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Thread: Night Stalking - Need Help

  1. #1
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    Default Night Stalking - Need Help


    I have been out night stalking several times lately with no luck. I set out two green fluorescents and a Q-Beam white submersible. The lake is not a deep lake so I have mainly put the green lights right on the top of the water and sunk the white light about 4-5 feet. Though I have lowered all the lights and tried different depths.

    We are not fishing a very deep lake. The channel in most places is 20' or less. I have set up on several different areas trying different things. I have tried the steep drops along the channels where there is 5'-6' drops. I have also tried mouths of inlets. I always combine that with underwater structure at least a boat length or two away. I will stay with a spot several hours to be sure and allow enough time.

    I don't seem to have too much trouble getting the fish under the lights. I am having trouble getting them to bite. The fish finder shows the fish everywhere and we have had them bouncing off the boat while chasing the bait. I just can't seem to get them to bite. I have dropped tightlines in the light and out of the light. I have tried 10-15 different jig combinations and minnows.

    We have good success during the daytime. I would like to try and improve my skills fishing under the lights.

  2. #2
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    Hog paw,

    Man it sounds to me like you are doing everything right. What color is the water there? If you are pulling in a lot of bait fish and gamefish you might need to fish with those bait fish. I mean throw a net and catch some of the native bait. I've had this save a few nights for me. Make sure that you are fishing above the game fish. I like to set my rods either in the ball of bait or just below it.

    If the bait is shad try this too. Use a white roadrunner with a white twister tail and tip it with a minnow. If it is minnows, use a black/chartreuse tube body on the roadrunner head. Also, get a silver casting/trolling spoon (the concave one, swap the treble hook for a crappie hook, bait the hook with a minnow(or shad) drop it down and set it in the rod holder like you would a plain minnow. If the wind isn't blowing, you may have to give it a little action now and then. I have consistently caught bigger crappie on these two rigs than just plain minnows or just plain jigs.

    As for the lights, try using just one. Try the green for a while, if that isn't working that night, try the white. I normally use one green light and a lantern in the boat, unless the bugs are trying to carry me off then I will float a green light under my rods so I can see them and sink one about 4 or 5 feet.

    Hope this helps. it works for me....smedley
    Scott

  3. #3
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    Hogpaw, during spawn is not a good time to use submersible lights in my opinion. Light scares Crappie. Crappie are holding from 15' to 6" right now. They are moving sporadically as well. The best time to use lights are summer,fall, and winter. Mainly when the Crappie are holding deeper. You would be better off the just sit over a brushpile and use a light inside your boat. I personally use a black light to illuminate my line, and bobbers this time of year. I keep an LCD flashlight clipped onto the brim of my hat for tying/seeing what the heck I am doing stuff. While I am waiting for a bite, the flashlight stays off. Black light only! Lately, I have been launching the boat around 4 am and have immediately starting catching fish as soon as I get set up. The bite around here is ending earlier every morning, then they tend to move back deep. It has been rare to catch one shallow after 8 am, but, they can be found holding 8-15' deep. Black light fishing is wonderful, I will prolly never use another white light up top, and never use a submersible this time of year.
    Reaper, Where Fish come to Fry

  4. #4
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    I am not seeing a ball of bait. I see bait swim through the lights frequently. I am not seeing enough that I could drop below them though.

    Our lake is dark water. Even when the water is clear during the day you can only see about a foot deep. In the lights I can see about a foot and a half.

  5. #5
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    I would try moving the minnows a bit, put the bait on the bottom and then reel in six inches or so , stop the minnow and then start again. try to find the depth they are at and if they want movement on the monnow.

    good luck
    chef

  6. #6
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    anchorpuller is offline Crappie.com 2K Star General * Crappie.com Supporter
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    I'm certainly not as good as most of the crappie fishin folks here, but I can tell you what works for me.

    The drop offs near structure are key to me. I try to set up in 20-25' of water. I use one submersible white light (Q-beam) and one lantern to light the boat. I hang it up and out over the water on a homemade hanger. If there is anyone else fishing with me, I'll use two Q-beams and the lantern. This would vary according to the boat you are using, I think. I'm using a small jon boat!

    I usually don't get the fish biting right away, it takes an hour or two before I can start really judging how the night is going to go, and then it has to be truly dark not just "dusk". I use minnows only, because that is all I know how to use.

    Anchoring at night is real important. You need to be as stationary as possible. I work hard to start with to make sure my anchors are set good. I use one in front and one in back to keep from getting any sway. Set em good before you start fishing. You'll save yourself a headache later.

    From reading your post, I see where two things are possible. Either the fish are not feeding at the time you are there, OR you haven't got the depth right yet.
    The depth of the bite, I've found, is sometimes NOT relavent to anything on your fishfinder! I'm very sure that there are many that will dissagree with me on that, but it is what works for me. I will usually start deep (just a crank or two off the bottom) in the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter. I'll also fish in deeper water then, sometimes. I'll work up a foot or so at a time until I start getting bit. In the spring and fall, I start about 12' down and work it up a foot or so at a time from there til I get bit. This works almost all the time for me. There are the occasion when I'll have to go deeper in the spring and fall, and that is just part of finding the right depth.
    Finding the depth of the bite is as important as bringing your bait!

    Not many people use the stuff I do, but I usually take me a couple 12' telescopic poles in the spring/fall. I set the bobber for the depth I want and find it very easy to manage. I also use the lightweight spinning set ups to tightline. Some nights the fish will ONLY want one or the other!

    It's a constant adjustment...one thing at a time. I'm certainly no expert, but I promise you I bring my share home.

    Good luck!
    "Be Ye Fishers of Men" You catch them- He will clean them

  7. #7
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    Default Lights

    I have found that at this time of year dim lights work much better than bright lights.
    I have some amber plastic film that I stretch across the clamp on lights when the fishing is slow. It helps.
    Good Fishing
    Squall Line
    Politicians should be required to wear their corporate sponsors uniform like NASCAR !

  8. #8
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    I sure appreciate the help. I will give it a try again this week. If anyone else has ideas feel free to jump in the discussion.

    Hogpaw

  9. #9
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    I am going to give it a try tonight. We will see if it goes better.

  10. #10
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    I have always attached my floating lights on the end of old 6' fishing rods, this way the light is several feet away from the boat. I think this gets the lurker crappie that don't want to venture into the light.

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