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What are your opinions on night fishing ?

Andrew Boyne said:
The vast majority of my fishing is done in daylight hours, simply because i enjoy it more. For me, one of the great joys in angling is being out on the banks, amongst nature, watching the wildlife. Pretty hard to do that in the dark!

I've nothing against those who fish in the dark, i do it myself from time to time, particularly at this time of year. I don't agree that night fishing makes barbel harder to catch, my thoughts are similar to Crooky's. I fish a river that see's a lot of barbel anglers on the banks, the vast majority fish the evening into dark. The barbel are very catchable during daylight hours - and a lot easier to spot. ;)
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Im with u andrew most of my fishing is in day light but this time of uear its into dark because when i finish work it is dark i do like fishing over night in the summer aswel night fishing shouldnt be banned.
 
I fish leeds waters for most of my barbel fishing. This was primarily a match club and so nite fishing is banned on rivers! Things do seem to be changing though with lots more (specimen) anglers. Nearly all the stretches I fish are heavily over grown and no longer suitable for match fishing. The club now allows nite permits for the carp boys on lakes so think it's about time they did the same for us. I mainly fish the wharfe and would say at least 80 percent of my fish come at dusk!
 
They very reason I don't have a Leeds book Karl. The Tees Association have a 7am till 11pm rule due to most of it's waters being rented from shooting estates and to me that works well, though I admit the 7am could restrict those who fancy a dawn raid in the summer.
 
As a member of the Green,i really appreciate that the times you have to vacate the fishery have been extended. This means i can blank for longer but don't get caught up in the rush hour traffic on the return journey home (Cheers Kieth).
As highlighted by previous posters, i believe that most anglers fish nights for convenience. Having said that, i also enjoy the atmosphere at night, e.g the spectacular night skys,the nocturnal creatures & the moment when the beta light whips round. Which is all too rare,alas.
Kind Regards
Andy
 
Similarly confused, Alex :)

My club has a current ban on night fishing, however I'm of the opinion it should be lifted primarily because a presence on the bank would deter night-time poachers - of which there are many. It's been said that the ban is down to the cost of insurance, though I'd happily sign a disclaimer that puts the responsibility back onto me (where it should be).

On the general issue though, I really don't see the point in a ban.
 
I personally think any club allowing night fishing, should have restrictions on its members allowed to night fish. By this I mean;
Are they mature enough? no parties, etc, Limited tickets available per night only for responsible anglers.
Do they have adequate kit for night fishing. lights, bivvy, clothing etc
Do they profess enough quailities as anglers to be allowed to night fish etc.
Just a couple of points to stop the applaurable things that happen on day ticket/members only stretches that I have seen. such as;
shouting all night, drinking, defecating in the pegs, smoking pot, going to bed with the rods out all night, freezing to death, having no respect for the surroundings and other anglers, bonfires including burning their bivvies, litter, leaving 30 empty tins of beer in the undergrowth and the biggest thing being complete W##kers.

Once they/you have found the respect of fellow anglers and bailliffs etc, then they should be able to night fish. I am not knocking night fishing at all, but standards need to be achieved.

Jon
 
ever since my 1st night fishing started i have loved the quietness, the shadows and most of all how really light the dark nights are, the mysterious
sounds that once explained are now embraced as knowing what makes them and why, everything seems that much more peaceful at night, all this will hopefully be enjoyed by my grandsons as i have done:)
on some waters there is a problem but mostly due to non-fishing persons
either high or drunk or just bent on couldnt care less actions, several spots on my favourite river the Thames has this unfortunately but holds much more
unspoilt parts too, :):)
 
Jon, why only standards for night fishing, plenty of angling crimes committed during daylight too.... litter, mishandling fish, misuse of bait etc
 
Jon Frisby said:
I personally think any club allowing night fishing, should have restrictions on its members allowed to night fish. By this I mean;
Are they mature enough? no parties, etc, Limited tickets available per night only for responsible anglers.
Do they have adequate kit for night fishing. lights, bivvy, clothing etc
Do they profess enough quailities as anglers to be allowed to night fish etc.
Just a couple of points to stop the applaurable things that happen on day ticket/members only stretches that I have seen. such as;
shouting all night, drinking, defecating in the pegs, smoking pot, going to bed with the rods out all night, freezing to death, having no respect for the surroundings and other anglers, bonfires including burning their bivvies, litter, leaving 30 empty tins of beer in the undergrowth and the biggest thing being complete W##kers.

Once they/you have found the respect of fellow anglers and bailliffs etc, then they should be able to night fish. I am not knocking night fishing at all, but standards need to be achieved.

Jon
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Blimey Jon, what are you lot like mate....we are all ever so well behaved down here, cough :p Seriously though, it is all down to lack of supervision isn't it? Greedy clubs who just want to take as much money in club cards/day tickets as they can....then stay well away and let them all get on with it as best they can. If you give some guys an inch, they will take a mile. Let them know that nobody cares, no one will do anything about bad behaviour, whatever they do.....and you WILL get anarchy.

For several immensely enjoyable years I fished a tiny lake (3 1/4 acre) which had 30 or so truly stunning old English Leney strain carp swimming in it. Sadly for them, some of these venerable old carp started reaching huge weights, mid 30's to low 40's (one eventually topped 50lbs) these were carp with history, some over 30 years old....which bought our tiny club lake to the attention of a smashing young fella who is one of the biggest names in carp fishing.

All may still have been well, had the young chap NOT decided to write a top selling book and mention our lake in glowing terms in it :rolleyes: What happened next can well be imagined....anglers from as far afield as your neck of the woods and all over the show were turning up on a regular basis. A water which we always thought closed up shop (fish wise) when more than 4 anglers were present now regularly had 24 on....7 days a week :eek: What made matters worse was the type of anglers now fishing....another very well known carper used to turn up with sack barrow loads of canned cider, and drunken parties became the norm.

Eventually the club came to it's senses, and anglers had to live within 15 miles of the water to become a member. Sadly, that was too late for a lot of the bigger carp, who are no more. But it goes to show what greed and lack of supervision, and just ONE rogue angler can do to a water of that size. I guess all good things come to an end....just a shame those fish didn't have a happier one :(

Cheers, Dave.
 
Nature would never strive to a static situation, it's always in motion, and as much as the time comes when the sun will set, so too must the time when we should no longer fish - it's good for us, and it's good for the fish!
Fish being able to feed when the anglers leave should be cause for joy, not a cause for us to apply more presure to them in order that we fulfill some misguided desire that says having everything we can't have is good for us!
I love not being able to fish, it leaves me time to look forward to when I can.


Damian
 
And for us who can only fish at night Damian what then mate, do we find another passion?

Family and work dictate when i can fish and that is more often than not after dark, if daylight hours where the only time i could fish then i would be forced to hang my rods up.
 
Do you think I am silly enough to suggest you find another pastime Tom?
Daylight hours are markedly reduced during the winter months and the frustration given you by daylight only hours fishing would be understandable. Let's just say for arguments sake that a restriction on the hours one can fish is a good thing.

I don't know who's trying to impress anyone, David, if it's one's opinion is this not the place to express it?


Damian.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
Nature would never strive to a static situation, it's always in motion, and as much as the time comes when the sun will set, so too must the time when we should no longer fish - it's good for us, and it's good for the fish!
Fish being able to feed when the anglers leave should be cause for joy, not a cause for us to apply more presure to them in order that we fulfill some misguided desire that says having everything we can't have is good for us!
I love not being able to fish, it leaves me time to look forward to when I can.


Damian
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Is this really Damian, or Paul Boote using his login :D
 
It's with some trepidation that I post on here, David, expressing such views, as even with minimal wisdom one can see they'd be unpopular, with Ian's post however, it might time to start thinking about hanging up the keyboard. :)
 
Damian, if it gives you pleasure to be denied fishing when you'd like to, i.e. makes you look forward to when you can go, then that's fine. Do it. It's called practising self denial. Suggesting we should all adopt the same approach is called preaching.
 
Damian Kimmins said:
It's with some trepidation that I post on here, David, expressing such views, as even with minimal wisdom one can see they'd be unpopular, with Ian's post however, it might time to start thinking about hanging up the keyboard. :)
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Don't do that Damian, your views are as valid as anyone else. You write well and make some interesting points. We need a mix of contributors on this site and they should be allowed to voice their concerns without ridicule. I know, I have been a victim in the past. On the post itself, it would seem that a consensus of opinion is forming. Definitely no bivvies over night as this attracts the wrong type of chap, fishing a couple of hours into darkness would be perfectly acceptable. Those who bivvy all night should really be at home otherwise there may be some scoundrel bivvying up with the wife. We don't have to fish at all possible opportunities, a little restraint sharpens up our desire. There are plenty of jobs to do around the home for idle hands rather than taking the easy option of reaching for the fishing kit.
 
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