It is by no means easy for anglers to keep track of which fishing strategies work best. The variables are many, and for each species, then.
The Japanese company Smart Lure he is trying to simplify the task, with his lure Model Zero that packs a bunch of sensors.
A clever lure to fish better
Users start by charging Model Zero, like any cell phone. Once at 100% they apply it to the hook and cast it as they would any other bait. And here the wonder happens: as soon as the bait drops below the surface of the water, a detection sensor turns on the other integrated sensors.
The Model Zero then proceeds to monitor factors such as depth, its depth movement patterns, water temperature and underwater sunlight levels. When you pull it out, the bait stops “recording” all these parameters.
Good fishing! (But how much do you love me, fisher friends? Eh?)
Every time the user catches a fish, the bait next to his smartphone transfers all the recorded data wirelessly via Bluetooth to a dedicated iOS / Android app. The app also records the date and time of the catch, location and weather conditions. Could a photo of the fish be missing? Don't ask a fisherman to avoid it.
The idea is that over time, users will build a database of the best fishing tactics, conditions and locations for catching specific species. A large database like this could also feed a machine learning system that automatically adjusts the best conditions for fishing. You like to win easy.
Model Zero is expected to run for five hours on an hour's charge of its lithium-ion battery. The smart lure is waterproof to a depth of 164 feet (50 meters). The device is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, with pre-orders starting at around € 120 for a single unit. Assuming it reaches production, shipping is expected to take place in February 2022.
And now some doubts
I fly over my opinion on fishing. Especially on fishing done with advanced technologies that give no escape to the fish. You will never know how I feel on the subject, right? However, while this clever lure concept seems very complex, it does have some weaknesses.
First of all, fishermen often lose bait when larger fish break the line or when the bait gets snagged underwater. 120 euros a pop isn't the best, right? And then this data is recorded only for users of the same bait model, and will not be compatible with others. If they sound like excuses not to buy it, they are.
If I haven't convinced you and you're still interested, here's a video showing Model Zero in action:
