Nothing stays the same for long in the digital age we live in. Just as our tackle and ideas evolve, so does technology at every level. Just think of the tackle your parents and grandparents used compared to today’s kit and the difference is stark. And there is so much still to come.
Not all change is for the better, of course. For some of us, electric fish finders or bait boats are a step too far. But whether it’s healthier fisheries or engaging the next generation, the scope of technology is massive, and growing. Here are just some of the ways it’s changing angling forever.
Digital day tickets and memberships at a click
While a few fisheries still run on pen and paper, or the good old fashioned honesty box, so much fishing can now be accessed with a simple tap on your phone. This has been a lifesaver for anglers and club bailiffs alike. No day ticket? No problem!
Clubmate is proud to have been the single biggest driver for change, serving hundreds of clubs and fisheries a really easy system with no nonsense or hidden charges to the angler. No more excuses or inconvenience, it really is so simple!
A world of smart apps, from river levels to catch odds
Not so very long ago, it was a pain in the backside to negotiate long range weather, river levels or tide times. Smart phone tech has given a whole generation of anglers instant access to data, whether its overnight rain levels or tomorrow’s spring tide. As a result, we can plan fishing trips better.
For those running fishing clubs, smart digital systems can save a world of bother, whether it’s club comms or reminding members to renew their tickets. And on top of this, it makes the numbers and all your data so much clearer and easier to manage, helping you back up your records securely and stay GDPR compliant.
Book a demo today to see how Clubmate can help running your club or fishery!
Purpose made fishing apps are another interesting development, with examples like Fishbrain and Tightlines not only serving as an online fishing diary, but suggesting the best times to fish. Where will it all lead next? With more and more data, who knows?
Tackle’s golden age?
It’s easy to take modern tackle for granted. For our grandparents, a carbon rod could cost a week’s wages. Specialist tackle often had to be home made or adapted, simply because it didn’t exist. Contrast that with the latest braided lines, razor sharp hooks and near weightless carbon rods and we have never had it better.
Same game as ever? Yes and no!
It’s always a lazy cliche to say nothing changes in fishing, but future possibilities are huge and ever evolving. Tomorrow’s star player could be a revolutionary lure, an unbelievably light pole, or all but unbreakable line. Far from there being “nothing new in fishing”, evolution is inevitable.
Lure fishing is at the forefront of angling development. Where would we be without braid and precision made lures?
Life-saving fishery tech and citizen science
Another exciting area where tech can make a huge difference to fishing is in fisheries management. We all know about problems such as seasonal extremes in temperature and river pollution, but what if you had the tech to monitor and react to this?
Angling clubs such as Windermere, Ambleside and District AA have been doing just that, saving themselves a small fortune and protecting their fisheries from emergencies. Smart solutions can now detect oxygen crashes in summer, automatically turning on water pumps without the water bailiff having to rush out in the early hours of the morning.
The next logical step is river management – and the tech is already becoming better and cheaper. Thousands of anglers can now test rivers for pollution using citizen science, with a basic kit and phone app- with over 500 clubs supporting the Angling Trust Water Monitoring intiative. Elsewhere, angling clubs are already using tech that can monitor everything from water temperature to up-to-the-minute pollution levels.
21st century gadgets and wider implications
Along with 21st century tackle, a whole range of digital devices and smart technology have applications for fishing. We’re not just talking about the latest bite alarms and bait boats, but mobile cameras and drones.
Not everyone is in favour of fishing gadgets, of course, but on a practical level they can arm us with some brilliant new tools to help fisheries. Top class new underwater cameras and fish counters are already helping clubs monitor stocks and have been a godsend for keeping track of salmon and other migratory fish.
Fishery policing, meanwhile, is also getting easier thanks to tech. Many syndicates and private waters now use CCTV monitoring, while EA bailiffs can now scan miles of water with ease thanks to drone technology, covering miles of water in minutes.
AI and the future
The one area with the most growth potential, and yet also the most fear surrounding it, is Artificial Intelligence. The scope is absolutely huge – and already evolving. From fishery monitoring systems that can “learn” to react to threats, to the massive amount of online data and material online, there is a lot to sift through, but much of it positive.
Predation is another huge issue, but perhaps one day we will have systems that monitor and deter cormorants or otters? Or systems that rapidly tell us when pollution spikes or migratory fish need extra protection. The future is in our hands, but tech can be a huge asset to fishing, provided we can embrace it.