I can't find a rule in TWRAs handbook but If you google you will see many people say its illegal, one of the reasons is you can blind other boaters

Night time navigation .. <'TK><
 

I have been a mariner for most of my life..USCG and Merchant...if I'm ticketed for using my spot light for navigation I'm going to argue that, based on my training. When I run at night, I have prior to dusk, checked the path I plan to travel searching for floating debris and loose buoys. I have run JPP under full power for many a year without problems...but I know that lake like the back of my hand. I will be off the water on OH by dusk and or any other lake I don't know incredibly well. I'm still skittish about running DH now and its my go to lake and I fish at night much of the time there; Texas, I know what you're talking about, there a a number of shallow areas adjacent to deep water off points on DH. One thing I practice is fishing during winter draw down when shallow areas are exposed...this makes a huge difference both with navigation and during summer pool for hot spots otherwise missed by most. JPP is nothing more than a mine field of rocks that will K/O a boater in a heartbeat day or night so caution is advised. Robbery, muggings, shootings, slashed tires and the like day or night keep me away from JPP now, sad because I love that lake.

Funny the discussion of lights come up because I'm currently installing a pr if 5" LED lights on my boat that will be hooked up to a switch. Personally I think its crazy not to have any type of lights while navigating any waters in the dark... You don't drive a car without lights, why a boat ?



I fished Rome the other night with one incandescent lamp and I was amazed how easy it would have been to beach or run into a rock bluff cause it was so dark, never mind all the floating debris.



Not only that but if you're sitting there anchored cat fishing and hear a boat coming.. Navigational lights aren't going to cut it... But they will see me with a set of flood lights regardless how fast they are running.

I have seen barges on the TN River with huge spotlights illuminating the whole river. Reminded me of the searchlights on our tanks. I no longer fish at night. When I did, I used a 1 million Candle Power hand held search light.

Muggings and shootings? on Priest? You need to share those stories. I fish Priest midnight to daylight the entire month of May, most everynight. Never an issue and not one bad incident. I only put in at the Ramp close to Nashville shores, I call it the yacht club or 4 corners. No issues at all. I would not trust any other ramp, maybe Fate Sanders.

But robbery, muggings and shootings? That is a new one to me and I have fished Priest for a long time.

My neighbor was telling me the other day that his boy had been approached while launching his boat at dark in the am by people several times during hunting season .

Another guy I know said he was coming off the lake when a couple of guys looking for trouble were quietly approaching him from off the lake towards him, he was the only vehicle at that ramp so he knew they had no business there. Not sure what transpired but they left in a hurry back across the lake when they seen he was packing heat on his hip.



I was at Rome Launch the other night and had no less than 2 patrol vehicles show up while I was launching.


Personally I've not experienced anything other than nice guys, but I can see some of these areas being dangerous as secluded as these ramps are.

https://www.murfreesborovoice.com/ar...d-down-in-2015

Gregg Hawkins in 2015.

Do you recall when you had to pay to launch at a state park ramp,how about Bill Clays or Norts? How about 4 Corners before the boat dealership and the old marina before it burnt down.

How about when Starwood opened?

Do you not recall the shooting death a few years ago at the ramp in broad daylight up river?
I will gladly allow you to pay me back for three new 33" tires slashed at Long Hunter State Park and a broken window on another occasion. Maybe the rest of those trucks and cars that night whom had their vehicles burglarized then vandalized...10-15 or so.
Then there was a time you couldn't keep a spare tire on your trailer at Fate Sanders or other ramps around there.

Then the robberies there at Fate Sanders....and broad day fist fights.

The ramp across from 4 Corners had vehicles stolen.
Then the time they would steal a trailer off your truck and wait till you left your boat and then come steal it.
Or the time when thugs robbed you on the water at night by a stealth approach from your back while fishing north Hobson Pike Bridge.

What about when Hamilton Creek became a predator hangout and the girl got raped, then when the queers and sexual predators approached people and children there and Metro Police set stings to catch them and publicly issued warnings.

But...I quit fishing JPP 15-20 years ago.

I have a project in Antioch next to Hobson Pike and we get robbed or vandalized every two weeks, just waiting for them to steal a piece of heavy equipment next.

Appreciate the info, not sure why there is so much disinformation out there

Disappointed is the only thing I can say about my new lights. I'm just not sure if they weren't mounted high enough or I should have gotten spotlights instead of dual.. spot/flood.



I will say that I saw many boats with lights this evening so installing lights isn't an issue.

I have fished Priest for a long time. My vehicle was broken into a few times. Every single time but one, and one time I left some money in plain sight, it was because I parked at a boat ramp that is very low use and all but twice was while hunting in the winter time when not many others used the lake and "knock on wood" it has been years since anyone has bothered my gear. Yes, back in the 70's, 80's and 90's there was a lot of crap that happened. I would not put in at Mona if you paid me, and I for sure hate what happened to the guy that was murdered, that could have happened anywhere though, but ramps like Mona, East fork, Fall creek, Poole knobs, Hamilton creek, lamar road, etc I would not leave a vehicle there at amytime ever, not ever. Way to much time that no one is around. Even Seven Points, I know they busted some people who would leave someone to watch at the entrance and text the people breaking into vehicles when someone was coming. I will gladly pay to use a boat ramp if security is provided. Common sense will tell you not to use a boat ramp that is "very low use". It is wrong, just wrong, that you can't leave your vehicle anywhere at anytime, but that is how it is.

I have been spooked at 7 Points before I had my hand gun license. Have not had an issue since because if anything looks sketchy, my 40 cal is clearly visible on my hip at the boat ramp. Tried by 12 instead of carried by six