Night fishing during the Dog Days of Summer

[Catt]

I'll give y'all 2 ?

 

Texas Rig em with a 3/16 oz bullet weight!

 

 

[Chris Catignani]

29 minutes ago, Koz said:

...The last few times of I've been out at night I've my section of the lake to myself.  But I still stay out of the main channel just in case some boats show up. Even with my light pole and headlamp I worry boaters can't judge the distance.

 

Koz...do take some kind of spotlight to get the "other" boats attention. I am pretty sure the guy who missed me the other night was looking at his GPS.

[Captain Phil]

13 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

With my eyesight, I don't see very well at night. I did try night fishing twice, but just could not see much. You guys are lucky that you can fish at night..

 

Night bass fishing is definitely a young man's sport, especially if you are going to fish alone. I hate driving at night much less fishing.  If anything at all happens, it could easily turn into a tragedy.  When you are young, you think nothing will ever happen to you and you will live forever.  Bad things happen and you won't...

[T-Billy]

This soon to be 53yrs young guy smoked 'em last night. Chatterbait on shallow weed edges again. Slick calm and couldn't buy a topwater bite, but they were choking the CB. Nothing over 3# but a few dozen 12"- 18". Thought I had a piggy for a minute until I felt it roll and my line pop over it's pectoral fins. Dang, channel cat. They're spawning in the rocks. Ended up catching 5 of them between 5# and 10#. Stayed with that until it died as it was getting light. Picked up a BFS rig and went to catching them on the TRD Bug on chunk rock banks. Left 'em biting at 9am. Nobody else there again until daylight. 1100 acres all to myself. Gotta love the night bite.

[Zcoker]

22 hours ago, geo g said:

 

 

I have fished several lakes in North Georgia, and the Carolinas, at night.  There is no comparison to the Mosquito action of the Everglades.  It is beyond belief at times, almost funny!  To me it's not worth putting up with the aggravation of it all, and if it rains a little and humid, God help you!

 

Interesting. I fish the Everglades all night down here in South Florida just about every weekend, from about 9pm to about 9am next day and never have any bug issues. I don't roadside fish, either, but drive many miles out on the levees and then motor another 2-5 miles out in my powered kayak through and around the thickest marsh imaginable, so I'm way out there lol. I have zero issues with bugs and hardly have I had to use bug spray, maybe once or twice during the day!! I wear long sleeve sports shirt, rain pants with NRS boots, gloves, and a hat with a buff...about it. Go figure. 

 

Launching into the abyss with the last light of day

 

 

[N Florida Mike]

A good pattern at night in clear Florida lakes is to troll a baby bass crankbait over deep holes . ( Deep in Florida is 20-30 ft) Had one get on that straightened the hooks out one night, and

the next night a friend caught a 11 pounder in the same hole. You may not catch many, but they will be quality…

I don’t care that it’s trolling, if it catches fish. It’s actually easier than trying to see where to cast, and a lot more ground can be covered. Most of the closest lakes to me like that ( deeper and clearer ) , are still an hour or so away, all around Keystone Heights Fl. So I haven’t been in years, because the ol eyesight isn’t so good for night driving…

[Koz]

There was no joy in Mudville for me night fishing today. I woke up at 3 am but didn't get on the water until almost 4:30. Tons of baitfish everywhere, and as the sun came up the flathead catfish were breaching the surface everywhere.

 

The area where I fished today is mostly shallow, and that's tough fishing during the summer.  It's about a 3 mile pedal to deeper water and dropoffs and I just wasn't up to that today. Plus, I forgot that my new Helix 7 draws a lot more power and I forgot to charge my battery last night and lost my electronics and mapping about halfway through my trip.

[WRB]

It seems to me a kayak could look like a top water lure to a big Gator at night.

You all say mosquitos are not a issue at night in Florida and Minnesota? There were whenever I was visiting there. 

Tom

[MN Fisher]

16 minutes ago, WRB said:

You all say mosquitos are not a issue at night in Minnesota?

Oh, the skeeters are still a problem at night - more so than during the day. That's my experience anyway when having a cigarette - I don't smoke in the house, wife is asthmatic. Daytime cigs, a few bugs here and there...after sunset and especially after dusk - I almost become the daily buffet with the smoke mostly keeping them at bay.

[PhishLI]

51 minutes ago, WRB said:

You all say mosquitos are not a issue at night in Florida and Minnesota?

Big problem here on L.I., especially where I'm located. Most spots are less than a mile from the salt marshes/bays. I'm forced to wear a sweat jacket over a sweatshirt and a wool skull cap in the heat of the summer at night. This is the only way to escape lumps left on my scalp and bites everywhere else. They simply can't get through the thickness. A gaitor helps a little on my face, but not really. I need to spray my gloves every 20-30 minutes with Natrapel or else. I've had the back of my hands swell up from what seemed like hundreds of bites when I failed to spray, or ran out. I stay away from Deet. They go right through it anyway. They're ravenous, nearly unstoppable, it's horrible, but sweating is healthy.

[Catt]

Mosquitoes are easily avoided!

 

Get a mile offshore & there ain't a single one around. 

 

Avon orginal Skin So Soft is what duck hunters swear by since 1956.

 

 

[Captain Phil]

15 hours ago, Zcoker said:

Interesting. I fish the Everglades all night down here in South Florida just about every weekend, from about 9pm to about 9am next day and never have any bug issues.

 

Seriously!  You don't think Everglades mosquitos are bad, try sandflies!

[Big Rick]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Avon orginal Skin So Soft is what duck hunters swear by since 1956.

Just make sure your significant other is well aware that you're using it!! Otherwise, she will most definitely get the idea that you're doing a lot more than night fishing!!

[king fisher]

Just now, Catt said:

Avon orginal Skin So Soft is what duck hunters swear by since 1956

I don't know about Mosquitos in Florida, but I do know the ones in Alaska will eat Skin So Soft for breakfast lunch and dinner.  100% DEET may not be healthy, but it sure beats bleeding to death.  Fishing off shore is the best remedy for bugs.  I don't know of any insect that can fly as fast as a bass boat can drive offshore where they don't live.

[Catt]

43 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Fishing off shore is the best remedy for bugs.

 

That's why fishing offshore is my favorite.

 

Mosquitoes on Toledo Bend is a non-factor, even up shallow. We do have some little gray bugs that don't bite but will sworm you by the millions. They will crawl in you ears, nose, down your shirt collar, up your shirt sleeves, & up your pant legs. The good part if there's a 5 mph wind the bugs can't fly. They crawl around on grass mats & timber & boat docks.

 

Our marshes & swamps I stay out off after dark.

[Zcoker]

11 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

 

Seriously!  You don't think Everglades mosquitos are bad, try sandflies!

Yep, know them well, mostly active dusk or dawn. No issues with neither. Maybe I’m just immune to bugs lol Or it’s just a state mind…

[schplurg]

I question the idea that fish need time to adjust to the darkness after sunset. Darkness happens gradually. I don't need time to adjust if I'm out there as it gets dark.

 

Also, bass don't rely entirely on sight to hunt.

 

Edit:

I've caught two of my largest fish just after sunset (complete dark), and I have them on video.

[Catt]

5 minutes ago, schplurg said:

I don't need time to adjust if I'm out there as it gets dark

 

You're above the water & your eyes aren't a bass eyes.

[schplurg]

Just now, Catt said:

 

You're above the water & your eyes aren't a bass eyes.

 

And many bass are deep where it's darker than near the surface and should take even less time to adjust. If this has been proved scientifically then I accept that. I'm not making a claim, I'm just skeptical.

 

Of course one video does not prove anything, but here I am catching two in 15 feet of water just after dark (one tied my PB which I hooked in less than 4 feet of water).

 

Based on my own experience I am not waiting an hour after dark to fish. However, I do know you are way more experienced at this than I and I respect that.

 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

12 minutes ago, schplurg said:

I've caught two of my largest fish just after sunset (complete dark), and I have them on video.

Huh! So you like to hit a fish while it’s down huh? It can’t see that good so you decide to take advantage of it.

I can’t believe you

[schplurg]

3 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Huh! So you like to hit a fish while it’s down huh? It can’t see that good so you decide to take advantage of it.

I can’t believe you

 Not at all it takes great skill to catch blind fish!

[Deephaven]

12 hours ago, Catt said:

Mosquitoes are easily avoided!

 

Get a mile offshore & there ain't a single one around. 

 

Avon orginal Skin So Soft is what duck hunters swear by since 1956.

 

 

Dusk is the bewitching hour in Minnesota.  Go midlake at that time and about 30 after complete dark you can approach shore again.  I spend a lot of time on a boat at night... my favorite time to be out, so peaceful.  

 

[Catt]

33 minutes ago, schplurg said:

I am not waiting an hour after dark to fish.

 

No one mentioned having to wait an hour, the aren't blind during that period.

 

 

[schplurg]

Just now, Catt said:

 

No one mentioned having to wait an hour, the aren't blind during that period.

 

 

I know. A bit of hyperbole I guess  

[Catt]

3 minutes ago, schplurg said:

I know. A bit of hyperbole I guess  

 

There's plenty of scientific evidence if you care look it up.

 

I ain't gonna do it for you!