Crankbaits in the dark?

[Dongotto]

Ok, Im sure this has been brought up before but with hot weather I have been thinking about doing some night fishing. I used to fish a lot at night and I would use black lights and clear blue stren to see the line better while fishing vertical with minnows. I like to push cranks and it got me wondering if a guy could rig some pushing rods with the clear blue line and use black lights and try pushing cranks in the dark? With that clear/blue stren and a black light your line glows from the reel to the water. Like I said I'm sure this is already being done just wonder how it would work?

I look forward to your comments, good or bad.

Thanks

[skiptomylu]

I can't imagine that on this lake, but on some lakes that are not as full of wood it may work, but would think it would have to be oh so slow speed. Something kin to slow rolling a spinner bait for bass, but not the same. I don't know why you would need the clear blue line and black light though, plus you wouldn't be able to draw fish to you like one does at night with lights set out and all. You would have to know where they and you are and maybe have a stretch of water you could work since your going to be a moving target which is way different that tying up or anchoring to fish a spot. Since I have bass fished a lot in my life I can see something like that working on them, but for bass most don't tie up like crappie guys to to fish at night.

I feel that the more I think about it that you will just need to experiment to see how it works. I am not sure how crappie act at night in other than a tie up mode, but I know they are all over the place so who can tell? Not sure you wouldn't catch more bass than crappie?

Interesting idea you have though!

Skip

[creekslick]

I've tried pullin crank at night a couple of time without a bite. I was in areas that had produced during the day.

[BigRiverMarine]

We pull cranks for walleye at night on Bull Shoals, and from that experience, they move up to shallower water (15-20 fow) to feed on the baitfish and bluegills after dark. The crappie should be close to where the bait is. We dont pull multiple baits, we each hold one in our hand and try to click the bottom a little for the eyes. You will feel the bite, rocks, wood or what ever also. When we do hang up, we turn around and try to retreive the crank. If you have lots of wood, or brush, you're gonna lose lots of baits like the walleye guys do. I do think it will work, as we occationally catch a few crappie while walleye fishin. (Not very many though. IMO I think the crappie suspend more than the eyes do at night, and maybe much shallower.) If the fish are on drops, or flats without cover, or suspended in open water, you should be able to catch em. Probably catch a mixed bag of fish. Let us know how you do!!!! In this heat, I'd like to know I could catch a bunch at night.

PS We dont use anything other than headlights or cap lights to land the fish, or get unhung.

[Bronson]

I would think you would have to have a good stretch of water that is pretty lit up. I think crappie are primarily visual feeders and will need to be able to see them skylined. I would also think a darker bait would produce better than the brighter colors you use in the daytime.

At first impression, it would think you would have little or no chance at success. Thinking outside the box like that can sometime tap you into a gold mine others thought was already tapped out.

Most of us don't have the time to try something that different, we check with the guys who've been there and done that and taken there advice. However, if I felt something had a good chance of working, I would try it a few times before giving up on it. Good luck to you with it an if you do any good with it, post us the results.