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Posts: 43
Location: Chicago | I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of night fishing...mostly because your "senses" are really compromised in the blackness. A headlamp will help but I'll be in a situation this spring where I'll be fishing during a musky tourney. The lake will be "bombed" all day long and I figure my best bet will be to venture out after everything calms down.
Any tips are appreciated. I'm tempted with topwater but fear I'll have a lot of misses.
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Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | Big Mama Twist'd sist'r!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go slow and if you hear a splash try to stay calm and keep reeling till you feel weight, then set the hook. If it helps DO NOT turn on the head lamp and aim it at the bait. In fact, don't have it on at all unless absolutely NEED to. like unhooking or retying or new bait... ect.
In my experience I used to have issues with night fishing, id hear a splash and set the hook before I felt the fish. I lost many doing this. what helped me. Is I would cast off to my right and turn my head left and do whatever I could to not look at or think about the bait. I did this for a few trips then one trip I was looking away talking to a buddy and BOOM! heavy weight felt, tried to break the rod and landed a 44" it was my first night fish, and I have been in love ever since.
with that said ....
BIG MAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edited by FAT-SKI 1/31/2015 2:24 PM
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Posts: 470
| Large double 10 or 13 Black on Black (Tackle industries..) Bucktails and LED Floodlamps (RGB - In red mode..) for in boat lighting.
Make sure no one stacks gear on the net and keep everything you need where you can grab it in a hurry.
HTH,
RandalB |
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Posts: 76
| Organization is gonna be KEY for you, when you head out at night. Have ALL of your tools "at the ready"---headlamp(green or red lenses don't spook fish as much as clear lenses) , net open and clutter free, all your hookout tools in an open accessible area(pliers, spreaders, hook cutters(important), first aid kit(just in case), spotlight, etc.). Also make sure your boat is in good working order---- make sure your lights work----- that your stickers are up to date---- that you have ALL the required emergency items PFD's , throwable cushion, etc. Know where your registration is---- the DNR does patrol the lakes at night----you don't want to have an "issue" with them over something that could have been prevented. The lakes really "come alive" with baitfish after dark----- fishing those pods can be very productive----- give them a BIG slow moving target such as a dbl 10 or a slow moving crankbait(Jake, Granny, depth raider) and you should get some action. Topwaters will work too--- I prefer straight models versus walk the dogs after dark---- they tend to MISS walk the dogs alittle more. Work the edges of the deeper basins-----then venture out over the deep water and the fish will find you. I talked to one of the gentlemen that organizes the Indiana Muskie Classic this past Friday---- he said that they haven't had a full field of boats for a few years now----they're probably looking at 60 to 70 boats total---- so more accurately , about 20 to 30 boats per day out there---- not too bad at all, in my opinion. Good luck out there---Pat |
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Posts: 470
| Also, what Pat said... |
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | I LOVE night fishing after tournament days. Fish good spots, slow down the boat and cast smart (ie pick the spots apart). Don't be afraid to go back through a spot you know holds fish a few times so you can hit them from different angles too. I've caught a bunch of fish the 2nd or third time through a spot.
Bait wise, bucktails slow rolled, crank baits (be SURE to make contact with cover), swim baits, and topwaters. I'll usually start with blades or a crank, go through once, then switch up as needed. Sometimes they like blades, sometimes a straight crank, other times a jointed crank.
Fish confidence spots, and fish them slow and you'll score for sure. |
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Posts: 1638
Location: Minnesota | Top water is great just remember don't set the hook on the splash set hooks when you feel the fish |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I echo what the others said about organization. Clean up the boat a few hours before sundown and keep it that way throughout the night. I try to get baits off the deck so I don't accidentally kneel down on one. I also leave my headlamp off. It will just attract bugs and mess with your night vision.
I tend to slow down a lot at night, and have rarely missed a topwater fish or lost them. Going just slow enough to keep a tail rotator prop turning, they seem to have no problem finding it. Most splashes were accompanied by feeling the fish at the same time. Bucktails and crankbaits also work. I caught a dandy after dark this summer on a Jointed Depthraider slowly worked through deep weedlines.
For the most part I use baits that come in pretty straight, but I've heard of guys using Suicks and ripping Bulldawgs too.
Keep extra lights in the boat (can never have too much light for unhooking fish, and know where everything is and organized, and you'll be good to go. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | fish don't need much light or any to find our baits...they use their lateral line, that being said, imo musky fishermen worry more about it being dark than the fish do...I know guys that burn 8s in at night and catch fish, my biggest on the mad chain last year was a chunky 47 at night working a medussa just like I would during the day, (and a 44 right before it) also, there were many boats around me throwning blades w/ no action...I use to think I had to throw stuff that went slow and straight...wrong... just like during the day, night fishing isn't any different...in that they might want it slow, they might want it fast, they might want something ripped like a dawg or dusa... to say that only one thing like a big mama is what to throw at night is limiting yourself and costing you fish,
don't worry about it being dark, the fish don't care either... my 2 cents.
Edited by BNelson 2/18/2015 9:33 AM
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Posts: 3240
Location: Racine, Wi | Good point Brad. How many fish are caught right after you bust a crank off of some weeds. That bait is moving fast and erratic right before they eat it. |
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Location: MN | Great points so far. One trick I've learned is putting a white tube sock over your navigation light can be a good way to block out some of the light to prevent spooking fish while still staying legal and visible to other boats.
I've got fish slow rolling bucktails and straight retrieve topwaters but come to think of it I really haven't tried anything else.
If you fish a lake where you see a lot of fish during the day but can't get them to eat, night fishing can be the ticket. This is the case with some of the clear water lakes I fish. Go locate the fish in the afternoon then go back at night and put them in the net.
The more you night fish the more you will become comfortable with it. It is very awkward for everyone at first but it gets better with time. |
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Posts: 357
| make sure you have your nav lights on. near misses don't stay misses forever. its crazy how many I see out with them off, only to turn them on as someone approaches. |
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Posts: 443
Location: Duluth, MN | Put a small square of Glowin Outdoors Strip on your blades....you'll see them coming in from several feet away. Muskies don't mind it. Might even help. |
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Posts: 347
Location: Vilas County, WI | Lundbob - 2/19/2015 11:35 AM
Put a small square of Glowin Outdoors Strip on your blades....you'll see them coming in from several feet away. Muskies don't mind it. Might even help.
That was my question... When I night fish I, on more then one occasion, have rammed the wire leader into the rod tip because I didn't realize the bait was already to the boat. Any tricks for this? Can I put a glow bead on the line ahead of the leader? |
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Posts: 1828
| TheShow - 2/20/2015 12:22 PM
Lundbob - 2/19/2015 11:35 AM
Put a small square of Glowin Outdoors Strip on your blades....you'll see them coming in from several feet away. Muskies don't mind it. Might even help.
That was my question... When I night fish I, on more then one occasion, have rammed the wire leader into the rod tip because I didn't realize the bait was already to the boat. Any tricks for this? Can I put a glow bead on the line ahead of the leader?
try gently swinging your rod side-to-side when the bait is getting close. You can usually feel how close you are, and then get used to the right time to go into the 8.
with bucktails, anyway. |
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Posts: 470
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Lundbob - 2/19/2015 11:35 AM
.....Can I put a glow bead on the line ahead of the leader?
That's what we do... |
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Posts: 443
Location: Duluth, MN | You can use a bead but they are not as bright and dont last very long. A piece of glowin outdoors lasts an hour or better fully charged.
http://www.glowinoutdoors.com/ |
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Posts: 496
| I put dots of the glowing outdoor tape right on the bait Works great , so cool when the glow disappears ! |
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Posts: 284
Location: Eagan, MN | +1 to the glow beads and the glow tape.
Another tip I tell folks who go out in the dark with me and are not used to night fishing, when using surface baits and an explosion occurs in the vicinity of their bait, react...not by setting the hook or continuing to reel at a steady pace...but use the water eruption as a signal to reel much faster.
In my early days of night fishing, I lost a number of musky by NOT reacting to the strike and continuing to reel as normal, waiting until I felt pressure. Well, these fish actually swam up and, upon engulfing the bait, pushed the line forward quite a ways. The next thing I knew, the fish jumped with my bait in it's mouth and threw the lure before I even knew they were there. Don't let this happen to you!
Upon getting a surface bait strike at night, react immediately by reeling faster, swinging on the rod only upon feeling the weight of the fish. Oh, and swing down and to the side to lessen the chance of the lure - hooks having missed the mark - becoming a nasty, hook covered projectile.
Brian
Edited by BrianF. 2/20/2015 2:00 PM
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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | have plenty off your fav bug spray,maybe even a net to go over your head if thet are really bad
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Posts: 284
Location: Eagan, MN | One other thing: always do a figure 8 at night, yes. However, try to get in the habit of doing one other small thing before lifting the bait out of the water. Upon completing your figure 8's (yes, do more than one - particularly when in good spots), pause or hesitate the bait in the water before lifting. Can't tell you how many times I completed several nice figure 8's without any reaction, then hesitated with my lure dangling in the water as - satisfied there wasn't a fish behind my lure - I paused to bend over to move a rod out of the way or adjust my TM speed by hand and *POW* the fish eats as the bait has STOPPED momentarily. Add that momentary pause to the end of your retrieve, let the bait hang motionless for a few seconds, and catch more fish each year night fishing.
Brian
Edited by BrianF. 2/20/2015 2:08 PM
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| TheShow - 2/20/2015 1:22 PM That was my question... When I night fish I, on more then one occasion, have rammed the wire leader into the rod tip because I didn't realize the bait was already to the boat. Any tricks for this? Can I put a glow bead on the line ahead of the leader? Tie a little knot in your line about 10 feet up from the swivel (one or two overhands, depending on what size line you're using). You'll feel it when it hits the tip guide of your rod and give you the heads up you need even in pitch dark or if your head's turned away.
Edited by Chemi 2/20/2015 2:52 PM
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Posts: 455
| Bring bug spray but don`t get it on the sonar screen. |
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Posts: 1126
Location: Minnesota. | Use a Creeper-crawler slowly and debarb your hooks. Put all other eqpt. away!! Strike when you feel him not when you hear him.
Slow down, bigtime.
I hate night fishing personally.
Edited by Jeremy 2/20/2015 7:08 PM
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Posts: 394
Location: WI | I really enjoy night fishing. Keeping a tidy boat is a must. Everybody in the boat needs to know where the release tools, 1st aid kit, & camera etc. are stored. I've been using soft glow beads by Owner for 4 or 5 years and the fish don't seem to mind, day or night. They only have a little glow & need recharging often, but they help protect the rod tip. If you're in WI, having the lights on is the law. It does take some getting used to, but rush from a topwater hit 10 feet away on a pitch black night is too good to pass up. |
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Posts: 345
Location: Poynette WI. | I took a night fishing class with Adam oberfoell at the capital city muskie class a couple years ago that was really great. I think he may even have some tips on his website get the net guide service. Not sure if he has the night fishing articles on there or not but there's other great articles that will help out. I used to have pictures of all his slides but can't find them. I'll see if I can locate some, alot of great stuff! I don't think he's teaching the class this year but he will be there.
Edited by FISHFINDER101 2/24/2015 12:11 PM
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Posts: 72
| TROLL !!!! |
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Posts: 3774
| Dark senses...just practice. |
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Posts: 16
| They don't bite that often at night. |
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Posts: 3774
| This is sorta hard to describe but
If you spend enough time fising alone at night your senses can develop in stange ways. Well, strange to most people. Specifically, you'll use smell and sound (listening to the lake) to know where the fish are. And the feel of the night. This spooky-do includes science, of course, knowing the weather for the last week up to the moment and beyond. It helps to know the lake but the magic works wherever. I suppose eveyone has the potential to develop this skill, but some people are better at it than others. Its important to be alone, a good dog is fine but no other people. Assuming you have a big light, and you must, beam the water here and there and on the way back to the landing, you'll see fish where you expect.
Fishing with lights...try not to. Not sure if a moving light spooks fish from a distance, but many following fish do turn away just as they enter light in the water near the boat. This includes headlamps.
Set up your rod so you can go into an 8 in the dark without worry of jamming the front eye with gear from the leader. Actually, fish this way all the time, watching to go into the 8 is very tiring compared to feeling you way into and thru the 8. What becomes normal at night transfers to fishing during the daylight, you'll be more efficient.
Hmmmm..the voodoo, take it or leave it but it works for me. I don't take credit for inventing this skill, I think its been around forever.
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