Night Fishing

[Ron Clay]

I have night fished all my life. There is somthing special about the dark hours, the loneliness and solitude of it all, the adreniline pumping sight of a betalight on your rod tip giving an indication of waho is to come.

Yet these days many anglers do not night fish at all. Sure they camp overnight by their rods in a bivvy, but come about 11 pm, they are all snoring away sleeping off the hang-over or so in seems.

Now I love a drop of the hard stuff as much as the next man. But you won't find me drinking booze on a fishing trip.

At night you need to have all your wits about you. I have seen people drowned who have been fishing at night on rivers with dodgy banks. The tidal Trent is typical.

Where are the true night fishers of yesteryear. Those who went around all day in dark glasses so that their night vision is not impaired. Those who slept a whole day bofore the trip so that they could be fully awake in the hours of darkness.

I have recently had two night sessions on the Trent. To get in sleep hours I went to bed at 7pm for two nights before the two trips.

I was fully awake last night and managed 5 barbel, 2 bream and about 15 chub to nearly 4 lbs from the tidal Trent = wonderful.

Putting in "sleep hours" before the trip is the secret.

 

[Murray Rogers]

Just get out there!!!!

I can't fit in the beauty sleep that you do Ron, but I still do it, I just look shite on the bank.

Nothing bettr than hovering over a rod during darkness when all around is quite.

 

[daren heslop]

My first experiences of fishing were at night Ron and its always stuck with me.
At the moment im doing two nighters for carp and most of the fish are coming in daylight while im asleep.At night im sat at the side of my rods.But thats when ive had my two biggest fish.

 

[Stuart Harvey]

I not really a night fisherman although I stay until midnight occasionally.

However it can be a bit dodgy round this way if you are on your own. Only a week ago a lad was night fishing on Furzton Lake which incidentally is where the Ladies World Champs are in 2 weeks time. He was approached by 2 guys who nicked all his gear and managed to beat him sufficiently that he is now in hospital.

 

[Ron Clay]

I have night fished all over South Africa, at times alone and never had a problem, and they say that South Africa has high crime levels.

Mind you I used to carry an electric stun baton, a CF spray AND a .38 Spl Smith & Wesson 2 inch barrel strapped around my ankle.

Never had a problem.

 

[Karl Miles]

I would love to fish at night again, the problem lies with the venues not permitting night fishing.

 

[John Hepworth]

Fellow GCS member Fred"Magic" Sykes used to night fish the Scottish borders rivers when he was working. He would get to the river early evening, fish all through the night up to 5-6-00 AM, and then start to pull teeth at 9-00AM. I often said that I would not have liked to be his first patient in the chair after a night session

 

[John Hepworth]

I really meant the CSG.

 

[leonid gregoryvich]

COMRADE CLAY

I GO FOR WALK LAST NIGHT AND FIND MAN ASLEEP SURROUNDED BY BEER CAN. HAD "CASTLE" WRITTEN ON. HE SNORE VERY MUCH. WAS YOU? I HAD TO DRAG BACK AWAY FROM WATER AS WAS RISING. WAS ORDERING RISING TIDE BACK IN SLEEP. LIKE KING CNUTE.

 

[Murray Rogers]

Here we go!!!!!!

 

[Ian Whittaker]

Top tip,
If you're a sleepwalker you must learn to stay awake whilst nightfishing

 

[Warren 'Hatrick' (Wol) Gaunt]

Yawn

 

[John Hepworth]

All this talk of night fishing brings back memories of fishing loch Maban for the bream in the early 70's. We didn't us bivvies, just large sheets of heavy duty polythene draped over a brolly weighted down at the edges with large stones, if you were lucky the wives cheepo sun lounger, and candles in a jam jar standing on a couple of rocks to see the swing tip. It had an eary comfort about it in the small hours. After sleeping from daybreak up to about 11-00AM we would spend a not unconsiderable amount of time in the pub with Paddy the bailiff. He always maintained that he was a deserter from the Irish army, although I think it was probably one of the many tall stories he used to tell. Unfortunately in common with the experiences many, night fishing some urban venues, especially the rivers, can be quite dangerous these days(during the night). On the rivers in my area we also have the added problem of poaching gangs after sea trout and salmon. On a one to one basis its not that bad, but with half a dozen or more, life gets a little unpleasant.

 

[Dave Rothery]

you seem a bit tired wol, maybe you ought to have an early night with ron?

 

[alan strickland]

just starting fishing for barbel on the day ticket streches of the ribble and found its hard to find a stretch that allows night fishing,Theft from gardens and river side buisnesses put a stop to it.
Always found castle beer to full off gas,think olsons was best beer ive had in SA (or anywhere).

 

[Peter Jacobs]

These days my night fishing trips are usually confined to just a few per year and typically when after Tench.
Although, having had 2 complete sets of rods, reels etc., stolen whilst I've slept in the course of the last 8 years, I now change my approach.
I will fish until say on hour or so after dark, then I move my rods, landing net, scales etc. back inside my bivvy and sleep until an hour or so before dawn. Then I'll resume fishing until the sun gets too high to make it worthwhile.

But you are right Ron, there is a certain "magic" about night fishing.
In my area there are few river venues where night fishing is still allowed, no doubt due to acts of stupidity from a careless few that have ruined this for the majority.

 

[alan outen]

ive gone night fishing every sat night for about the 8 weeks. no early nights and no sleep when fishing. you cant beat watching the sun rise and a nice clear mourning.

 

[Ron Clay]

Leonid,

It was probably Eddie.

Alan,

That is truly fishing magic

 

[Chris Bishop]

I bet a photographer at work he couldn't get the Leonids a few years back and he snapped 'em - pic's now hanging up in our hall.

 

[john conway]

Just a couple of comments: - One, its getting difficult to find day ticket waters, or even clubs who allow night fishing on rivers outside of the 1 hour before dawn and after dusk. Two, in the USA in one state there’s one of these “Megan” type laws, which state that you can be prosecuted for driving if you haven’t slept for more than 24hrs, there was something on the radio about trying to adopt this into British law, this could be interesting for those who night fish? The quick and easy way around this is always carry a sleeping bag in the back of the car, whether you use it or not. OK so I said two but meant three. Three can, anyone tell me which clubs on the Ribble allow night fishing beyond the hour before and after rule? Finally, like Ron I love night fishing for all the same reasons.