When you get seriously into carp fishing, buying a bait boat is going to become a priority, and will also likely be one of your biggest one-off expenses.
But it is definitely one of those essential tools for getting your bait exactly where it needs to go.
Carp bait boats can cost from around £300 to over £700, so you need to do your research and choose carefully.
There are a few features that you need to compare when you start checking out what is available.
Jet drive boats are usually worth the extra investment; traditional propeller drives are fine for getting the boat around, but even with weed guards you risk getting clogged up and tangled.
Jet propelled boats don't have bits sticking out into the water.
Another thing that is worth spending out on is bigger, or spare, batteries.
Some even come with solar chargers that keep your battery charged while your boat is scooting about.
If you invest in a good power supply, you can send your bait boat out on bait runs several times, which then means you can get a lighter, smaller boat with a smaller bait hopper capacity and then do more frequent bait runs.
If you are fishing huge carp waters in France, for example, you'll need a heavy duty boat that can withstand actual waves when the weather turns nasty.
But if you're only fishing your local carp pond, a lightweight boat will probably do the trick, and you can always swim and fetch it if it gets stuck! Having said that, the lighter, cheaper boats seem to be less reliable and durable, so may end up being a false economy.
As we all know so well, there is nothing worse than a bit of kit that doesn't work.
There are all sorts of bells and whistles on the expensive boats, such as fancy lights and fish finders.
But the only other major factor to consider when comparing boats is the bait capacity.
Smaller boats equal more trips, so as long as your battery can last as long as you want to fish, you're OK.
So where to start? The Angling Technics Microcat or Procat are popular, and the Waverunner and Atom (made by the same people) get good reviews too.
Matt Hayes has his cheap TFG Patriot, which probably does the job but I've seen some negative reviews.
The Viper range is also recommended, especially the Euro, which dwarfs the smaller boats.
Search for bait boats online and you'll find a few good comparison sites to make your choice a little easier.
Good luck!
But it is definitely one of those essential tools for getting your bait exactly where it needs to go.
Carp bait boats can cost from around £300 to over £700, so you need to do your research and choose carefully.
There are a few features that you need to compare when you start checking out what is available.
Jet drive boats are usually worth the extra investment; traditional propeller drives are fine for getting the boat around, but even with weed guards you risk getting clogged up and tangled.
Jet propelled boats don't have bits sticking out into the water.
Another thing that is worth spending out on is bigger, or spare, batteries.
Some even come with solar chargers that keep your battery charged while your boat is scooting about.
If you invest in a good power supply, you can send your bait boat out on bait runs several times, which then means you can get a lighter, smaller boat with a smaller bait hopper capacity and then do more frequent bait runs.
If you are fishing huge carp waters in France, for example, you'll need a heavy duty boat that can withstand actual waves when the weather turns nasty.
But if you're only fishing your local carp pond, a lightweight boat will probably do the trick, and you can always swim and fetch it if it gets stuck! Having said that, the lighter, cheaper boats seem to be less reliable and durable, so may end up being a false economy.
As we all know so well, there is nothing worse than a bit of kit that doesn't work.
There are all sorts of bells and whistles on the expensive boats, such as fancy lights and fish finders.
But the only other major factor to consider when comparing boats is the bait capacity.
Smaller boats equal more trips, so as long as your battery can last as long as you want to fish, you're OK.
So where to start? The Angling Technics Microcat or Procat are popular, and the Waverunner and Atom (made by the same people) get good reviews too.
Matt Hayes has his cheap TFG Patriot, which probably does the job but I've seen some negative reviews.
The Viper range is also recommended, especially the Euro, which dwarfs the smaller boats.
Search for bait boats online and you'll find a few good comparison sites to make your choice a little easier.
Good luck!