A few points to cover so please bear with me.
First of all I wasn?t considering long stay carp anglers when I posted, I think I mentioned that but not sure. Whether right or wrong on large waters containing large carp this is an accepted way of life. Plenty of water to go at even if some swims/areas are better than others. As most of you know I use bivvies in summer quite often when bream fishing so I?m certainly not against night fishing or long stay fishing, if I had the time I?d do a bit more myself. But I?m damned sure I wouldn?t do it in spots that some do, whatever the potential rewards.
With regard to rivers, I?m not even thinking about anglers hogging swims, they do, it?s selfish but that wasn?t my point. My point was even if night fishing is allowed, and an angler decides for whatever reason he?s going to camp in THAT swim till he catches THAT fish then he should be, at the very least discreet. Anyone who believes that putting a bivvy on a river, for 2-3 days a week, for 25-30 weeks a year isn?t going to contribute to getting night fishing banned is either thick of thick skinned. Because day anglers, pleasure anglers whatever you wish to call them will get pi55ed off with it and complain to the committee until it?s banned. This WILL happen, make no mistake. And no matter how many times the person in question tells himself he isn?t affecting anyone?s fishing he is totally and utterly wrong.
Now the angler who fishes for a discreet couple of hours into dark with just his rods and maybe a brolly/brotel against the elements will appear to most to be fishing a couple of hours into dark and no-one usually objects to that. If he chose to stay all night then again, it?s discreet and will not attract unwanted attention. Do you see where I?m coming from with this now Stu ?
On the subject of breaking the rules a little then if I?m honest Stu I?d say yeah, it is OK. I don?t believe that is double standards because my post and hence my point isn?t really about breaking rules its doing something that affect/detracts from other anglers. I?m a member of a couple of clubs that don?t allow night fishing, but in both cases I have spoken to the bailiff?s who tell me the committee have instructed them to turn a blind eye to anyone fishing a few hours into dark as they don?t have a problem with this. What they are actively trying to discourage is bivvys appearing on their water.