Too close for comfort
 

This week weather has been outstanding for night fishing ( it's about time!)... Wednesday night was no differant... clear moonles skies, light westerly wind ... light surf.. the sox game on playing for the division.... perfect for fishing the beach...my methods of fishing are differant than many...I run the boat tight to the beach ( 2-6' of water) troll with the electric moter and toss eels onto the sand....as the sox prepared to bat in the 12th inning I slid the net under a "filter fish" by this I mean a fish that is 33 1/2 to 33 3/4" long... just under the comercial limt ( most of these fish have battle scars or hooks in their anatomy)as the fish came over the gunnel i see to my horror a boat is bearing down on me at a high rate of speed... I'm in 4' of water all my lights are on ..including a headlamp....I was in the bow of the boat attending to a fish...my signal devise was out of reach... the dark missel turned away close enough for me to touch it with a rod tip.... as the boat sped down the beach( with out lights) , my knees buckled.... my heart pounded and i had to sit.... my mouth had a weird coppery taste...i tried to spit it out...no saliva was available... I DO NOT scare easily... I've had plenty of close calls and awakenings.. this took a few years of of my life... the sox won the game in late extra innings and my knees were still shaking... the 30 minute drive back to the dock seemed like an eternity... at home, although i had only had 16 hours of sleep since Sunday.. sleep would not come... each time i closed my eyes i saw that black missel and the wall of white water from it's wake as it turned just prior to collision... I did not fish last night.. i took a night off ( and slept like a baby!)

Normaly I keep this stuff in my inner circle.. but i feel compelled to tell the event to heighten awareness... I've been just as guilty as many in the past of running and fishing with lights off... mainly in areas where I did not expect another boat to be driving at a fast rate of speed..... not just to conceal my location but on dark nights I can see much better... lucky for me I was lit up... although i think the flash of my head lamp may have saved me a dip in the ocean...had i not been listening to the radio, i probaly would have heard the boat coming and taken some sort of evasive action , sounded the horn or (franticaly) flashed the lights etc...

The US coast gaurd madates we have specific lights on our vessels... no doubt in my mind we ought to use them...you can bet I will...no fish is worth dieing for!

In 2002 My friend Frank was out bass fishing, he also use to shut off the lights when fishing, turned back on when on the move, we all did it!! Well Frank is no longer with us, he was broad sided by a boat that flipped his boat and killed him before he hit the water, Our other friends were in another boat near him and came rushing over pulled in in the boat, tried CPR but it was to late! The CG said he was dead when he hit the water!! I was with him the night before fishing the same water in his boat with him!
He was buried with a rod and a fully charged VHS handheld just incase he wanted to call us!

Holy %$#@*!!!! Glad you are OK.

Damn

scary stuff. When i fish at night i never go solo. Always bring at least 2 other guys with me. I need the extra eyes. I dont trust my eyes alone or my experience. 3 sets of eyes out there goes a long way.

glad you made it out unscathed.... crazy though.

I'm sure clammer saw you before you saw him. :hihi:
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Know the feeling. I put one of those lights on my yak a I use it a lot at night and have had several close calss on the Saco River.I fish close to the jetty and twin island at night as its shallow an has some nice rips. I think the idiots think I'm a channel marker.I now keep a couple of those hand held air horns with me that I can reach. Loud an scarry.

hitting a kayaker is one of my biggest fears running at night. I think it is CRAZY to kayak at night in open navigable water.

i bought a led man overboard light from west marine and mounted it into a pvc pipe that will slide down into my rear rod holder. . The insane part about people who kayak fish at night is when they use their red lights on their head lamps. at night, it can easily be confused with a red can or red nun and boats will head right for you...

my light is white and is very bright, but does not shine its beam on me at all... gives a nice ambient glow on my deck.

Being run over is my biggest concern when i fish off of newport, especially around castle hill...

Mine too... when the fishing is hot on Joppa.. some nights there may be 50 of them... in tight to the grass..I'm expecting them... but I never expect them in the channel at 2 AM... most dont realize we cant see them that low to the water( when they don't even have a head lamp lit) anthing slightly above head way speed..their savoir are the ones that do realize it and put flags up or high lights... those that fish the river often, know the back ground lights... any light out of place catches our attention... it's the " budweiser bangers" that only fish on week ends I worry about hitting them the most...

I've been through alot in the 42 years I've fish for bass at night... swampings... getting fired up onto the sand(beach) by a "rouge" wave... haveing to get into the water to cut an illeagal gill net( floater set for bass) from my prop before the boat gets dragged down by the stern.. I've been over board twice... once to save a man after a boating accident... once while clearing the deck with a tuna on... neither times I had a life jacket on... another thing i now faithfully wear( BTW... both I and the tuna which i was NOT fighting got landed).....it takes alot to raise my blood pressure.. this one rattled my cage..I know this much.. as the boat sped away.. the motor had a very distinct sound... much differant than any i have ever heard... I'm thinking inboard center console... should we meet again.. there will be a reconing....

My inlaws have a place on the water on twin Island road... I actualy did well from the shore there Sat. and sunday morning.. nothing large.. but fun....

Wow! Sounds pretty horrible, glad you are OK.
I don't think I would want to witness the reckoning if/when you run into this guy..

On kayaking at night - I don't do it often, but when I do, I drink Dos Equis...
no really, always have a bright white light on a poll and a flag. I stay very close to shore in areas that would be difficult to navigate in a boat, but there are boats around and this story really makes me think twice about it.

Holy crap Joe
that is very scary stuff
glad they veered off and it sucks it even happened
anyone running at speed at night needs their eyes wide and paying attention at all times, you sure have your share idiots up that way.

I hope your blood pressure is back to normal now

Thanks Bruce.. I slept like a bably last night... the Idiots are everywhere...not just up my way... although it seems during the selling season every moron with a low IQ and a motor boat thinks they are going to get rich fishing bass... I suspect after Sunday i wont see another boat outside the river until next july... I know what they were doing.. they were running tight trying to push fish out of the wash... watching for the comet trail in the fire... I think they came up on me faster than they anticipated... lights are brand new this season... even legal 2 mile vis ones.. no excuse for their carelessness......you know the area's I fish.. it very rare to see another boat.. ( except during the silly season)

so when does the ANGER kick in..... Joe
?

Glad you're OK Joe.

Hopefully fish gods shine upon you for your trouble.

no anger.... 20 years ago... I would have made chase and hunted them down like a wounded buck.... I'm older and wiser now...not quite as fit as I once was... but should we ever cross paths agian... I'll sink a gaff into his nut sack and start twisting until he says he's sorry!

Glad your O K Joe.
I had one of those million candle power spot lights for such times as well as moving around at night but the darn thing took a swim and alas doesn't work anymore.

You're going to have to write your close call down in your book of life and go back to fishing.
Thanks for sharing and catch a big one

Wow. Glad you're ok. I've seen boats running dark a few times lately and it pisses me off they're willing to endanger everyone.

JESUS CHRISTMAS!!!!!! I'm wincing just reading that.

Had 2 of then at false dawn last week cutting across from Prudence to the North end of Jamestown in a 2 foot chop. Lucky for them the area is lousy with lobster traps so I am always vigilant looking for buoys.
BTW, no lights on either of them.

YAKS .......IMO are the most deadly way to fish for bass /:fishin:

Including yo/yo / wire / & depth chargers /:wall:

But they are 1 of 2 reasons why I very seldom fish at night any longer .......... I really enjoyed night fishing . the surrounding . the stars , sky , etc

BUT in My honest opinion too many Yakers have a death wish or they really think they are invincible .

low lights , dark hull , small chop or rollers .......... it doesn,t matter that your close to shore 5-7' deep , I,m bouncing off rocks INSIDE of you ;;

Its difficult enough to see u in the day / as you cross in the middle of the bay / between the sun / glare & waves its a fuc kin wonder there arn,t more death trips .

I,m Guilty of no lights when fishing & {some] times when running . just for better night vision :smash:

slinging eels is now pretty much a memory / all good things come to a end .......I just hope yours isnlt a crashing,,final end ><><><><>:confused::fishin:

I agree, which is why on these types of sites I try to emphasize thinking about safety when kayak fishing, but that sometimes isn't taken all that seriously unfortunately.

Quote: I know what they were doing.. they were running tight trying to push fish out of the wash... watching for the comet trail in the fire...
Un-quote.
That’s a Technique from the old days.

Advice etched in our memories from out trainers and mentors. We knew better!

Ray Moulton called them cardinal sins.
Advice given to us by friends who cared about us because they had been their!
Ray Moulton said you never eat in a boat. It’s a cardinal sin. The fish will always take that moment to hit your bait.
Ray Pike told me this one which I have always guarded with great respect.
NEVER PUT YOUR HEAD DOWN! ALWAYS STAY ALERT!
Angie Scala was NO RADIOS!!!
No lecture from me I have committed all of the sins above and more.
I have been terrified more than once in the Mouth of the Merrimack.
My boat has been in every position imaginable except upside down.
Currier can speak to that one.
Joe I cannot tell you how happy I am you are ok!
The advice was given to us for a reason. Many told me to stay out of the mouth of the river.
It’s still the one I cannot adhere to even till this day!

save your lecture Leo...I've saved the Bacon( and a dozen others) of every one you mentioned... all were fortunate i was around... Ray Pike would probably be in nova scotia somewhere if i hadn't towed he and Randy to the safty of the North jetty when he wrapped an entire shot of wire and half his dacron around his prop... lucky for him I had my radio on.. that was years before you started fishing with him... I pulled Ray Moulten and Bob Stott off of emerson Rocks on a dropping tide.. that could have been ugly... I pulled them of of Jergals bar when they mis read the wave action and set that 23' North American right on top... to this day i never said a word about either incedent... Angie.. too many bacon saving incedents to recall half of them... besides leading him home when he was lost in the fog ( when all we had was compasses and flasher units) I've pulled him out the soup when he lost his prop to the rocks( half tide rocks).. I've towed him in when he ran out of fuel...he's a fine example of a responsible skipper... There are very few left alive that know the area as well as I do.. save the lecture for those that might need it...I've got more experience than you do...ALOT more.. things will happen when you spend as much time on the water as I have... the one time I ever needed help ( drive shaft sheared off in the power head) no one would answer the radio beause they were PO'd i was taking fish and not talking .. I had to ditch/anchor the boat and swim to shore ( the wind turned east and put the boat upside down on the beach overnight)...I've learned to take care of myself....I'll accept the well wishes but save the lecture for those that have far less experience and maritime knowledge than me..it does not apply in my case... Everything I was doing was by the book..last i knew... it wasn't against the law to fish alone.. something I have done my entire life...or look down at a hooked fish.. ...especialy in a flat sea when every damn light in the boat was on.. that includes a lED white head lamp AND the cockpit lights..almost getting run down once in 42 years aint a half bad record ..not with the hours I put on the water...in another 42 I'll be 100...not likely to be fishing alone... or fishing at all..again.. I only posted his for the benefit of others.. not to tell my lifes history.. it aint anyones buisness... but if I can save one accident or maybe even a life then it was worth the trouble...

Hey Raven...I found the anger!

That's the way I wanna go when it's my time.

Glad you're ok
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

WOW! Glad you're ok buddy. I've heard from tons of people how dangerous not only the tides but the idiot boats up that way can be. Glad your ok, I would have been washing the deck from my mess after that close of a call!

Jesus, I still can't believe how many boats have started to run up the beach at speed with no lights on in the past 3 or 4 years. We saw at least 3 in 2 hrs the night before. There is a new generation of plain old fn stupid out there!

Glad you made it back to the marina with your hide intact.



I don't think I could stand walking by another empty spot in that damn place this year.

That is a bad situation and glad you are okay ... uncool is an understatement ... as for Joppa ... it can be a most dangerous place to be ...

... after the hacks drift down to Woodman, they power up and run full throttle at night without lights to the opposite side of the flat ... there have been instances where we were almost run over while we had ample lighting on ... could only pray for any kayakers around ... at night in the kayak out there, I always carried a mag light to shine if I feared getting run over ...

... not to mention that the water isn't all that deep on the flat and a couple of boats repeatedly running full bore over the flat cannot help the fishing ...

Complete idiocy