Let’s face it, bait boats are not cheap, so it’s all the more important that you take time to consider the varied options and features available on all models before parting with your hard earned cash. In this handy Anglers’ Net guide, we’ve covered some helpful bait boat hints and tips, along with some suggestions for those looking to buy and fulfil their baitboat needs for the best price.
Bait Boats are a bit like Marmite, in that carp anglers either love them or hate them! Whichever side of the fence you fall on, you have to agree that they can be an extremely valuable tool for dropping hookbaits and free offerings to positions where it would be extremely tricky to cast a baited rig to.
A bait boat is basically a heavy duty remote controlled boat which can be used to ship out a payload of freebait and a baited rig; in many cases it can also double up as a fish and feature finder too. There are many models to choose from, with the smaller models having a payload capacity of approximately a kilo from a single centrally mounted hopper, right up to the QE2 type boats, many of which can carry over six kilos in one trip stored in duel hoppers!
Look out for those powered by jet pumps as they can be less susceptible to tangles in weed and debris, and check out how easy it is to change and replace batteries, and also see what kind of extras package they come with as there are all sorts of carry bags, solar battery chargers and fish finders that can be purchased all as one bundle.
The cheaper models are obviously more lightweight and are built simply to get a bit of bait and the hookbait out to a spot, whereas the larger models may also have recesses built in which are designed to house a fish finder unit – some of the more expensive models may actually come with a fish finder already incorporated, so again, it’s about looking at what would suit your type of fishing the best.
Give a thought to the type of waters you are likely to be fishing too. Generally speaking, the bigger the boat the more powerful the engines, which will obviously come into their own on big windswept waters where you need good power and manoeuvrability to get to your chosen spot and back again. A small boat with a full load might struggle to cope with wind on a big open water which will make it difficult to get to the spot, and worse you could end up losing it altogether if conditions take a turn for the worse!
Pay attention to the construction materials, too. You want something that’s going to be lightweight, yet durable and built to last. Boats constructed from acrylic capped ABS will last well and will also look the part, too!
So, with all that said, let’s take a look at some of those currently available on the market that match those features listed above. First up, for those that want a no-nonsense bait boat that’s built to do the job without all the fancy bits, the Angling Technics Procat MK 2 Bait Boat is worthy of consideration. It can hold 750g of bait and has a range of 200 metres, and comes with transmitter (including batteries), mains charger for boat, mains charger for transmitter, full instructions, guarantee and instructional video to boot. Priced at a highly competitive £380.00 all in; full details HERE.
For those who still want value for money but with a little more bait holding capacity, then the Atom Bait Boat is a good next step. Capable of holding approximately one and a half kilos of bait in a single hopper, the Atom offers a robust design with plenty of features. Firstly, the range is up at around 500 meters, and the hydro-dynamically efficient catamaran ABS hull will give excellent stability and increased buoyancy to get you out to the baited spot and back again before you know it. The upper deck of the Atom Bait Boat and the underwater part are fixed by stainless bolt, which makes the maintenance very easy. The waterproof silicon gasket between the upper deck and the underwater part makes the boat hull totally sealed and ensures that the boat is 100% waterproof. Priced at just £499.99; full details HERE.
Taking another jump forward, we move to those capable of carrying even greater payloads, and a perfect example of those in the 3k and above class is the Waverunner Bait Boat. With a storage capacity approximately three kilos and a range of between 500 to 1000m, depending upon environmental conditions, the Waverunner is a big hitter in terms of price and features. The boat has twin independent rig holders with a patented hook release system, 10 ultra high intensity LED’s, stainless steel weed guards, over 2hrs running time at max speed, and all this supplied with a free carry bag. Priced at £649.99; full details HERE.
Whichever type you go for, just be considerate to other anglers when using one. There’s nothing worse, when fishing a huge lake, than to find somebody on the far side shipping over a boated rig to the other side of the bush you’re fishing to in the margin!
We hope this bait boat guide has proved useful, and don’t forget to check out all the other bait boats available via the Anglers’ Net Fishing Tackle & Bait Finder.
Julian Grattidge
November 2010
All prices and offers correct at time of publishing.
