Fishing at night is quite different from fishing in daylight.
Night fishing is popular among fishing enthusiasts for a variety of reasons.
For one, night is the time when many fish varieties are bold enough to venture near the surface, making it easier to catch them.
Some enthusiasts may simply like the calm and the quiet of the night to enjoy a good fishing session.
Either way, night fishing requires you to be suitably prepared.
Many daylight fishing tips and tricks do not work when fishing at night.
So here are some important things to consider and other handy guidelines that will make your night fishing a success.
More...
#1. Come Prepared
When you venture out into the waters at night, you won’t be able to see far unless you turn on a light or unless it is a moonlit night.
Instead of taking that risk, it is better to come prepared.
Keep different types of rods with various baits and lures already prepared.
This will ensure that you don’t have to re rig or prepare them in the night on your boat. This will also allow you to switch between them without wasting any time.
#2. Familiarize Yourself With the Area
The better you know the area, the better you will be able to fish in it.
It’s better than you spend some time in a given area of water before moving on to another area.
Also, make sure that you preserve the stealth and quiet when approaching the target area.
To achieve this, turn off the boat’s motor at some distance and slowly drift to the area. Similarly, keep it down when casting lines.
Try to work the area around your boat before moving on to another area.
#3. Make Some Noise
This may seem contradictory but in some cases, making some noise can actually help you with fishing at night. It really depends on the area you are fishing on, the type of water body and the fish varieties found in it.
Some fish varieties, such as sunfish, can be drawn to the surface because of the lights on your boat.
Similarly, noisily tossing your bait into the water can also disturb the bass and other fish, making their movements more visible in the water.
#4. Have a Light Source
As mentioned above, a light source can draw different smaller varieties of fish to your boat.
This, in turn, may attract larger predator fishes to your boat as well, making it easier for you to catch them.
The perfect source of light on your night fishing excursions is a quality headlamp.
The virtue of a headlamp is that you don’t have to hold it and it is able to issue just the right amount of light that does not scare away the fish.
Another important reason why you should have a light source during night fishing is because of safety reasons.
Night fishing is different than day fishing in that you are not able to see the gear and the boat at all times. Instead, your eyes are able to see only that part which is illuminated.
Backlashes during fishing can take a person off-balance even during daytime. And that’s truer for night fishing. So make sure you have a good source of light.
Stay alert and be ready to brace yourself for jolts, backlashes or other disturbances without losing your balance.
#5. Rely on Your Intuition
For the most part, you may be fishing at night without light because that’s the whole point of night fishing. In such a case, you have to heavily rely on the intuitive feel and weight of your tackle.
This intuition will help you cast the line correctly even in complete darkness.
To achieve a good feel of the tackle, make sure you use a more sensitive rod and line gear.
At the same time, keep the tackle slightly on the heavier side.
#6. Have a Few Foodstuffs Handy
Many fishing enthusiasts like to spend quite a few hours on a single night fishing excursion. If you are one of them, be sure to pack some foodstuffs with you.
A thermos of coffee, tea or a modest supply of another beverage of your choice can be very handy at such an occasion.
Also keep some snacks at hand to ward off any hunger pangs.
#7. Use Helpful Markers
Night fishing guidelines vary significantly from one place to another.
If you are fishing in a water body which has a lot of landmarks, make use of them to achieve the accuracy of your baits.
You can use a protruding rock, a tree by the banks, or any other marker for this purpose.
#8. Stay organized
From keeping multiple rigs ready to have a number of rods and lines at hand is a vital part of night fishing.
At the same time, make sure you have the unhooking equipment near you to deal with the catches as they come in.
If you keep this gear tidy and organized, it will save you a lot of hassle and time.