LIGHTS PLEASE.

[jsondag]

The boating laws in Minnesota require a boater to have a bow and a stern light lit while the boat is occupied at dusk until after sunrise.

There have been way too many close calls this and last season. Sooner or later when your little headlamps pop on it will be too late.

The fish aren't afraid of your boat light and if you are gonna fish at night you're just going to have to deal with the bugs.

My boat's fully insured is yours.

[DHanson]

Yes, lights are important. I see a lot of people fishing without them, one reason why I drive much slower at night. I don't trust random people on the lake. That, and I have seen some crazy stuff at night. Like random boats floating across the lake with nobody in them at night. Assuming they drifted away from someones dock? Or the random anchored big boat sleeping with their significant other on the lake overnight with one tiny light on that blends in perfectly with the lights on shore in the background. Although you are right Jerry, I suggest you drive much slower at night because it only takes one time and it could be a life changing incident.

[jsondag]

Just to clarify I do slow down at night - Quite a bit. But... Accidents happen even at slower speeds.

[Neighbor_guy]

That is true, you need to turn on your lights, that is all there is to it.

Boats don't have headlights and not to many scan ahead with a spotlight or flashlight. Mabe we should?

When I am out well past dark I have found my head lamp will catch reflectors very well, but if the numbers are painted on I dont catch them. Just turn on the lights and we all know were everyone else is.

You are not fooling anyone or giving up your spot, by turning on or not turning on your lights.

[JRedig]

Amen.

This is why I run using a 15 million candle power beacon much of the time.

Totally worth the $5 I got it for!

[RK]

Amen.

This is why I run using a 15 million candle power beacon much of the time.

Same here. I had a REALLY close call a few years ago that still makes me shiver when I think about it. (I nearly t-boned a pontoon full of people out with no lights on...). Ever since - nearly always have the spotlight on checking ahead of me now and then, and go just fast enough to stay on plane.

As Jerry said - be safe out there. Your secret spot or a few bug buzzing around aren't worth getting run over...

[copterjohn]

And do some shallow S turns to make sure you don't run somebody over so you can see directly in front of the bow. Tonight I found a teenage kid rowing back in after dark in a unlit 14 footer. Ugh, would have been bad, but the near full moon provided some light.

[harvey lee]

I run a 40 miilion candlepower flood and a 1 million spot on the front of the boat. if your coming at me, I need to turn the larger one of or you may hit me as it would blind you.

Yes, all should have some type of lighting if you're fishing after dark for the safety of all.

[john skarie]

Had a real close call a couple of years ago with a fellow MI club member.

I was fishing near the access on our local muskie lake. I went to start my motor and my battery was near dead. Not really thining about it I hit my main power button to provide a little more juice to my motor. I had my headlight on and stupidly didn't even realize I had put out my running lights.

about 30 seconds later I realized a boat was coming straight at me heading toward tha landing. I realized my lights were off and hit them back on just in time so I didn't get nailed.

The Other boat was close enought that I could see my buddies face as he ran around me.

JS

[mrklean]

would be nice if everyone thought safety first wish everyone a safe season

[Shawn Kellett]

Jerry, come out to Tonka some night. Your lights don't mean a thing. Even when you blaze someone with a 3mil spotlight they don't always see you through their "haze".

One night before I got the battery powered spotlight I had one boat that almost got me. I had actually dropped my rod and was running off the back before he turned off about 10 yrds from me.

[JimBuck]

I had a close call last week. Running back to the landing last week on W. and a pontoon full of people is anchored out in the middle of nowhere with no lights. Turned my tiller as hard as I could to avoid them at 30mph. I gave a few words of encouragement, whipped the sweat off my forehead and continued back slooowly. Just because you live on a lake doesn't mean you own it or can bend the rules. Stay safe guys.

[nater]

I've been lucky enough not to see anyone camped out on the middle of the lake without lights to be worried about this, but have been hearing more and more of this. I better use the spotlight and keep the speed down even with the comfort of GPS navigation. Good thread.

[brmuskie]

I pray that nobody has an unfortunate accident because of someone else not turning on their lights at night.

The other thing about no lights at night that frives me nuts is when you are driving across the lake to go and fish a spot and just before you get there you see the boat lights flash on. People think that because they are fishing a shoreline that nobody will run them over but they aren't being considerate to the others that thought nobody was fishing there so decided to drive across the lake to go and fish only to find out that someone is there.

[jsondag]

Almost T-boned a troller with no lights this evening.

[JRedig]

Almost T-boned a troller with no lights this evening.

That's funny, me too! Ok not really funny. I yelled at a couple boats who didn't have their lights on tonight.

I'd LOVE for someone to explain this to me...

ME:

"Hey you should really have your lights on."

THEM:

"Why? I live on the lake, [PoorWordUsage] off and leave me alone. I can fish how i want too."

ME:

"You are an [PoorWordUsage]"

And I motored away baffled. Just what does it have ot do with ANYTHING whether or not you live on the lake? Someone please explain this to me...

[JimBuck]

We must run into the same type of schmucks out there JRedig. It's numbingly stupid of these people to think that just because they live on the lake that they can motor around without lights on. Its like driving through your neighborhood at night and thinking it's alright to just turn off your lights because it's "your neighborhood." I like to put these types of people in the (20-million candlepower) spotlight for a few minutes and laugh it off.

[ole matty]

People r [badWordUsage] stupid......sooner or later some1 going get killed over no lights....I don't want to go heaven because I ran over some boat w. No lights and I got killed .. Would rather to be dying in warm toasty comfty bed when I m 90 with grizzly mint in my mouth..

[MuskieJunkie]

ME:

"Hey you should really have your lights on."

THEM:

"Why? I live on the lake, [PoorWordUsage] off and leave me alone. I can fish how i want too."

ME:

"You are an [PoorWordUsage]"

That made me laugh.

Side note: when you quote someone you can see what words were [poor word usuage]

[urban cowboy]

some guys only have their front lite on and at the wrong angle you cant see them....

Please use both

[scsavre]

Jerry, i hear ya,

a neighbor of mine, so not too far from your place. actually got run over last year. He had his lights on (not sure of quality), but a huge wakeboarding boat full of kids smashed into him at night. Ripped the whole back end off his boat off, motor and all. He ended up with quite a few stiches, and ofcourse a brand new boat this year. I believe the kids hit him right by a big point and said they never saw him due to all the cabin lights.

Another guy got hit by a jet ski at night. ...

With all the boats on our lake, its safe to say we are not going anywhere too fast at night. I give most boats i see a quick shot with the spotlight. just to make sure they me.

[JRedig]

Watched some guys wakeboarding at 11pm last night and every 10 minutes someone on a jetski (with no lights going about 50mph) was going out and plowing around.

Made appropriate phone calls, nobody showed up. Be careful everyone, use your horn and the brightest light you can buy.

[50inchpig]

Good numbers to have on the water:

Ramsey Co Sheriff: 651-266-7300

TIPS: 1-800-652-9093

911

Hennepin Co sheriffs don't list a good number for patrol on their HSOforum that I could find.

[pikedreams]

When I'm on Tonka after dark (especially the weekends) besides my running lights I've gotten in the habit of adding a coleman lantern to the boat. I fold down the middle seat and set it on top. It's amazing how "night blind" some people can get. I've had lots of near misses before I started doing that.

[JRedig]

Yet again last night. I almost hit a guy with an aluminum 15 footer or so, bow light, no stern and all the weight in the back. When he was going forward, the bow was so high you couldn't see the bow light if he was coming at you...

Towed a sailboat back to it's marina too, after sunset these guys were going to paddle their boat from the launch back to the marina without any lights...you have to be kidding me. Hopefully karma will hook me up on that one!!

Cell phones don't float BTW...need to find an aqua view...heh.