Fishermen: Should You Get a Joystick?

Sportfishing is a hit-or-miss proposition—drop a bait over a specific spot and either hook up or move along after determining that no fish are biting. Because wind and current conspire to move an angler off a spot in literally seconds, doing it right means dropping the anchor and that takes time.

Improved Control

Joystick controls are relatively new and offers a tech-driven way for an outboard-powered boat to stay on top of that spot without dropping anchor. An angler can explore a spot, and if there are no fish, he is quickly on to the next spot without having the hassle of anchoring. Mercury and Yamaha both offer their own systems, but SeaStar has its own that any multi-engine outboard boat can be fitted with to enhance control.  

That’s because the SeaStar Optimus 360 system can be added as a retrofit to most twin, triple and quad outboard-powered boats—although one exception is Mercury Verado engines. Once the Optimus 360 system and joystick control are installed on a boat, the SeaStation feature can be added on with the addition of a dedicated SeaStation GPS antenna and software program.

The results are impressive and the system can hold the boat on a spot within 10’ or about 3 meters. “When you’re after baitfish, you can move the boat right up to the bait ball and hold your position with SeaStation,” said Scott Allgood, Seastar Solutions Optimus Sales Specialist. “That allows you to get the baitfish faster and move on to fishing. Or if you are fishing a weed line, you can hold your boat’s bow orientation in a set direction while you drift down the weed line.”

Three Primary Modes

Heading Hold: Hold heading regardless of position. Practical applications include kite fishing/drift fishing and it allows easier setup to maximize fishing time. It keeps the boat from rotating so lines won’t get tangled.

Position Hold: Hold position regardless of heading. Practical applications include bait fishing and wreck/reef fishing. The system will find the best natural heading for the boat, taking into account the current and wind to hold the boat most efficiently. As a result, it holds the position with less shifting and movement of the engines.

Heading and Position Hold: Here the system allows the boat to stay in position and hold its heading. Practical applications include waiting for a bridge to open, waiting for a spot at the dock to become available and bait fishing near a structure. Regarding safety, SeaStation is not to be used when people are in the water, or when the boat is too close to structures. Someone should always be at the helm.

Article Courtesy of Southern Boating magazine