By Capt. Ricky Wheeler
Since fishing first began in the most primitive of times, those with the most experience on the water were more often the most rewarded thanks to their learned intuitions and skills. The most important aspects of being a successful fisherman were the ability to read the water, knowing bird behavior to help them identify the types of fish the birds were on, and really just having a sixth sense when it came to the ocean and fish movements. It is an art form in some respects as much as a science, and the only way to gain the most knowledge was time on the water.
In recent decades – especially the last one – sportfishing has seen some massive changes. Cutting-edge technology has found its way into the sport, giving crews tools that offer amazing insight and information. Omni sonar, AI-driven fish finders, AI cameras, and major advances in sportfishing vessels have seemed to make modern-day offshore fishing feel as much like a tech race as it does a time-honored tradition.
So with all of these modern advances in technology and boat building, this question is raised: Can technology replace the instincts and skills learned only by time and experience on the water? Within this lies the argument that if you can combine the two and blend real experience with innovation,
