by Darren Troseth
When it comes to business these days, having the latest and greatest smartphone is a no brainer, but can these high tech gadgets really improve your fishing success? Well, I say yes, and you might be surprised at the multitude of things you can do with your smartphone as it relates to fishing. From contour maps to high definition GPS, to something as simple as taking a picture, the smartphone is one handy tool.
I would like to highlight a handful of the most useful apps that I have found and tell you a little about them. For reference purposes, the smartphone that I am currently using these on is a Motorola Droid X though Verizon. Most, if not all, of these apps will work cross platform on devices such as the IPhone, Blackberry, as well as other Android based phones.
To begin with, one of the most basic but useful functions is the camera/video device on the phone. These are no longer your grainy blurry flip phone pics of the past, but rather, high megapixel, high quality still photos and video. Matter of fact the Droid X will capture video in 720p HD! I’m not sure if it is quite up to snuff to replace a good quality digital still camera or something like a Flip Video yet, but, it’s very close and it a pinch will preserve the most cherished memories for you in digital format.
The very first App I would recommend having is the Navionics Mobile Lake Maps. This app will show the depth contours for all your favorite lakes, just like having a standalone GPS for creating old waypoints and trolling contour lines, all with the portability and ease of it being on your phone.
Even more great features of the app are
– Wind Overlay
– Show GPS location and POI on Google Maps
– Friendlier chart information retrieval
– New brighter and clearer interface
– Twitter sharing and new sharing interface
The most comprehensive features available:
-Record/Save tracks, routes
-Capture geotagged pictures of your adventures
-Access the largest database of specialty marine POIs available
-Search marinas and specialty marine POI, with just one click to call
-Check tides & currents, moon phase, sun/moon rise/set
Price will vary depending on the specific map you order, but for the map I purchased (US LAKES NORTH) it was approx $12. IMO, it’s a must have.
Now that you’ve found your favorite spot using the GPS and contour functions of the Navionics map, it’s time to catch some fish! Have you ever wanted to have a documented log of your catches with very specific details about the weather, location, size, bait used, etc? 
I know I have, and an in fact have tried to do it on a Microsoft Excel form. It’s a lot of work and a real pain in the behind. Well, the agonizing details of the paperwork and transfer, is a thing of the past with a new APP from the folks at FishNotes. Fishnotes is a community connected fishing application created by Jimmy Houston for those of us that love to fish and want to catch more of them. FishNotes takes Jimmy’s 31 years of professional fishing success and captures the same information he uses to find big fish and more of them. With an emphasis on speed and automation, in as little as 5 seconds FishNotes will collect all the critical fishing conditions so you can stay focused on getting your hook back in the water to reel in the next big fish. When being connected to your fishing buddies is important, FishNotes will automatically create a custom Fishing Report that will connect you directly to FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube with the Instant photo’s and Video’s integrated inside of FishNotes allowing you to share that big fish experience while you are still on the water! Engineered for extreme conditions; FishNotes works in Freshwater, Saltwater, rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. Fly Fishing, Bass fishing, Trolling, Walleye, Trout, Carp, Salmon Fishing including fishes like Redfish, Snook, Shark, Tarpon and fishing in the open ocean. It will function for any type of fishing and in any location even without a signal. Directly connected to a backup server, your catch information is instantly preserved so your fishing experience is never lost. If you lose your phone, drop it in the water, or upgrade you will always have your data. It captures Weather Conditions built in Tide Tables for Deep Sea Fishing Enthusiasts GPS Exact Fish Catch Location Plotting of Fish Catch Locations on MapPhoto and Video Integration. Over 1400 Species preloaded for easy selection of Fisherman’s notes about each catch. Logging of Species, Size and Weight, Water Type, Temperature and Depth. Automated backup to server of all dataWeb integration with FishNotes.com for viewing from PCIntegration with YouTube, Twitter, Facebook as well as Email and SMS capabilities. You know the great part? It works exactly like it says! I’ve had a chance to play with it a lot, and it’s amazing how simple it really is to log your adventure. It’s another must have for the fisherman and this is going to save me a ton of time. Plus, I know my data is always secure on their server. The cost of this app is currently $12.99
So, now that you are on the water, how about a little relaxation? What better way to do that than to listen to a few tunes by your favorite artist. No more fumbling around with a cheap FM radio trying to fine tune a static filled station, only to have the boat rotate and have to do it all over again. With the Pandora app on your smartphone, that is all a thing of the past. Simply input your favorite artist to “create” a station and Pandora will do the rest for you! The app has a thumbs up and thumbs down option (similar to TIVO) to assure you that it will continue to play your favorite music all night long. On a personal note here, I would highly recommend a small pair of battery powered speakers, not only enhance the sound, but also conserve battery life on the phone. Pandora always comes fishing with me and best of all, it’s free!
So you’ve found your spot, you’ve caught and documented your fish, listened to some good music, and now there appears to be some dark clouds rolling in. How much time do you have? Is it going to storm bad? Are there any warnings for my area? All these questions and more can be answered by a few clicks on your smartphone. There are hundreds of good weather apps out there, but my favorite by far is MyCast. To me the radar is the most important thing to have in a weather app, and I have yet to find a free option that can rival the definition and quality of the MyCast radar screen. The app allows you to set multiple locations and switch between them to give you and up to date status in your area. Along with all that, you can find all the current and historical data, as well as highly detailed hourly and weekly forecasts. This app is currently $3.99
Another app that is very helpful, especially for finding those hidden gems “off the grid” is Google Maps. For those that have used it on the PC, it is the exact same thing, except in the palm of your hand and mobile. Want to find that backwater lake that is untouched? Simply bring up the Google satellite image and let your phone take you right there. It’s as simple as that. Maybe you’ve wondered about creek inlets, or areas of current. It’s as simple as browsing around on the screen to find those points of interest on the lake, and with the satellite view, you are seeing an actual picture of the area. I also like to use this app for visually “pre-fishing” areas of rivers that I am unfamiliar with. You can find wingdams, creeks, barge channels, backwater areas, and also tons of man-made structure simply by bringing up a satellite image. It’s one of the best tools out there, and this one is also free!
Last but not least, here is a fun one to surely impress your partners after the sun goes down. Take a look up in the sky and start asking questions about the stars. Chances are that he/she will be able to pick out a few well know constellations and stars, but what about planets and such? With a couple of smartphone clicks and the Google Sky Maps app, the answers are all right there. Sky Maps uses your GPS location and overlays an entire map of the sky. Simply hold your phone up like taking a picture and line up the stars on the screen with the stars on the sky! It’s real time, so it will move as you move. I have the same exact response every time I use it, “Wow that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen”. It is a fun one to have on the boat for sure. Keeping with the Google way, it’s also free.
These are just a few select apps that not only have my own stamp of approval, but I think will also make your time on the water, not only more productive, but also more efficient and enjoyable. If you are a fisherman and on the fence about picking up one of these high tech gadgets or maybe a little scared or intimidated by them, I say jump on over, the water is great!!
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