Running Lights @ Night

Question: Do you need to have your Anchor or any lights on when your fishing at night.

The story behind the question: A few weeks back I was comming home late at night on the water. It was like 1am and I was under idle less than 5mph. I had my running lights on as well as my interior LED's My boat was very well lit if you get the point. I see in the distance some Blacklight looking LED's they are very small and are turning off and on. I get pretty close to the lights and the lights are now flashing. Im about 10 to 20 feet away and can now see its a fisherman in the dark and he's stopped right in the main path of boat traffic and he's fishing. He has these glasses that have Blacklight's in them and when I got close this was his way of warning me, flashing his blacklights at me. I was going very slow it was easy to avoid him. As I passed him I said "Hey if you had your anchor light on you wouldn't need to flash your lights at me to try and avoid you" He yells out at me. "Im fishing A-hole you don't need your anchor light". Everyone in my boat started laughing at him and we kept on our way. We just wrote him off as another Doushe Bag that dosent know ••••••• now remember seeing his boat earlyer in the night like at 10pm flying across the lake at 50Mph in the pitch black. So I know he will get his one of these day's. Someone in the boat asked Is that True? can you have your Anchor light off if you are fishing? I was like Hell no. Just cause your fishing dosent mean you can anchor or sit in the darkenss. I hope Im right LOL

I hope your right too. I'm under the impression there is no way in hell you can sit/move anytime after dark without nav lights/anchor lights on.

I believe most states require that the 360* white "Anchor" light be lit while not under way.

It' international law and is incorporated into national marine codes. If you are in a manual powered craft you still need a minimum of a flashlight. If you have an engine you need a minimum of an all around light and if you are above a certain size you need full running lights. It's also illegal most places to fish with a light source.

Your right, he's a douchebag.

Ask your local county sheriff sometime. I ran into a know-it-all on our lake not too long ago too. And come to find out, the sheriff is lookin for the guy so he can set him straight.

I've always herd that underway you need you anchor light and nav lights on, stopped you should have your anchor light on... He will figure it out when he gets plowed into one night.

We were heading back to the ramp around 10 the other night and two kayak guys were crossing the channel without lights, lucky I had the spot light out or I would have ran them over for sure... Morons...

Grant,

I just wrote a lengthy answer to this, but lost it when I went to post it. Here's the short version...

Contrary to popular belief "joe average fisherman" isn't considered a "vessel engaged in fishing" under the International Maritime Organization's Collision Regulations.

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/boating/colregs.html

Rule 3d states, "The term 'vessel engaged in fishing' means any vessel fishing with nets, lines, trawls, or other fishing apparatus which restrict maneuverability, but does not include a vessel fishing with trolling lines or other fishing apparatus which do not restrict manageability."

-> Therefore, your average guy fishing on a lake is considered a powder-driven vessel (PDV) under the rules, and therefore isn't given an "special" consideration because he is "fishing".

As for lights...
Rules 20 - 30 cover it, but basically the shall be exhibited from sunset to sunrise, during periods of restricted visibility, and at any other time deemed appropriate.

In his case, for a PDV less than 50m, he should display one all-round white light as he is at anchor.

If a vessel is "underway", as defined in Rule 3i,(ie not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground) it shall exhibit lights as per Rule 23a or c. Ie. running lights in addition to an all-round white light for vessels <12m.
-> Note that by this definition, you are considered "underway" even if you are drifting.

Hopefully this helps shed some light on the subject! ;)

Cheers

"Ask your local county sheriff sometime."

I have found that some sheriffs are pretty clueless on water regs. Your game and fish or dept of natural resources officer would be a much better source.

Legal or not, common sense would seem to prevail in this situation, but as you noted, his time is probably coming, it is just unfortunate than when it does, he will probably be taking someone some other boat with him.

http://boat-ed.com/fl/course/p4-9_navlights.htm

By AtTheLake (bmartin) on Monday, August 18, 2008
I have found that some sheriffs are pretty clueless on water regs. Your game and fish or dept of natural resources officer would be a much better source.
Wish we had DNR or Fish & Game around here. DNR only shows up on the various reservoirs along the Columbia & Snake rivers. It's a crap shoot where F&G show up. We've never seen either one around here at all.

I thought the lights on a boat were all about the other MOVING boat seeing you. So, this has nothing to do with the speed or "just fishing" state of the other boat.

^ right on. "Fishing" doesn't really matter. he's a vessel on the water. and must diplay the proper signals.

display, that is.

In Arizona you need a light.

ARS 5-333

E. All watercraft, when anchored, other than in a special anchorage area, shall, from sunset to sunrise, carry and display a steady white light visible all around the horizon for a distance of no less than two miles.