As technology creeps into the fishing world, ‘easy catch’ will become more frequently used. I, for one, will be sad to see technology take over one of the oldest sports even though technology plays a significant role in my life. I am the director of Manchester PC, a company that provides laptop and computer repair in Manchester. So you could say I know a thing or two about technology.
Technology has its place on this planet. However, it doesn’t mean we have to employ it in every aspect of our lives. Technology companies use intelligent algorithms to suck us into a new and unknown world. Your brain hasn’t been developed to deal with this threat. The likes of Facebook only have one interest at heart: to keep you on their platform as long as they possibly can. The longer you stay on the platform, the more money they can make from you.
We can’t allow technology and artificial intelligence to dictate our decisions, but they are, even if you don’t know it. We live in a world of algorithms that utilise artificial intelligence to keep you under control. The algorithms play on your weaknesses to benefit the people at the top.
Angling was a way for us to escape the world we live in. But today, modern anglers bring the problems of the world with them. For the most part, the carp anglers don’t even notice their surrounding like they once used to. Seeing the beautiful deer in the distance, the birds singing above, or occasional fish coming up that juicy fly that just landed on the water’s surface.
But instead, they are stuck inside their tents scrolling through the never-ending news feed on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. They are viewing content from people they don’t even know or like. Technology has turned fishing into a selfie sport. The excitement we used to experience from seeing the line pull from the reel has now turned into how many likes I can get from the people I don’t even care about.
Technology is terrible for our mental stability and stops us from developing our fishing skills. So, it’s time to turn our back on technology and return to the tranquility that angling brings.
We don’t even know the negatives technology brings to the fish stocks. For example, an underwater camera can help you locate sholes or even the bigger and hard-to-catch fish species. Some anglers will share the information with other fishermen, resulting in local overfishing, which will have a devastating impact on the fish stocks in the long run.
We don’t need intelligent bait boats, underwater cameras, smart bite alarms, or motorised lures. Angling has always been about nature and simplicity. These two factors bring us the most joy and are the main reasons we love spending time by the water’s edge. We mustn’t forget this. Because if we do, technology will creep into the angling world and destroy it.
The time has come for anglers to turn their back on tech and return to enjoying the sport as it was meant to be enjoyed. You don’t need much when it comes to fishing, which makes our sport so unique.