Fish can't wear sunglasses at night
BY RONDA ADDY

Summer is here. That's good news for some but bad news for you. During the day, it's just too hot to fish. You don't want to wait until it gets cooler. What can you do? How about night fishing? Night fishing can be fun and productive but requires more preparation than daytime fishing.

Before you go night fishing, check the weather forecast and only go if the weather is going to be good. Bad weather can make a precarious situation worse. Make sure the boat is in good working order. No matter when you go fishing, the Coast Guard requires you to have certain safety equipment onboard. Personal flotation devices are required for every person on the boat and should be worn at all times. Bow and stern lights are also required, and in poor visibility, must be lit. Warning and distress devices such as a horn and flares should be onboard. A fire extinguisher should be easily accessible. Your boat should also be equipped with an adequate anchoring device, some sort of bailing device (in case the pumps fail) and a flashlight with extra batteries. Having a radio with a weather band, a GPS or a compass is also important. Although not required, a first aid kit is highly recommended, and for smaller boats, it is wise to have a paddle in case something goes wrong with the engine.

Make sure someone knows the area where you will be fishing in case you need to be found. In other words, stick to the plan. For the beginner, staying relatively close to shore is the best course. As you get more experience and practice, you will be able to go out farther.

Before you go out, make sure you know the layout of the boat to avoid accidents. Put your gear in its proper place and pay attention to where things are located. Make sure your tackle box is laid out so you can find everything you need without having to hunt for it. Have enough leaders and rigs pretied to last you the entire trip. If you don't use them this time, you can the next. Be sure to have plenty of bug spray handy in case the bugs bite more than the fish.

Arrive at your final fishing spot before dark. That way, you can make sure you are securely anchored and set up before the sun goes down. Be sure to test your radio and lights, so if something is wrong you can fix it before it gets dark.

If you practice common sense and good boating safety, night fishing can be a wonderful experience. If you don't, it can turn out to be the biggest disaster ever. It's your choice.