Dumb question, night fishing

[INGrandad]

Growing up the way to catch crappie was with a Coleman lantern hanging over the side of the boat. I hadn't done that for years and decided to go out last year. So I bought a couple of floating lights, I bought some minnows, and I went one warm summer evening. I had a good time but now, after reading the 'Jigs only' thread, how do jigs work under the lights? It sure would save watching my minnows die off.

[albiechaser]

Growing up the way to catch crappie was with a Coleman lantern hanging over the side of the boat. I hadn't done that for years and decided to go out last year. So I bought a couple of floating lights, I bought some minnows, and I went one warm summer evening. I had a good time but now, after reading the 'Jigs only' thread, how do jigs work under the lights? It sure would save watching my minnows die off.

stick with the minnows old buddy, and bring ice for the minnows, lol

jigs are fun but will never out fish a live minnow,
an I'll put money on that. lol
then again fishing a creek or river, I love casting a jig.
the current moves em nice. an minnows can look un-natural
but from a boat, my minnows put meat on the table.

its all good /have a great day

[crappiman]

Growing up the way to catch crappie was with a Coleman lantern hanging over the side of the boat. I hadn't done that for years and decided to go out last year. So I bought a couple of floating lights, I bought some minnows, and I went one warm summer evening. I had a good time but now, after reading the 'Jigs only' thread, how do jigs work under the lights? It sure would save watching my minnows die off.

If you want to try the newest way to night fish give our lights a try.They attach on your line and provide the light where you need it.If you use jigs at night these lights help the catch ratio.

[CrappiePappy]

Growing up the way to catch crappie was with a Coleman lantern hanging over the side of the boat. I hadn't done that for years and decided to go out last year. So I bought a couple of floating lights, I bought some minnows, and I went one warm summer evening. I had a good time but now, after reading the 'Jigs only' thread, how do jigs work under the lights? It sure would save watching my minnows die off.

... but, if I were using jigs at night, I'd be using a Black Light & fluorescent line and casting :D

Now, for "still fishing" (aka tightlining) ... I'd be using my Coleman lantern, and minnow/slip float rigs out on the perimeter of the lighted water ... while Vertical Casting a jig right down into the lighted water, from below the schooling Shad/Minnows circling under the light, right up thru them. I'd keep my minnows in a floating minnow bucket, hanging over the side of the boat ... with just a dozen or so in the boat, in small "personal" buckets. I've done this without the use of ice, and rarely lost many minnows. A battery powered bubbler can also be used to help keep the minnows lively.

Minnows will die from "shock" ... when taken from cold minnow bucket/transport bag water and placed into warmer lake water. That's why I always temper the water I transport my minnows in, with the warmer lake water, before placing them in a floating minnow bucket and hanging them over the side. This has worked fairly well for me, even during Summer days. Well, it did back when I used to use minnows as my primary bait. Now that I only use minnows as a last resort, I haven't purchased any newer lighting systems or equipment to keep minnows. My night fishing days are past history, for the most part ... so I concentrate on early AM to midday hours, during my early Summer to early Fall fishing trips

... cp

[crappie12]

If you want to try the newest way to night fish give our lights a try.They attach on your line and provide the light where you need it.If you use jigs at night these lights help the catch ratio.

We have used those and they work great!

[Ken Jones]

I use jigs all the time never live minnows and they work great. I have a home made light made out of a car headlight. The head light is in stirophone and it floats great. Mine is home made. I wish I could post a picture but I am having problems posting pictures. I think I could Email a picture to some body out there and they would be able to post it. Ken

[INGrandad]

Ken, sounds like the ready-made light rigs I bought. They really put light into the water.

Now, for "still fishing" (aka tightlining) ... I'd be using my Coleman lantern, and minnow/slip float rigs out on the perimeter of the lighted water ... while Vertical Casting a jig right down into the lighted water, from below the schooling Shad/Minnows circling under the light, right up thru them.

This is precisely what I was wondering, tightlining or using a tube/jig instead of the minnow. Made no sense to me why they wouldn't hit it, but I'd never tried it after dark. Do both, let the fish decide which they like better. And thanks for the tips on keeping the bait alive.

[Ken Jones]

If you need a light to travel at night with this light is quit handy for that. Remember one thing when you ask a question pertaining to fishing its never a dumb question. Asking questions is how we all learn.

[ccga]

Ive got one of the car lights in the styrofoam housing. How long will they run off a battery? Are you anchored out somewhere using your trolling battery for the light? The wind has been awful during the day here and calms down at night.Ive been itching to go and this may be an option!

[INGrandad]

That was the plan and the practice in the past, anchor, drop the lights, try it a bit, move a little, try again. I only got out once after dark last year with those lights, I was shocked by how quickly they sucked up the juice from the TM batteries. Wow.

Old boat, last year I didn't have a backup motor, I was happy to make it back to the ramp.