Turn you freaking lights OFF

[RIROCKHOUND]

This is a PSA for newer surfcasters/kayakers.
Please turn your 10,000watt necklight away from the water. It was not that dark last night. This holds especially when you are spending 30min re-rigging, facing other anglers and the water. You clearly could have turned away from us and the water, keeping us happy and not spooking what few fish might have been out there Also, if you wear the light around your neck, instead of your head, it will light your feet up, but doesn't move around every time you turn your head. This will keep it out of my eyes when you look over at every one of my casts (that whirring sound is a conventional reel). I also recommend your fishing partner turn his light off when he is just standing and fishing, it will save battery power. I do cherish my night vision.

For my sanity and yours.

The more you know.

Sincerely,
Blinded in Narragansett

[SirWinston]

Dear Blinded in Narragansett.

Thank you for your PSA (correctly spelled I might add!).

It appears that I was fishing in the same place. Definitely seconded. Especially when said Jedi light slinger tromped down to where his 'yak was parked (lighting up the water all along the way) and made sure that his departure was well lit on the water. Which was being fished.

I almost wish that a cast or two had landed on the other side and hooked into the parked 'yak, but that would have probably been bad karma or something......

[RIROCKHOUND]

Yup. My patience won out.
Next time, my 65lb braid and an 80lb leader will be helping me add to my plug collection...
PM sent Jos

[plankton]

It's unfortunate that there is such a lack of common courtesy these days, you have to hope people do these things out of ignorance rather than just being a #^&#^&#^&#^&. To that end, here is another tip for young players, take a red sharpie or other permanent marker and color the lens of your light. Red light will not ruin the nightvision of yourself and those around you and you can see just fine, but turn your back to the water anyways.

[jim sylvester]

did they have a white bucket with them

i guess better than a 1 million candle seach light on the water to see where their chunk splashes

[DZ]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Also, if you wear the light around your neck, instead of your head, it will light your feet up, but doesn't move around every time you turn your head. This will keep it out of my eyes when you look over at every one of my casts (that whirring sound is a conventional reel). Blinded in Narragansett

Good points Bryan - Wearing the light around your neck does seem to be a more "old school" thing nowadays. We always called them necklights not head lights. Does seem like us necklight guys are in the minority. Some places look like they have a bunch of coal miners out fishing.

DZ

[Rockport24]

oh man I hate that! and red lights are the way to go.
I do have to admit that I turn on my white light sometimes when rock hopping from one spot to the next, night vision isn't worth a broken leg to me.
although I do point the light down right at my feet so it doesn't shine on the water or at anybody.

[Circlehook]

I always loose my headlamps, necklights never seem to get lost.

[Sea Dangles]

Lights spook fish= Old wives tale

[piemma]

Originally Posted by DZ

Good points Bryan - Wearing the light around your neck does seem to be a more "old school" thing nowadays. We always called them necklights not head lights. Does seem like us necklight guys are in the minority. Some places look like they have a bunch of coal miners out fishing.

DZ

...and I still wear a necklight on the boat...

[fishaholic18]

Who need light??!!!

[RIROCKHOUND]

Maybe so.
But lights killing my night vision is not an old wives tail

[bassackward]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Maybe so.
But lights killing my night vision is not an old wives tail

That's how I feel as well. I work damn hard to see, just to have some zillion candle-watt light burn my retinas and make me see spots for another 30 minutes.

[TheSurfcaster]

Me, I'm older than dirt and over the years I think the ones flashing their white lights at us just may not have ever been told.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by TheSurfcaster

Me, I'm older than dirt and over the years I think the ones flashing their white lights at us just may not have ever been told.

Welcome to S-B

I have gone from a neck light to a headlamp for a couple reasons but primarily because I think I started bending my teeth from the necklight in my mouth (think reverse braces ) when I'd use it and secondly I was getting tired of hot nights in July with sweat drawing bug spray onto the light and in my mouth.

These days I'm on the head light, I cup the lense as I switch 3 clicks to red and otherwise keep the red light at a minimum and the white light away from the water almost completely.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by JohnR

These days I'm on the head light, I cup the lense as I switch 3 clicks to red and otherwise keep the red light at a minimum and the white light away from the water almost completely.

John, I don't have a problem with headlights. around my neck works better for me, but as long as people don't go all swivel-headed while it's turned on, I don't think it matters where they wear it.
Just keep it out of my eyes!!!

Also, if you are using a penlight style necklight, wrape a bunch of duct tape around the base, much easier on the teeth!

[1dozenraw]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Welcome to S-B


These days I'm on the head light, I cup the lense as I switch 3 clicks to red and otherwise keep the red light at a minimum and the white light away from the water almost completely.

Hey John... just wondering what brand you use. I have always used the $15 Rayovac. Still using a 5 year old one that has gotten soaked several times. Carry a second as a back up and have another unopened. As long as a I spray them with WD40 occasionally they have not failed. They have lousy straps, but mostly like them because they have a red led, white led and a white tungsten position... and the red comes on FIRST. Very good feature. I usually don't go past the red position unless I'm walking or doing a knot. What brand has the red last?

[TheSurfcaster]

[QUOTE=JohnR;593860]Welcome to S-B

Thanks for the 'Welcome', sorry for the slow response but I've been taking advantage of the great fishing

[joe the plumber]

Originally Posted by TheSurfcaster

Me, I'm older than dirt and over the years I think the ones flashing their white lights at us just may not have ever been told.

I agree.This thread is one of the reasons I am on this site.Good stuff here.Unfortunately guy's, I feel as more and more anglers from different cultures are using the water to fish for food this will be a constant issue we will HAVE to contend with.Surfcasters should know better but as I have grown older and my close vision not being what it used to be and having gone from a neck light to a headlight,I still occasionally screw up and leave it on after doing what I have to do while turned away from the water.Its the guy's that rirockhound had to deal with,I hope read this and learn.
On another note.How many of us have been out to SW Point on a real dark night only to have it lit up like a spotlight by some clown who didn't switch down to his parking lights.I'll never believe that doesn't spook fish.Not that I catch any anyway.

[fishpoopoo]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

Maybe so.
But lights killing my night vision is not an old wives tail

[rant on]

white light will most assuredly kill your night vision, and it will take your eyes approximately 45 minutes to recover.

i don't understand folks who are going to the beach with the newer surefire (or similar) high output diode lithium-battery powered flashlights.

these are combat gunfighting lights designed for home defense, law enforcement, and military use. they are OVERKILL for night fishing.

a simple mini-maglite does the job.

and guess what ... if you put a red filter lens on it, you won't kill your night vision.

[/rant]

[Adamfishes]

the lantern is the worst!!

[Pete F.]

I find that I can see much more without a light than with one, but I do use a light to tie knots, walk on rocks that are nowheres near flat and sometimes to check and see if it is a bluefish.

[angler229]

Some people are just totally clueless. Last year I had some people come up behind me with a million candlepower spotlight and shine it on me for 5 minutes to see if I was catching any fish. If I wasn't perched way out on a rock that light would have been on its way to Portugal.

[Adam_777]

Yeah I sport a headlight also.Only using white light for the trip back.I try and get to spot as darkness falls and if I need light to tie knots I use the red option.Saves night vision.If you guys don't have red in your neck or headlights you may want to give it a shot it works good.

[LeCounts1099]

Feel your pain Bryan!


BUT:

You'd figure anyone driving a 4WD vehicle onto a certain Bar at Montauk at 2AM in November would KNOW to not shine his headlights onto the water & on the casters there assembled (to "see" what's going on? )


... but... NO!!!.... Shine on us they must/ do!


These are not illegals/ subsistence Porgy fishermen!


We have met the enemy/ idiots in this regard... & it is (among) us!

[STREETFIGHT]

i've been on the bass the last 5 mornings right at false dawn/first light- they've been rooting sandeels in skinny water and i've been doing pretty well swinging the fly rod for them. this morning i get in the water at 0330 and the fish are right up on the beach when this kid home from school for the summer comes driving over checks my rig on the street and hits it w/ a 10,000 candle power spotlight walks all the way around it shining the light in it- then he hits me and the water w/ the lamp & starts walking down to me hitting me w/ the light the whole time- when i realized it wasnt a cop i almost unloaded on him. the catch was when he says "i take it your fishing?" what a schmuck...

[steve]

I agree with SEA Dangles. I always thought and was taught that lights atnight will spook stripers until I went fishing with the On The Water crew one evening one October night. Safe to say that with two camaras rolling there was alot of light shining on the surf right were we were casting. It didn't seem to bother the fish though as we had two big bass and some smaller ones. I couldn't believe it.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by steve

I agree with SEA Dangles. I always thought and was taught that lights atnight will spook stripers until I went fishing with the On The Water crew one evening one October night. Safe to say that with two camaras rolling there was alot of light shining on the surf right were we were casting. It didn't seem to bother the fish though as we had two big bass and some smaller ones. I couldn't believe it.

I pretty much agree. If the lights ruin the fishing, its only temporary at worst and the fish usually return shortly.
I agree with the hound to the point that its a distraction/pain in the butt. You feel exposed more than anything else.On the beach it used to piss me off because a lot of guys would light you up with their headlights just to see what was going on.I've caught plenty of large fish in the canal standing right under the lights though.
Which lights exactly I can't rememeber.

An enlightening topic nonetheless.

[RIROCKHOUND]

I think my original intent was missed...
I'm not draconian about NO lights, but be reasonable about it.
I try to use it as little as possible. Most of the time I can change eels, tie knots and move w/o but I understand we need lights... I dont have super powers, I was just putting a PSA out to:
A. inform people (especially if they were lurking) to keep lights out of others eyes
B. Let people know a light around the neck is a lot easier to control then on the head...
C. let people know night vision is real; less light use at night makes it easier to see the rest of the time!!!

that being said, last night, I saw the double light... partner hooked up, angler and partners headlight on, PLUS handheld flashlight shining on the fish half the fight...
For a 32" bass.....

[spence]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

I think my original intent was missed...
I'm not draconian about NO lights, but be reasonable about it.
I try to use it as little as possible. Most of the time I can change eels, tie knots and move w/o but I understand we need lights... I dont have super powers, I was just putting a PSA out to:
A. inform people (especially if they were lurking) to keep lights out of others eyes
B. Let people know a light around the neck is a lot easier to control then on the head...
C. let people know night vision is real; less light use at night makes it easier to see the rest of the time!!!

that being said, last night, I saw the double light... partner hooked up, angler and partners headlight on, PLUS handheld flashlight shining on the fish half the fight...
For a 32" bass.....

Not draconian?

Your thread is entitled "Turn you freaking lights OFF!"

I'd say the misspelling as well as unecessary use of the CAPS LOCK key clearly indicate this was more than a PSA, it was a hasty rant to vent your own internalized suffering as a fisherman and place blame on the shoulders of those around you.



-spence