Smart Bluetooth Fishing Float: How It Works, the SmartFloat App and Price
Advanced anglers with lots of rods and tackle used to take bells fishing. The bell was clipped onto the line, and when a fish took the hook, it started ringing – and the angler rushed headlong to land the catch.
Smart Bluetooth fishing float with a built-in bite sensor and light
Now, in the 21st century, bells are out of fashion – there is the smart Bluetooth fishing float.
In short: inside the float are a bite sensor, a battery and Bluetooth. When a fish bites, the float signals your phone running the SmartFloat app with sound, vibration and a light. The range is about 15 m, so it is more a fun gadget than serious tackle.
How the smart float works
The float attaches to the line like a regular one – not far from the hook, and you use it to set the hook depth. After you insert the battery, you connect to it from your phone with the SmartFloat app.
Connecting the smart float to a smartphone over Bluetooth
The SmartFloat app interface on a phone screen
Inside look at the float and its electronics
What the SmartFloat app shows
- The float’s sensitivity setting.
- The live bite alert.
- Switches for the float light, sound alert and phone vibration.
Main indicator controls in the SmartFloat app
Family fishing gets a lot more entertaining with a smart float
Stylish gold-colored floats
The floats along with their protective tube case
Night lighting mode on the smart floats
Bluetooth fishing float specifications
Video: the smart float in action
Price and downsides
A smart float costs roughly $23–43, depending on your luck: AliExpress often has seasonal discounts and sales.
- Short Bluetooth range: about 15 m, and as the battery runs down, the range shrinks and the connection gets unstable.
- Not for long casts: the float has to stay within reliable signal range of the phone.
I think it is best seen as a toy for fun fishing trips with friends and family :-)
P.S. You can also buy floats with an underwater camera – now that is wild :-)