I was browsing youtube and saw a few videos of people fishing with those litte RC boats. Any of yall ever done it? I know it doesn't compare to R&R fishing but I want to try it once because it seems fun.
Heres one
http://youtu.be/5vWKFEiAZSU

Man that's pretty awesome. I'd like to see how it goes up against a big bass Haha

I wonder if that's legal. I'm betting its not, but most people would do that on a private pond I suppose. Could be fun.

Try that on the Brazos below Possum Kingdom and you will get to know a game warden very well. Several people were arrested a few years ago trying to catch stripers.

I've seen carp fishermen use r/c boats with hoppers to dump chum and underwater cameras to see which chum they are going to. Never seen it done like that though...

Also seen fishermen use r/c boats in the surf to take the line out and release it further than it could be cast.

Apparently legal if you use one that releases your line so you can reel it in on your rod.

http://rcfishingworld.com/it/is_legal.html

Several stores sell these, at least a cheap R/C fishing boat, with the limitation that they'll catch "up to 2#". So I guess if a 3# loads up, you lose the boat, LOL, so that doesn't sound like a good deal.
I didn't look at the videos, but I'm sure some have much more robust R/C boats to fish with that can handle any bass that loads up.

And therein lies the contradiction in TPWD's regulations related to this. From TPWD's website under "Fishing Regulations"...

Legal Freshwater and Saltwater Devices and Restrictions for Fish
These devices, subject to restrictions listed, may be used to take fish and other aquatic life in Texas public waters. [b]Methods and devices not listed here are not legal for use in Texas. [/b]

RC boats are not mentioned anywhere in the regulations. Only "pole and line". Perfectly legal in a private fishery but I'd check with my local Game Warden before I launched one on a public lake.

As for the arrests on the Brazos... was it because they were using an RC boat or because they were using a sportfish (rainbow trout) for bait and delivering that bait into an area below the dam that was restricted?

No Fouzman, the "honorable" Mr. Davies saw to it that all remote devices became illegal both ABOVE and Below Morris Shepard dam - you can contact GW for verification - there were also signs posted to that effect

About 20 years ago Mr. Davies used to run baits with a RC boat from the no tresspassing cable below Possum Kingdom Dam right up to the wall. He had a jerk release system on the RC boat. He was trying to beat the state freshwater striper record. He caught several over 35# in a 2 year period and finally nailed a State Record at 52#. He was usually using freshwater drum 1 to 2# in size as bait or illegal trout at night. HE got ratted out and TPW disqualified his 52# when they found a rainbow trout in its stomach and jailed him/took Texas fishing rights away for using illegal baits. He is a heck of a fisherman but he got stupid in his quest for the record. This started the "original ban"

BRA NOW(under guise of Homeland Security BS) will not let anyone run powered remote boats past the cable to the dam face or base below or above PK dam anymore.

As far as remote boats elsewhere in Texas the rule is -- they are legal devices IF : they are used so the line disconnects when a fish hits. Superceeded of course by local managing river basin authorities

Good discussion Tony. It fits the facts as I remember them. Unless my memory plays me false the TPWD annual at one time specifically forbade remote control devices but in recent years that paragraph was omitted. I could be mistaken on that.

I think the whole thing is pretty silly anyway. Using a RC boat to catch fish does not seem very sporting.

We talked about this here before. I don't remember the exact thread but I contacted the TPWD. Towing in the fish with the boat is not legal unless on private property. Using a rc boat for towing your line out, is legal. I posted the letter here, http://rcfishingworld.com/it/is_legal.html

Here's a link to the original Post from 2009....... http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3705224/1

Here is a video of a couple RC Fishing Boats.
DualFin and BulletBobbers turn your rod into a remaote control.

Sorry guys.. but that looks dumb as hell.. How much you wanna be all these dudes play xBox too? sigh..

Keep it real

I fish from the bank.

I have one of these boats.

I can have it take bait out to distances that I could never cast to.

I no longer have to get into a set of waders, wade out and have to fling my bait as far as I can.

This has been quite handy at Calaveras for catching Red's from the bank.

It is cheaper than a Kayak and cheaper than a john boat.

I stay dry

Dont knock it untill you try it...

Laterz,
dafanman