Kayak Night Fishing For Bass

[hoosierbass07]

 Now that I've got my milk crate rod holder made and used and found it works good, I want to try night fishing from my kayak.   

 

 Do any of out there ever go night fishing in your kayak or hybrid?  What are some of the things I should know before I attempt fishing at night?  

 

 Also, do you only go out when the moon is out?  I've looked at the calendar and the moon will not be out at night (11pm+) till mid August.  I'm wondering if I should try my first night kayak trip next weekend or wait till

mid August for the moon to be out.  But I don't want to wait till mid August, too long.  

 

 I figure I will only use spinning reels.  I have one head lamp and I'm thinking of getting another for back up.  

 

 Any advice?  

[200racing]

You will want a light source that is not attached to your face. They are bug magnets.

A battery powered lantern might be nice.

[A-Jay]

I fish at night all summer from a canoe.  Here's my advice.

 

Wear your Life Jacket (PFD) all night.

Tell someone where you're going, when you'll be back and who to call if you don't show up.

Have at least 1 back up light - a red lens on the light/head lamp will help with your night vision.

It really helps to know the water you plan on fishing at night very well. - the better you know it - the safer and more successful you'll be.

 

A good way to get your feet wet on night ops is to get to a lake you're familiar with a couple of hours before sunset.  Fish the spots you plan on visiting at night.  Stay as night falls and then go fish the same spots again in the dark.  You might find out that most everything looks different in the dark.  Your depth perception is challenged.  You'll need to know exactly where you are, what your looking at, which way your boat is facing and how far the target you're casting to is.  Otherwise, you'll be launching casts into places you'd never think of doing during the day; Over docks, into trees, 50 ft up the bank - you get the idea.

 

 

As for moon lit nights; for me dark nights are better fishing.  Moonlight nights with cloud cover are good too.  Full Bright moon is like the sun - so fish it that way.  Look for shadow lines .  Fishing docks can be good too. 

 

It's a different world but the fishing can be rewarding.  One last thing, being a successful night time bass angler definitely made be better during the day.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

[flyfisher]

The only thing i will add to A-Jay's post is make sure you have a black jitterbug tied on  

[Jig Man]

I'm thinking you need some kind of lights so others can see you when you move about to keep from being run over by another boat.

[kikstand454]

Legally- as far as I know- you have to have a signaling light such as a flashlight.

I try to have my niteeyze waterproof flashlight that has a blue beacon function. It floats and has a nice glow.

I also have a red headlamp. I always stop at a dollar store and buy a few glow sticks and/or necklaces and place them around the yak for visibility. Cheap insurance. I also have taken three glowsticks tied together and marked the boat ramp so I could find it in the pitch dark.

[Mr_Scrogg]

Ill go off the norm here. Safety.

Clear safety glasses. Why you ask, you cant see that lure flying back at you on a missed hookset. Vision shouldnt be took for granted.

[flyfisher]

Ill go off the norm here. Safety.

Clear safety glasses. Why you ask, you cant see that lure flying back at you on a missed hookset. Vision shouldnt be took for granted.

almost forgot that one but it is definitely part of my night fishing gear.  Protection for your eyes doesn't change when the sun goes down and if anything, it is even more important.

[kikstand454]

Good idea about the glasses. Espicially in fresh water for sure! Lots of things to get hung up on....

[NJBasstard]

All good advice in this thread. Almost all my fishing lately has been at night time from my yak. First, always wear your pdf! As far as lighting I carry a headlamp with high/low/red beam, battery powered glow stick & a good flashlight w/ extra batteries. Make sure anything that isn't strapped down or leashed has some type of float. Don't forget bug spray it'll ruin your night.

 

I also couldn't agree with Flyfisher's post more.. keep a black jitterbug tied on.

[hoosierbass07]

 Do the lights (say on your head or on a pole in a kayak or boat) affect the bass, as in scaring them away?  

[flyfisher]

 Do the lights (say on your head or on a pole in a kayak or boat) affect the bass, as in scaring them away?  

I don't think they do anything other than maybe attract them.  I have a friend who would fish at night and drop a submersible light in the water which attracted the baitfish and then the gamefish afterwards....he did it for crappie mainly but definitely caught a few bass with it as well

[tntitans21399]

Safety is a key if you are on a lake or a fishing boat might run you over. I believe it is worldwide that if you are out in the water (not docked) that you have to have a white 360 light source. You can get a battery powered light that has suction cups. And if I was you I would put reflective tape around the cockpit or on the kayak so a traveling boat's lights might hit it and see you better. And if you have a flash light to shine at them or around so people see where the light is coming from. I've been in my 16ft fishing boat with all lights on almost got hit by a idiot. And a kayak is so low to the water you have to make sure people see you like a biker on roads. Maybe get those flashing lights and put on the back of your seat or milkcrate.

[hoosierbass07]

No need to worry about other boats. The place I want to night fish on is a strip pit lake/pond that is trolling motor only and I've never seen a boat on it at night before. Still, it would probably be a good idea to find some kind pole or rod to hold up a light so I could see and keep the bugs away from my face.

[kikstand454]

Take a piece of PVC, put it in a rodholder on your crate, and jam one of those solar/battery operated yard lights from the dollar tree in the top.

Boom.

360° white light for a couple of bucks.

[ClackerBuzz]

I wear light jogging gym pants and a hoodie for that half hour before/after sunset when the platoon of mosquitoes arrives. they leave as quick as they came but it's nice to be able to tuck the pants into ur sock to protect ur ankles and pull the hoodie over ur ears/neck/forehead during the assault. 

 

also stay clear of shore and the tree line if ur rods are vertical in holders. nothing worse than floating 6 rods into a tree branch while tying on a lure with ur headlamp. 

 

the new moon is sunday night and should be good (sat too). 

 

if they are chasing topwater i love a buzzbait. if they aren't chasing i like a stall-able topwater like jitterbug or popper.  if weeds are breaking thru the surface i like a stanley ribbit.

[einscodek]

I honestly think anyone kayaking at night has to be nuts

flipping a kayak at night is no fun at all

and theres noone around to see you and help

[NJBasstard]

^ Which is why you wear a PDF 100% of the time & why everything is either tied down or has floats. Early morning & night time are the best this time of year IMO & if the yak gets me on the water than I'm there. I caught more tonight than I have all week during the day.

[lmbfisherman]

^ Which is why you wear a PDF 100% of the time & why everything is either tied down or has floats. Early morning & night time are the best this time of year IMO & if the yak gets me on the water than I'm there. I caught more tonight than I have all week during the day.

Sorry to be nitpicky, but that is PFD

 

and I agree.

[pabassr]

Agree with a lot of others here, Always wear your lifejacket always. You also need a white light, I have one I made on my crate. I also use a head lamp,and a flashlight.

When night fishing a worm or a jig,I use a black light you can see your line if you use flouresent line, it looks like rope using a black light.

 I have reflectors on my kayak too. I never fish by my self at night, when I`m out with my buddies I always tell my wife where I`m going and with who I`m going with.

My favorite lure at night is a jitterbug, BLACK it`s a killer lure on smallies

[Ring King]

Everyone keeps mentioning the Jitterbug and while it is an awesome lure and a great night time producer the fish don't always want a topwater at night!  I've been on a steady night bite at Clear Lake here in California for the last two weeks and have yet to put one in the boat on a topwater lure. 

 

Think movement of water, vibration, and big profile when picking lures.  I like spinnerbaits (with colorado blades), chatterbaits, big wake baits that can crank down like M.S. Slammer or 3:16 Bait Co Wake Jrs, jigs with rattles, big 10" worms, or the larger style beaver soft plastics and creature baits.

 

I'm writing a report now from this past weekend.  In three trips I managed seventeen bass over 18" with five of them being over 20".   My biggest from the weekend was 22".  For some reason I was also slamming the big channel cats on my artificials.  I caught 7 big cats between 25" and 32".  The biggest one weighed in at 14lbs 7oz!

[hoosierbass07]

I went night fishing from my kayak for the first time last night. A definent learning experience. All I had were two energizer head lamps. I was on the water as the sun was going down. I had on a frog (never caught a bass on a frog before) and tossed it near a bank and twitched it back and I saw a splash behind it. But no hook ups. It got dark quick after that and I switched back and fourth from that frog to a plastic worm. I had some bites but didn't get any hook ups.

The cool thing, I paddled to an area and all if a sudden to my left I heard a big splash. A minute or so later I heard another splash to my right. Then another splash. And another. I could tell bass were coming to the top. But I could not get them to take my frog or worm. I then tried a jitter but but no takers.

After it got real dark I had a major problem. They headlamp I was using was not helpful at all. It's three regular light settings simply flooded my face with light and would not project outword much. The only thing I could use was the red light setting and thankfully that provided just enough light for me to get back to the ramp.

Also, I heard more animal noise while on the water and for a few minutes while fishing I though I heard some animal get closer and closer. Probably on the shore but I paddled away from there quick. Last thing I want to do is hook a beaver or something.

Also, night time alone on the water is a little spooky. Wished I had a gun with me.

Also, those headlamps attract bugs like crazy.

So lesson learned - carry more lights (flashlights) and try to find some kind of light source I can mount above and behind me to illuminate me while keeping the bugs away.

[ClackerBuzz]

Wished I had a gun with me.

 

no sense in carrying extra weight b/c bullets can't protect you from sleep walking sasquatch.

[A-Jay]

I went night fishing from my kayak for the first time last night. A definent learning experience. All I had were two energizer head lamps. I was on the water as the sun was going down. I had on a frog (never caught a bass on a frog before) and tossed it near a bank and twitched it back and I saw a splash behind it. But no hook ups. It got dark quick after that and I switched back and fourth from that frog to a plastic worm. I had some bites but didn't get any hook ups.

The cool thing, I paddled to an area and all if a sudden to my left I heard a big splash. A minute or so later I heard another splash to my right. Then another splash. And another. I could tell bass were coming to the top. But I could not get them to take my frog or worm. I then tried a jitter but but no takers.

After it got real dark I had a major problem. They headlamp I was using was not helpful at all. It's three regular light settings simply flooded my face with light and would not project outword much. The only thing I could use was the red light setting and thankfully that provided just enough light for me to get back to the ramp.

Also, I heard more animal noise while on the water and for a few minutes while fishing I though I heard some animal get closer and closer. Probably on the shore but I paddled away from there quick. Last thing I want to do is hook a beaver or something.

Also, night time alone on the water is a little spooky. Wished I had a gun with me.

Also, those headlamps attract bugs like crazy.

So lesson learned - carry more lights (flashlights) and try to find some kind of light source I can mount above and behind me to illuminate me while keeping the bugs away.

 

 

 I wear a ball cap and strap the head lamp on the cap over the visor.  The cap's visor will help deflect the light off your face.  It will help.  Also you shouldn't be running your light all the time - if you are STOP !

White light over shallow water at night will all but ruin your chances of catching fish.

 Your eyes will adjust to the low light - it's called night vision.  It takes 20 - 30 minutes to come on full and you'll be surprised how well you can see.

 

 Word of caution - EVERY TIME you turn on a white light - your night vision is Toast - and it will take another 20 - 30 minutes to come back.  A RED Lens / or Light will reduce this effect dramatically.  It's all I use.

 

Lastly "The Spooky"  feeling of being out on the water at night all alone - That's one of the best parts of night time bassing . . . .   Let's you know you're ALIVE ! 

  I was out last night, between the owls, coyote, the surprise beaver splashes and the buck that was snorting at me half the night from the bank, I was in heaven - but I will admit the beaver splash ALWAYS surprises the heck out of me . .

 

 

A-Jay  

[odell015]

I night kayak fish about 2x per week from late June until the end of August, I fish from a 10.5 Feelfree Moken Lite. There are some good points being made in the above posts. I would also like to say that when moving through the middle of large bodies of water, be sure to paddle with some speed. I have nearly been clipped on two instances, once by a landing sea plane near dusk and one by a boater in pitch black. I suspect the night boater was intoxicated as I was waving a light at him and he did not change course. Don't become stagnant in the middle of a lake, paddle through and stay near the edges.

 

People joke about the beavers, they can be territorial and aggressive. Look up the videos on youtube, there are plenty of beaver attacks resulting in death. If they make two or three splashes near me I tend to relocate.

 

Knowing your lake will also help. Scout it in the daylight so that you can see the shore in areas you plan to fish.

 

Be safe.