Night Fishing: Gear, Tactics, and Safety for After-Dark Angling
One of the most overlooked times to fish is at night. Many fish species are active at night and bite well once the sun goes down.
Channel catfish, flathead catfish, walleyes, and sturgeon are just of few of the fish species anglers frequently target after dark. While night fishing can be extremely successful it does pose some challenges for anglers. In this article we will cover the gear, tactics, and safety precautions for fishing at night.
Essential Gear For Night Fishing (Headlamps, Lights, Etc.)
There are several pieces of equipment that are mandatory if you plan on night fishing. Not only will they make your experience better, but they will also help keep you safe. The following are several things you need to make sure you pack if you plan on angling after dark. 
Headlamps
Without question sufficient lighting is a key to a successful night on the water. Headlamps are a must-have if you plan on fishing in the dark. A good headlamp allows you to keep both of your hands free while illuminating the area around you.
Anglers should look for a headlamp with adjustable brightness levels and a red-light mode, which is less likely to spook fish. If your headlamp takes batteries you should always pack an extra set in the event that your headlamp’s power runs out while night fishing.
Lanterns/ Floodlights
Lanterns or floodlights are a must for both shore-based or boat fishing anglers after dark. Lanterns provide additional illumination in a specific fixed area.
Consider battery-operated lanterns or floodlights for portability and the ability to change batteries once they start to die. Similar to the headlamps, it’s recommended to carry a fresh set of batteries at all times. Today many of the LED floodlights are waterproof and can be attached to a boat for increased visibility.
Spotlights
A quality spotlight is incredibly helpful when fishing after dark, especially for those anglers fishing in a boat. A spot light will allow the angler to illuminate the area in front of them while navigating the water. This will help them avoid objects in the water keeping them safe as them move from spot to spot.
Navigational Boat Lights
Legally all boats must display navigation lights from sunset to sunrise, and in conditions of reduced visibility, such as fog. Navigational boat lights allow other boaters to see your vessel in the dark. These lights include a red and green light at the bow of the boat and a bright white light on the stern. Navigational boat lights are a must have for night fishing helping prevent boat on boat collisions.
Bug Spray / Thermacell
Bug spray is one of those items that night anglers seldom forget, but it can be a huge problem if they do. The bugs can be vicious throughout the summer months and can ruin a night on the water. It pays to always keep a bottle of bug spray in your tackle box and boat. A thermacell is another great option for anglers looking to keep the bugs away from them while night fishing.
Best Lures And Baits For Night Fishing
No matter what species you are targeting selecting the right lure is a critical part of having success while night fishing. Anglers have to consider what fish species they would like to target and choose their baits according to how that fish primarily finds its food.
Let’s use channel catfish as an example. Channel catfish locate their using their keen senses of smell and touch. Channel catfish have eight barbels, or whisker-like appendages, around their mouths that help them find food.
In addition, they have taste buds all over the surface of their body. Live bait and cut bait are good options for catfish, because give off a ton of scent allowing the catfish to locate the bait in the darkness.
Glow and UV Colors
As the sun goes down it can be much harder for fish to see your baits due to the lack of light. To counter this many lures come in glow and UV color options. These baits can be charged up with a UV flashlight and can have stay illuminated for many minutes.
Today’s anglers can find crankbaits, swimbaits, jigs, and topwater lures in UV and glow color options. Glow and UV baits are a great option for those anglers looking to cast and cover water when night fishing for predatory species like walleye and musky.
Sound
Sound is another great way to attract fish when night fishing. Any lure that has rattles or creates a loud vibration is a good choice while night fishing. The loud sound and vibration produced from that lure will help fish track it down in the dark. Two good lure options include the Rapala Rippin’ Rap and Rapala X-Rap Shad. Both of these lures produce a ton of noise and work fantastic in low-light conditions.
Livebait
The movement and flash you get from livebait makes it a fantastic choice for nighttime angling. Shiners, fathead minnows, chubs, suckers, bluegills, and bullheads are all good livebait options. Choosing the right livebait boils down to the species of fish you’d like to target.
As a general guide shiners, fathead minnows, and chubs work well for walleyes and other mid-sized predatory species. Larger livebait options like bluegills and bullheads are well suited for big predators like flathead catfish. Livebait can be fished a number of different ways including bottom rigs and illuminated bobber setups.
Cut Bait
Cut bait is a great option when night fishing. The scent from the cut bait will attract fish even in the dead of night. Gizzard shad, herring, and white suckers are three great cut bait options. Both fresh or frozen cut bait will produce catfish and other predator species.
If you are going to use frozen cut bait, it should be noted that many anglers prefer to use white suckers as opposed to other baitfish due to their solid consistency and long-lasting flavour even after freezing them. Cut bait is almost exclusively fished with bottom rigs.
Locating Fish In The Dark
Locating fish in the dark can be a challenge, but with proper mapping and an understanding of how fish move, anglers can have great success targeting them after dark. On many lakes and reservoirs, predatory species like walleye and musky move into shallow water in search of baitfish. Shallow sandy flats, the tops of reefs, and wind-blown shorelines are all likely spots for finding fish.
In flowing bodies of water like rivers, fish often position themselves in areas where current slows down. Look for eddies or deep pools where fish can rest and feed with less effort. Log jams also provide good cover for predatory species and are worth fishing.
Confluence areas are another great spot to find fish in rivers because they tend to attract lots of baitfish. All of these spots will produce the predatory fish species nighttime anglers are after.
Targeting the Right Species
Anglers who are looking to spend time night fishing need to actively target certain fish species that tend to be more nocturnal. Catfish, sturgeon, walleyes, musky, and large trout will actively feed at night and are worth pursuing.
Due to their physical traits and senses, these fish excel at hunting for prey in the darkness, making them willing biters. Some of these fish will use their keen sense of smell to find fish, while others will use their superior eyesight to find their prey. As an angler, you must ensure your presentation is designed for the species you plan on targeting.
Navigating In The Dark
At night, it’s easy to lose track of your surroundings, especially if you’re fishing in a new or unfamiliar location. Having good quality mapping is essential. Good quality mapping like Humminbird’s VX LakeMaster maps allows the angler to fishing spots as well as any potential hazardous areas out in the water.
If you are going to be fishing out of a boat it’s important to mark the boat launch, and save your travel route from spot to spot. This will ensure you’ll be able to make it back to the boat launch safety in the dark. It’s important to take your time when navigating the water in a boat. Traveling at fast speeds is not recommended while fishing in the dark and can be extremely dangerous.
Safety Considerations For Night Fishing
Wearing a life jacket should be mandatory while fishing in the dark. Whether you’re fishing from a boat or from shore, wearing a life jacket is one of the simplest and most effective safety measures you can take to stay safe out on the water. When it’s dark out a fall into the water can be very disorienting and dangerous. Wearing your life jacket is a simple way to stay safe while night fishing.
Proper clothing is another thing anglers need to take into consideration. As the sun sets the temperature typically drops several degrees, sometimes even ten degrees or more. It’s important to remember this when fishing at night. Many anglers underdress when night fishing leaving them uncomfortable and cold.
When night fishing in cooler temperatures and possibly wet conditions, it’s important to layer your clothing. Consider packing a waterproof jacket or windbreaker, as well as warm layers if fishing in colder months. Pack these spare clothes in a dry bag to ensure they are kept dry in all weather conditions.
FAQs
What are the best places to go night fishing?
Night angling can take place anywhere. Rivers, lakes, and reservoirs all have good options for fishing after dark. As an angler you’ll want to identify what species you would like to target and choose the appropriate body of water.
As an example if you’d like to target catfish rivers are typically going to be your best spot. Look for deeper holes, log jams, and current breaks. All of these spots are likely areas that channel catfish will frequent while searching for food.
Is night fishing safe?
Yes. As long as you use safety precautions and the proper safety equipment fishing at night is safe.
What kind of fish are active at night?
Catfish, bullheads, sturgeon, and walleyes are all active after dark. However, most species can be caught after dark.
Conclusion
Night fishing is a fantastic time to target big predatory fish like flathead catfish and walleyes. With the proper preparation and safety equipment night fishing can be enjoyed from a boat, riverbank, or shoreline. If you target likely locations and utilize baits that perform the best in low-light conditions; you’ll be surprised by the amount of fish you can catch once the sun goes down.
