Are Modern Marine Electronics Making Us Dumber?

Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”

I don’t know if old Al ever held a fishing rod, and I doubt he was thinking about live-scanning sonar, autopilots, AIS, GPS navigators or shaded relief charts when he uttered the prophetic words. Still, in a world today where many people can’t navigate by compass, balance a checkbook, perform simple math without a calculator, or even parallel-park their car, it’s a question that deserves asking: Are the modern marine electronics we depend on so much actually making us dumber?

My answer is an unapologetic “that depends.” The technology we have at our disposal today can be a powerful tool. It can also be a debilitating crutch that, when relied on too ­heavily, can cause our innate angling skills to atrophy over time. I believe the difference comes down to how you use technology—and more importantly, what you do with that “processor” between your ears while you’re at it.

I’m not anti-technology. Far from it. I marvel at the detail in today’s high-res electronic charts, or the way a GPS-enabled trolling motor can hold the boat over a rock the size of a living-room couch. I chart a course in my plotter, drive by autopilot, and use satellite technology to make sure I’m positioned precisely where I want in relation to a reef or a rock pile. If the water temp offshore jumps or falls a half-degree, electronics make sure I don’t miss it. Technology plays a large role in the success of every inshore and offshore fishing trip I do. Still, I’ve been around long enough to remember the time before GPS, electronic charts, satellite weather or LCD fish finders. Was it harder? Yes, it forced us to develop human hunting skills.

Open Your Senses

The more technology does for us, the less we must do for ourselves. This truth, ­however, doesn’t necessarily lead to a dulling of our mind and ­senses. Use your mind and senses for things your electronics are not doing. If you’re using your autopilot to troll offshore, you could leave the helm to make a sandwich or hang out with your buddies in the cockpit. Or you could take the opportunity to glass the horizon for kelp paddies, breaking fish, pods of dolphins or diving birds. Or perhaps make some radio calls to other boats to gain some intelligence on the bite. Satellite sea-surface temperature and weather overlaid onto chart plotters can help you decide where to try next—if you exercise your brain.

Today’s advanced chirp sounders can provide a lifelike display of wrecks, ledges and reefs, and even look ahead and out to the sides to “see” under docks or detect hidden structure away from the boat. Instead of using this ability to confirm what you already know, employ it to find new fish-holding structure you never knew about. The same can be said for shaded-relief bathymetric charts, which, in my opinion, are one of the most important developments to come along for anglers over the last decade. These electronic charts make it easy to find and explore new fishing spots, especially small reefs and rock piles that might be ignored by other boats. 

Read Next: How to Get the Most Out of Your Electronic Charts

Stupid Is as Stupid Does

Whether or not you believe technology is making us dumber, I guarantee it can make us do stupid things. Just because you’ve plotted a route into your navigation system and the autopilot is steering does not relieve you of your responsibility as the helmsman. You should remain on the bridge and use the freedom technology provides to increase your level of ­situational awareness. Scan the horizon and monitor for potential obstacles. Monitor your radar display and electronic charts for possible dangers above and below the water. Most importantly, keep your eyes, ears and other senses open and alert. The number of sport-fishing boats that have run aground or collided with other vessels while on autopilot is surprising. The common denominator is that the person in command put too much trust in technology. And what if all your technology fails while on the water, far from sight of land? I’m afraid there are many anglers who would be seriously challenged in bringing their vessels back home safely.

Over the years, I’ve known several “fishy” guys with uncanny abilities to locate fish and predict their behavior. I’ve fished with anglers who can literally smell when gamefish are feeding 60 feet below and accurately predict that three birds sitting on the surface means there’s tuna to be caught. This is something that no amount of technology can ever replace.

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