LIGHT AT NIGHT

[Peter Sharpe]

When I started carp fishing, to use any form of light at night would have been risking a severe reprimand from anyone else on the water: even lighting a cigarette was to invite shouts of "put that bloody light out". When I was in my teens I could tie a hook at night by the light from a beta light, but these days I need to use a torch. I have a three led headlamp that I bought from Aldi for £4.99, which is brighter than a Petzel Zipka, but it is only for emergencies. I usually bait up with an ordinary torch held in my mouth.

I don't believe that a gentle, static light scares the fish, but it is a great discourtesy to other anglers. If I can be sure there is nobody else who can see it, I sometimes use a small, tea-light candle, heavily shielded to avoid the direct light being visible from the water. I think that on most waters you would be quite rightly thrown off for having a bright Coleman on all night.

 

[ 23. July 2003, 08:30 PM: Message edited by: Peter Sharpe ]

[Excalibur]

We used to use ( on our very lightly fished waters) "stable lamps" which run on paraffin, have an adjustable wick, run all night on a fill,and give a nice gentle light. A mate used a Tilley, and lit up about five miles of canal!

 

FWIW it would seem that a light shone at a low angle onto the water ( ie not penetrating the water but reflected off it ) does not spook the fish. Only when it shines down into the water does it cause problems.

[*Ant*]

Well it would seem I am being chastised (again) for replying to a post and sharing my thoughts.

 

I have never had a complaint from anyone when using my Coleman, probably as there is nobody apart from my brother-in-law within a mile of me fishing. Of course anyone with an ounce of common sense would not fish with the lamp on full power on a packed water anyway!

 

In my experience a light source doesn't put the fish off anyway. You just have to look at the canals, where you have lights from boats, streetlights and from a personal point of view, a very well lit canal side country pub carpark. You can and will catch carp from these areas, I know!

 

The carp brigade in this country can be well OTT sometimes.

[chip]

I've got one of theses cheap and chearful lamps from a camping shop which has 2 settings - 1 quite bright and the other a very low light , I've painted the inside of the lens red apart from a small circle in the middle and this hangs up inside my bivvy and gives enough light for what ever you need

[Peter Sharpe]

I am beginning to wonder if lights do bother fish as much as is sometimes thought, but there are people who seem to be afraid of the dark and try to turn their surroundings into daylight. This definitely ruins the atmosphere for those who really love the experience of just being beside the water at night.

 

If there is nobody else around then you could have a generator and a five million candle power searchlight for all I care.

[Elton]

ajp:

There's some stuff on here worth a look,

 

http://www.traser.com/

Better still, get one of their free catalogues from:

 

http://www.fishingbrochures.com

[Newt]

Lights bother the fish - just the opposite I think.

 

Standard practice for many US anglers who do night fishing is to use a waterproof light in the water.

 

Not sure if the fish think it's the moon or if it attracts bait fish for the larger ones or insects for all of them. But I am sure you can catch more fish.

 

I keep two in my boat. One is white light and designed to release bubbles and rattle a bit. The other is a green tube. Both are designed to run under water and I usually hang them under the boat. Sometimes one or the other does best. Sometimes both.

 

Obviously if I have long casts out for carp or catfish the light has little to no effect on them but I also usually keep a light rod with smaller hook and bait hanging a foot or two off the bottom next to the boat. Something to pass the time while waiting on a run from the bigguns. But have occasionally had a biggun decide the rig next to the boat looked good to eat.

 

Ant - if the light suits you and there is no one else close by, go for it.

[*Ant*]

Thanks for that Newt, REALLY appreciate it!

 

Gonna take a 200w search light and a car battery next time I go night fishing.

 

Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous as carpers moaning about the light emitted from lighting a cigarette. What are the property prices like in your neck of the woods. :mad:

[Newt]

Lots cheaper than over your way. And lower angler density too.

 

Come visit then apply for asylum. If we can get an official person on the case who is also an angler, we can point him to a few threads and you should be a shoo in to have it granted.

[poledark]

I think it was Dick Walker who pointed out that if you keep the light low enough, and the angle narrow enough, then the light from a torch is reflected off the surface of the water, and does not penetrate.

 

"not a lot of people know that"

 

Den