In reply to Post #16
Not sure about the rig holding thing. Haven't got one of those on mine... But, treat it like a cast... stop the boat over or just beyond the spot depending on depth, tighten up and drop on a tight line - always works for me 🤷♂️. Edit... type of rig you're using will make a difference here... stiff boom to kick bait away etc if you're that concerned... rig foam maybe?.. one issue with the actor is the hoppers are small and a longer hooklink won't lay flat in the bottom of the hopper.. just pointing this out but there are solutions...
Not sure about the rig holding thing. Haven't got one of those on mine... But, treat it like a cast... stop the boat over or just beyond the spot depending on depth, tighten up and drop on a tight line - always works for me 🤷♂️. Edit... type of rig you're using will make a difference here... stiff boom to kick bait away etc if you're that concerned... rig foam maybe?.. one issue with the actor is the hoppers are small and a longer hooklink won't lay flat in the bottom of the hopper.. just pointing this out but there are solutions...
In reply to Post #17
Cheers Nick.
Have a look at this link for the hook at the back. It is a change that seems to be on newer Actor boats: https://boatmanuk.com/product/bait-boat-actor-plus-compass-9ah-basic-in-black/
Cheers Nick.
Have a look at this link for the hook at the back. It is a change that seems to be on newer Actor boats: https://boatmanuk.com/product/bait-boat-actor-plus-compass-9ah-basic-in-black/
In reply to Post #18
I like the look of that boat & may overcome the small hopper issue i edited in my last post! Looks good to me, be interesting to see what other's think of this one?
I like the look of that boat & may overcome the small hopper issue i edited in my last post! Looks good to me, be interesting to see what other's think of this one?
In reply to Post #19
I've had that one prob 12 months now only used maybe 12 times to bait up with in evenings. And it's been faultless. I use it as one big hopper instead of having the divide.
My runs true never had to calibrate it.
I've had that one prob 12 months now only used maybe 12 times to bait up with in evenings. And it's been faultless. I use it as one big hopper instead of having the divide.
My runs true never had to calibrate it.
In reply to Post #6
I would go for a Boatman Actor boat BUT !!!!!!!
make sure its a Compass model as the others wont steer so straight
I would go for a Boatman Actor boat BUT !!!!!!!
make sure its a Compass model as the others wont steer so straight
In reply to Post #17
I've used a boat once, in France, and it was an Actor. I used a knotless knot with 20lb Kontour hooklink (it's thick and kicks the rig away from the lead). Rig foam on the hook and the rig laid on top of the bait in the hopper. Only issue I had was birdlife following the boat and trying to get the foam. Was surprised at how much I enjoyed using it as I had been vehemently against them previously. Still cheating in England though.
I've used a boat once, in France, and it was an Actor. I used a knotless knot with 20lb Kontour hooklink (it's thick and kicks the rig away from the lead). Rig foam on the hook and the rig laid on top of the bait in the hopper. Only issue I had was birdlife following the boat and trying to get the foam. Was surprised at how much I enjoyed using it as I had been vehemently against them previously. Still cheating in England though.
In reply to Post #6
another vote for the Actor range.
I've had a mk4i for maybe 3 years and it's been faultless. Perfect for the smaller UK waters I fish.
My friend has a plus compass which again has been faultless and have also used that at a fair range in France.
another vote for the Actor range.
I've had a mk4i for maybe 3 years and it's been faultless. Perfect for the smaller UK waters I fish.
My friend has a plus compass which again has been faultless and have also used that at a fair range in France.
For the money, the Actor is pretty good. However, mine is in my garage at the moment with the lid off while I oil the barn door mechanism that failed repeatedly (again!) on my last trip. Not the most difficult of tasks but a bit annoying and with the amount of screws, not something I would recommend on the bank.
I bought this cheap bait boat earlier this year but direct from Aliexpress.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/mingqian-Fishing-Control-Automatic-Correction/dp/B0BZH6TDY8/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?crid=YATWIWB1I603&keywords=ahwz%2Bbait%2Bboat&qid=1697481211&sprefix=AHWZ%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-14-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1
A few things I can tell you about this boat and many of the cheaper ones that have similar style of hopper..... they are crap for deploying any rigs unless they are using a braid hooklink or a hooklink in a PVA bag. The size of the hopper doesn't allow for stiff rigs as the rigs are too long and just don't fit in without curling them up which kind of defeats the object of a nice strainght stiff link. Any rig that isn't in a PVA bag tends to have to be put in with the bait in such a way that it isn't tangled. I would recommend spending a little extra money on a boat that has a longer hopper much like the catamaran ones so that the rig can be placed in nice and straight.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/mingqian-Fishing-Control-Automatic-Correction/dp/B0BZH6TDY8/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?crid=YATWIWB1I603&keywords=ahwz%2Bbait%2Bboat&qid=1697481211&sprefix=AHWZ%2Caps%2C177&sr=8-14-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1
A few things I can tell you about this boat and many of the cheaper ones that have similar style of hopper..... they are crap for deploying any rigs unless they are using a braid hooklink or a hooklink in a PVA bag. The size of the hopper doesn't allow for stiff rigs as the rigs are too long and just don't fit in without curling them up which kind of defeats the object of a nice strainght stiff link. Any rig that isn't in a PVA bag tends to have to be put in with the bait in such a way that it isn't tangled. I would recommend spending a little extra money on a boat that has a longer hopper much like the catamaran ones so that the rig can be placed in nice and straight.
In reply to Post #25
extra money on a boat that has a longer hopper much like the catamaran ones so that the rig can be placed in nice and straight.
what do you think happens when you drop ANY rig ?
the reality is your heavy weight tows it down vertically at a rate of notts it does not fall down nice and horizontal ? so rig length is not the priority
trust me 15+ years 2 to 3 trips a year using bait boats along with inflatables I have dropped them and watched using an Aquascope I wanted to know if I was bait boating out 200 yards my rig was fishing as good as can be
and for me far more important is a stiff boom section with a small pva bag masking the hook so I can pull back the rig to fully straighten it once it dropped
extra money on a boat that has a longer hopper much like the catamaran ones so that the rig can be placed in nice and straight.
what do you think happens when you drop ANY rig ?
the reality is your heavy weight tows it down vertically at a rate of notts it does not fall down nice and horizontal ? so rig length is not the priority
trust me 15+ years 2 to 3 trips a year using bait boats along with inflatables I have dropped them and watched using an Aquascope I wanted to know if I was bait boating out 200 yards my rig was fishing as good as can be
and for me far more important is a stiff boom section with a small pva bag masking the hook so I can pull back the rig to fully straighten it once it dropped
In reply to Post #26
I cant physically get any stiff rig in the hopper of my boat without it sticking out the top and catching on release. It's nothing to do with presentation under water, believe me I also know a thing or two about using a bait boat, I have been using bait boats since the first angling technics boat was released which I only sold because I moved to Canada and couldn't bring it.
All I was trying to say is that unless you want to curl up your stiff boom so that it fits in the hopper, which kind of defeats the object of a stiff boom, the boats with a small hopper isn't useful. People strive to keep their boom straight after steaming them and use anti tangle tubing so that the rig kicks away from the lead and stays straight, the last thing they want to do is curl it up so that it stays in the hopper. If you want to use soft braided hooklinks then great a boat with a small hopper will work for you but you wont have the flexibility.
and for me far more important is a stiff boom section with a small pva bag masking the hook so I can pull back the rig to fully straighten it once it dropped
But a rig any more than 4" with a bag on the end wont fit in the hopper unless you loop the rig which many people don't want, read above.
These are findings from my personal experience, I truly wish I still had my angling technics boat or one with a similar style of hopper.
I cant physically get any stiff rig in the hopper of my boat without it sticking out the top and catching on release. It's nothing to do with presentation under water, believe me I also know a thing or two about using a bait boat, I have been using bait boats since the first angling technics boat was released which I only sold because I moved to Canada and couldn't bring it.
All I was trying to say is that unless you want to curl up your stiff boom so that it fits in the hopper, which kind of defeats the object of a stiff boom, the boats with a small hopper isn't useful. People strive to keep their boom straight after steaming them and use anti tangle tubing so that the rig kicks away from the lead and stays straight, the last thing they want to do is curl it up so that it stays in the hopper. If you want to use soft braided hooklinks then great a boat with a small hopper will work for you but you wont have the flexibility.
and for me far more important is a stiff boom section with a small pva bag masking the hook so I can pull back the rig to fully straighten it once it dropped
But a rig any more than 4" with a bag on the end wont fit in the hopper unless you loop the rig which many people don't want, read above.
These are findings from my personal experience, I truly wish I still had my angling technics boat or one with a similar style of hopper.
In reply to Post #27
I totally agree with this, I had the original Angling Technics boat which was great, with long twin hoppers. Then I swapped to a Waverunner Atom with a single small hopper and couldn't stand it.
I suffered it for 2 seasons but really missed 2 longer hoppers so got a RT4 which is perfect, although not cheap.
I totally agree with this, I had the original Angling Technics boat which was great, with long twin hoppers. Then I swapped to a Waverunner Atom with a single small hopper and couldn't stand it.
I suffered it for 2 seasons but really missed 2 longer hoppers so got a RT4 which is perfect, although not cheap.
In reply to Post #25
Fair points for sure, I just can't justify (for me) dropping nearly £2k on a bait boat.
But, your feedback on presentation compromise and rig issues is really interesting and making me pause for now.
Thanks all for the feedback.
Fair points for sure, I just can't justify (for me) dropping nearly £2k on a bait boat.
But, your feedback on presentation compromise and rig issues is really interesting and making me pause for now.
Thanks all for the feedback.
In reply to Post #29
You dont need to drop £2K on a top of the range boat, keep an eye out for someone selling an angling technics microcat, procat or technicat second hand I'm sure you could pick one of those up for the same price as a new budget boat.
You dont need to drop £2K on a top of the range boat, keep an eye out for someone selling an angling technics microcat, procat or technicat second hand I'm sure you could pick one of those up for the same price as a new budget boat.