Night Fishing Do's and Don'ts

[chadchester1]

Ok guy!! I know that there has got to be more than just three of who night stalk out there? Please point us in the right direction!, I'd really just like to know how the rest on the Crappie Nation night fishes!! Please summit your thoughts and tips.

[CrappiePappy]

I would, but I haven't night fished for Crappie in a long time.

Most of my night Crappie fishing was done under the light of a two burner Coleman lantern. Other than that, I have used "black lights" & fluorescent line, and I've fished under lights mounted on docks (just above the water's surface) ... from a boat. In most all cases, fish were caught at the outer edges of the light ... or slightly below the (probable) depth of the light's penetration.

Mostly I've used minnows, when stationary (tied to something) ... and jigs/Roadrunners when casting the shadows &/or the outer fringes of the light.

Best tips I can give ... have minimal clutter in the boat - have your PFD on - have quick & easy access to a light (flashlight/headlamp/etc) - be "scent free" (as in don't wear aftershave/perfume, or use scented soap prior to night fishing) - have a First Aid Kit in the boat. It goes without saying that you should follow all applicable laws & safety procedures.

... cp

[chadchester1]

Thanks pappy, that's all great advice. But can I ask you why you are "sent free" is that do to the bugs??
I'd really like to know about location and set up if you don't mind. I've read that crappie stage up in deep water during the hottest part of the day and move in to the shallows to feed at night and morning. So what would be the best location to set up at night to catch the fish in this transition??

[CrappiePappy]

Thanks pappy, that's all great advice. But can I ask you why you are "sent free" is that do to the bugs??
I'd really like to know about location and set up if you don't mind. I've read that crappie stage up in deep water during the hottest part of the day and move in to the shallows to feed at night and morning. So what would be the best location to set up at night to catch the fish in this transition??

Yes .... being "scent free" is to help not attract "bugs", specifically mosquitoes. You really can't stop all bugs from buzzing around you, or landing on you, but most are not the "biting kind".

Crappie are going to follow their foodsource .... using shade or depth or cover to stay "hidden" as much as possible. They're not slash & dash feeders, they're stealth feeders. I believe your "transition" theory is mostly correct, but not all "move IN TO the shallows" ... many will just "move shallow", or more precisely they will move "shallower" (up in the water column), staying in deep water and not actually move towards the shallow water around the shoreline.

The best location to set up ... can change with changing conditions, and baitfish movement. One has to take into account the thermocline, if it exists in the waters you're fishing. If it's there, that's the maximum depth you'd want to fish. You'd also like to have some type of cover that rises up through the thermocline, or extends down towards it. Standing trees on deep creek mouth points, humps with stumps, dead fall trees that extend out from the bank into deep water, docks on poles, docks with large lights hanging off the sides, and logjams in a deep water pocket ... have all been places where I've caught Crappie at night.

From what I've read, along with what I've experienced, Crappie don't "move" for the heck of it. They generally have a reason, and that reason is their foodsource. Shad, being the most prevalent food, generally move to the shallows (where cover is present) or into the creeks at night .... then back out to the main channel during the day. They can be distracted or diverted by a light source, knowing that "their" foodsource will be attracted to the light. That's why your lights, and dock lights, attract the "chain" reaction of phytoplankton/zooplankton being fed upon by Shad, which are being fed upon by Crappie & other predatory fish.

... cp

[bdunn3]

I would like to see a pic of your setup if you have one.

Me too!

Edit: just saw the no cameracomment. Crap!

[chadchester1]

Thanks Again CP
See, I knew that there was a crappie master out there who actually knew what they were talking about. Thank you for the information and I truly appreciate
your input and time. I have found that coves with old creek beds or river channels in them work best for me. I like to find structure right off the main channels either in a bend or hole and put out the lights and see what happens. however I will not sit to long in one spot if i'm not seeing any bait fish.
Do you mind if i ask you one more question. I've also read that different year class "size" fish group up this time of year and would like to know your thoughts on this. And where you'd try to find the bigger fish in a large reservoir .
Thanks
Chad

[M Pain]

If the noise you here you think it's a black kitty cat just - RUN!

[Dave and Lynn]

Went the last couple of weekends at night and have caught all my fish in less then 15 ft of water fishing 8 ft down. Some fish caught on a point close to deep water. We were at least 50 yards off shore 13 ft deep around brush. Others were caught 15 ft of water 30 yards off shore around brush. Used slip bobbers and minnows. Finding brush away from shore will minimize the bug issue. I use the old floating lights that look like old car head light bulbs. If you don't get a lot of bait around your lights move somewhere else. That can take up to an hour. Tried the glow stick kind of lights that you attach to the bobber and was pleased at how they worked although they are a little pricey. We did anchor out. One other thing is to be as quite in the boat as possible as the fish will spook easy. Also don't anchor over the brush stay off of it 20 ft or so.
Good fishing to you.

[CrappiePappy]

Do you mind if i ask you one more question. I've also read that different year class "size" fish group up this time of year and would like to know your thoughts on this. And where you'd try to find the bigger fish in a large reservoir .
Thanks
Chad

I've heard that Crappie school by year class / size ... but, haven't always experienced it that way. There have been many instances where fish of varying sizes have been caught from around a single cover object/area. Now, that's not to say that they were schooling together, as they could have "picked out" this particular cover/area at the same time ... and likely for the same reason.

As I understand it, the bigger Crappie do tend to stay deeper, more often. They're also notorious for holding on "isolated" cover ... like that one brushpile that's all alone, with no other cover features close by ... or that one tree that's off a little distance from a group of trees. The idea, in the past, was to find cover that wasn't known or heavily fished. But, with the electronics of today, that's a fading factor.

Where the bigger fish are, in any given body of water, depends on a lot of factors. As I haven't been night fishing during the Summer months, I'd be about as lost as anyone, as to where those fish would be. I would probably just try those same areas that I mentioned before, and move from spot to spot until I came in contact with fish of a quality size.

... cp

[chadchester1]

Thanks CP,
All good information , Thanks for sharing ,