Fishing with Lights OFF!!

[fishincreek]

I don't believe canoes or boats less than 16 feet are required to have lights by law.

[FlyLie]

Text quoted stright from the KDFWR shown below, FYI

NAVIGATION LIGHTS
All vessels when underway between sunset and sunrise must display proper navigation lights. Navigation lights on boats are restricted to the colors of red, green and white.

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 stopor pass astern of boat B

[fishincreek]

Of course if boats had headlights, the chance of a collision would more than likely be less.

[kc]

Well I am sure I am going to step in it with this one but I have night fished for 30+ years and I believe in common sense when using lights. I generally do not have my lights on when I am fishing but always when underway. The reason I do not like my lights on when fishing is I don't want to give away my presense to the fish I am chasing. Night time is stealth time and lights on are not stealth. Plus on a dark night having the lights on makes it more difficult for my vision to adjust and be able to have any depth perception for casting.

That said part of the regulation you quoted was "in an area where other boats navigate" is a key distinction. Most of the time when I am fishing up in a creek or along a bank I will only turn on my lights as another boat approaches from a distance. This lets them know I am on the bank and surely will alert them to divert a collision as well. Close in on a bank there is little chance of a collision anyway and that is where the stealth gets most compromised. But if I am 50 yards out on a main lake point - then yes I leave my lights on because I am in an area where other boats commonly navigate and can come at you from different directions. But most of the time you do not have to leave your lights on to avoid collisions. I mean look at the reg for manually propelled boats "Manually propelled vessels shall carry a white light to display in sufficient time to avoid a collision" - isnt' that saying turn a light on when you hear or see another boat approaching. Lighten up people (pardon the pun) and use some common sense...

kc

[the_donger]

That is part of the problem, you cannot teach common sense. Dumb people ruin it for the rest. They, and we, need to be protected from themselves/them.

[waterdog101]

Well I am sure I am going to step in it with this one but I have night fished for 30+ years and I believe in common sense when using lights. I generally do not have my lights on when I am fishing but always when underway. The reason I do not like my lights on when fishing is I don't want to give away my presense to the fish I am chasing. Night time is stealth time and lights on are not stealth. Plus on a dark night having the lights on makes it more difficult for my vision to adjust and be able to have any depth perception for casting.

That said part of the regulation you quoted was "in an area where other boats navigate" is a key distinction. Most of the time when I am fishing up in a creek or along a bank I will only turn on my lights as another boat approaches from a distance. This lets them know I am on the bank and surely will alert them to divert a collision as well. Close in on a bank there is little chance of a collision anyway and that is where the stealth gets most compromised. But if I am 50 yards out on a main lake point - then yes I leave my lights on because I am in an area where other boats commonly navigate and can come at you from different directions. But most of the time you do not have to leave your lights on to avoid collisions. I mean look at the reg for manually propelled boats "Manually propelled vessels shall carry a white light to display in sufficient time to avoid a collision" - isnt' that saying turn a light on when you hear or see another boat approaching. Lighten up people (pardon the pun) and use some common sense...

kc

sir, you have the most sensible post. that I've read on this subject. you do as I do, and thousands of other safe fishermen. while people fish with their lights off, I would think that 99.99% of the time. that they would be one casting distance or less from the shore. you may find one in a million, that would try to fish farther out in the lake. where boats that are up on plane should be. and not running 40 mph within 50 feet of the bank.

[creeker]

sir, you have the most sensible post. that I've read on this subject. you do as I do, and thousands of other safe fishermen. while people fish with their lights off, I would think that 99.99% of the time. that they would be one casting distance or less from the shore. you may find one in a million, that would try to fish farther out in the lake. where boats that are up on plane should be. and not running 40 mph within 50 feet of the bank.

On Taylorsville, there's a hump right out in the middle of the lake about 10 ft under that's always crowded with fishermen at night. Last time I was through there, only about half had their lights on.

[Rudypoo4444]

Well I am sure I am going to step in it with this one but I have night fished for 30+ years and I believe in common sense when using lights. I generally do not have my lights on when I am fishing but always when underway. The reason I do not like my lights on when fishing is I don't want to give away my presense to the fish I am chasing. Night time is stealth time and lights on are not stealth. Plus on a dark night having the lights on makes it more difficult for my vision to adjust and be able to have any depth perception for casting.

That said part of the regulation you quoted was "in an area where other boats navigate" is a key distinction. Most of the time when I am fishing up in a creek or along a bank I will only turn on my lights as another boat approaches from a distance. This lets them know I am on the bank and surely will alert them to divert a collision as well. Close in on a bank there is little chance of a collision anyway and that is where the stealth gets most compromised. But if I am 50 yards out on a main lake point - then yes I leave my lights on because I am in an area where other boats commonly navigate and can come at you from different directions. But most of the time you do not have to leave your lights on to avoid collisions. I mean look at the reg for manually propelled boats "Manually propelled vessels shall carry a white light to display in sufficient time to avoid a collision" - isnt' that saying turn a light on when you hear or see another boat approaching. Lighten up people (pardon the pun) and use some common sense...

kc

Yeah, this makes a lot of sense because catching a fish is far more important than safety. Those durn bass are just too smart to be caught with a boat light on.

The way I look at it, I'm leaving my lights on so some drunk boater doesn't come along and smack into me. An accident can happen anywhere, even "one cast away" from shore.

[waterdog101]

I'm leaving my lights on so some drunk boater doesn't come along and smack into me. An accident can happen anywhere, even "one cast away" from shore.[/QUOTE]

now that would be a wreck, that would make headlines. fisherman drinking while boating { which is against the law } runs over another boat that is fishing one cast from shore with no lights on { which is against the law } a wreck that didn't have to happen, if only that nut fishing so close to the bank, would have had his lights on. that drunk wouldn't have smacked into him.

[Rudypoo4444]

I'm leaving my lights on so some drunk boater doesn't come along and smack into me. An accident can happen anywhere, even "one cast away" from shore.

now that would be a wreck, that would make headlines. fisherman drinking while boating { which is against the law } runs over another boat that is fishing one cast from shore with no lights on { which is against the law } a wreck that didn't have to happen, if only that nut fishing so close to the bank, would have had his lights on. that drunk wouldn't have smacked into him.[/QUOTE]


I'll try and type it S-L-O-W-E-R for you. Keeping your lights on to avoid an accident makes better sense than fishing with them off and not being seen, just because you are afraid of spooking some of these CIA bass that KC is after.

Lets get real here. I have seen guys tear off lower units in the daytime by running to close to shore, over a point they didn't know was there. Your chances are much better to have an accident like that in the dark. Maybe you are Captian Kirk of the Kentucky waters and never make a mistake, but if you have boated in KY at all, you would see that is not always the case.

Better to be safe now, than sorry later....

[DJD]

I agree with you 100%

[kydonky]

I don't believe canoes or boats less than 16 feet are required to have lights by law.

Yes they are. A manually propelled craft (row boat, canoe) is required to have a light readily available to turn on to flash an oncoming vessel after sunset and before sunrise.