Do any of you like Night Fishing?

[thill]

For a number of years, I have gone to night fishing to avoid the crowds. Primarily when fishing for Striped bass, trout and other saltwater fish.

Sometimes we use underwater lights, sometimes we fish docks that are lit, and sometimes we just fish in the dark.

Lately, we have been fishing under the bridges at night in FRESH water with the green underwater lights, and it's almost like cheating, except that the fish are VERY choosy when there is so much bait in the water. Here is what it looks like after having the lights down for maybe 15 mins:

https://youtube.com/shorts/fF598HGT2P0

Most are shad and herring, but there are plenty of crappie in the mix, if you watch. It is almost more fun watching the fish than fishing for them. But the fishing can be very good, too.

Of course, you can throw a cast net for minnows, and use them, and that works great. But catching anything on lures is really tough. Then my nephew Nathan cracked the code on catching in the lights. He started throwing his "Crazy Nate's Crappie Baits." and BLAM! He started out-catching the rest of us badly. Soon, we were all mooching lures off of him and we all started catching. Went back for the same results. Those things are the ticket. Want to go every evening we can, while the bite is hot.



I've seen numerous videos of guys catching crappie at night, but this is my first time really slaying them. We caught many more than in the pics, we only kept a few.

How many of you guys fish for crappie at night?

[Lund]

I’ve fished for them an hour or so before sunrise on docks with lights with BamaS but still learning


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[BAMA S]

Yes. I love night fishing. I had a pier with a green light in 30 FOW we would catch 75 crappie 12”-15” long a night. Fish are normally larger night fishing. Plus there’s not as many water fleas. Good catch WTG!!!!

[thill]

Sounds similar! The spot we were fishing is 30 FOW going up to about 10 in a very steep drop-off.

What did you usually throw at them? I've heard that white bucktail jigs are very good, but I haven't tied any up yet.

[BAMA S]

Exactly. They like a drop off.

[BAMA S]

I liked a lights out. Outlaw special and eclipse colored Bobby garland baby shad. 1/8 oz jig head colored pink.

[thill]

I'll have to try that. I think I have a number of BGs in my box, but haven't done very well on them so far.

Nathan was throwing Chartreuse, and I had pearl, and his definitely did better. When I used slab sauce, I caught more crappie than stripers, but had to keep applying. I understand that bucktail holds the slab sauce for much longer, so works better at night. The guy who told me this catches a lot of big crappie, but he says it's been many years since he went out at night.

[Grainraiser]

I like to tie up under bridges at night during the summer and drop several minnows on the outskirts of the green lights. Crappie and white bass make a beeline to these areas and the fishing is good. You avoid the jet fleas and I find it very relaxing. Another great way to fish at night is to drop down shad a foot off the bottom and let the wind push your boat. Drift fishing can be deadly for catfish.

[UpstateSC_Bill]

I used to enjoy night fishing. But the lakes I fish these days are controlled and gates close at sunset.

[Ketchn]

I night ketched a bunch of fish over the years in many different formats , something black and chart often gets the best bites at night , then there is this here trick as well .....some spots have tons of ghost shrimp that visit lit areas , a small clear bait can be deadly if the ghost shrimp are there .
some articles I have read suggest black crappie diet patterns have large amounts of freshwater shrimp in them , up to 85% of a mature black crappie's diet according to the studies of the stomach contents.
the perimeter of the light source is about always the best area and then this ....as the night wears on the crappie will slowly rise in the water column to the bait schools on the lights , we sometimes start about 15 or more feet deep and after several hours the fish are only about 4 to 6 foot deep.
we used to striper ketch at night before my bud became a full time striper guide , we sure wore them out in the dark under bridges way back when .