Head Lights on Boats

[sglass]

I have a good example about lights after dark. If anyone on this board fishes Herrington after dark then you use some sort of light after dark at some point in the year. The lake can be clean as a babys bottom during the day but when the traffic slows down at night most bends clog up with ALOT of floters this is very true in the late spring/early summer when the lake rises. One night at Herrington my uncle and I were runnung back to the dock not going that fast at all when all of the sudden WHACK!! We struck a large drum that was floating half under the water. If we had our lights on we would have seen it but we didnt since we were im eyesight of the launch and thought we "knew the lake like the back of our hand". Point being if I have to use my lights to navigate at night I will every time. If I have another boat approaching then I flick them off. They are not that bad if you use common sense with them. I have seen too many bad pictures where someone strikes something with their lower unit and it destroys their motor or busts the hull like an egg.

[RANGER519]

I have used lights on my boats for 25 or 30 years & have never been stopped for using them i don't leave them on all the time flash them on every so often.I run just fast enough to keep my boat on plane after dark.I use them to see if anything is in front of me in the water logs,buoys,boats with no lights on etc.. I'll keep using them i'd rather pay the fine than get someone hurt or tear my boat up.

just my 2 cents worth
ranger519

[crazyfishinnut]

Some thoughts.
First, do you know where every piece of debris or floating logs are on any given lake? Are you real sure the wind isn't going to move them around since you last saw them in the light?

Second, given nobody on boats can use lights, why then don't the tugboat guys get whacked with tickets? That's really part of my point. If it makes sense for the "big-boats with radar", why not the litle boats that don't have radar?

I do totally agree with you, leave the red/green/and all round lit. I also agree headlights don't have to be aimed to shine the hole way across the lake, they ought to be like car lights aimed say 200 feet in front of the boat only.

Last, I do agree with you, its the law and we have to live with it right now.

even with them pointing 200 feet away boats coming at you cant see thier water or debris due to being lighted and they in no way can see the other lights on your boat not even a little bit. with white lights showing green and red dissappear completely. If debris is your fear go slow and dont endanger everyone else on the lake so you can break the law

[gizzard shad]

Some thoughts.
First, do you know where every piece of debris or floating logs are on any given lake? Are you real sure the wind isn't going to move them around since you last saw them in the light?

Second, given nobody on boats can use lights, why then don't the tugboat guys get whacked with tickets? That's really part of my point. If it makes sense for the "big-boats with radar", why not the litle boats that don't have radar?

I do totally agree with you, leave the red/green/and all round lit. I also agree headlights don't have to be aimed to shine the hole way across the lake, they ought to be like car lights aimed say 200 feet in front of the boat only.

Last, I do agree with you, its the law and we have to live with it right now.

Where in the boating regulation book does it say it is illegal to operate a boat with a spot light?

[adam7456]

Back in April I was on Lake Cumberland at night doing some striper fishing. It was a clear night and I could see pretty well with no lights at all. I got up to move to a new spot and was enjoying the ride until a boat with headlights comes flying around a bend on the lake and blinded me. He kept on trucking and didn't care. I had to stop the boat and wait 3 to 4 minutes to let my eye readjust to the darkness.

To that guy I would like to say "Thanks a lot buddy, you messed up my fishing trip and put me in danger."

I see several people here with the attitude here of "Screw everyone else, this is my lake and I'm going to do whatever I feel like". It wouldn't surpise me if those are the same people complaining about other boats running at night and creating waves for them.

The lake is a shared resource by everyone. Everyone should behave in a manner that least disturbs everyone else on the lake. I have no use for you guys who think you own the lake and don't care if you blind everyone else.

[fisherman0625]

Everyone at some point in there life has done something with there boat to ---- someone off. I have the lights on my boat and No1 can tell me that without them in early spring and early summer that I will not risk my boat being destroyed without them. They have saved me a many of a trip. I just run fast enough to keep my boat on plane. The lights are fine and anyone looking to get them dont be chased away by all the negative comments. My advice though is to not run the all the time. Just turn them on every now and then.

[Shimano4Life]

Come run your boat on Herrington at night without a light an see what happens to your boat !

I feel you there. I mostly fish Herrington. Herrington is notorious for floaters. When we fish night tournaments and make a long run, I constantly look for stuff -- that way my partner and I know when to burst the spotlight at night.

[lroberts]

Guys I like to fish at night as much of any of you....but, when you do you run the risk of hitting floaters or whatever...thats just part of it. You say Herrington has a lot of floaters....uhhh go somewhere else. Even if you do use headlights you won't see everything anyway. At my home lake in Indiana when you have your red/gree/white lights on the speed limit is 10 mph...is that the same on your lakes??? If so, you would have plenty of time to avoid other boats (if your eyes are used to the dark and can see well) and if you hit a floater it won't do much if any damage. I know most of you will keep using your headlights, but however you feel, the law is the law for a good reason. And comparing fishing boats (recreational) to tug boats/barges is just silly!!!!!!

[Les Young]

My ??? is who has a light adjusted to 200 ft. in front of them. Also if you've ever fished Herrington, you would know exactly what their talking about. It's without a doubt one of if not the worst lake in the state of KY. If you don't want you boat trashed run a headlight. If you don't care just run it a time or two without it & I'll bet you will run it after you get your boat back from the shop. I personally run 1 Stan Sloan 60 watt mounted to my trolling motor bracket & it is more than enough light & definitley doesn't bother oncoming boats nearly as badly as a spotlight. How do I know this ??? Because I've asked other boaters about it & even had 2 different buddies intentionaly drive towards me to see what it's like. They're nothing compared to a spotlight & the only way to go in my opinion. Spotlight users should give them a try. I think they'd like them.

[fishalltime]

Amen Les Young , I run Herrington at night an will continue to use my light as I have torn up a 95 Hydra Sports an was useing the light .I wasn't going fast it was an underwater log that got me .Total loss .Common sense will tell most people when to use a spot or headlight and if ya dont want to use it , dont.

[floatman]

I have a Q-beam mounted to my trolling motor bracket since 82, I don't think anyone could mistake a Q-beam for a stern light, I think a Q-beam in the hands of some people is dangerous, like Whisker said they want to see the color of yous shirt, a fixed light would be more like a auto shows only what is in front of you, Herrington you need a light moor than other lakes, lakes like Coumberland a light will hurt your vision. I have a switch on me dash that turns on and off I try not to point my boat at anyone, and will turn it off as much as possible to on coming boats. I Will use mine when I need to and turn it off when I don't

JMO

[HURRICANEBOB]

After reading all this about hedlights and the dangers of fishing at night, I think after dark I'll just stay in the bars where its safe. From a bar, I can get a taxi cab, from the middle of Cumberland, the only taxi cab has a flashing bluelight and free bracelets.