Do you use lights when Night Fishing?

[Mike Cork]

I love to night fish

Through my experience I have learned that using as much light as I can helps me catch more fish. I use at least two of the BPS night stalker lights on the side of the boat, but I do something different than most, I put the white light towards the bank

One of the reasons I believe this helps me catch more fish is you can make more precision casts without getting hung up. See objects to fish by and around. You can see grass lines better and don't fight getting your baits fouled. Most of all your not constantly hung up trying to get as close to cover as you can. With the lights you can see it or at least a silhouette of it.

Another thing is that with the lights you will draw shore minnows off the bank towards the light. If you are getting minnows then your bank lines have bait. If you are not then your bank might be baitless

One of the draw backs is that during the first hour of night the bugs get a little bad

I know some folks believe that even a cigarette burning is taboo....

What's everyone's thoughts?........

[Bassinkorea]

I have never night fished from my boat (yet), but do like night fishing from the bank.
The only time I use lights is to tie on a hook/lure or to unhook a fish. With no lights on I find that my eyes become accustomed to the dark and can actually see rather well.

Plus I hate the bugs when the lights are on 

[Kitz]

I started night fishing about a month ago, and I've sworn off bass fishing during daylight hours down here in SC for the summer months. I can't see the sense in suffering the 100+ temps during the day and battling the crowds when the bite is good at night and the water is calm and all but abandoned. I have a spotlight that I'll hit the bank with to get an idea of where I'm casting, but after that I don't use lights. And I put on plenty of bug repellant  I don't understand why more bass fishermen don't do it. 

[Ron Fogelson]

Fishing with Mike this past Friday was the 1st time I ever used those BPS night stalker lights on the side of a boat.

Got to tell you it was very nice but as Mike stated the 1st hour or so the dang bugs were insane, we had a mat of them on the water right next to the boat and the top cap was covered with them as well.  But a few high speed runs and the legend left them all behind.   

Not only was it easier for me to skip up under docks but I was able to see the vegetation while staying 30 to 50 yards away from it making my cast much more productive as I didn't have to worry near as much about casting blind and wasting the retrieve with a fouled lure.

[coldfront]

yes.  nightstalker II as well.  black light only.  Trilene XL flourescent blue line lights up like a rope...low, underhand casts...usually plastics/jigs...

night time is the right time!

[Mike Cork]

Coldfront, I know what you mean about the black light and the fluorescent line. OMG it stands out like rope and when a fish hits it, you won't miss the jump even if you are talking with your buddy.


Which brings up a good point, I highly recommend that you don't night fish alone. Yes there is actually fewer people on the water to cause and accident, however for that same reason should something happen to you, it will take till morning for help to arrive 


Gotta be more folks out there than night fish, what's your thoughts on using lights 

[coldfront]

Which brings up a good point, I highly recommend that you don't night fish alone. Yes there is actually fewer people on the water to cause and accident, however for that same reason should something happen to you, it will take till morning for help to arrive 

second that...I ALWAYS make sure my family knows my schedule...when I'm going, where I'm going and when I expect to be back.  Day or night.  The state guys call it a 'float plan'...I call it common sense and courtesy...

Plus always have the cell phone with me...

But if something were to go wrong...how quickly would folks know to start looking...and would they know where to go look? 

[catt]

Personally I think using a black light at night is putting yourself at a huge disadvantage, if the light is shinning forward you tend to only cast forward, if the light is shinning to one side or the other you tend to cast only that direction.

Here's a little example I was night fishing with my nephew and one of his buddies; the black light was on the left hand side of the boat. We were working a shore line and no one was had gotten a bite in over 3 hours as we entered a cove that I knew held fish I heard a fish move on the surface. I immediately stepped to the right side of the boat making a cast towards the direction of the sound and was rewarded with a healthy little chunk. I released the fish, cast again in the same direction and again hooked another keeper. After turning the black lights off and working the cove we managed to land 8 fish up to 4 ½ lbs; we had started off by working 20 yards away from the bank and the bass were holding 35 yards off the bank behind us.  We sat down taking a break and eating a snack my nephew and his friend said they always use a black light and always fish towards the light because it's useless unless the light is shinning on your line. I said I never use a black light and always fish 360 degrees around the boat looking and listening for movement. My nephews friend says yea but you'll miss bites you can't feel with out a black light and I answered unless it's totally black which is rare there is enough light to see your line if you look skyward and the darkness forces you to hone your sense of feel.

[Mike Cork]

Catt, thanks for jumping in, great post  You talked about not using the light but has it been helpful in the past, some nights are different than others just like days?

[Stump bumper]

I only use the boat lights, but I know a lot of people that turn off all thier lights. I have a shorter back light to get out of the back seater's casting.I change to the taller light before running. But I do fish lighted area at night, like boat docks and bridges. I find the bigger bass use the shadows for cover near the lighted area. I also find stippers hinding there sometimes.

[coldfront]

... I also find stippers hinding there sometimes...

now, I'm curious...are those stippers 'strippers' or 'stripers'...and is the water shallow enough that you have to be mindful of the skank?

[bassadict69]

Mike, How do you mount the light onto the side of the boat? I have one of the same lights you use & cannot get the suction cups to hold the light & have yet to find another way to hold the light in place.

[GotstaFish]

Can't use lights here in Iowa, its against the law  I have seen them work on crappie though. Seen, not used 

[Buzbait88]

Can't use lights here in Iowa, its against the law  I have seen them work on crappie though. Seen, not used 

Karl you talking the lights you lower into the water?  We used a couple of roll bar lights and mounted them to the front so we can see at night.  not only driving, but last time turned them on so we could see the weededge.

[pastormark]

We fish black spinner baits at night on rocky banks and points here in Missouri. The only lights I use is when I am rigging up. I use my depth finder to find the depth I looking for them cast parallel down the bank slow rolling the bait. Seems to work here!

[Stump bumper]

now, I'm curious...are those stippers 'strippers' or 'stripers'...and is the water shallow enough that you have to be mindful of the skank?

Spell check got me again. I meant stripers.

Does anybody use floating lights like crappie fishing to attract bass? I think the bigger fish use shallows near light, I have always wanted to drag a light under the boat and see if the bass would move in near the boat.

[Mike Cork]

Mike, How do you mount the light onto the side of the boat? I have one of the same lights you use & cannot get the suction cups to hold the light & have yet to find another way to hold the light in place.

Noble and I just use the suction cups? You might need a smaller suction cup if the side of your boat isn't wide enough to allow the cup to flatten. The cups on those lights just unscrew so you could find some smaller ones and maybe that will do the trick 

[blake711]

I love night fishing and when it gets this time of year in OK its HOT during the day.   I don't care to sit out in the heat of the day Carolina rigging all day hoping for one or two bites. Once its consitently in the 70-80s for lows at night I love to night fish.  I have caught tons of fish that way.  Also one of my favorite lakes is a big lake for boaters so you can't fish it durring the day because of the darn jet skis and power boats.  Anyway when we fish at night we use the BPS also.  Depending on how much ambient light we will sometimes use the white light out and black light in.  If there is enough light to see we use only black light inwards to see what we have around in the boat.  Also we have plenty of small flashlights and a couple spot lights for moving on the water.  Night fishing is simply awesome.  I also fish around a lot of docks so there is normally some light on them also.

Blake.

[pawpaw]

    Speaking of dragging a light under the boat, I have been thinking about tyeing a couple of those green glow lights like they use for crappie and saltwater fish to the side of the boat. Is this legal in night tournaments?