There was a lot more to be concerned with so we put safety first. We had radios to communicate between fisherman and we could all the Coast Guard if need be. We had flares and spare paddles if one broke or was washed overboard. If we didn't know the area, we fished with those who did our bought charts and talked to the folks in the bait shops and checked for hazards before entering the area. Visibility... we made SURE we were visible. You don't usually find HIGH speed boats the likes of which you find on salt water when you fish the river and the ponds, but you get on open salt water and OMG...
So being visible, especially if night fishing... and an air horn. LOUD, air horn. BIG one. 
Yup, we made sure WE could be seen. But there were payoffs. I loved the nice hookups in salt water. We did keep a few redfish, and THEY were tasty.
Tina's Striper fishing the Hampton Road's Bridge Tunnel at night... called fishing the light line.
My light line striper, 28" and towed me for a ride. The bridge lights cast a shadow and you either sit in the dark and cast into the light, or you sit in the light and cast into the dark under the bridge. The strikes normally come as the bait crosses the shadow line. Blues in the upper water column, and the striper in the lower column. The hobie kayaks were perfect for this type fishing, pedaling just enough to hold your position.
Nice Reds were available as well, this one caught in Rudee Inlet in Va Beach. It became dinner.
