Summertime arrives with temperatures
that are hot and nighttime fishing becomes an inviting proposition.
However, fishing your hometown lake at night requires much more preparation
than
daytime fishing does. That body of water so familiar and friendly during
the day becomes foreign and sometimes hostile as darkness descends.
With just a little more preparation it can be enjoyed however and the
results
can be absolutely super. Being pro-active instead of reactive will
ensure a safe and enjoyable venture in the darkness of night.
Fishing
day or
night requires that your boat be properly equipped as per U.S. Coast
Guard required
equipment.
Personal floatation devices (properly fitted) for each person
on board are at the top of the list and should be worn by everyone
when fishing at night. Finding someone that has fallen overboard in the
daytime
is generally easy, but in the dark can be quite difficult. A throwable
flotation device is also required equipment and should be in a convenient
location.
Bow and stern lights are required and essential equipment
on your boat, and they must be lit when visibility is reduced. Striking
unseen objects at night is the most often reported nighttime accident
and unlit
boats lead as those unseen objects. The temptation to venture forth
without
proper lighting is not only illegal, but also extremely foolish.
A
proper and fully functional warning device (horn) becomes a vital piece
of equipment
in the darkness. It can be used to warn approaching craft as to your
presence and also can be used to draw attention in the event of problems
arising.
Although not required unless off shore, visual distress signals (flares)
should be on board.
An approved type fire extinguisher that is currently
dated should be onboard and in a convenient and ready location. During
a fire is no time to find out that the extinguisher will not function
because it is out of date.
A paddle is required, not optional equipment,
and again
should be in a convenient and accessible location.
Recommended equipment
that should be on board would include an anchoring device with adequate
line in both size and length for your boat. Deployment of the anchor
should occur at the first sign of trouble to keep your boat in its
present safe
location. Too often then anchor is the last thing thought of and boats
end up drifting into dangerous situations. Some sort of bailing device
should be on board. Pumps are useless when the battery goes dead. Flashlight
and batteries (that have been checked) and spare batteries should be
onboard when fishing at night. The one flaw in flashlights is that
they seem to
fail just when we need them. Check the operation before launching!
A radio with weather band capability is not only recommended for day
operation
but is an essential piece of equipment at night. Those clouds that
look harmless that you see floating over can be hiding a serious storm.
The
whole world could know about it but if you have no means of hearing
the warnings you can be caught by natures worst. First aid kit, basic
tools,
manuals etc. are all recommended.
Navigation tools, which are helpful
in
the daylight, become absolutely essential for safety at night.
Obviously your best choice for nighttime operation would be a GPS.
However, a
compass would be a considerable assistant in the dark. Not only is
everything different out there at night, but also things such as fog
can move
in
with no apparent
warning and without a means of determining direction you are dead
in the water. With both pieces of equipment that are mentioned above,
being completely
familiar with their functions is of extreme importance. A GPS is
a
basically simple piece of equipment but it does take some practice
to use it correctly
and efficiently. It's a little late to start reading the manual
and trying to figure out how the GPS works when trouble raises up to
mar
your trip.
A compass is a very basic piece of equipment, but again to follow
a path and navigate with it does take some practice. For example, did
you
know
that
when you make an initial turn to the left that your compass would swing
right? For someone that has not used the compass this can be very confusing,
especially
when stress adds to your navigational problem. In addition, a compass
only shows direction of travel, not the direction to your destination,
so when
fishing at
night you should already have made the trips during daylight hours so
you know the direction you need to go from your fishing spots back to
the dock.
Not
many lakes have sufficient markers to combine with a chart so pre-locating
and sticking
to those pre-locations for fishing at night is essential for nighttime
fishing.
File a fishing plan with someone so that in event something occurs you
can be found. Of course sticking to that plan is absolutely a must if
it is to
have
any value. Ideally, when fishing at night, make your plan so that you stay
relatively close to the shoreline. However, with practice and experience
you can venture
further and further out without mishap.
In addition to thoughts of safety,
spin your thoughts toward the tackle and equipment that you will be using
to catch
those fish. Some of the products that will help to make you trip more
successful and safer are black lights, florescent lines and there are
even rods with
florescent tips. How these play to safety is that they allow you to visually
stay in contact
with all your tackle and help keep you away from those hooks in the fingers.
You might also consider having your nighttime tackle set up in a separate
box. Getting a hook in the finger is an unpleasant experience but even
more so when
vision is limited. Just a little thought and preparation can greatly
enhance that nighttime experience.
With just a little preparation you
can venture
out in the dark and have a safe and enjoyable fishing experience. Without
this
preparation that adventure can turn into your biggest and darkest nightmare.
The results
can be a simple scare, or quickly turn into total tragedy. It is not
uncommon to hear stories of absolute fantastic times fishing at night.
Be prepared
and have one of those fantastic times
George & Scott
Imagination Bassin Guide Service
Scott 772-370-1607
George 772-370-1606
