Old School, Simple School

[UpstateSC_Bill]

New guy to crappie.com here. Old guy too (76 going on 100).

I just was wondering if there were many folks on here that just go out and fish with zero or almost zero technology. Just you, a rod or two, a fairly simple boat or canoe or kayak.

I personally enjoy it most going out in my solo canoe and paddling around looking for likely places to cast and enjoying the time on the water. I get skunked a lot especially when getting out on a new to me lake. I have 4 ultralight rods of various lengths and use them one at a time. I usually don't bring all of them at a time. I don't use sonar or a trolling motor or any other electronic devices. First of all I can't afford them but mostly I prefer simplicity. Nothing wrong with all that stuff. It is just my personal preference.

Are there others out there as simple minded as me?

[keeferfish]

When I'm in my $300.00 no frills yak but not the boat.

[Brag]

Yeah, I fish a kayak with no frills at time, but also have a multi-species boat that I like to use with most of the bells and whistles (no front facing sonar though). I see you're from the upstate. I spend winters in upstate SC myself.

[Mstr Dan]

68 going on 100! Old Alumacraft 14-foot FD model. Garmin 5 CV. mostly for watching depth of water, take about 3 rods use one at a time.
I like simplicity also.

I agree nothing wrong with using, having, whatever a person likes to use.

[Spoonminnow]

Sold the bass boat years ago and now only use small aluminum boats with 55# thrust Minn Kota. Nice thing is being able to fish lakes that don't allow gas motors. So much quieter and far fewer aholes to have to deal with plus not having to fill the boat's tank considering the high price of gas. Of course, the trolling motor comes in handy when fighting a 20 mph wind while trying to race back to the truck just before a fast moving storm hits.

I use sonar, not to find fish I will catch, but to see if there are any fish in the area beneath the boat - especially bait fish. Like Bill who likes:
"paddling around looking for likely places to cast and enjoying the time on the water", I let my lures do the finding, casting 2-5x times/ minute. Knowing a lake it key to finding fish faster, and my goal every time I go fishing is to catch fish on my soft plastic creations.

A camera is a must, not ony for documenting my lures and the fish caught on them, but scenic shots.

[SuperDave336]

I started that way in my paddle kayak and it was very relaxing and enjoyable. I now have the electronics on a pedal kayak. While I catch more fish now there is a part of me that misses the simplicity of doing without and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

[UpstateSC_Bill]

Yeah I guess if you count my cell phone I am not totally devoid of technology. I like to take the occasional picture to prove to SWMBO that I am actually fishing.

And probably sometime soon as the muscles and joints continue to deteriorate I will strap on a trolling motor. But so far I can still paddle. I fish mostly small, quiet lakes.

[Grainraiser]

For me it depends what time of year I am fishing. I have a little two man bass boat that I used to fish the spawn and bridge pilings the rest of the year. I typically leave the outboard and electronics at home and go fish. I find it very relaxing. I also like to night fish in the summer. Tie up to a piling, drop green light with three minnow rigs and simply wait. It's a great way clear your mind and enjoy the peace.

[Yak Fish]

Welcome to the forum. You definitely landed in the right place to increase your fishing success.

I'm paddle power only these days myself, though I definitely use a depthfinder. The better you learn the bottom, the better your chances of figuring out where the fish like to be. You can rig up a temporary mount for depthfinder & transducer on any canoe, kayak, jon boat for not that much money. I love simplicity too, but why not maximize your time on the water? I can't begin to tell you the last time I got skunked, it's been years. Paddle power forces me to go much slower, though I get to study and learn the bottom a lot better than I used to in my bass boat, zipping over it at 60+ MPH.

Even if you don't use electronics, once you find suitable structure by trial & error, triangulate the spot by lining up trees, buildings, docks, points, or any other landmark that will help you locate and pinpoint the location again in the future. Before the days of depthfinders, my daddy & I used to use a heavy sinker on masonry cord with knots tied in the line every few feet & colored cloth tied every 5 feet, then we marked the depths on a hand drawn map. We learned the water as good as we could. It prevented us from fishing blind and it increased our catch. He used to say, "Why rely on luck when you can figure out where the fish like to be?"

Jim

[Spoonminnow]

"Why rely on luck when you can figure out where the fish are likely to be?"

Jim

Couldn't agree more!

Does anyone listen to music while fishing? My SansaDisk MP3 player holds over 100 songs, fits in my pocket and has incredible sound. It kind of distracts from not being able to find/ catch fish until I do and has the affect of slowing me down and simply enjoy being on the water. Fits right in with this scene: