Tips for fishing at night

[snowplow]

Hey guys, doing some night fishing for the first time tonight. I have some basic questions here. 

 

Am I correct in assuming you want as little light as possible in general? 

 

Are red and green lights a must? 

 

Do you keep the headlights on all the time while you fish or just when you're unhooking a fish? On a dark night I can imagine you would probably have to keep them on all the time. 

 

Do different at night time? Or would I fish by normal stuff? 

 

Thank you!

[gim]

@Catt and @T-Billy should be able to help with this one.  They both regularly fish at night time.

 

I don't have a lot of experience doing it specially for bass.  My best success has come with a dark colored lure though.

[scaleface]

I have a light that clips onto my hat with red or white lights. I use the red light mostly . only use the white light when needed.

 

 Flats, points and riprap are good places where casting accuracy is not important. Beaver houses , culverts and other great cover cant be passed up. 

[Catt]

Lighting on the boat is determined by Wildlife and Fisheries. On Toledo Bend your stern light is to stay on. Most generally I turn all mine off until I hear a boat engine in the distance. I turn the stern light on first & if the boat is headed towards me its all lights on. 

 

I carry a Brinkman Max Million III Q-beam for changing locations.

 

I usually have a cap light attached to my hat for removing hooks, reting, ect. 

 

Try to stay as dark as possible.

 

I fish the same structure, the same cover, with the same techniques as I do during the daytime. 

[Bankc]

Check your local regulations.  There are often rules about lights you have to have at night anyway, and sometimes rules for certain lights when anchored or moving and such.  So it's possible you might not need any extra lights beyond those, like if your stern light is bright enough and your boat isn't too big.  But I'd still bring a flashlight, just in case, because you never know.  A lot also depends on how well you see at night.  But it's about a million times easier to turn off a light you have than turn on a light you don't. 

 

And some lakes won't let you on at night.  Some lakes close from dusk to dawn or have specific hours you're allowed to be on them.  Others have lake hours that don't apply to anglers on the water.  So you'll want to double check that as well before making the trip. 

[Skunkmaster-k]

When at anchor the stern light has to stay on, that way the bugs and game wardens know where you are. 

[Catt]

@Skunkmaster-k Most of the time there's no one on the lake but me & a couple other crazies, not even a Game Warden. 

 

If you have good night vision & there's enough ambient light you will be surprised at well you can see.

 

Where's @A-Jay!

[Zcoker]

 As little light as possible, depending of course on your local laws for whatever you're fishing in or wherever you're fishing. You never said anything about how/where your fishing.... by boat, yak, or by foot, regulated lake, private pond, all of which would determine a few lighting situations, rules, regulations, and so forth. In any case, constant light will actually make it harder to see and adjust to the darkness. Constant light also brings on a raid of bugs. Rarely do I ever have a light come on deep in the everglades. I have all the light I need from the stars and the moon! I only turn on my light when I am netting up a big bass or tying up again or taking photos or running my kayak. Try to fish like you normally fish without re-inventing the wheel, same baits, usually darker .... but I've also had big bass destroy white baits, blue baits, green baits, yellow baits, psychedelic baits...sound is the player at night, think lateral line. Topwater is your friend at night. KABOOM is the best topwater sound ever!  

[Choporoz]

Kayak:

-one white 360 light at all times

-headlamp, only on when needed

-no treble hook baits

 

Boat: 

-360 white light at stern and red/green running lights at bow, on at all times

-red LED rope lights around the gunwale, dimmed as appropriate 

-up to one treble rigged on deck

-limit number of rods on deck

-one handheld lantern with white and red options

 

Both: 

-turn up baitcaster brakes a notch or two - daytime backlashes got nothing on a midnight bird nest 

-electronics on 'night' settings, with as little backlight as you can

[Zcoker]

These gals come out and play at night. She was just shy of 9lbs, which is not unusual at night where I fish. Be VERY quiet and VERY sneaky, like slow motion sneaky, methodical cast. No light, no sound, and you might be able to fool them into making a hard and angry hit. Yes, fool them, trick them, because they are very smart and KNOW all about what's going on around you, light or no light. And once hooked, hold on! Now you can turn on the light because you'll need it to net 'em.  

 

[A-Jay]

Right here @Catt

Plenty of Very Useful and Experienced based info in this thread already.

And there is NO replacement for that.

Meaning one can read about being out on the water on a moonless and the blackest of night,

but until you do it a few times, you'll not get the whole picture. 

It can become very addicting - mostly because it SO NEXT LEVEL. 

So I'll add something I typed up a few years back

that I believe pretty strongly in when it comes to bass fishing at night.

 

The topic of Night Time Bass Fishing came up in another thread – this builds on that. 

The BR articles section has solid info regarding the subject and interested members can & should definitely check that out.    I’m offering & directing this information to those bass fisherman who may have never tried it or even considered it.  I say you may want to.  Though the majority of this will revolve around angling from some type of vessel, some can be applied to fishing from the bank as well.  

Safety ~ Right off the bat.  It's very important to understand that fishing at night - especially by yourself & in a remote area, is no joke.  Safety is the primary mission every trip: Day or Night.   Night time Bassing isn’t in my estimation, dangerous per se, but small problems have a way of compounding & becoming magnified at night.  So it’s important to follow a few “rules”.  

Wear your Life Jacket all night.  Only Fish bodies of water that you are Very Familiar with. Always operate at a slower speed than you normally would during the day.  It’s Very Easy to lose situational awareness at night and speed in that situation is your arch enemy.   Just like any trip on the water, make certain someone responsible (insert adult) knows where you’re going, what you’re driving, where you’re launching from and when to expect you home.  And if you change plans – Let Them Know.  Additionally, I’d encourage you to also leave them with the number & info of who you want them to call if you don’t return on time. (Police, US Coast Guard, Fire Rescue etc).

Lastly, I do not recommend fishing at night on rivers, tidal water or any place with a moderate to heavy current.  It certainly can be done, but Is No Place for a beginner.  

  An organized / neat boat is a must.  It will help keep you from tripping & going over the side and stray trebles will inevitably find some skin at night.  Both are highly undesirable.  I carry and use only 3 or 4 rods & reels at night.  Without going into detail, this is much less than I’d normally use during the day.  When I find the right night bass, they are usually very cooperative and experience has shown that a ton of gear on deck is rarely needed. (Probably could say that for daytime operations as well, but I will not because the bait monkey would blow up my house).  

  A couple of flashlights & two head lamps are a must (I like red lenses to help maintain night vision integrity).  Let’s discuss “Night Vision” - what the heck is it ?  Basically, once you’re eyes have not been in the presence of white light, they are able to see surprisingly well.  It takes upwards of 20-30 minutes to fully develop and each human’s adaptive time & final ability is different.  But what one must remember is that once the eyes have full adjusted, ANY white light – even for 1 second, erases this ability and you’ll have to start the acclimation process again.  

 So using a red (some use blue or green) light is helpful.  Additionally, I’m always under the assumption that I’m alarming the bass to my presence using a white light even for a second.   

The Why ~

My night time operations were born more out of requirement than desire.  As a younger human with family obligations & a career, the little & only “free” time I had available to fish was at night.  And so there began a journey into an aspect of angling I personally feel is so awesome and so beneficial to day time fishing, I can easily state that I would not be even half the angler I am, so many years later, had I never tried it.  More about that a little later on. 

Besides the above, the reasons one may choose to night fish can be many.  To escape the heat, to escape the crowds, to catch more or bigger bass, all of these can apply.  For me, I do it mainly because bass fishing at night is Intense.  It’s a chance to experience the sport at a whole different level.   If you do it enough you really come to trust & depend on your electronics, your intuition & your instincts.  Because in the black of night, that’s about all you’ve got.  The reduction of vision will allow one to tap into the senses that remain.  Hone these at night and your day time ops can only get better.   So there's no line watching - but all of this makes one so much better during the day - it's unmeasurable. When you can get them good in the dark of night – a bright sunny day might feel like cheating.  

When ~ A good way to start out fishing at night is to get out on the water before sunset and just stay out there.  This offers an angler the chance to acclimate to the Night as it falls.  Sort of like the opposite of getting to the lake before sunrise & waking up with the lake.   I did the sunset to night deal several times in the beginning but as my abilities & confidence grew I shifted gears.  I now prefer to arrive after dark.  There seems to be 90 minutes or so after actual sunset where the bite is pretty slow.  So I’ll arrive after that.  If the fishing’s good & I have the gas, I’ll stay for the grey light & sunrise bite too.  If not, I bail.   

I don’t think there is a “Best” night fishing season.  If I can catch them during the day – I can catch them at night.  It just depends on if I want to be out there.  Very early & very late in the season are clearly less comfortable but I’ve had some very successful nights in both April & October.  These results will vary depending on one’s local & legal fishing season.

Once the dog days of summer hit - and the lakes are getting a fair share of recreational boating, jet ski & fishing pressure, mid-week night ops are often present the best opportunity for any decent action.   

Then there’s the Moon.  Is it good or bad?  Does it help or hurt ?  And what about artificial lights like dock lights and street light etc.    May be No definitive answer.  The water's here in northern MI are for the most part Very Clear - often 15 feet plus of daytime visibility.  As much as this plays a role during the day, it matters at night as well.   Fish can still see me on nights with a big moon or in areas where there is sufficient ambient light.  And the Shadow the boat makes on a brightly lit night sticks out like a sore thumb.   If I disregard this, it definitely negates the effectiveness of being there after dark.  Moonless nights are by far The Best for Fishing but were hardest to learn to fish in.  Even nights where I can be out there before the moon comes up or after it goes down are always much better for both numbers & size.   However, some my best nights have been Full Moon events BUT there was sufficient cloud cover to obscure it.  Even a partially cloudy condition is often enough to do the trick.    

  Clearly, some full moon nights are almost like day time.  You may not even need a light of any kind, it’s so bright.  These times are definitely easier to get around in, cast and fish in.  I say cast because there may have been an occasion or two where a lure was launched across two or three docks or even 50 feet or so straight into the woods.  If the waters you fish have color & / or limited visibility, you could be golden & be able to hammer fish while having the benefits of the moons brilliant glow.   

The Where & How ~

 This may actually be the easiest (and that’s a relative term) aspects of night bassing. 

 I use the same rods & reels at night as I use during the day.  I can & do bump up my line size / mono leader a little at night – just because I can.   When I first started my night ops, I fished the tried & true night time baits.  The Black Baits ~ (Jitterbugs, Buzz baits, Spinnerbaits etc.) and they worked well and I still fish them today.  But what I have found is that any bait (and any color) that will catch them during the day, will catch them at night.  The caveat to that is, whatever bait you choose, still needs to be presented effectively.  The reason many choose the baits I just mentioned is they are for the most part “Easy” to fish.  The topwaters stay off the bottom.  Out of weeds & snags and only need 2 inches of water to run.   I can’t tell you the number of times in the early days I fished topwater and wasn’t getting bit.  Come to find out I was fishing in 6 inches of water for 30 minutes.  Laugh if you’d like, but it’s very easy to do on a pitch black night.   Same thing with a spinnerbait - - strike detection is easier.  Blade stops vibrating – set the hook. Crankbaits offer the same benefit.  But learn to present the right jig, at the right place & time at night – you may never fish another bait at night again.   I will admit that the spinnerbait is still one of my favorite / effective night baits. 

   Although night time does hide some of the boat’s & the lures negative cues, please know that night time is not some magic witching hour for bass where all the trophies become suicidal and will attack any & every lure with reckless abandon.  This is simply not the case.  Lures still need to be presented with the same Stealth & Care at night as they do during the day to be effective.   I’ve noticed a couple of things here.  Bass seem to relate more loosely to cover at night (except in the presence of bright moonlight or artificial light, then it’s just like day time). They can & do still tuck into places but often times they’ll be “around it" rather than in the middle of it.  This is a good thing because it’s not easy to make pin-point presentations when your depth perception is all but non-existent.    Shadows are just as important at night as they are during the day, fish like them.  

Tips – in no particular order and this is especially important on the blackest of nights.

Fishing down, along or over any weedline, surface (lily pads) or sub-surface (coontail, milfoil, cabbage) is best done without treble hooks. 

Handling a hooked fish is tricky at night.  The bare handed reach is not recommended – use a net & a light to remove hooks.

Windy nights are very tough to fish in effectively. 

Super long casts are generally not necessary and in the beginning should be avoided.

A swimbait, paddle/boot tail type trailer on spinnerbaits, swimjigs & chatterbaits seems especially effective at night and the slower I can roll it - the better.

Keep “Tools” accessible ~ pliers, scale, camera.

If you take pictures of your catch, your “Flash” will Toast your night vision.

If fishing conditions permit, set your trolling motor speed to “slow”.   If you avoid that sudden burst in the wrong direction, you may also avoid wetness. 

That’s my story & I’m sticking to it.

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/176285-night-bassing-~-a-jays-version/

Have fun 

A-Jay

[snowplow]

Thanks everyone! This is great and I'll make sure and read that. 

 

What about Patty's specifically? Should I fish them like the day or is that stuff too dense for a dark night? 

 

I'll be in a small jon boat and it's a very clear Lake and it's a new moon so extra dark.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The only time a light comes on is when I'm fighting a fish bigger than 5lbs. 

 

You don't need light, and not using light actually makes night fishing more effective for me as you don't try to make the perfect cast.   You're more patient, you work things slower, you work the bait further back to the boat, etc.   

 

Night fishing should be just that, you do it in the dark.      

 

[Zcoker]

All summer long I fish only at night with the exception of the morning hours, which I fish through sunrise and and then head back in to the launch site. During the night, though, I fish everything the way I would normally fish during the day, even punching mats. Yep, full moon nights can be very impressive under the thickest of cover! My focus at night is sound, vibration, which can bring forth the biggest hits. So spinnerbaits, for example, will have big single Colorado blades as opposed to the daytime willow blades, variations like that. Anything that makes a lot of vibration or sound will be a good bet to use at night. I even frog fish at night with results that are just as good as the daytime, sometimes even better. Flopping around a big black King Daddy over the thickest of cover will entice some of the biggest hits imaginable. Summertime at night is the right time if you want some great action. Just gotta re-adjust sleeping habits, etc. 

[FishTax]

Carry clean underwear in case a beaver surprise you. Just saying... 

[A-Jay]

21 minutes ago, FishTax said:

Carry clean underwear in case a beaver surprise you. Just saying... 

LOL ~ Nothing can prepare me for that deal.

No matter how many times it happens, a little pee always come out

and I will often scream several obscenities in a row

using a high pitched Martian voice. 

First time I was in the Old Town canoe and actually got splashed !

😨

A-Jay

[snowplow]

Hahaha that's so funny! I've been there myself many times just not in the night. My most memorable was in a n old school full round float tube when I was about 13 in a pond and never realized there might be beavers in the water. He got me from behind, scared the living crap out of me, and splashed water all over me. He was ticked.

[crypt]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

Lighting on the boat is determined by Wildlife and Fisheries. On Toledo Bend your stern light is to stay on. Most generally I turn all mine off until I hear a boat engine in the distance. I turn the stern light on first & if the boat is headed towards me its all lights on. 

 

I carry a Brinkman Max Million III Q-beam for changing locations.

 

I usually have a cap light attached to my hat for removing hooks, reting, ect. 

 

Try to stay as dark as possible.

 

I fish the same structure, the same cover, with the same techniques as I do during the daytime. 

this says it all.....

[WRB]

If you plan to fish alone in a small Jon boat make sure someone knows where you are and when you plan to return.

Everything is different at night because your vision is poor eye dilated wide open reducing your depth of field, can’t judge distance.

Cap light is good, white light draws bugs.

Small flash light is helpful and legal running lights are a must.

I tape a small flash light to my net handle to help land bass.

Lures that don’t snag like T/rigged soft plastic worms and jigs are a go to at night.

Try to keep rods to 2 so it’s uncluttered.

Good Luck,

Tom

[river-rat]

I do a ton of night fishing from mid-April until October. The first thing to think about is safety first. Make sure your running lights work and use them when moving to a different location. Also use something like a Q-Beam Max Million for navigating and take it slow. There is no need to run wide open at night. And I ever take my life jacket off at night.

 

I carry two LED flashlights and utilize a cap light for changing baits. Red light does not affect night vision. My cap light has a three-way switch with one of the lights being red. When fishing keep the lights off as much as possible especially if you are fishing in shallow water.

 

As for tackle, I keep it as simple as possible. I rely on a 5/8 oz. spinnerbait, a plastic worm, and a brown and orange jig. Sometimes I might throw a buzz bait. 

 

Start in the same areas you normally fish during the day. If you aren't having any success first try moving shallower and then out deeper if there is no action. Like daytime fishing you have to find them.

 

But I must warn you -- night fishing can become addictive. I've been doing it for 50 years and can't get enough of it. Now that I'm retired I go at least two nights a week sometimes more.

 

 

[Fried Lemons]

If you are fishing a river watch out for these guys - they are attracted to lights.

[Woody B]

I have the required navigation lights.   I believe the requirements are base on Coast Guard regulations, and are probably nationwide.   For the 360 degree light (usually found on the rear of a fishing boat) Use one that's LED.  I don't think it draw bugs as bad as an incandescent light.  Also, get one that's fairly tall, and wear a cap or Sun hat.  This will keep you from "seeing" the light and effecting your night vision.   I have a spot light in my boat, but rarely use it.  I know the lake I night fish at like the back of my hand.  Still, I never run over 15 mph in case there's something floating in the water I can't see.   I use a head lamp (light that goes on my head, with a head band) that's a strip of leds.  It's not super bright, but bright enough to re tie, or unhook a fish.   Tom mentioned a flashlight on his landing net.  That's a good idea.  I'll be adding one to mine.   The head mounted light I use has a "wave" swtich.  I don't have to press a button to turn it on, I just have to wave my hand past the sensor.   

Light is in this picture.  The yellow strip is a strip of leds.   

 

[papajoe222]

I want to emphasize an important piece of info; Be familiar with the body of water you'll be fishing after dark. It's easy to get disoriented at night, even on a lake you frequent.

I installed a compass on my boat 20yrs ago and got ribbed by my then fishing buddy as my home lake is only 120 acres.  Sure enough, one night we got disoriented after fighting and landing his PB. That compass paid for itself, of course my phone has one now, but that one on the console is still there.

[Catt]

@papajoe222 Dead on 

 

I seen some really good boat operators get turn around once the sun sets. 

 

I keep a water proof box in my y boat with various items in it including a compass. 

[HOV02]

I also think it's important to choose a safe place to fish at night if you're on your own. These days during daylight hours places look ideal but at night they seem to attract the chav element who fancy some free fishing equipment.