Where do you rank on the Angling Tech Scale (ATS) and why?

[Swamp Girl]

On the 1-10 Angling Tech Scale (ATS), where do you rank and why? I consider a bank angler with a rod or two and a few lures in a pocket to be a 1. Someone with a tricked out bass boat with the latest FFS would be a 10. 

 

I'm a 3. I fish out of a plain hull, I.e. a Bell Rockstar canoe with no accessories and electronics. However, it is a Kevlar boat, which is advanced technology, and my paddle is carbon, which is more technology. I choose to be a 3 because it's all I can carry, but being a 3 allows me to fish water others can't reach, so at this point, even if were younger and stronger, I think I'd still fish at level 3. 

 

As far as why you fish at your ATS level, it might be your finances or a love of tech or anything else. 

[A-Jay]

I am going with 8.79 on your ATS scale. 

I don't have the newest or most electronics. 

But I'm really confident and effective with what I've got.

Come at me Bro

A-Jay 

 

[Jig Man]

I have a 20’ glitter sled with a 250 Merc and a Humminbird one boat network (3 Solix Units, MK Ulterra 36 volt, Mega live unit) all networked via Ethernet.  I used to have shallow water anchors but they proved to be useless for me.  Since my stuff isn’t new then I am less than level 10.

[Buzzbaiter]

2. I fish with feet on the ground or in the water. Even when I do wade, I just go in swim shorts, not waders. I have rods to cover the broad spectrum of rigs and baits that I throw, but not enough to get technique specific with each rod. I do carry a lot of different tackle, though I tend to reach for the same confidence baits day in and day out.

[Swamp Girl]

Just now, Jig Man said:

What is this scale?  Where do I get information?  

 

I've simply imagined the scale for fun and to invite all to consider why they fish the way they do.

[Mike L]

I guess a 2

Most of my fishing is as a tournament back seater.
The only “new tech” stuff in the bag is a digital scale, beam and clamp style cull tags. 
 

However, the vast majority of the boaters I get paired with are a 8-10 which does help, but does nothing for locations or boat placement. 

 

 

 

Mike

[MN Fisher]

I dunno - 5-6

 

Decked boat, couple of sonar units - but no FFS and no Spot-Lock on the TM

[scaleface]

I've been fishing out of a little one man boat, leaving the monstrous 22 foot Lowe deck boat in the garage. Its equipped with a trolling motor and depth finder. So I guess thats a  "3.78".  But , it is  so quiet that I can sneak up on carp and whack em in the head.

[padlin]

If a shore fisher is a 1, and a Kevlar canoe and Carbon paddle is a 3,then my self made wood canoe and paddle make me a 2. The closest I come to tech is my phone, that’s doesn’t work where I fish other then my 1 or 2 pictures a year.

 

My truck doesn’t count.

[MIbassyaker]

Rating varies from about 1 to 4 depending on what I'm doing.

 

I may be walking a bank and occasionally wading with a rod or two, and a pack. I may or may not have waders and a net.

 

Or I could be in an angling kayak equipped with a sonar unit with gps, map-creation, down-imaging and side-imaging.  5-6 rods of varying powers and actions, anchor, net, digital scale, measuring board.

 

But no FFS, no more tackle than I can fit in a crate behind me (and usually less), and no motor of any kind other than a paddle. 💪

[casts_by_fly]

I’m going say a 7, maybe an 8.  Spotlock, ffs, digital scouting.  My phone is bluetoothed to my fish finder so I don’t have to dig it out to see who is texting me.  But I’m still in a kayak and more often than not I’m just going down the bank doing stuff I could do while standing in a floating bathtub. 

[Swamp Girl]

34 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I can sneak up

 

Ah, we're kin! I'm also a member of the Clan of Sneaky Snakes. 

 

 

 

I'm going to run out of "Thank you" reactions shortly,  so pre-thanks to all who will answer.

 

I find the range of how we catch bass fascinating. 

[Jar11591]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Come at me Bro

This must be what you tell the smallmouth, and they listen.

 

I am probably a 4. My boat is a 2-seat Jon boat, and my electronics are rudimentary 2D sonar. I fish smaller waters, less than 1000 acres typically. I do usually have 10 or more rods in the boat with  me, and a 40lb bag of tackle though. 

[IcatchDinks]

I'm calling myself a 2. I carry two poles, but rather than a couple lures in my pocket, I have a backpack full of as much gear/tackle/bait/etc as I can stuff into it. 

[Koz]

For a kayak, probably an 8 out of 10. I run FFS, DI, SI, and sonar off of my Garmin UHD93 and mapping of my Helix 7.

 

It’s an Old Town Autopilot, so I do have spot lock. If I keep the kayak I may add a micro Power Pole since I do a lot of shallow water fishing. It would also make it easier to pick apart areas including docks. Maybe it comes from bank fishing, but I prefer to pick an area apart rather than run and gun.

[Junk Fisherman]

8.3

 

Deep V, bassboat layout boat.

 

Trolling motor with all the bells and whistles

 

One 10" HBird with GPS and SI at the helm and a Garmin 106 with Panoptix (LV32) at the bow

 

One Talon

 

High-end gear 

 

My kayak is an older non-pedal, non-trolling motor Wilderness Ride 105.  I have a 5" Eagle graph, pulley system, and a nice elevated seat.  

 

[Catt]

Somewhere between zero & 11.

 

[MN Fisher]

Long as you're sure about that, @Catt

[bp_fowler]

I’m a 1 maybe a 1.5 if I bring my baitcaster and OTS bag.

[geo g]

Definitely and old school tech novice.  I seldom look at my electronics except depth, water temp, and looking for structure changes.  Everything else are my personal observations using my eyes and ears.  Old school for sure!

[MediumMouthBass]

1-3.

For me fishing is a hobby to enjoy nature, reduce stress, and have fun, while also exercising.

Ill bank fish most of the spring, then kayak the rest of the year. No electronics go with me while im fishing, no phone, no fish finder, my scale isnt even digital, no watch either.

Just a few rods and reels, maybe 1 tray of lures and a few bags of plastics.

But i sure do have a good time. We have so much tech in our lives now, itll get to a point where youll just put on VR goggles and fish in your living room. Thats not for me.

[TLHSS]

I'm a 1.  Bank fisherman.  Ultralight gear.  I carry:

 

• One travel rod (spinning or fly depending on the conditions).  
• A JDM landing net designed for bank fishing (handle extends from 12 inches to 5 feet).  
• A tackle bag that's roughly 9X5X4.
• A folding camp stool to rest my bag once I find my spot (so I don't have to bend down so much to change out bait.  Old man problems).  Weighs less than 2 pounds.

 

I didn't always take this approach.  But over time, I've found this works great for me.

 

 

[12poundbass]

I’d say I’m a 5-6. Two 9” Garmins linked together, no FFS, no spot lock, no anchors. 

[throttleplate]

0.0, i use what i got and i catch a variety of fish from the bank at river dams and lake shores, i get extremely lucky with big unusual catches when i sit in my chair and have no care just glad to be breathing gods clean fresh air.

[fishhugger]

i'm a 1/2.  bankie.  one rod, and a plano. hey, maybe the plano steps me up to a 1? and i carry extra leader material....  oh,............. i guess i'm a 1/2................. so sad.

but i fish to relax and be happy........  occasionally i'll catch a fish.