Lights on while fishing!

[canepole]

Better keep those lights on on Nolin while fishing, I know of three that recieved tickets around Red Rock in the Friday night tournament. The cost if you don't is $188.50!:-(

[MsgMills]

Wow, thanks for the info, I always kept mine off until I heard a boat coming and then I would turn them on, so as to let the boat approaching that I was in the area and to be alert for my boat. I really didn't know you had to have them on at all times, I thought it was only while big motor was being in use. The bugs just love to swarm around you at night while fishing with the running lights on, plus Bro-in-law loves to hit the stern light pole with rod after dark it seems...... What's the difference in someone on the bank fishing in the dark with no lights around them at all and some boat comes barrelling down the lake in the dark and hits the bank where this bank fisherman is fishing. Injures the bank fisherman, but driver of boat says it's not his fault he hit the bank fisherman, he should have had some sort of light lit so the boat driver could have seen him. Well I say this should be the same thing out on the water, turn the lights on if a boats approaching for safety sake.

[KyBass1]

This was copied from the 2006 Ky fishing and boating guide. Good luck to all, Tom.

From sunset to sunrise in an area where other boats navigate, all vessels shall display a steady white light visible 360 degrees at all times. Manually propelled vessels shall carry a white light to display in sufficient time to avoid a collision.

The purpose of the red and green navigation lights at night is to show if your boat is in a meeting, crossing or overtaking situation. The red and green lights must be displayed from sunset to sunrise whenever a boat is underway. They will give some indication of the size and speed of vessels. The red and green bow lights are especially helpful in determining right of way in crossing situations. In the diagram below, boat B sees the green bow light of boat A, and has the right of way to continue on course. Boat A sees the red bow light of boat B and must stop or pass astern of boat B.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

had a warden pull over and tell me to be sure and not leave my front light on when fishing,i had just got up and started fishing with running lights on,he said it would confuse other boaters,he did tell me good job for having them on though.I was fishing the bluff wall at barren by the watertower he said he mainly warned people who were fishing in the main lake on long points and stuff not so much one fishing close to the bank but better safe than sorry.with accidents on the rise i'm sure it will get worse.

[bucky]

It is also a good idea to leave them on when fishing KY.and Barkley. Got a ticket for 50$ and 211$ court cost to marshall county for fishing in the back of a bay with no stern light on. The patrol saw me running down the lake with my lights on and then saw me turn them off when I started fishing. They came in and gave me a ticket. Tried pleading stupidity with no results. I now tape a glo stick to my stern light pole and haven't had any problems. The light must be visable 360 degree but no mention how bright it has to be. I did have a black light on, but this was not enough to keep me from the fine.x(

[justfishin]

I am not saying your wrong about a bank fisherman needing a light source, but if a boater is going so fast after dark and has no idea where the bank is he is already in a lot of trouble. When I am on a new lake I have a map if there is one and my spot light out so I know what is in front of me any way and if I spot a boat with no lights I lower the beam but leave it on just so he knows where I am going. Besides there is no real justification for running full out at night in the first place.

[TEE]

What?
You run on plane in Ohio after dark and your toast...period!
I thought about doin' some night fishin' at Dale but, years ago decided it wasn't worth it when I seen for my self that NUMEROUS boats run on that lake at WOT and NO FISH is worth losing your life with so many idiots that have no consideration whatsoever for ANYONE!
I'm done now x(

[elnutsmalljaws]

I fished Dale this past weekend and just about ran over a jon boat with 2 guys in it. I was on full plane, pitch dark in front of Trooper Island when all of a sudden out of the dark a white light appears within 20 YARDS in front of me. I made a massive turn to the right and off the throttle, SCARED ME TO DEATH. After I stopped and cleaned myself off, I asked what in the hell was he doing with no lights on. He said that he forgot his lights in the truck and was mad at me for almost swamping them. I asked him why did he not have a light on of any sorts and he said he could not find the flashlight until the last second. He could easily see me coming from a mile away. I told him he was **** lucky that I did not run over them. My deep v on full plane versus his little jon boat means bad news for both of us but I have to think they would probably be dead and maybe me to. This is my 4th year night fishing and I have seen more stupid people doing stupid things after dark this year than all the other 3 combined. Jet Ski's after dark (especially at Ky Lake), Big Idiot Boats flying down the lake well after dark, sailboats and houseboats anchored in the middle of coves with no lights on, unbelievable. No wonder so many have gotten killed this year and if it does not improve many more will loose their lives. I told my wife that for the first time, I am not 100% confident that it is safe to fish after dark due to all the other idiots on the water. With me fishing 90% of the time by myself makes it worse.

Dave Stewart carries a sock and puts it over the back light that keeps the bugs down but still makes it legal and it can be seen from 360 degrees as the law states. I personally don't keep any lights on when fishing but keep a bright spotlight or flashlight right next to me and keep close ear on incoming traffic to let them know.

Be Safe

[charlie1]

So how fast is full plane in your boat?

[elnutsmalljaws]

38 MPH

[charlie1]

Don't you think 38 MPH is too fast to be going at night (unless you are out in the middle on a moonlit night)? Where's the fire? It would a lot safer if people would get up on plane and then slow it down to just fast enough to keep it there. Hey, you may be in the right but dead is dead.

[elnutsmalljaws]

I don't think 38 is too fast at night. I crash into them at 15 or 20 is still just as bad as 38. I would much rather crash and die on impact versus crash and put in life support for a week or so then die. If you think I am idleing around every place I go then you have another thing coming. If I wanted to spend my night moving from place to place at idle speed then I might as well get a Kayak and save the gas. I know Dale Hollow pretty well and was in the main river channel with 60 feet of water below me and in no jeopardy of hitting any bank in summer time where there are no floaters. I do slow down and give plenty of room around points and islands. Going 38 in a straight stretch in the river channel is not the same as doing 38 in spring with floaters or cutting the corners off the points. This fool has no lights on his john boat trying to get to the ramp to take out and it is supposively my fault for running too fast. Hell I would have no problem doing 70 at night if I could. The problem is not with how I operate my boat, it is all the fools that don't have a clue. I am the first to admit I turn off my lights when I am in the act of fishing points or close to the bank. I do keep them on when I am fishing a ledge in the middle of the lake. Either way, I have a 5 Million Candlepower spotlight always within reach to let passing boaters know of my surroundings when I am fishing points or whereever else. If Johnny Law wants to fine me then fine me, I still will not leave them on when I am fishing except in the main line of travel. Just like everything else on this planet - COMMAN SENSE PLAYS A BIG PART ON WHETHER WE ALL GO HOME OR NOT AFTER A NIGHT OF FISHING. Too many MORANS, FOOLS, IDIOTS, KNUCKLEHEADS OR WHATEVER else you want to call them are coming out of the woodwork to take up night fishing, docking houseboats or pontoons in coves with no lights on, or worse jet ski at night and it is becoming more and more dangerous. All I can do is my part. If we all did this then there would not be an issue.