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The Ultimate Buyers Guide to Fishing Bait Boats
Bait has always been an integral part of successful angling, and, with the popularity of the sport on the rise, bait boats are a surefire way of keeping ahead of the other anglers on the water. This translates directly to more catches, as the bait boats and technology around them really do allow you to distribute bait right to the fish. In this buyer's guide, we will talk you through all the things to consider when shopping for a bait boat for fishing.
What Is a Bait Boat?
Bait boats provide a technologically advanced solution to the problem of accurate bait distribution and, from quiet estate lakes too much larger inland seas, the right bait boat can ensure you attain a higher catch rate than pretty much anything else out there.
Why Do I Need a Bait Boat for Fishing?
For the serious angler, the bait boat is becoming something of a must-have accessory. Angling is the biggest participation sport in the UK, so anglers are increasingly looking for ways to get ahead of the game. Bait boats aren’t used for baiting alone, they can also ensure that your hookbait is precisely positioned amongst your freebies – allowing you to target areas that you won’t be able to with traditional casting methods.
What Do I Need to Look for in a Bait Boat?
Hopper
One of the first things to look at when you’re investing in a bait boat is the hopper. This is the area of the boat where you store the bait, so understandably it will play a bit part when you’re deciding between two like-for-like bait boats. We have bait boats with lots of different hopper sizes, from boats that can hold 1kg of bait to boats that can hold nearer to 5kg of bait at a time. If you’re an angler who likes to get a lot of bait out fast, these are the ideal tools for you. Spods, catapults, throwing sticks, all of these pale in comparison to the ultra-fast and ultra-large bait distribution that a quality bait boat can offer.
You will also be faced with the option of a single hopper or a double hopper. As you might expect, a single hopper allows for a single distribution of bait, dumping the whole lot in one area. This is perfect for the angler who wants to target a key area of a swim as it really helps to concentrate your boilie or groundbait mix – focussing the attentions of the fish and allowing you to really hone in on a specific target. A double hopper splits your bait in two. This allows you to distribute twice in a single trip, dropping half your bait in one area and the other half in another. This is ideal if you’re looking to get a spread of bait through the water or if you’ve got your eye on two different features that you’re looking to target. Most dual hoppers will also allow you to release the bait simultaneously, too, giving you a huge range of possibilities when it comes to baiting your swim.
The size of your hopper will often determine the size of your boat, which in turn impacts on the run time and maximum speed. Not only will a bait boat of a greater capacity be larger but, more often than not, a bait boat with dual hoppers will often be larger than a single hopper boat. If you’re an angler looking to reduce rather than increase the amount of weight you’re lugging down to a swim, a smaller single hopper boat that can make multiple trips throughout your session might be the better option than a larger dual hopper boat which can only run for an hour or so before it is out of juice.
Battery Life
Whilst we’re on the subject, there is no denying that battery life is incredibly important when you’re considering buying a bait boat. Technology has come a very long way since the first days of bait boats and long gone is the need to recharge your boat after each runout. However, these are high-powered machines and, as such, you’ll struggle to find one that can survive more than a couple of hours of continuous use. Luckily, you’ll hardly ever (if not never) have to run your bait boat continuously for this amount of time, so this shouldn’t be an issue with any of the bait boats in our range. If you are someone who enjoys going on longer sessions and you know you’ll be re-baiting regularly, it might pay to invest in a bait boat with a longer run time.
As we’ve said, the size of a bait boat can often make a difference to its total run time. A smaller bait boat is lighter in weight so, chances are, it will take less battery power to get it moving – meaning that it is more likely that a smaller boat will offer a more significant run time. However, this is not always the case, as a smaller boat will also have a smaller battery.
Another thing to consider is the ease of recharging your batteries. Since most angling venues don’t have a power supply, unless you take a generator or small power pack down to the water with you it is unlikely that you’ll be able to recharge your bait boat on the bank. That said, some bait boats are now compatible with solar panel chargers. This is ideal for the angler who likes to go on long sessions and it allows you to keep your bait boat topped up with power throughout your session.
Range
Almost all of the bait boats in our range will be able to run further than the average caster and most will have a range in excess of 200m (almost 220 yards). If you are someone who is regularly casting on the edge of this, it might be an idea to plump for a bait boat that offers a slightly further range – giving you the peace of mind that you need to ensure that you won’t lose your expensive boat due to steering it out of range.
Some boat boats are fitted with devices which ensure that they turn around, should they ever lose signal from your controller, too. When you’re looking at the range of your bait boat you might also want to bear in mind some of the other features that the bait boat can offer. If you’re getting a bait boat with an in-built echo sounder or fish finder system, it might impact on the range that the boat can reach. This isn’t always the case, however, and most modern echo sounder systems can operate as far as the bait boat itself.
Bear in mind that many bait boats are fitted with hook-release systems, too. These allow you to attach your hook to the outside of the bait boat, releasing it in tandem with your boatful of free offerings. If you are using the bait boat to drop your hook as well as your bait, it will serve you well to remember that you still need to be able to land any fish you hook! Takes at an extreme range, especially if you’re not used to them, can often result in lost fish.
Propulsion
The force which moves your bait boat through the water is significant. Not only do you want to ensure that you’re making as little impact on the water as possible – after all, you don’t want to scare away the carp you’re valiantly trying to target – but you also want to avoid the risk of tangles. This is why most bait boats are now fitted with jet pumps, rather than traditional propellers.
Jet pumps ensure that your bait boat moves through the water with minimal disturbance, as they are also less likely to tangle on weeds, enabling you to target shallower waters with more confidence. However, you will still find propellers on some of the bait boats we stock. This is because propellers require significantly less energy to get going and keep moving – extending the battery life of your boat by an impressive margin. High-quality bait boat manufacturers will also keep the weed issue in mind when designing their propulsion system and many propeller-driven boats now come with inbuilt weed guards.
Lights
As many carp anglers will know, more often than not the best time to target the water is at dawn and dusk. This will leave you with the unfortunate scenario of baiting your swim darkness (or near to). Luckily, many of the bait boats in our range take this into account and are fitted with LEDs. Although these lights might not do a great job of guiding your way (you’ll have to rely on your head torch or another lighting solution for that), they do give a clear indication of the whereabouts in the water of your bait boat.
Most bait boats will have different coloured lights on the front and back, so you should always easily be able to tell which way your boat is facing. It is important to bear other anglers in mind when you’re using the lights on your bait boat, as some might find the bright lights annoying or distracting to the peace and tranquillity of the venue, so do only flick your lights on when you really need them.
What Else Do I Need For My Bait Boat?
Along with the latest boats and spare battery packs, we also stock a comprehensive range of accessories. Our online shop can find everything from boat bags to solar panels and protective rain pouches for remote controls. We stock bait boats that come pre-fitted with fish finders, too, which gives you a fantastic edge on the bank as you don’t have to waste precious time lapping the swims, eyes peeled for a fish – especially if you’re only able to fish for short sessions at a time.
We stock GPS navigation systems as well, so you can precisely keep track of where your bait boat is going to ensure you’re right on top of the fish. This has the added bonus of avoiding conflict with fellow anglers, as you can check you’re not drifting into their swims by accident.
Why Should I Buy A Bait Boat for Angling Direct?
Each of the bait boats we stock has been extensively vetted by us personally for quality, performance and value for money. Angling Direct stocks have a huge variety of bait boats for sale and accessories from the industry’s leading manufacturers.
Angling Direct has worked hard to put together a collection that covers all bases. What’s more, we scour the market each and every day to ensure we’re always offering the lowest possible price across our entire tackle range – over 10,000 products and counting! When you see the price-checked logo on the product page you are guaranteed a fantastic price.
We’re proud to stock the latest models from Angling Technics, Waverunner, and more. All the bait boats we stock have been hand-selected by our expert team for their superior quality and performance. This can make picking your ideal tool a bit of a mission, so you can use this checklist to help you decide on the perfect bait boat for your carp fishing needs.
How Much Does a Bait Boat Cost?
One of the more costly pieces of fishing tackle tech you can purchase, a fishing bait boat can set you back anywhere between £500 to £2000! Not to worry as Angling Direct does have financial plans in place to help with larger purchases, so you can focus on what is important...catching some fish!
Want to Know More About Bait Boats?
Angling Direct is able to offer impartial advice on a huge range of fishing tackle and accessories from the biggest names in the business. As a major investment with every potential to take your angling success and enjoyment to new heights, we’re always happy to offer objective information and guidance as to which bait boat will suit your needs best.
Our customer support page has all the information you need for getting in contact. We also understand that bait boats are a big investment and they can quickly eat away at your pot reserved for angling.
Visit Our Customer Service Page
We also have a host of product reviews on bait boats over on the Angling Direct blog and videos showing some of the best bait boats on the fishing market on our Angling Direct Youtube channel.