nightfishing, special boat rigging??

[GregM]

I'm thinking about strategy for next year already on some lakes that get fished pretty hard. I would like to take a crack at them at night, not just an hour or two after dark, I mean really NIGHT fish them. To the people that seriously night fish, how is your boat set-up?? Do you mount extra lights to shine outside the boat when a fish is on, or do you just utilize headlamps and flashlights??
I summer fish musky mostly,( sorry guys, love to go to Canada though for the eyes,3 trips last year), but just thought "fuller-time" walleye anglers would be fishing at night more than ski hunters do. thanks in advance.
p.s., wow there sure are a lot of people here, nearly 2 pages per day of new topics, thats awesome.


"I fish cuz the voices in my head tell me to"

[ETT]

There are many here more qualified than me, to take this question, and I welcome their input.

Sundance Kid, does run rear shining lights, but most do not. I guess it's a matter of personal preferrance. Most of the other guys either use the blinking lights for Off-Shore boards or glow sticks attached to the board. And head lamps for netting.

One thing that everyone does is organize the boat and make sure nothing is underfoot, and keep everything in it's place.

You may find that's spreading out your rod holders will help with reducing tangles. It's easy to get out of shape at night (boat control)

If you are fishing in a lake where other night fishermen are not used to guys running boards, stay well away from them as they won't be very appreciative of your innovation.

Just a few thoughts, good luck and take a big net.

[Lou in Alex.]

Greg-Be careful- nightfishing can be addictive.I started about 8 years ago and now fish almost exclusively at night.As far as lights go-I've not mounted lights on my boat for landing fish.I've found that when bringing a fish to the boat- especially larger fish- a bright light will really spook a fish and the fight is really on then.A dimmer light helps to keep this from happening, while still allowing enough light to land a fish.I use two things, first, I use a snakelight.I hang it around my neck and it can easily be aimed for landing a fish- baiting up, tying lures,etc. Its really not as combersome as you might think. I in fact have found myself still wearing it a couple hours after sunup.Another option is to attatch a small flashlight to the landing net.I put only used batteries in the light, again to ensure a dim light. Another option would be a red lense on the light.When fishing at night you dont want to be turning your lights on and off- so using dim lights helps.However- a must have is a good spotlight for watching for obtacles while underway- and signaling other boats-a one second blast ensures that you will be seen.Remove extra seats and unneeded gear from your boat and keep everything orderly- a long sleeve shirt with a hood is a handy thing to help fight the bugs.Leave your running lights on and always wear your lifejacket while underway.Lake all to yourself- no lines and best parking spot at the access- and of course some big walleyes- it's the only way to go. Good luck-Lou in Alex.

[Dodge1]

The best advice I can give to someone who is trying night fishing for the first time is KIS. If you don't know what KIS is?

Keep - It – Simple. There’s another S but that’s been reserved for very special people, like me.

Judging from the tone of your post you already know the lakes you plan on trying night fishing. If you don’t, get very familiar with them before you head out.

1. Know what fishing tactic you’re going to use and where you’re going to fish.

2. Don’t bring more then one other person.

3. At most only rig two poles (per person) and remove all the normal junk, so the boat has as much open space as possible.

4. Always leave your back light on and when underway run them both. The back light really gives you a lot of illumination, so IMO you won’t need another light.

5. I wear a headlamp for tying knots etc and bring along a spare flashlight with extra batteries for it and my headlamp.

6. Keep your net and pliers very handy.

7. Bug spray is a must. Those critters love to troll for blood at night and your lights only serve to illuminate what’s on the menu.

8. A GPS is an excellent idea on a larger lake. While you may think you know the lake inside out, after lights out it’s so easy to become disoriented it’s almost a joke.

9. Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

10. Bring a cellular phone.

11. Get an updated weather report before you go out. There are few things that are more thrilling then being out on a lake, in a thunder storm, at night.

As to your comment “not just an hour or two after dark, I mean really NIGHT fish them”. Remember that the fish determine what hours are best and generally when they stop biting, it’s time to call it quits. I’ve also found that when I’m night fishing there normally seems to be about an hour or so of magic, when the fish are extremely active. After that time period the fishing really slows down but that little bit of magic can really get you hooked on night fishing.

[GregM]

Bright lights spooking fish sounds interesting, up here by me, the native spearer's have huge flood lights pointed down mounted on a railing outside the boat, they sure do a number on ski's and walleyes. I don't mean to stir the pot with this undesirable method of fishing, just reminded me about the bright lights.

"I fish cuz the voices in my head tell me to"

[Daydream Believer]

Umm...maybe that lit up method works for musky but I think they are pulling your leg about spearing eyes in shallow water with the movie screen background of lights. Now if there is some street lights that shine in the water every night, I think eyes become conditioned to it, but those situations are not the norm for walleye behavior.

[Pitts]

Lou which lakes do you fish in Alexandria MN area. I think that is where you are from correct me if I'm wrong.
I just got back from Miltona and there was about 7 to 8 inches of ice.
My inlaws have a home on Tammarac Bay.
I night fish Miltona pulling cranks behind boards on the flat or in the bay and sometimes against the shore with all the lines on one side to stay out of the prop biters.
I had a 10# on at Thanksgiving but never landed it from a dock on the north side fell off the dock trying though:)

Pitts

[Capt. Doug Schreiber]

As far as night rigging a boat a lot depends on whether you will doing a lot of trolling or casting. I do quite a bit of trolling at night. The funning thing is that I have done less night fishing the past two years. The reason I believe is for the same reason we started fishing at night, PRESSURE.
When it comes to rigging my boat for night fishing, first I mainly troll at night. Like everybody said, clear the deck of everything that doesn't catch fish. I rig my boards ( Off-shore with tattle flags ) with the necklace type glow sticks and slide them through the slits in the flag. I rig this way so everybody else can see my flags. I have a 12 volt light stand on the back of my boat. It has a 50 watt bulb and fish don't get spooked by it. It is on when we bring them to the net. It don't believe lights spook fish, if they did way do guys fish pier lights. The light is great for putting out the rods changing lines and taking pictures. Once you rig one of these lights up and fish with it a few time you will be asking yourelf how you fished with out it. Good Luck, Doug
Ps. Don't goof around with your running or anchor lights, first its the law and two, its the law for a reason.

[Schnauzer]

For walleyes, I spent nearly as much time on the water at night as during the day this year. This time was divided between slip bobbers and trolling cranks. Some of my observations:

* A headlamp is a must. I found I didn't need another source of light for fishing. It turns on quickly and is great for working with tackle or netting fish. I didn't have one for the full year and it was the #1 most useful tool once it was suggested to me.

* A 12v spotlight is nice for navigating, getting back to the boatlaunch or dock, etc.

* GPS is more important for night fishing than it is for daytime use.

* The less clutter in the boat, the better.

I enjoy night fishing quite a bit. The lakes aren't crowded and somehow it adds to the mystery of "what could be lurking down there."

[Backwater Eddy]

I see lots of great feedback here that will up your odds at night. The keep it simple principle is a good mind set to have as is safety first.

I do 100's & 100's of hours a year on rivers at night and this would be my best suggestions to you.

Use indirect lighting in the boat, keep lights focused away from your vision. A dimmer switch on you night running circuit is a handy tool. You need to retain as much night vision as possible to keep oriented in your surroundings so keep all lighting on necessary areas and not your face. Once you get a face full of light it takes 20 minutes to regain your night vision. Head lamps are handy for rigging and I always have a spare. Yellow bulbs tend to draw fewer bugs.

Do not fish new areas at night without scouting them during the day, if you do, bad stuff tends to happen, know the area first and make notes if need be. Keep your speed down to your reaction time, don't race through strange areas.

A great tip for pre-scouting structures and shoreline areas is to use FIRETACKS (reflective markers) to mark hazards or hot spot shoreline areas and structures. Firetacks can be seen up to 1/2 mile away with a spotlight or 1/4 with most running lights. They sure light up plainer boards at night just with the light from the stern post. They can save your butt if your electronics fail. Place small pieces of reflective tape on all critical night gear, like landing net handle, pliers, stuff like that, things tend to get lost.

FIRETACKS site: www.firetacks.com

Black lights work wonders when trolling, jigging, or setting live baits, you see every twitch of florescent line. Again try to keep the light focused away from you direct line of vision. We rig them on a mast that pops into a bow or stern socket.

A set of clear or yellow safety glass's can be very handy at night. As the bugs get going over the water a pair of safety glass's sure are nice for running back to the landing with both eyes open 100% of the time.

Just take what you need, have a plan, keep clutter to a minimum in the boat.

Scouting ahead of time is a huge factor for safety and success, I can't stress that strongly enough.


Backwater Eddy.....><,,>

[Dave S]

B.E., Reguarding Firetacks, For night time use on planner boards do you use the "Blaze Orange" or "Ice" colored trail marker tacks? Have you tried any of there reflective tape? I tried using ordinary cheap discount store reflective tape on my tip up flags but found it to be easily broken off in the cold weather.

[Backwater Eddy]

For tape I like the multi facetted 3M style. What color you use really depends on what type of lighting you select. Green, red, or orange side by side is a good combo. You may wish to use red or green to indicate your direction of travel, right/left boards, match the bow lights type set up.

The addition of tape sure helps when running a board very close to shore and up shallow at night. I had a friend get a board crunched big time up shallow at night by a big toothy critter, odds are it was a muskie on that river. I sure would have liked to have seen it.

I tend to use Firetacks more to mark hazards on rivers. Stuff that you may miss after dark and rip a new hole in something that could do without one. They make great hot spot markers as at night everything starts to look the same fast. They are very cheap considering what repairs run!

Backwater Eddy.....><,,>

[Cangl]

Got to love KIS doing anything other than fishing after dark can frustrate anybody. Twice I have forgotten my tackle box while night fishing walleyes and a lure hanging on rearveiw provided a limit and then some both times! Still working on forgetting the gas can in ice flows...fished all day but...Lights less of their like candy especially to DRUNK'S and bugs. Taller transom light will light up more of the floor. Horsepower use it wisely, stealth can be the rule especially in shallow flats. Steel unlit bouy's tend to be less vindictive to non motor heads that's a whole nother thread though.If your really on fish you may not wan't to puree them. Rigged rods before you go out with snaps, Flashlights one each, whats this sharing? Have my head ache? Spotlight comes in handy when "scouting" other than that don't use it. Cell phone comes in handy especially for letting somebody know your running late err..early.

[BD]

I prefer to long-line when trolling at night. If I find a concentration of eyes while trolling I like to switch over to casting or using slip bobbers. My biggest eye (13.72#) came at 11:00 pm during a full moon on Bago. I was casting a Daredevil 5 of diamonds after locating school of nice eyes while trolling.

[Sundance]

I fish/troll exclusively Lake Erie. As Jim noted above, I did mount some bright amber lights this year to utilize when landing fish or setting lines, etc. They are up above us on the top of the boat. I did not notice a difference in netting fish....they came in the same way. We did notice that we had had several hook-ups one night almost immediately after we turned the lights on so take that for what it's worth.
Our first year with them and we like them.

Best tip I can offer is to get a 24-36 volt bow-mount with auto-pilot and use it. Provides a stealthy(quiet) slow troll and keeps the boat on course when you are netting fish! Nights without much wind....it's all we use.

[Dutchman]

One of the key things to fishing at night is be prepared. Have your rods rigged and everything you'll need in it's place. I use a headlight, and my interior and running lights, not all at once only as needed. Those biting critters think they have found the mother ship when all the lights are on. My favorite technique is casting cranks up shallow at night, but I'll also have a deadstick out with a lighted slipbobber/large chub combo. It can be fun to watch as the chub will try to get away from a toothy one and the lighted bobber goes tearing of to deep water. Another good tip is don't bring a whiner along, this makes for a long night:)


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[River_eye]

It's funny, I just happened to read an old article from In-fisherman on Night fishing, and they were talking with a guide on Mille lacs and he said that he doesn't fool around with flashlights, just has a 60 watt bulb fixed at the rear of his boat, I don't know how this differs from a mooring light. Can't remember the guys name, the magazine is out at the cottage.

[Lou in Alex.]

A constant light source can attract fish- it's the turning them on and off that can spook fish.If you troll it might not be a factor- but if you're anchored - and working your favorite piece of structure at night with slipbobber rigs- it,s best to leave them on or off.If you have them on- watch for minnows and fish the outside edges on the light- watch for crappies as well. Lou in Alex.

[BlackSilver]

Jack Payne (Lake Vermilion) gives this advice.

"Night Fishing"

Most fishing advice concentrates on how or where to catch more fish. That's great for daytime fishermen, but night fishermen need information on other topics like breathing inside a cloud of mosquitoes, getting lost, or playing the limb of a shoreline tree that somehow found your bait.

Weird things happen after dark. Fishermen run over logs, hook bats, step off the end of piers, pour coffee in their laps and on rare occasions, catch fish.

And when it comes to skinny-dippers, you have to be especially selective. Like the time my wife and I were fishing in the twilight down near Mud Creek Bay when a couple of guys came dashing out of a sauna stark naked and jumped into the water a hundred yards or so away from us.

She exclaimed; "Did you see those naked men jump into the lake over there?" To which I replied; "Yeah, but you really shouldn't be watching them." Her answer was a question; "Would you have watched if they had been girls?"

Since catching fish takes only 2 percent of their time and all the other stuff takes 98 percent, smart fishermen adjust for night conditions.

Boats require special preparation. For example, if you forget your drain plug in the daylight, you have a problem; forget it at night and you will converse with the fish.

Casting after dark presents additional problems. A keen sense of hearing is vital to determine if your lure has plopped onto water or land. This makes lure selection critical, especially regarding two features. First, you want a lure that splashes when it lands; otherwise you could spend a lot of time fishing for squirrels. Second, just in case you do hit land, the lure should in no way resemble something a skunk might eat.

Perhaps the most important skill a night fisherman can learn is when not to cast. If a stick looks like a snake, that should be good enough. The same goes for eyes that reflect light. Lots of nocturnal animals have eyes, in fact, all of them do.

The one nocturnal bandit whose eyes you never see is the bat. At the speed at which a bat travels, ultralight topwater lures apparently resemble large moths. Should you be so lucky as to catch a bat you will be instantly more supportive of catch-and-release. A hooked bat will, at the very least, hone your skills with a net.

Lunar phases also play an important role in night fishing. Nearly all fishing tables take the moon into account when predicting the most active feeding times of fish, and therefore, the best fishing periods. All animals follow feeding urges based upon the moon which explains why the fish always seem to start biting when I start to eat. Always study the tables before night fishing trips. If a major feeding period is predicted, I pack a big meal; if it's a minor period a sandwich will do!


SET the hook!!!

Hans

[Amdahl]

I believe the gents name was Ivan Burandt (sp). I want to say it was the August issue of 1999. Good article on keeping things simple.

[River_eye]

That would be it, and yeah, it's a good article on keeping things simple and simply looking for patterns.

[Fish Obsessed]

There are a lot of great posts here. We are looking to update and improve our boat for fishing at night. We mainly fish on Lake Erie, and I just purchased a 55 watt floodlight that we would like to mount on the top of the board mast, so it can point down when we land fish. Also purchased (2) small cockpit floodlights from Guest Marine Products that we may mount to shine toward the floor - they are only around 25 watts. We also have used headlights for tying knots which seems to work quite well. This may be a less than intelligent question, but is a 55 watt light that runs on DC current, the same "brightness" as a 55 watt light on AC? Also if I do not know the wattage, is the formula for this - volts x amps = watts?
ex. I know we have a light that draws ~2 amps at 12 volt dc, so this would be aproximately 24 watts?

I would like to ask if a "dimmer switch" would be available for attaching to our 55 watt floodlight? As has been posted here, it seems like using the least amount of light is best, and I would like to be able to vary the amount of the light, much like you can do with houselights. I am sure this must be available for 12 vdc systems, but have not been able to find this yet. This seems like the place and topic to ask. If anyone knows, I would appreciate your imput.

I do know from our experience that those Walleyes use them eyes at night to bite!

[ryan the poor college kid]

Save a battery, use the MOON!!!

[fishin4beer]

Pitts, was that you falling in the lake? Did you have two boys with you at the time? Believe it or not I saw that happen. Your boy was holding the pole and you fell in the lake head first. Looked pretty cold to me. Did you get hurt? You aren't exactly the smallest guy to be taking a fall like that.(Ever heard of Atkins?):) Anyway I was kind of chuckling at the time so I didn't see if you got the fish. Hope all turned out well.

fishin4beer

[BGunn]

Here's one I learned the hard way.....
We night fish on Erie out of Buffalo, and one night I got about a 4# walleye and lure, all tangled in the net. To make a long, and messy story short, I ended up with a hook buried into the pad of my finger tip to the bone, and out the front. Now, it is an easy way to keep tract of your lure, but is somewhat painfull. Try explaining to your partner, in a calm voice, where you have your cut-off pliers.
"ahh... Frank, their in a tool box, at the bottom of that storage locker, covered by everything I own. Yes Frank, I know it's dark, but this thrashing 4# walleye I am now wearing, is trying his best to seperate my finger from my hand" (By the way, Frank did a commendable job of quickly finding them)
I now have a dual tool holder screwed to the side of the console that holds my needle nose, and a set of cut-off's.
Believe me, when you need them, you'll want them NOW, Day or Night !!

[Bob G2]

As one who likes to night fish, I agree with all the other comments. The only other things I would add is that I like to put a gym sock while anchored to decrease the glare from the stern light, but yet still be amply visible to other boaters. It doesn't hurt to moisten the sock as the stern light does throw off some heat. I used a kid's gym sock, but you stand the chance of melting the plastic cover. I would believe that the newer low glare stern lights would work, but I haven't tried it.

Another thing I like to have on board, in addition to a headlamp and a good spotlight is a good flashlite, either a 6 volt or at least 2 D battery type. The reason is that I find when following channels and getting into shore, the spotlight throws off too much light, which many times gets reflected back due to very light fog which is common at night. Also, you don't make many friends when flashing a mega candle power spotlight around and the flashlight is easier to handle than the hand held spot.

Lastly, night fishing is all the better reason to buy a tangle free net.