How to use your bait boat

Setting up your bait boat

Get you kit all setup up and use your marker float to establish where your going to fish.

Even if your planning to fish in the margins I recommend getting a marker float in there to make sure its snag free if you have never fished it before. There is some good information here about using and finding features with a marker float.

Lay your bait boat into your unhooking mat to protect it from scratches etc and feed in your rig. Load the bait into the boat, I usually pull my hook and bait to the top of the bait pile. This helps stop your rig getting tangled when you drop. You can also use the PVA hook things to make sure it doesn’t snagged up in any weed etc.

Setup a couple of separate bank sticks that you lie your rod on when your sending your boat out. I do this for 2 reasons, first being you can have your sticks close to the water so the wind doesn't catch your line and second cause your rod will always be in the same position, i.e. distance from the water, this way, if you have been clipping your line or used marker tape, you'll know that when your line hits your clip, your be exactly the same distance as your previous or next drop.

Taking the boat out

Drive the boat out, in the direction of your marker float in a straight line as possible, I usually make a mental note of a point on the far bank so you know which direction to head in for your next trip. I.e. a tree or bush. Choose something you can hopefully see in the dark in case you get a annoying bream which always seem to come at night. Keep your line tight to avoid any slack.

When happy that you are in position you want drop your load. Wait for your lead to hit the bottom and pull in any slack. Use some electrical tape or the expensive marker tape to mark your line so you can remove it from the reel clip.

Depending which boat you are using you can now repeat the procedure to drop your next rig, although from experience, if I am on my own, I usually only take one rig at a time because I always end up getting into a right mess.

Set your rod on your pod, and wait for the epic battle between man and fish to commence.

General bait boat tips

Once you have returned the boat, if your using a bait boat such as Angling Technics Procat, check the props for any weed you may have picked up, and clear as necessary.

Also you will see that there are a couple of draining holes in the body of the boat. I always put a small piece of electrical tape over these when taking out the boat as if the water is a bit choppy they actually let water in, which you don’t want. When your boat is back on land, remove the tape, and I lean my boat against something so that any water that has got in can drain to the front. Remember that Angling Technics boats are sealed units, and if any repairs are required it has to be sent back to Angling Technics. There customer service is very good so you shouldn’t have any problems.

Try and keep your boat out of sight when not in use, especially if you are on a lake with public access. Tackle thefts are all too common these days and you don’t want everybody to see your nice expensive piece of kit. When doing a night session I take the boat and put it in the back of my bivvy for security.

There are a number of various accessories available for your boat, and at night you might want some extra light if heading into snags or overhanging branches. Angling Technics do additional lighting, but I use a spare head torch which you can tighten around the carry handle works well, or a torch such as a mag light taped to the carry handle with your trusty electrical tape.

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