running rampant! Keep typing more of these well-worded posts and we all may catch your disease!  | |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Rick,
The eternal optimist here. You state that technology will make catching fish so easy, that most will not take it as a serious challenge. I think just the opposite could occur. I think most people do not fish now because it’s frustrating for them. The average person doesn’t catch fish with the regularity that most WalleyeFirst people do. If it was possible for more people to enjoy the “catching”, more will participate. Many of us are concerned about the dwindling participation in this sport. If catching became easier (and I emphasize “if”) it will lead to more people getting involved with the sport not less.
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That scenario is plausible.
For many, the ease to catch 10 pounders will certainly gain their attention. But there is warning signs flashing in my eyes (haven't you figured that out yet?)! hehehe
The cost of these enhancements will be prohibitive. If your role in life is to flip burgers, you will not participate. If one's idea is to have a quiet, relaxing day on the water, the enhancements will only be viewed as a hinderance in its learning and use.
And to those of us who really like a challenge? With one bite days a thing of the past, why would I feel special about catching a limit of 10 pounders? | |
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Location: princeton Il. | i dont know if the fishing is getting any easier at least i cant tell by my tourn. winnimgs but i know it is alot more expensive to be involved in some tourn. i think money has been the biggest factor in the last 15 years i dont see the trend changing but hope at some point it at least levels off. | |
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| I think about our roots in this sport we love so much. Maybe I'm yerning for my youth again, or just the simplicity of digging up a few worms in the backyard, grabbing a cane pole, and sitting on the bank of a pond to see how big the sunnies are. With all of our advances in technology, and our striving to improve, have we not lost contact with those roots that sent us in this direction we find ourselves heading in? We all thought at one time in our pasts , that fishing was the simpilest of all pleasures to enjoy. Things just aren't that simple anymore. | |
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Jack,
Who is preventing you from sitting on that bank? Many still do that very thing. Maybe more will take on the "purist" aspect. Look at the trout world. The purist ties the fly and roll casts to the current break. He/she knows a simple crawler will catch more fish but they choose to create their own challenges.
Rick,
Same scenario for you. You want more challenges? Create them for yourself! Use 2 pound test line for those ten pounders or don't take out the sonar. Create your own challenges if it gets too easy.
The sport is what YOU make it. That's the nice thing about this sport. Any age, any income, any intelligence level, we can all have fun and enjoy. You just have to define or redefine what you enjoyment level is.
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True enough! | |
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| Dennis, I understand what you are saying, and appreciate it. The point I'm trying to make is that today, the cane pole scenario is not what comes to mind when people think about fishing. It's usually much more complicated than that. Because of our advances, we don't, in our minds eye, see fishing in the simplist base form anymore.
Have you ever thought about having, or competing in an "old timers" tournament? Imagine a tournament with no GPS's, no sonars or flashers, no radios, no maps, compasses only, 2 rods and reels, and live bait only. Essentially, what our grandfathers had, but with better boats. How would we do with the playing field leveled against the fish? It would definitly be a humbling experience for many, myself included. | |
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Where do we go from here?