Fishing bridges at night

[Tellicorick]

Some of the bridges on Big G seems to be crowded early morning when I get there. Yesterday, got there around 1030 am and guy there said he caught 22 with 8 - 2 pounders earlier. I asked how early and he said between 3 and 6 am. What's the big mystery about night fishing for crappie? I've tried several evenings at Honeycomb and nada. Do the fish move under the bridges towards the spawning flats in the dark hours? I'm stumped once again. Any knowledge will be appreciated.

Thanks,

[LarryDavid]

I've fished a lot under bridges over the years and it seems to change from year to year. But the last couple of years, the bite has been better right before dawn and then the first few hours following. The thing is, to get a prime spot, you have to get there in the middle of the night at most places. Others have done better than me at night, mostly they are fishing with jigs along the pilings, but everybody seems to do better right at dawn and the few hours prior after sunrise. A lot of the fish are migrating away from the bridges now and are right next to, or on the spawning flats doing their thing. I'd hit the flats now during the daylight where they are spawning. And I've seen lights be both good and bad. Usually in the shadows of the lights are best for me. They can bring in a lot of trash fish, too, depending on what part of the season. Oct. Nov. and maybe Dec. are my bridge times, though, if I go.

[Tellicorick]

Larry,

Thanks for your response, it would seem to clear things up a bit. Last year, I built a green submersible LED light to use for night fishing. Tried it one evening toward the end of the spawn under the bridge at Honeycomb. NADA! I saw fish on my HB and the fish warning pretty much dinged all the while we were there, but no bites. At another bridge, I got there just after daylight to find 3 boats anchored under the bridge and the fishing was good for about 1-1/2 hour and then it completely shut off. It just seems like daylight is the killer on bridge fishing despite all things I've read about crappie lurking in the shadows under boat docks - maybe it's a pressure thing; too much pressure just after daylight so they either go dormant or just swim out.

[Bob D]

I fish in the causeways from the bank a fair amount. I usually will fish a minnow under a lighted bobber in the dark and then switch to a jig once it gets light enough to see my line in the morning. The jig bite will be good for the 1-2 hours after the sunrise then I find that it usually dies off. Lately a lot of folks have been doing well at sundown on lighted bobbers and minnows as well. Never discount the weather conditions to change all that though.