Zombait: The Device That Turns Dead Bait Fish into “Zombies”
OutdoorHub Reporters 12.10.15
Two engineers, a fisherman, and a programmer have designed a device that claims to revitalize your dead bait fish—but some anglers may find it unsavory. Massachusetts-based Magurobotics LLC recently launched their Kickstarter campaign for the “Zombait,” a simple robotic device that can be inserted into a dead fish to animate it, much like a novelty artificial goldfish.
“Put it in the water and it will start swimming automatically until you pull it up again, no hassle. And, unlike live fish, it won’t get tired over time or die unexpectedly,” the designers wrote on Kickstarter. “More importantly, it won’t try and escape from the trophy fish you’re after!”
According to Magurobotics, the Zombait has been successfully tested on a number of popular bait fish, such as mackerlel, herring, and ocean perch. The device itself consists of a body section and a narrower rod that acts as the tail, mimicking a live fish like a puppeteer. The designers say the device is waterproof, durable enough to survive being attacked by predatory fish, is powered by a lithium ion battery capable of supporting three hours of constant movement, and is reusable.
You can watch a video explaining Zombait below:
“Zombait started as a napkin sketch when Rink [Varian], a veteran fisherman with over 35 years of experience, and Matthew [Borowski], a robotics engineer with an interest in bring ideas to life, were talking over a holiday meal in 2013 about the possibility of making dead bait fish swim,” the designers wrote.
Jessy Cusack, a mechanical engineer, and Chris Hamman, a systems architect, later joined on the project as well. The four men wanted to make a small, lightweight device that was able to mimic fish movements close enough to fool predators, but also durable enough to survive the open ocean. The current Zombait model is the last of six versions and hundreds of prototypes that were either hand-built, 3D-printed, or made by injection molding.
The device is certainly an ambitious new idea, but is it too revolting for anglers? Some fishermen are worried about the impact that Zombait could have on the environment and fish. What if the line breaks? What if the fish swims off with the Zombait, battery and all? These are all questions that the developers are considering as well, but they state the device will not be lost often with experienced fishermen.
“If you usually get your hook back, you should get Zombait back, as long as you know how to tie a good knot! With that being said, you’ll have to let us know how it holds up if you use one to catch a shark with,” the designers wrote.
Another video showing how the Zombait is used:
Magurobotics has set a funding goal of $27,000 before they can begin production. So far $11,500 has been contributed so far, and the campaign still has 29 days before it ends. If the funding is successful, the company expects to produce its first batch by the end of 2016.
