Lights and fishing

[Soffit]

When I last fished forty years ago the wisdom was never to shine a light on the water except if the quarry was bream [?] Has the thinking changed?

[ayjay]

When I last fished forty years ago the wisdom was never to shine a light on the water except if the quarry was bream [?] Has the thinking changed?

 

Not for me: although I often used to tench fish successfully with a torch shining onto a piece of white peacock quill, and I've often illuminated barbel with a torch under bridges etc. for several minutes when on the way back to the car, they were more often than not completely unperturbed by the light. (Don't know about the bream).

 

Edit: reading Phone's post reminded me, I used to fish by Hertford football ground at night, when the floodlights were on you could see well enough to trot a float and catch plenty of Chub and Dace.

Edited March 9, 2012 by ayjay

[Phone]

Soffit,

 

We may use light differently? The target is often the third level. The light was used to draw microorganisms. Microorganisms draw bait fish. Bait fish draw target species.

 

Seems I remember a bream diet is from the microorganism level? (that's a question)

 

On many carp commercials (in the US - we call them paylakes) they are lighted to daylight brightness. After aclamating (sp) to being stocked carp are caught with ease.

 

In some states in America the tactic is so successful it is banned by state regulation.

 

Phone

[Soffit]

Soffit,

 

We may use light differently? The target is often the third level. The light was used to draw microorganisms. Microorganisms draw bait fish. Bait fish draw target species.

 

Seems I remember a bream diet is from the microorganism level? (that's a question)

 

On many carp commercials (in the US - we call them paylakes) they are lighted to daylight brightness. After aclamating (sp) to being stocked carp are caught with ease.

 

In some states in America the tactic is so successful it is banned by state regulation.

 

Phone

 

 

Dear Life! Don't you have electricity bills in the states?

[Newt]

Paylakes are gambling pond/puddle carp lakes. Anglers pay a fee for an 8 hour match and there is usually big money to be made if you win hourly or overall. Electricity is a minor expense for the pond owner as the entry fee is substantial ($40-$50 per angler per session was usual on popular paylakes the last time I fished one in about 2004) and the electricity used to aerate the lake is probably a bit more than the cost of the lights. Even in Winter they run the aeraters some and in Summer its multiple bubblers running 7x24. The places are like an overstocked fish tank and way too muddy for any aquatic vegetation to survive.

[Emma two]

There is a commercial fairly close to us which offers floodlit night matches, according to their website the carp feed well under the artificial light.

 

http://www.carletonhillfishery.com/nov_2010.htm