With this summer’s heat bordering on the absurd and record highs being recorded during the day some anglers are turning to night fishing as a way to beat the heat.
Angling after dark is actually a fun and productive way to fish, and it has several advantages over fishing during the daytime. There are quite a few reasons to re-focus your angling efforts until after the sun goes down.
Night fishing gets you out of the sun.
The obvious reason to fish at night is to get out of the sun’s bright rays, and night fishing can be a relaxing and enjoyable way to continue fishing in the summer when the heat has become just too much to bear. This is actually healthier for you anyway, since the sun’s rays damage the skin.
One warning: although you won’t need sunscreen, don’t forget that mosquitoes are more active at night so you still need to pack bug spray.
You can escape the crowds by fishing at night.
Summertime at the pier or boat ramp can be maddeningly crowded as fishermen crawl all over each other to get a line in the water. Summer means a mix of local and vacationing anglers and is the busiest time on the waterways and on the roads to get to the fishing hole.
If you fish at night, though, you can often find yourself wonderfully isolated. Most anglers fish during the day, so night fishing is a time when you can get back some of the best joys of angling: quiet solitude and peaceful co-existence with nature. You also get your choice of fishing spots, which is a blessing in these days of user conflict over access.
Night fishing is actually best for some fish species.
There are fish who hit better at night regardless of what season it is. These are fish that anglers target at night for more reasons than to beat the heat.
In freshwater, catfish are well-known as nocturnal feeders that really go on the prowl after dark. Since catfish feed more by smell than by sight they are the prefect nighttime predators, and they can sense bait from a great distance. Anyone who targets catfish knows they hit better at night, and many dedicated catfish pros won’t get on the water until the sun goes down.
In saltwater, drum are the equivalent of catfish, really coming alive at night. Both redfish (red drum) and black drum hit better at night, with redfish prowling the surf and the creek mouths for prey and black drum hanging around bridges, piers, and docks feeding on shellfish. Black drum in particular are like catfish, feeding more by smell than sight and zeroing in on shellfish.
One question: can fish see at night?
Yes they can, so don’t worry about your favorite fish species. Largemouth bass, crappie, speckled trout, flounder and most other predator fish all feed at night nearly as much as they do during the day.
Many people wonder if fish can “see” their lures and baits after dark, and the answer is that they can. A phosphorous glow colors baits and lures in the water at night, meaning fish looking up into the moonlight can "see" your bait just fine.
So if you want a way to get out of these record highs give night fishing a try. It is a relaxing and fun way to escape the sun and the crowds and get back to what fishing is all about: you, nature, and a stringer full of fish.
For more fishing articles and links see my website Surf and Salt
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