Thought I’d post something that worked well for me last year. When fishing with a partner, I started using a pair of walkie talkies to communicate hook-ups, what they’re hitting on, etc., especially when you’re outside of visual range.
We were fishing a river last year for smallies and my partner was out of sight… I wasn’t hitting anything, but he called in that he found a hole and had caught one bass, and a little while later got another. I hightailed it down there and he had found the structure and pattern that worked for the remainder of the day. Good chance I would have ended up skunked for the day without that call.
I was fishing around the corner from my dad in a small river in SW Wisconsin and came back an hour or so later to find out he had caught a very nice brown, and I had only been 20 yards or so away from checking out that fish. A quick call on walkie talkie would have had me hiking a little over to admire his catch, and maybe snap a quick photo.
My wife and I use them too. I’m fishing in the river or lake while she is in the forest watching birds. So we know where the other is and if she is doing ok. It is also good for safty too.
Malevo
“It is not our differences that divide us; it is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences” Audre Lorde
[This message has been edited by malevo (edited 16 March 2006).]
Though I cannot immediately put my finger on the regs I believe that there is language in the hunting and fishing regulations (MN & WI) specifically prohibiting the use of walkie talkies for reporting the location or aiding the taking of fish and game. You may want to look into it so that what you believe to be an innocent conversation between friends dosen’t end up getting you into trouble.
PS I’ve got a pair that I usually take along with me as well - particularly if I’m fishing with one of my kids!
Just my two cents worth.
Good Luck!
[This message has been edited by BH Spey (edited 16 March 2006).]
Good point.
I am not sure about the regs in NY,
but we use them for safty reasons here.
For example…
“I am up here in the big hole where
all the fish are, but I am ok. I may
get a little tired landing all these
fish, so could you come up here and
make sure I get back to the truck
before dark…over”.
Some years back when my boys were younger,
we constructed individual one man (or boy)
boats for fishing with electric trolling
motors for power. We would spread out over
a relatively large area and share info on
fishing as well as allow me to keep tabs on
what the boys were up to or to allow quick
notification of problems. We found it very
useful. Warm regards, Jim
We also use the walkies. Have three pair. Seems as soon as we hit water, I go one way and the ol’ man goes the other. Then we let each other know what is happening. Lately it has been cell phones.
Specially if we go camping and we expect others to show up. We leave one at camp for guests and they let us know when they get there.
“I am up here in the big hole where
all the fish are, but I am ok. I may
get a little tired landing all these
fish, so could you come up here and
make sure I get back to the truck
before dark…over”."
Some time back I seen an ad in the Sunday paper from Office Max. They had Cobra walkie talkie on sale for $9.99 with a $10 mail in rebate.
I’m not the sharpest tack in the box but I can figger out thats cheaper than cheap.
never thought about exchanging whats working information - but do use it on float trips and mtn streams so we know one another is alive and where they might be, or when I’m heading back, etc
Motorola Talkabout. I have two different models (I am sure they update them every year) I have the older 200 and the T5500. and then a friend gave me a pair of Uniden (not the best but works)
“My wife and I use them too. I’m fishing in the river or lake while she is in the forest watching birds. So we know where the other is and if she is doing ok. It is also good for safty too.”
We use them the same way.
Hate cell phones on the river but it is nice to know where she is in case of trouble.
Ditto on the rechargables …always ready to go. can be charged in the truck or at home.
DuFf
Some days it’s just not worth chewing through the restraints…
I always use them when fishing with friends so we can know when it’s time for a beer break!
We all also have external microphone/ speakers so we can keep the units in a vest pocket or wherever. They work pretty good except in really rugged terrain which is also where cell phones or Nextel don’t work either .
Because I often camp and don’t always have ready access to electricity, I opted for the type that uses AA batteries, absolutely no regrets! A set of batteries lasts me a couple of long days fishing and I can buy them ANYWHERE.
My hunting partners and I have used the GMRS freq. radios for over 8 years now, especially the out of state people who don’t know the country very well. We prefer the replacable battery type because we don’t have electricity readily available, we spend up to two weeks in camp, tenting it. It really helps when a snow storm moves in and I have to talk them out even with gps,s, low or no visibility has a habit of scaring people, even me, and I have hunted and fished in this area for almost 30 years.
P.S. The tent is a 15 x 18 wall tent, kind of a home away from home.
Wyo-blizzard aka Bloody Tom Bonney
[This message has been edited by Byron Zuehlsdorff (edited 16 March 2006).]
Bamboozle
Mine are the regular batteries also. Man they last a long time, even when the empty signal comes up, they still work, they just keep beeping LOL
Very useful for fishing and skiing as well. Allways use them (Motorola) to know how my girlfriend is doing when she is fishing out of the visual range, it also helps getting together at the end of the day. They were invaluable last december when she broke her knee while skiing.
Besides a flask of hooch, I carry three extra AA batteries wrapped in plastic in my fishing pouch for my Talk About. I have never needed them.
I guess if you want rechargeables, you could by AA rechargeable and have the best of both worlds but I learned the hard way what it can be like when a special battery or other accessory goes on the fritz when you’re in the middle of nowhere on a holiday weekend.
Besides, my headlamps, GPS, and assorted other gadets all use AA batteries so I buy them by the dozens and there is always plenty back at the car.
.