Midnight yakkin'

[Eskimo]

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I can see advantage of night fishing, I just hate the mosquitoes. And I don't want to get eaten by a bear.

Some waterways are crazy in the daytime. This weekend I had to pull out my Storm whistle and blow it at some rental boats. There were three boats with about six amigos in each of them following each other close to the shoreline. When they got within 40 yards of me I couldn't tell if they all could see me or if I was about to get run over. I pulled out my whistle and gave them two loud toots. They all passed by within 20 yards of me. Way too close.

If any kayaker doesn't own a Storm whistle or something similar, I highly recommend buying one. They're loud as hell.
http://www.amazon.com/All-Weather-Wh...+storm+whistle


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[Skunk City]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

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I can see advantage of night fishing, I just hate the mosquitoes. And I don't want to get eaten by a bear.

Some waterways are crazy in the daytime. This weekend I had to pull out my Storm whistle and blow it at some rental boats. There were three boats with about six amigos in each of them following each other close to the shoreline. When they got within 40 yards of me I couldn't tell if they all could see me or if I was about to get run over. I pulled out my whistle and gave them two loud toots. They all passed by within 20 yards of me. Way too close.

If any kayaker doesn't own a Storm whistle or something similar, I highly recommend buying one. They're loud as hell.
http://www.amazon.com/All-Weather-Wh...+storm+whistle


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Ahh come on, it's not that scary! Bugs aren't an issue if you have a red light on your headlamp. The only thing that "scares" me out there at night are drunken boaters and tail-slapping beavers lol. Hundreds of night trips and only 1 Bear encounter to speak of. Paddling back to my truck one spring night on LH, I had a Bear blocking me from entering the small backcove where I launched the yak. My yelling, clapping and paddle slapping had no affect on it, it just stood there in the water for what felt like an eternity, until a loud Honda Civic drove passed and spooked him.

[logs22]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

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I can see advantage of night fishing, I just hate the mosquitoes. And I don't want to get eaten by a bear.

Some waterways are crazy in the daytime. This weekend I had to pull out my Storm whistle and blow it at some rental boats. There were three boats with about six amigos in each of them following each other close to the shoreline. When they got within 40 yards of me I couldn't tell if they all could see me or if I was about to get run over. I pulled out my whistle and gave them two loud toots. They all passed by within 20 yards of me. Way too close.

If any kayaker doesn't own a Storm whistle or something similar, I highly recommend buying one. They're loud as hell.
http://www.amazon.com/All-Weather-Wh...+storm+whistle


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I just got my first yak last week and took it out on Rahway River last night paddling from Sperry Park in Cranford all the way to the deep pool just north of Boulevard in Kenilworth (next time I am going to launch there and see if I can paddle up to where the river goes under Rt. 22). I have always loved night fishing but I honestly don't think I will ever go back to beating the banks, at least not at night. Being in a boat I can access areas I never could before and I also don't need to worry about the suprisingly aggressive raccoons that feast on crawfish along the river banks (not to mention the comfort of always Having a cold beer within arms reach).

From my kayak last night I must have seen at least 30 raccoons. I also saw 5-6 foxes and a couple of muskrats. It seems like after midnight the river banks essentially become a buffet for the wildlife.

[Moz]

Probably safer to agitate the bears and raccoons rather than the drunkards. Especially the ones that tend to gather in groups under bridges along our waterways