Fishing at night can be one of the most serene and productive times to fish if you can tolerate the bugs, but it is definitely an art. If you do not go night fishing prepared, you can expect to spend a long evening catching nothing.
Fishing at night is most easily done by attracting fish with a combination of light and attractive bait. Lights on docks and boathouses attract fish naturally. This draws insects for them to feed on. Insect-based baits and lures tend to do well when fishing at night in these areas.
As long as you know the basics of fishing at night, you are sure to catch something! Read on to learn more about how to fish at night successfully.
Types of Fish You Can Catch at Night
There are several different species of fish (both freshwater and saltwater) that can be caught during the evening hours.
Here are a few of the fish that you can fish for at night:
Catfish
Catfish is a popular type of fish to catch at night since it tends to move into shallow waters in the dark and stay in deepwater channels during the brighter and hotter parts of the day. These channels are both difficult to fish in because of boating traffic and can be too deep to fish for bottom feeders. It’s best to catch catfish off on a well-lit dock at night.
(Source: Bass Pro Shops)
Bass
Bass tend to be active feeders at night when cooler water drives minnows and other attractive prey into the shallows. A good way to attract bass while fishing at night is to use “loud” tackle and lures that cause a lot of vibration in the water. This vibration can help attract fish when they can’t clearly see the lure because it mimics the movements of a fish in distress or an insect that has struck the surface of the water and is struggling to fly away.
(Source: Bass Resource)
Crappie
You have a better chance of catching crappie at dusk and dawn than you do in the hottest parts of the day, as these fish (like many others) will move to deeper water and refuse to bite when the weather is too warm. Crappie is a type of fish that is easy to catch even if the water is stirred up and muddy, making them a good target for shallow water fishing off shorelines.
Striper
Stripers, the common name for striped bass, are a popular fish to go after both during the day and at night because they are such opportunistic feeders. Stripers hit many kinds of lures and bait. These fish can get very large in deep water environments and can be found in both saltwater and freshwater habitats. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi)
Walleye
Walleye are a large predatory fish that tend to feed at night, which makes them a popular target for night fishing in their native range. They tend to be aggressive strikers and don’t require fancy bait to be coerced into biting when they’re active similar to bass and other large predatory fish.
These are only a few of the fish you can catch at night. As a rule, many fish are more active feeders just before and after dark, so fishing at night is the best time to catch many different species.
Bait To Use For Fishing at Night
The bait you need to use for fishing at night depends on two major factors: the habitat that you’re fishing in, and the type of fish you’re looking to catch. The kinds of bait you’d set for largemouth bass, for example, would be way too large for most crappie or bluegill.
Live bait is a good option for night fishing because the fluids from the bait being impaled leak into the water, sending out a scent that brings predatory fish running toward it. Live bait also has the added advantage of moving around in the water even when it’s not actively being reeled in, which can help attract fish in low light conditions.
At night, it’s important to depend on attractants others than visual cues to draw fish in since they can’t see as well in the dark. Any movement of the bait or lure needs to be exaggerated to send out big vibrations in the water, and you should check your live bait often to make sure that it’s still alive and kicking. If the bait dies, stop to put it aside and add a fresh live bait. Dead bait can still catch fish, but while you still have live bait, you should use every advantage you can get.
Here are some baits that are good for fishing at night:
Freshwater night baits
Good baits for catching freshwater fish at night need to smell strong and preferably wiggle around. Nightcrawlers, crickets, freshwater shad, and mealworms can be good live baits to put on a freshwater hook, while any strong-smelling meat or cheese can be used to draw at night catfish. Commercial baits advertised as “stink bait” will also bring in catfish at night.
Saltwater night baits
Good saltwater night baits are either chopped up squid or oily live baitfish such as menhaden or herring. Live bait is battered on the hook through the surf. You should check your bait every fifteen to twenty minutes to make sure it’s still alive and active. Since small baitfish are one of the best baits for night fishing in saltwater, it’s worth it to invest in an aerated cooler to keep your live bait lively.
Both live and cut baits are strongly scented which are distinct advantages for night fishing. This scent can help draw in fish when the movement of the bait isn’t enough with the low visibility. Live bait like minnows gives the bonus of flailing movement in the water, which causes the kind of vibrations that bigger fish pick up on and move to investigate in case they get a chance to feed.
Artificial Lures For Fishing at Night
If you want to avoid live and cut bait, artificial lures and tackle can still successfully catch fish at night, but you’ll want to opt for scented varieties if you don’t want to lose out on the advantages that live and cut bait offer. On the flip side of that, though, artificial tackle does have some benefits that improve night fishing in a way that live bait doesn’t.
Here are some of the advantages of using artificial lures for fishing at night:
No need to add fresh bait.
This can be an important consideration if you are fishing in the dark since fiddling with the hook and bait can be a hassle when there isn’t much light to see by to tie your hooks. You can cast and catch fish on the same cheap artificial worm or grub all night long.
Reflective lures.
Some artificial lures come with reflective surfaces (such as spoons) that cause moonlight to flash and sparkle of the lure as it is reeled through the water. The reflection simulates the flash of moonlight on the scales of a baitfish. In low light conditions, the glimmer is enough to draw in aggressive striking fish like bass or walleye.
Glow in the dark lures.
Another advantage that artificial lures have over live and cut bait is that you can get glow in the dark artificial lures. Not only are these lures easier to see while night fishing, but they are also easier for the fish to see underwater, too. Unusual things attract fishes, a glow in the dark lure can draw them in and tempt them into an exploratory strike.
You must pick both lures and hooks that are designed to be snag-free although there are many lures suitable for night fishing. This is because you’ll probably be fishing directly into weeds while night fishing. It’s difficult to see to get your line loose, especially if you do get hung up on something,
You may end up having to cut your line when you otherwise wouldn’t have, so going with a snag-free lure is just a better option if you want to end up keeping it at the end of the night.
When to Fish at Night
You can reliably catch fish throughout most of the night, but the times when fish are the most active and feeding are the hours surrounding dawn and dusk. So, the best times for night fishing fall around three in the morning to eight or nine and from around seven or eight in the evening through midnight.
Because fish tend to move toward more shallow water at night, night fishing is the perfect time to fish from the end of a dock, a shoreline, or to pull your fishing boat into a quiet cove.
The best places to fish at night include the following:
- Patches of water weeds or eelgrass
- Underwater structures such as logs or rock formations
- In the water margin near cattails or other marginal vegetation
Do you notice a trend? The one thing that most of these target areas have in common is that they are very easy to snag your line on, so be sure to bring a pair of scissors and plenty of extra lures, hooks, and sinker weights in case you have to cut yourself loose and reset your line.
Where to Fish at Night
It’s a good idea to seek out an area with a source of artificial light if you’re looking for fishing locations at night, which is why docks are a popular night fishing spot. This is because artificial lights draw in and disorient bugs, causing them to fall into the water. This, in turn, attracts fish that know light equals food and makes fish strike more aggressively in these areas.
It is not a good idea to fish in the open channels of a river or lake at night, even on a fishing boat with lights. This is because larger boats that are moving at speed may not see you in time to avoid your boat, and in the dark, it’s just not worth the risk of a boat-on-boat collision. In low light conditions, reserve the open channel for high-speed boat traffic and stick to the shorelines, where you’re more likely to find the fish biting anyway.
Is It Legal to Fish at Night?
It is perfectly legal to fish at night. There are only two major legal considerations you need to think about when it comes to night fishing.
1) Don’t go fishing on a boat at night that doesn’t have adequate lighting.
Not only do you risk getting fined by the Coast Guard or water police, but you’re also putting yourself at risk of being struck by another boat who can’t see you parked on the water.
2) Don’t go night fishing at other people’s docks and water sources without permission.
Just because you see a seemingly abandoned dock at night or a pond on a country road doesn’t give you the right to fish in it. Many docks are on private property, so be sure you know that you have the right to fish where you’re fishing before you decide to cast your line. Not only is this rude, but it is also dangerous at night because you could be mistaken for a burglar or trespasser.
How To Fish with an Underwater Fishing Light at Night
If you want to attract a bunch of fish for night fishing, you should think about investing in an underwater fishing light for your dock. These lights put out a clear luminescence that passes through the water channel and draws in fish from far away looking to feed. Fish associate artificial lights with a source of food in fallen insects and shallow waters, their preferred area to feed in the dark. Some lights can even be hung off the end of a boat.
Even when you’re not actively fishing, an underwater fishing light can be an interesting addition to your dock because it gives you a perfect view of all of the active fish at night, turning the water around your dock into your giant backlit aquarium. To fish with an underwater fishing light, just keep the light turned on continuously at night. Fish will learn to depend on it as a source of artificial light and will start hanging out around the dock at night. This is when you can do your best night fishing.
Here are some of the best underwater fishing lights available:
- Green Blob Outdoors Underwater Fishing Light
- Lightingsky Submersible Fishing Light
- Amarine Made Underwater Fishing Light
- Linkstyle Underwater Fishing Light
- IllumiSea Underwater Fishing Light
Underwater fishing lights not only make fishing at night much easier by drawing in the best fish, but it also makes it more pleasant in general. The ambient lighting thrown off by underwater fishing lights helps give night fishers enough light to see by to re-tie their bait and do other fine-tuning with their rod and reel.
Fish Behavior at Night and How to Take Advantage of It
One thing to remember when night fishing is that fish behavior is quite different from their behavior in the daytime. If you’re fishing at dusk, this is the time when the majority of predatory fish catch most of their food for the day, so you’re more likely to encounter fish that will aggressively chase any bait or lure. (Source: Outdoor Life)
Large target fish like bass are active during the night because it is the time when insects are most active, which in turn draws in baitfish. These baitfish are the true targets of larger fish such as bass or walleye, but at this point in the day, predatory fish are likely to be in such a feeding frenzy that they’ll reliably strike almost anything.
The good news is that the way fish behavior changes at night is actually to the fisher’s benefit. Rather than having to chase large fish out to deep water in the heat of the day, it is just as easy for fishers to wait until dusk for the big fish to come into shallow water.
The only disadvantage that both fish and people share when it comes to night vision is visibility. Neither fish nor people see well in low light conditions, so both are handicapped after dark. The same instinct that causes predatory fish to lash out in the dark also causes an inexperienced fisher to accidentally pull in their lure too early before the hook sets or casts in the wrong spot.
Tips for Fishing at Night
Fishing at night gives fishers a lot of inherent advantages, but there are also some tips you can follow to make sure you get the most out of night fishing.
Here are some ideas for making your night fishing trip more successful and fun:
Tie all your tackle ahead of time.
The last thing you want to do is get out to a dark fishing spot and realize that you now have to tie all of your sinkers, hooks, and lures in the dark. Tying your tackle incorrectly may lead to losing it. It’s a better idea to get all of your fishing rods set up first. Bring a backup rod in case your original line gets in tangles or worst broken. This is so there’s no need for you to re-tie.
Fish in the shallows.
Fishing the shallows around the shoreline, especially areas that are thick with aquatic vegetation, is a good option for night fishing. Large fish are likely to be hunting these areas because smaller fish hide among the vegetation at night to feed. Look into snag-free lures like artificial worms that will skip over heavy weeds without getting tangles.
Use bait and lures that rely on exaggerated movement and strong smells.
It is harder for fish to find bait and lures in the water at night even when they are agitated and hungry, so give them plenty of cues in the water to help them strike at the right spot. This will help you increase your likelihood of setting a hook during a strike.
Bring several strong flashlights.
If you do end up having to re-tie your tackle or when you land a fish and have to remove the hook, having a reliable flashlight on hand will make things easier on you.
Bring insect repellent and wear it.
The same mosquitoes and gnats that draw in fish at night will also eat you alive if you aren’t careful, so be sure to douse yourself with insect repellent before heading out on a night fishing trip.
As long as you have the right tools, night fishing can be just as easy (and even easier!) than fishing during the day.
Advantages of Fishing at Night
Aside from the fact that fish are biting more actively at night, night fishing offers several other advantages as well.
Here are some of the benefits you can expect from setting up a night fishing trip.
Less boat traffic
Rivers and lakes are less busy at night than they are during the day, and less boat traffic means more active fish, as well as fewer wakes to rock your boat or dock and disturb the fish around it.
Cooler temperatures
In many areas of the world, the best fishing seasons also coincide with some of the hottest weather of the year. Night fishing allows fishers to avoid going out in the hottest part of the day. This is a time when fish avoid feeding or coming close to the surface of the water where water is warmer. There is also less dissolved oxygen to breathe.
Quiet atmosphere
There is something idyllic and calming about casting your rod at night with the stars shining overhead and the crickets and frogs singing all around you. Even if you don’t catch anything, nighttime is a very tranquil time to fish.
If you make sure to bring enough light with you to get around the lowered visibility, night fishing is a great way to get big fish while remaining comfortable doing it.
Safety Concerns for Fishing at Night
Because it is in the dark and around a body of water, night fishing comes with safety risks. Night fishing shouldn’t be done alone since the waterline is treacherous in the dark, and if you slip and fall in, you want someone right there to go in after you.
These are some of the safety concerns you should be aware of when you go night fishing:
Go with a friend or at least tell people where you are and when you plan to be back.
If you go missing while fishing at night, you want people to start looking for you as soon as possible. In case of a water-based emergency, response time is crucial.
Wear a life jacket if you go night fishing on a boat.
You should be wearing a life jacket on a boat while fishing no matter what time of day it is since the majority of water-based fatalities are caused by the lack of a life jacket after a wreck or collision.
Watch where you step.
If you live in an area where alligators or venomous water snakes such as water moccasins are native, you must keep an eye out for local wildlife, as it will be more active at night, just like the fish. Bring a flashlight and don’t fish from the shoreline in areas where alligators are. Also, keep an eye on your back if you’re fishing in the backcountry since water sources can draw in other threatening land-based predators.
Move carefully and slowly in the dark.
In dark conditions, you’re more likely to trip and fall, and near the water, this can be a dangerous situation, especially if you’re out on a boat by yourself. You may also accidentally knock your tackle box or rod into the water if you start fumbling around in the dark. Keep your fishing materials close at hand, and don’t be afraid to turn on a flashlight if you have to. It won’t bother the fish.
Fishing at night is fun, but you need to make sure you get through it without an accident.
For Better Luck Fishing, Try Fishing at Night
Some people briefly try fishing at some point in their life during a hot summer day. They do not catch anything, and then promptly hang up their rod and reel. They easily resign themselves to being one of those people that “can’t catch anything”. To be a good fisher isn’t just knowing where to cast your line, but also when to cast it.
If you have had poor luck fishing in the past, try going out again after dark. Chances are you will have a lot more strikes on your line once the moon is up.
