Fishing with Joystick Controls

Many folks feel like arming a boat with joystick controls is sort of cheating. But from a saltwater angler’s perspective, forget all about the ease of docking, slow-speed maneuvering, and boat handling in general. The bottom line: running a saltwater fishing boat with a joystick will help you catch more fish, due to the other features they provide.

The first and most impressive thing almost all joystick systems get you is the ability to enjoy “virtual” anchoring. Press a button on the joystick, and the system’s GPS interacts with the engine(s) and steering system to go into and out of gear or apply power as necessary to hover the boat in place. The trigger fish you see above was among a catch of triggers, red snapper, and grouper that came off of a wreck, using this virtual anchoring function via the Yamaha Helm Master system. Note that the newest version of this system, the EX, can even be used with single-engine applications, so small boats can now enjoy this functionality, too.

Secondly, once virtually anchored you can tap the joystick in one direction or another to “jog” the boat 10 feet this way or that way. Over time, you can use this feature to systematically work up and down a wreck, dropping your baits along its length or from one side of the wreck to the other. Forget about pulling the anchor and repositioning, when the bite slows down – now you just tap a joystick.

Finally, these systems also allow you to control your drift. You can maintain your heading as you drift, or allow the heading to change as you follow a contour or the edge of a reef. You can use that joystick to slow the drift down or speed it up. And when you find the perfect spot just tap a button and you’ll stop drifting.

Are these systems expensive? Youbetcha, they can add anywhere from $5,000 to tens of thousands of dollars to a rig. But they absolutely, positively WILL help you catch more fish. As to whether or not the expense is worth it? Only you can answer that question.