Night time kayak fishing safety

ZachYak

Senior Member
Like the last safety article I wrote, I think this article is too important for my fraction of a cent per view so I’m going to post it in its entirety. If you feel compelled to view it in the article view you can do that HERE. But what I want more than anything is for everyone to read this and be a little bit safer out on the water.

Night time is the right time for many anglers to test their skill on the water during the summer months. The water cools and many fish move to shallow waters to feed. Kayak anglers can capitalize on the prime time safely, but extra measures should be taken to ensure you make it on to fish another day.

Bare Essentials:

• White Light – Kayaks less than 16 feet (Class A boats) are only required to have a flashlight or lantern shining a white light at all times between sunset and sunrise. Kayaks 16 feet long or longer are required to have a white light that shines 360 degrees. Kayaks under power of a motor are also required to have red and green navigation lights.

Though the majority of kayaks aren’t required to have an all around light, it is a very good idea to have a high powered all around light mounted as high as feasibly possible over your kayak. The Yak Attack VISIPole is a great product I would recommend to anyone planning to fish at night.

Extras:

• Reflective tape & Bungees – other boats are going to have a hard time seeing brightly colored shirts and kayaks at night, so reflective materials are your best bet at additionally catching the eye of other boaters if they miss your light. Reflective tape can be put nearly everywhere, on your light pole, on your kayak, on your paddle, on your hat, etc. Certain PFD’s also come with reflective material in the straps and I would highly recommend that as a feature to look for in picking out a PFD.

• Navigation tools – Anything from a compass to a GPS can be your best friend while night fishing. It’s very easy to lose your bearings on a dark lake and these items can help you find your way back to the ramp.

• Shop glasses – Clear glasses used in a shop or laboratory is a safety item often overlooked by anglers. A hook to the eye has the high probability of leaving you blind. At the very least it will create a very hard time for you getting off the water and leave you a steep hospital bill once you get there.

Along with those items, be sure you’re carrying a ditch bag and the other required and recommended items described in this article. Also be sure to be completely aware of your surroundings. No matter how many precautions you take, kayaks will be difficult to spot. Hug the bank whenever possible and keep your head on a swivel!
 
Never can be too careful

Yak fisher man was hit not hurt in early morning haze as bass boat hole shot out of a cove and turned around a point,
 

Randy

Senior Member
Personally, I stay off the big lakes at night. If I do fish at night it is a small lake or pond or river where big boats are not allowed. And if I fish at night it is near shore.
 

Lawnmowerman

Senior Member
A waterproof bag filled with extra emergency stuff you might neeed. Clothes, battereis, emergency blanket etc.

Oooohhhh,, A "Dry Bag",,, :O
Bought the 30 liter bag so I could put EVERYTHING in there,,:cool:
 

willyredeemed

Senior Member
even on a boat, night fishing can get kind of scary. if i ever do any night fishing, it will be near the shore and away from big boat traffic.
 

Gordon

Senior Member
Night fishing is NOT scary. Just make sure you are safe and taking all nessesary precautions.

Fishing on Allatoona in the summer at 2pm IS scary.
 

Randy

Senior Member
Night fishing is NOT scary. Just make sure you are safe and taking all nessesary precautions.

Fishing on Allatoona in the summer at 2pm IS scary.

Scary is not the word. I prefer Dangerous. We have had more than one kayaker nearly run over during the daytime and at least two at night.
 

Laneybird

Senior Member
Glad this thread has come up! While fishing a Fri night tx on Jackson last year, my partner and I proceed to exit a cove, at the mouth. Partner gets on plane and turns right. I look to the left and to my surprise, there's a yak 20' from me. No lights except the light from his depth finder! We go up river just a short way and here he comes, a good cast away from the bank. Partner proceeds to use his trolling motor to go out to him. Explains the dangers of no lights and all the tx boats that run up and down the river. Reply was I'm not going far, I'll be alright. I looked at him and told him we almost hit you and did not even see you until we had just passed you. No reply!!!

For the sake of your family...get some lights up!

Lane
 

brett30030

Senior Member
Even with lights, you are nuts to be on public water in a kayak at night. There are just too many dummies out there, and too many things that can go wrong.
 

gabulldog

Member
being on most lakes in a yak anytime is down right dangerous heck being on toona in any boat can be too sometimes
 

ZachYak

Senior Member
Yes it can be dangerous no matter what (short of a spotlight mounted to the yak). Doing it without the required equipment is downright irresponsible and for lack of better words stupid.

People are going to do it either way, I feel "abstinence only" is not the right way to approach things like this. I hope these articles help people make the best decisions out on the water and hopefully serve as a friendly remind to all boaters to stay aware and stay safe at all times when operating a boat.


:fine:
 
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